5:20 Those who call evil good and good evil are as good as dead, 1
who turn darkness into light and light into darkness,
who turn bitter into sweet and sweet into bitter. 2
41:7 The craftsman encourages the metalsmith,
the one who wields the hammer encourages 6 the one who pounds on the anvil.
He approves the quality of the welding, 7
and nails it down so it won’t fall over.”
52:7 How delightful it is to see approaching over the mountains 8
the feet of a messenger who announces peace,
a messenger who brings good news, who announces deliverance,
who says to Zion, “Your God reigns!” 9
55:2 Why pay money for something that will not nourish you? 10
Why spend 11 your hard-earned money 12 on something that will not satisfy?
Listen carefully 13 to me and eat what is nourishing! 14
Enjoy fine food! 15
56:5 I will set up within my temple and my walls a monument 16
that will be better than sons and daughters.
I will set up a permanent monument 17 for them that will remain.
65:2 I spread out my hands all day long
to my rebellious people,
who lived in a way that is morally unacceptable,
and who did what they desired. 18
1 tn Heb “Woe [to] those who call.” See the note at v. 8.
2 sn In this verse the prophet denounces the perversion of moral standards. Darkness and bitterness are metaphors for evil; light and sweetness symbolize uprightness.
3 tn Heb “good” (so KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT); NAB “favorable.”
4 tn Heb “and he said.” The verb אָמַר (’amar, “say”) is sometimes used of what one thinks (that is, says to oneself).
5 tn Or “surely”; cf. CEV “At least.”
5 tn The verb “encourages” is understood by ellipsis (note the preceding line).
6 tn Heb “saying of the welding, ‘It is good.’”
7 tn Heb “How delightful on the mountains.”
8 tn Or “has become king.” When a new king was enthroned, his followers would give this shout. For other examples of this enthronement formula (Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular מָלַךְ [malakh], followed by the name of the king), see 2 Sam 15:10; 1 Kgs 1:11, 13, 18; 2 Kgs 9:13. The Lord is an eternal king, but here he is pictured as a victorious warrior who establishes his rule from Zion.
9 tn Heb “for what is not food.”
10 tn The interrogative particle and the verb “spend” are understood here by ellipsis (note the preceding line).
11 tn Heb “your labor,” which stands by metonymy for that which one earns.
12 tn The infinitive absolute follows the imperative and lends emphasis to the exhortation.
13 tn Heb “good” (so NASB, NIV, NRSV).
14 tn Heb “Let your appetite delight in fine food.”
11 tn Heb “a hand and a name.” For other examples where יָד (yad) refers to a monument, see HALOT 388 s.v.
12 tn Heb “name” (so KJV, NIV, NRSV).
13 tn Heb “who walked [in] the way that is not good, after their thoughts.”