43:27 The father of your nation 1 sinned;
your spokesmen 2 rebelled against me.
65:16 Whoever pronounces a blessing in the earth 3
will do so in the name of the faithful God; 4
whoever makes an oath in the earth
will do so in the name of the faithful God. 5
For past problems will be forgotten;
I will no longer think about them. 6
1 tn Heb “your first father.” This could refer to Abraham (see 51:2), but elsewhere in Isaiah he does not appear in a negative light (see 29:22; 41:8; 63:16). A more likely candidate is Jacob/Israel, also referred to as the nation’s “father” elsewhere (see 58:14; 63:16).
2 tn On the meaning of the term לִיץ (lits), see HALOT 590 s.v. מֵלִיץ. This may refer to the nation’s prophets, priests, and/or kings.
3 tn Or “in the land” (NIV, NCV, NRSV). The same phrase occurs again later in this verse, with the same options.
4 tn Heb “will pronounce a blessing by the God of truth.”
5 tn Heb “will take an oath by the God of truth.”
6 tn Heb “for the former distresses will be forgotten, and they will be hidden from my eyes.”