Isaiah 11:5

11:5 Justice will be like a belt around his waist,

integrity will be like a belt around his hips. ¹ 

Isaiah 21:3

21:3 For this reason my stomach churns; ² 

cramps overwhelm me

like the contractions of a woman in labor.

I am disturbed ³  by what I hear,

horrified by what I see.

Isaiah 20:2

20:2 At that time the Lord announced through ⁴  Isaiah son of Amoz: “Go, remove the sackcloth from your waist and take your sandals off your feet.” He did as instructed and walked around in undergarments ⁵  and barefoot.

Isaiah 45:1

45:1 This is what the Lord says to his chosen ⁶  one,

to Cyrus, whose right hand I hold ⁷ 

in order to subdue nations before him,

and disarm kings, ⁸ 

to open doors before him,

so gates remain unclosed:

[11:5]  ¹ tn Heb “Justice will be the belt [or “undergarment”] on his waist, integrity the belt [or “undergarment”] on his hips.” The point of the metaphor is uncertain. If a belt worn outside the robe is in view, then the point might be that justice/integrity will be readily visible or that these qualities will give support to his rule. If an undergarment is in view, then the idea might be that these characteristics support his rule or that they are basic to everything else.

[21:3]  ² tn Heb “my waist is filled with shaking [or “anguish”].”

[21:3]  ³ tn Or perhaps, “bent over [in pain]”; cf. NRSV “I am bowed down.”

[20:2]  ³ tn Heb “spoke by the hand of.”

[20:2]  ⁴ tn The word used here (עָרוֹם, ’arom) sometimes means “naked,” but here it appears to mean simply “lightly dressed,” i.e., stripped to one’s undergarments. See HALOT 883 s.v. עָרוֹם. The term also occurs in vv. 3, 4.

[45:1]  ⁴ tn Heb “anointed” (so KJV, NAB, NIV, NRSV, NLT); NCV “his appointed king.”

[45:1]  ⁵ sn The “right hand” is a symbol of activity and strength; the Lord directs Cyrus’ activities and assures his success.

[45:1]  ⁶ tn Heb “and the belts of kings I will loosen”; NRSV “strip kings of their robes”; NIV “strip kings of their armor.”