42:21 The Lord wanted to exhibit his justice
by magnifying his law and displaying it. 1
58:2 They seek me day after day;
they want to know my requirements, 2
like a nation that does what is right
and does not reject the law of their God.
They ask me for just decrees;
they want to be near God.
1:11 “Of what importance to me are your many sacrifices?” 3
says the Lord.
“I am stuffed with 4 burnt sacrifices
of rams and the fat from steers.
The blood of bulls, lambs, and goats
I do not want. 5
13:17 Look, I am stirring up the Medes to attack them; 6
they are not concerned about silver,
nor are they interested in gold. 7
53:10 Though the Lord desired to crush him and make him ill,
once restitution is made, 8
he will see descendants and enjoy long life, 9
and the Lord’s purpose will be accomplished through him.
56:4 For this is what the Lord says:
“For the eunuchs who observe my Sabbaths
and choose what pleases me
and are faithful to 10 my covenant,
55:11 In the same way, the promise that I make
does not return to me, having accomplished nothing. 11
No, it is realized as I desire
and is fulfilled as I intend.” 12
62:4 You will no longer be called, “Abandoned,”
and your land will no longer be called “Desolate.”
Indeed, 13 you will be called “My Delight is in Her,” 14
and your land “Married.” 15
For the Lord will take delight in you,
and your land will be married to him. 16
65:12 I predestine you to die by the sword, 17
all of you will kneel down at the slaughtering block, 18
because I called to you, and you did not respond,
I spoke and you did not listen.
You did evil before me; 19
you chose to do what displeases me.”
66:3 The one who slaughters a bull also strikes down a man; 20
the one who sacrifices a lamb also breaks a dog’s neck; 21
the one who presents an offering includes pig’s blood with it; 22
the one who offers incense also praises an idol. 23
They have decided to behave this way; 24
they enjoy these disgusting practices. 25
66:4 So I will choose severe punishment 26 for them;
I will bring on them what they dread,
because I called, and no one responded,
I spoke and they did not listen.
They did evil before me; 27
they chose to do what displeases me.”
1 tn Heb “The Lord was pleased for the sake of his righteousness [or “justice”], he was magnifying [the] law and was making [it] glorious.” The Lord contrasts his good intentions for the people with their present crisis (v. 22). To demonstrate his just character and attract the nations, the Lord wanted to showcase his law among and through Israel (Deut 4:5-8). But Israel disobeyed (v. 24) and failed to carry out their commission.
2 tn Heb “ways” (so KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV, TEV); NLT “my laws.”
3 tn Heb “Why to me the multitude of your sacrifices?” The sarcastic rhetorical question suggests that their many sacrifices are of no importance to the Lord. This phrase answers the possible objection that an Israelite could raise in response to God’s indictment: “But we are offering the sacrifices you commanded!”
4 tn The verb שָׂבַע (sava’, “be satisfied, full”) is often used of eating and/or drinking one’s fill. See BDB 959 s.v. שָׂבַע. Here sacrifices are viewed, in typical ancient Near Eastern fashion, as food for the deity. God here declares that he has eaten and drunk, as it were, his fill.
5 sn In the chiastic structure of the verse, the verbs at the beginning and end highlight God’s displeasure, while the heaping up of references to animals, fat, and blood in the middle lines hints at why God wants no more of their sacrifices. They have, as it were, piled the food on his table and he needs no more.
4 tn Heb “against them”; NLT “against Babylon.”
5 sn They cannot be bought off, for they have a lust for bloodshed.
5 tn The meaning of this line is uncertain. It reads literally, “if you/she makes, a reparation offering, his life.” The verb תָּשִׂים (tasim) could be second masculine singular,in which case it would have to be addressed to the servant or to God. However, the servant is only addressed once in this servant song (see 52:14a), and God either speaks or is spoken about in this servant song; he is never addressed. Furthermore, the idea of God himself making a reparation offering is odd. If the verb is taken as third feminine singular, then the feminine noun נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh) at the end of the line is the likely subject. In this case one can take the suffixed form of the noun as equivalent to a pronoun and translate, “if he [literally, “his life”] makes a reparation offering.”
6 sn The idiomatic and stereotypical language emphasizes the servant’s restoration to divine favor. Having numerous descendants and living a long life are standard signs of divine blessing. See Job 42:13-16.
6 tn Heb “and take hold of” (so KJV); NASB “hold fast.”
7 tn Heb “so is the word which goes out from my mouth, it does not return to empty.” “Word” refers here to divine promises, like the ones made just prior to and after this (see vv. 7b, 12-13).
8 tn Heb “but it accomplishes what I desire, and succeeds [on the mission] which I send it.”
8 tn Or “for”; KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV “but.”
9 tn Hebrew חֶפְצִי־בָהּ (kheftsi-vah), traditionally transliterated “Hephzibah” (so KJV, ASV, NIV).
10 tn Hebrew בְּעוּלָה (bÿ’ulah), traditionally transliterated “Beulah” (so KJV, ASV, NIV).
11 tn That is, the land will be restored to the Lord’s favor and once again enjoy his blessing and protection. To indicate the land’s relationship to the Lord, the words “to him” have been supplied at the end of the clause.
9 tn Heb “I assign you to the sword.” Some emend the Qal verb form מָנִיתִי (maniti, “I assign”) to the Piel מִנִּיתִי (minniti, “ I ordain”). The verb sounds like the name of the god Meni (מְנִי, mÿni, “Destiny, Fate”). The sound play draws attention to the irony of the statement. The sinners among God’s people worship the god Meni, apparently in an effort to ensure a bright destiny for themselves. But the Lord is the one who really determines their destiny and he has decreed their demise.
10 tn Or “at the slaughter”; NIV “for the slaughter”; NLT “before the executioner.”
11 tn Heb “that which is evil in my eyes.”
10 tn Heb “one who slaughters a bull, one who strikes down a man.” Some understand a comparison here and in the following lines. In God’s sight the one who sacrifices is like (i.e., regarded as) a murderer or one whose worship is ritually defiled or idolatrous. The translation above assumes that the language is not metaphorical, but descriptive of the sinners’ hypocritical behavior. (Note the last two lines of the verse, which suggests they are guilty of abominable practices.) On the one hand, they act pious and offer sacrifices; but at the same time they commit violent crimes against men, defile their sacrifices, and worship other gods.
11 tn Heb “one who sacrifices a lamb, one who breaks a dog’s neck.” Some understand a comparison, but see the previous note.
12 tn Heb “one who offers an offering, pig’s blood.” Some understand a comparison, but see the note at the end of the first line.
13 tn Heb “one who offers incense as a memorial offering, one who blesses something false.” Some understand a comparison, but see the note at the end of the first line. אָוֶן (’aven), which has a wide variety of attested nuances, here refers metonymically to an idol. See HALOT 22 s.v. and BDB 20 s.v. 2.
14 tn Heb “also they have chosen their ways.”
15 tn Heb “their being [or “soul”] takes delight in their disgusting [things].”
11 tn The precise meaning of the noun is uncertain. It occurs only here and in 3:4 (but see the note there). It appears to be derived from the verbal root עָלַל (’alal), which can carry the nuance “deal severely.”
12 tn Heb “that which is evil in my eyes.”