Isaiah 1:19-20

1:19 If you have a willing attitude and obey, ¹ 

then you will again eat the good crops of the land.

1:20 But if you refuse and rebel,

you will be devoured ²  by the sword.”

Know for certain that the Lord has spoken. ³ 

Isaiah 61:6

61:6 You will be called, ‘the Lord’s priests,

servants of our God.’ ⁴ 

You will enjoy ⁵  the wealth of nations

and boast about ⁶  the riches you receive from them. ⁷ 

[1:19]  ¹ tn Heb “listen”; KJV “obedient”; NASB “If you consent and obey.”

[1:20]  ² sn The wordplay in the Hebrew draws attention to the options. The people can obey, in which case they will “eat” v. 19 (תֹּאכֵלוּ [to’khelu], Qal active participle of אָכַל) God’s blessing, or they can disobey, in which case they will be devoured (Heb “eaten,” תְּאֻכְּלוּ, [tÿ’ukkÿlu], Qal passive/Pual of אָכַל) by God’s judgment.

[1:20]  ³ tn Heb “for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” The introductory כִּי (ki) may be asseverative (as reflected in the translation) or causal/explanatory, explaining why the option chosen by the people will become reality (it is guaranteed by the divine word).

[61:6]  ³ tn The Hebrew text adds, “it will be said concerning you.”

[61:6]  ⁴ tn Heb “eat” (KJV, NAB, NASB); NIV “feed on”; NLT “be fed with.”

[61:6]  ⁵ tc The form in the Hebrew text is probably a corruption of יִתְאַמְּרוּ (yit’ammÿru), a Hitpael from אָמַר (’amar), meaning “boast about” (see HALOT 67 s.v. II אמר, HALOT 416 s.v. ימר, and BDB 56 s.v. אָמַר).

[61:6]  ⁶ tn Heb “their glory” (i.e., riches).