Isaiah 1:9

1:9 If the Lord who commands armies ¹  had not left us a few survivors,

we would have quickly become like Sodom, ² 

we would have become like Gomorrah.

Isaiah 10:22

10:22 For though your people, Israel, are as numerous as ³  the sand on the seashore, only a remnant will come back. ⁴  Destruction has been decreed; ⁵  just punishment ⁶  is about to engulf you. ⁷ 

Isaiah 11:11

11:11 At that time ⁸  the sovereign master ⁹  will again lift his hand ¹⁰  to reclaim ¹¹  the remnant of his people ¹²  from Assyria, Egypt, Pathros, ¹³  Cush, ¹⁴  Elam, Shinar, ¹⁵  Hamath, and the seacoasts. ¹⁶ 

Isaiah 37:4

37:4 Perhaps the Lord your God will hear all these things the chief adviser has spoken on behalf of his master, the king of Assyria, who sent him to taunt the living God. ¹⁷  When the Lord your God hears, perhaps he will punish him for the things he has said. ¹⁸  So pray for this remnant that remains.’” ¹⁹ 

[1:9]  ¹ tn Traditionally, “the Lord of hosts.” The title pictures God as the sovereign king who has at his disposal a multitude of attendants, messengers, and warriors to do his bidding. In some contexts, like this one, the military dimension of his rulership is highlighted. In this case, the title pictures him as one who leads armies into battle against his enemies.

[1:9]  ² tc The translation assumes that כִּמְעָט (kim’at, “quickly,” literally, “like a little”) goes with what follows, contrary to the MT accents, which take it with what precedes. In this case, one could translate the preceding line, “If the Lord who commands armies had not left us a few survivors.” If כִּמְעָט goes with the preceding line (following the MT accents), this expression highlights the idea that there would only be a few survivors (H. Wildberger, Isaiah, 1:20; H. Zobel, TDOT 8:456). Israel would not be almost like Sodom but exactly like Sodom.

[10:22]  ³ tn Heb “are like.”

[10:22]  ⁴ sn The twofold appearance of the statement “a remnant will come back” (שְׁאָר יָשׁוּב, she’ar yashuv) in vv. 21-22 echoes and probably plays off the name of Isaiah’s son Shear-jashub (see 7:3). In its original context the name was meant to encourage Ahaz (see the note at 7:3), but here it has taken on new dimensions. In light of Ahaz’s failure and the judgment it brings down on the land, the name Shear-jashub now foreshadows the destiny of the nation. According to vv. 21-22, there is good news and bad news. The good news is that a remnant of God’s people will return; the bad news is that only a remnant will be preserved and come back. Like the name Immanuel, this name foreshadows both judgment (see the notes at 7:25 and 8:8) and ultimate restoration (see the note at 8:10).

[10:22]  ⁵ tn Or “predetermined”; cf. ASV, NASB “is determined”; TEV “is in store.”

[10:22]  ⁶ tn צְדָקָה (tsÿdaqah) often means “righteousness,” but here it refers to God’s just judgment.

[10:22]  ⁷ tn Or “is about to overflow.”

[11:11]  ⁸ tn Or “in that day” (KJV). The verb that introduces this verse serves as a discourse particle and is untranslated; see note on “in the future” in 2:2.

[11:11]  ⁹ tn The Hebrew term translated “sovereign master” here is אֲדֹנָי (’adonai).

[11:11]  ¹⁰ tc The Hebrew text reads, “the sovereign master will again, a second time, his hand.” The auxiliary verb יוֹסִיף (yosif), which literally means “add,” needs a main verb to complete it. Consequently many emend שֵׁנִית (shenit, “a second time”) to an infinitive. Some propose the form שַׁנֹּת (shannot, a Piel infinitive construct from שָׁנָה, shanah) and relate it semantically to an Arabic cognate meaning “to be high.” If the Hebrew text is retained a verb must be supplied. “Second time” would allude back to the events of the Exodus (see vv. 15-16).

[11:11]  ¹¹ tn Or “acquire”; KJV, ASV, NASB, NRSV “recover.”

[11:11]  ¹² tn Heb “the remnant of his people who remain.”

[11:11]  ¹³ sn Perhaps a reference to Upper (i.e., southern) Egypt (so NIV, NLT; NCV “South Egypt”).

[11:11]  ¹⁴ tn Or “Ethiopia” (NAB, NRSV, NLT).

[11:11]  ¹⁵ tn Or “Babylonia” (NIV, NCV, TEV, NLT).

[11:11]  ¹⁶ tn Or perhaps, “the islands of the sea.”

[37:4]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “all the words of the chief adviser whom his master, the king of Assyria, sent to taunt the living God.”

[37:4]  ¹⁸ tn Heb “and rebuke the words which the Lord your God hears.”

[37:4]  ¹⁹ tn Heb “and lift up a prayer on behalf of the remnant that is found.”