Isaiah 1:16

1:16 ¹ Wash! Cleanse yourselves!

Remove your sinful deeds ² 

from my sight.

Stop sinning!

Isaiah 2:11

2:11 Proud men will be brought low,

arrogant men will be humiliated; ³ 

the Lord alone will be exalted ⁴ 

in that day.

Isaiah 29:18

29:18 At that time ⁵  the deaf will be able to hear words read from a scroll,

and the eyes of the blind will be able to see through deep darkness. ⁶ 

[1:16]  ¹ sn Having demonstrated the people’s guilt, the Lord calls them to repentance, which will involve concrete action in the socio-economic realm, not mere emotion.

[1:16]  ² sn This phrase refers to Israel’s covenant treachery (cf. Deut 28:10; Jer 4:4; 21:12; 23:2, 22; 25:5; 26:3; 44:22; Hos 9:15; Ps 28:4). In general, the noun ַמעַלְלֵיכֶם (ma’alleykhem) can simply be a reference to deeds, whether good or bad. However, Isaiah always uses it with a negative connotation (cf. 3:8, 10).

[2:11]  ³ tn Heb “and the eyes of the pride of men will be brought low, and the arrogance of men will be brought down.” The repetition of the verbs שָׁפַל (shafal) and שָׁחָח (shakhakh) from v. 9 draws attention to the appropriate nature of the judgment. Those proud men who “bow low” before idols will be forced to “bow low” before God when he judges their sin.

[2:11]  ⁴ tn Or “elevated”; CEV “honored.”

[29:18]  ⁵ tn Or “In that day” (KJV).

[29:18]  ⁶ tn Heb “and out of gloom and darkness the eyes of the blind will see.”