Isaiah 1:14

1:14 I hate your new moon festivals and assemblies;

they are a burden

that I am tired of carrying.

Isaiah 2:12

2:12 Indeed, the Lord who commands armies has planned a day of judgment, ¹ 

for ²  all the high and mighty,

for all who are proud – they will be humiliated;

Isaiah 22:6

22:6 The Elamites picked up the quiver,

and came with chariots and horsemen; ³ 

the men of Kir ⁴  prepared ⁵  the shield. ⁶ 

Isaiah 33:24

33:24 No resident of Zion ⁷  will say, “I am ill”;

the people who live there will have their sin forgiven.

Isaiah 53:4

53:4 But he lifted up our illnesses,

he carried our pain; ⁸ 

even though we thought he was being punished,

attacked by God, and afflicted for something he had done. ⁹ 

Isaiah 53:12

53:12 So I will assign him a portion with the multitudes, ¹⁰ 

he will divide the spoils of victory with the powerful, ¹¹ 

because he willingly submitted ¹²  to death

and was numbered with the rebels,

when he lifted up the sin of many

and intervened ¹³  on behalf of the rebels.”

[2:12]  ¹ tn Heb “indeed [or “for”] the Lord who commands armies [traditionally, the Lord of hosts] has a day.”

[2:12]  ² tn Or “against” (NAB, NASB, NRSV).

[22:6]  ¹ tn Heb “[with] the chariots of men, horsemen.”

[22:6]  ² sn A distant region in the direction of Mesopotamia; see Amos 1:5; 9:7.

[22:6]  ³ tn Heb “Kir uncovers” (so NAB, NIV).

[22:6]  ⁴ sn The Elamites and men of Kir may here symbolize a fierce army from a distant land. If this oracle anticipates a Babylonian conquest of the city (see 39:5-7), then the Elamites and men of Kir are perhaps viewed here as mercenaries in the Babylonian army. See J. N. Oswalt, Isaiah (NICOT), 1:410.

[33:24]  ¹ tn The words “of Zion” are supplied in the translation for clarification.

[53:4]  ¹ sn Illness and pain stand by metonymy (or perhaps as metaphors) for sin and its effects, as vv. 11-12 make clear.

[53:4]  ² tn The words “for something he had done” are supplied in the translation for clarification. The group now realizes he suffered because of his identification with them, not simply because he was a special target of divine anger.

[53:12]  ¹ tn Scholars have debated the precise meaning of the term רַבִּים (rabbim) that occurs five times in this passage (Isa 52:14, 15; 53:11, 12 [2x]). Its two broad categories of translation are “much”/“many” and “great” (HALOT 1171-72 s.v. I רַב). Unlike other Hebrew terms for might or strength, this term is linked with numbers or abundance. In all sixteen uses outside of Isaiah 52:13-53:12 (articular and plural) it signifies an inclusive meaning: “the majority” or “the multitude” (J. Jeremias, TDNT 6:536-37). This term occurs in parallelism with עֲצוּמִים (’atsumim), which normally signifies “numerous” or “large” or “powerful” (through large numbers). Like רַבִּים (rabbim), it refers to greatness in numbers (cf. Deut 4:38; 7:1; 9:1; 11:34). It emphasizes the multitudes with whom the Servant will share the spoil of his victory. As J. Olley wrote: “Yahweh has won the victory and vindicates his Servant, giving to him many subservient people, together with their spoils. These numerous peoples in turn receive blessing, sharing in the “peace” resulting from Yahweh’s victory and the Servant’s suffering” (John W. Olley, “‘The Many’: How Is Isa 53,12a to Be Understood,” Bib 68 [1987]: 330-56).

[53:12]  ² sn The servant is compared here to a warrior who will be richly rewarded for his effort and success in battle.

[53:12]  ³ tn Heb “because he laid bare his life”; traditionally, ASV “because he (+ hath KJV) poured out his soul (life NIV) unto death.”

[53:12]  ⁴ tn The Hiphil of פָּגַע (paga’) can mean “cause to attack” (v. 6), “urge, plead verbally” (Jer 15:11; 36:25), or “intervene militarily” (Isa 59:16). Perhaps the third nuance fits best here, for military imagery is employed in the first two lines of the verse.