40:4 Every valley must be elevated,
and every mountain and hill leveled.
The rough terrain will become a level plain,
the rugged landscape a wide valley.
42:16 I will lead the blind along an unfamiliar way; 1
I will guide them down paths they have never traveled. 2
I will turn the darkness in front of them into light,
and level out the rough ground. 3
This is what I will do for them.
I will not abandon them.
3:5 Every valley will be filled, 6
and every mountain and hill will be brought low,
and the crooked will be made straight,
and the rough ways will be made smooth,
1 tn Heb “a way they do not know” (so NASB); NRSV “a road they do not know.”
2 tn Heb “in paths they do not know I will make them walk.”
3 tn Heb “and the rough ground into a level place.”
4 tn Grk “And in those days.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.
5 tn Or “brethren” (but the term includes both male and female believers present in this gathering, as indicated by those named in vv. 13-14).
6 sn The figurative language of this verse speaks of the whole creation preparing for the arrival of a major figure, so all obstacles to his approach are removed.