Isaiah 35:3-4

35:3 Strengthen the hands that have gone limp,

steady the knees that shake! ¹ 

35:4 Tell those who panic, ² 

“Be strong! Do not fear!

Look, your God comes to avenge!

With divine retribution he comes to deliver you.” ³ 

Daniel 5:6

5:6 Then all the color drained from the king’s face ⁴  and he became alarmed. ⁵  The joints of his hips gave way, ⁶  and his knees began knocking together.

Hebrews 12:12

12:12 Therefore, strengthen ⁷  your listless hands and your weak knees, ⁸ 

¹ tn Heb “staggering knees”; KJV, ASV, NRSV “feeble knees”; NIV “knees that give way.”

² tn Heb “Say to the hasty of heart,” i.e., those whose hearts beat quickly from fear.

³ tn The jussive form וְיֹשַׁעֲכֶם (vÿyosha’akhem), which is subordinated to the preceding imperfect with vav conjunctive, indicates purpose.

⁴ tn Aram “[the king’s] brightness changed for him.”

⁵ tn Aram “his thoughts were alarming him.”

⁶ tn Aram “his loins went slack.”

⁷ tn Or “straighten.”

⁸ sn A quotation from Isa 35:3. Strengthen your listless hands and your weak knees refers to the readers’ need for renewed resolve and fresh strength in their struggles (cf. Heb 10:36-39; 12:1-3).