Isaiah 6:3

6:3 They called out to one another, “Holy, holy, holy 1  is the Lord who commands armies! 2  His majestic splendor fills the entire earth!”

Isaiah 8:13

8:13 You must recognize the authority of the Lord who commands armies. 3 

He is the one you must respect;

he is the one you must fear. 4 

Isaiah 8:2

8:2 Then I will summon 5  as my reliable witnesses Uriah the priest and Zechariah son of Jeberekiah.”

Isaiah 7:1

Ahaz Receives a Sign

7:1 During 6  the reign of Ahaz son of Jotham, son of Uzziah, king of Judah, King Rezin of Syria and King Pekah son of Remaliah of Israel marched up to Jerusalem 7  to do battle, but they were unable to prevail against it. 8 

Psalms 46:7

46:7 The Lord who commands armies is on our side! 9 

The God of Jacob 10  is our protector! 11  (Selah)

Psalms 46:11

46:11 The Lord who commands armies is on our side! 12 

The God of Jacob 13  is our protector! 14  (Selah)

1 tn Some have seen a reference to the Trinity in the seraphs’ threefold declaration, “holy, holy, holy.” This proposal has no linguistic or contextual basis and should be dismissed as allegorical. Hebrew sometimes uses repetition for emphasis. (See IBHS 233-34 §12.5a; and GKC 431-32 §133.k.) By repeating the word “holy,” the seraphs emphasize the degree of the Lord’s holiness. For another example of threefold repetition for emphasis, see Ezek 21:27 (Heb. v. 32). (Perhaps Jer 22:29 provides another example.)

2 tn Perhaps in this context, the title has a less militaristic connotation and pictures the Lord as the ruler of the heavenly assembly. See the note at 1:9.

3 tn Heb “the Lord who commands armies [traditionally, the Lord of hosts], him you must set apart.” The word order is emphatic, with the object being placed first.

4 tn Heb “he is your [object of] fear, he is your [object of] terror.” The roots יָרֵא (yare’) and עָרַץ (’arats) are repeated from v. 12b.

5 tn The form in the text is a cohortative with prefixed vav (ו), suggesting that the Lord is announcing what he will do. Some prefer to change the verb to an imperative, “and summon as witnesses,” a reading that finds support from the Qumran scroll 1QIsaa. Another option is to point the prefixed conjunction as a vav consecutive and translate, “So I summoned as witnesses.” In this case Isaiah is recalling his response to the Lord’s commission. In any case, the reference to witnesses suggests that the name and the child who bears it will function as signs.

6 tn The verb that introduces this verse serves as a discourse particle and is untranslated; see note on “in the future” in 2:2.

7 map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.

8 tn Or perhaps, “but they were unable to attack it.” This statement sounds like a summary of the whole campaign. The following context explains why they were unable to defeat the southern kingdom. The parallel passage (2 Kgs 16:5; cf. Num 22:11; 1 Sam 17:9 for a similar construction) affirms that Syria and Israel besieged Ahaz. Consequently, the statement that “they were not able to battle against them” must refer to the inability to conquer Ahaz.

9 tn Heb “the Lord of hosts is with us.” The title “Lord of hosts” here pictures the Lord as a mighty warrior-king who leads armies into battle (see Ps 24:10). The military imagery is further developed in vv. 8-9.

10 tn That is, Israel, or Judah (see Ps 20:1).

11 tn Heb “our elevated place” (see Pss 9:9; 18:2).

12 tn Heb “the Lord of hosts is with us.” The title “Lord of hosts” here pictures the Lord as a mighty warrior-king who leads armies into battle (see Ps 24:10). The military imagery is further developed in vv. 8-9.

13 tn That is, Israel, or Judah (see Ps 20:1).

14 tn Heb “our elevated place” (see Pss 9:9; 18:2).