80:5 You have given them tears as food; 1
you have made them drink tears by the measure. 2
102:9 For I eat ashes as if they were bread, 3
and mix my drink with my tears, 4
30:20 The sovereign master 5 will give you distress to eat
and suffering to drink; 6
but your teachers will no longer be hidden;
your eyes will see them. 7
1 tn Heb “you have fed them the food of tears.”
2 tn Heb “[by] the third part [of a measure].” The Hebrew term שָׁלִישׁ (shalish, “third part [of a measure]”) occurs only here and in Isa 40:12.
3 sn Mourners would sometimes put ashes on their head or roll in ashes as a sign of mourning (see 2 Sam 13:19; Job 2:8; Isa 58:5).
4 tn Heb “weeping.”
5 tn The Hebrew term translated “sovereign master” here is אֲדֹנָי (’adonai).
6 tn Heb “and the Master will give to you bread – distress, and water – oppression.”
7 tn Heb “but your teachers will no longer be hidden, your eyes will be seeing your teachers.” The translation assumes that the form מוֹרֶיךָ (morekha) is a plural participle, referring to spiritual leaders such as prophets and priests. Another possibility is that the form is actually singular (see GKC 273-74 §93.ss) or a plural of respect, referring to God as the master teacher. See HALOT 560-61 s.v. III מוֹרֶה. For discussion of the views, see J. N. Oswalt, Isaiah (NICOT), 1:560.