Isaiah 59:16-21

The Lord Intervenes

59:16 He sees there is no advocate; ¹ 

he is shocked ²  that no one intervenes.

So he takes matters into his own hands; ³ 

his desire for justice drives him on. ⁴ 

59:17 He wears his desire for justice ⁵  like body armor, ⁶ 

and his desire to deliver is like a helmet on his head. ⁷ 

He puts on the garments of vengeance ⁸ 

and wears zeal like a robe.

59:18 He repays them for what they have done,

dispensing angry judgment to his adversaries

and punishing his enemies. ⁹ 

He repays the coastlands. ¹⁰ 

59:19 In the west, people respect ¹¹  the Lord’s reputation; ¹² 

in the east they recognize his splendor. ¹³ 

For he comes like a rushing ¹⁴  stream

driven on by wind sent from the Lord. ¹⁵ 

59:20 “A protector ¹⁶  comes to Zion,

to those in Jacob who repent of their rebellious deeds,” ¹⁷  says the Lord.

59:21 “As for me, this is my promise to ¹⁸  them,” says the Lord. “My spirit, who is upon you, and my words, which I have placed in your mouth, will not depart from your mouth or from the mouths of your children and descendants from this time forward,” ¹⁹  says the Lord.

[59:16]  ¹ tn Heb “man” (so KJV, ASV); TEV “no one to help.”

[59:16]  ² tn Or “appalled” (NAB, NIV, NRSV), or “disgusted.”

[59:16]  ³ tn Heb “and his arm delivers for him.”

[59:16]  ⁴ tn Heb “and his justice [or “righteousness”] supports him.”

[59:17]  ⁵ tn Or “righteousness” (KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT); NCV “goodness.”

[59:17]  ⁶ tn Or “a breastplate” (traditional; so many English versions); TEV “a coat of armour.”

[59:17]  ⁷ tn Heb “and [as] a helmet deliverance on his head.”

[59:17]  ⁸ tn Heb “and he puts on the clothes of vengeance [as] a garment.”

[59:18]  ⁹ tn Heb “in accordance with deeds, so he repays, anger to his adversaries, repayment to his enemies.”

[59:18]  ¹⁰ tn Or “islands” (KJV, NIV).

[59:19]  ¹¹ tc Heb “fear.” A few medieval Hebrew mss read “see.”

[59:19]  ¹² tn Heb “and they fear from the west the name of the Lord.”

[59:19]  ¹³ tn Heb “and from the rising of the sun his splendor.”

[59:19]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “narrow”; NAB, NIV, NRSV “pent-up.”

[59:19]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “the wind of the Lord drives it on.” The term רוּחַ (ruakh) could be translated “breath” here (see 30:28).

[59:20]  ¹⁶ tn Or “redeemer.” See the note at 41:14.

[59:20]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “and to those who turn from rebellion in Jacob.”

[59:21]  ¹⁸ tn Or “my covenant with” (so many English versions); NCV “my agreement with.”

[59:21]  ¹⁹ tn Heb “from now and on into the future.”