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 33:6

33:6 He is your constant source of stability; ² 

he abundantly provides safety and great wisdom; ³ 

he gives all this to those who fear him. ⁴ 

Isaiah 25:1

25:1 O Lord, you are my God! ⁵ 

I will exalt you in praise, I will extol your fame. ⁶ 

For you have done extraordinary things,

and executed plans made long ago exactly as you decreed. ⁷ 

Isaiah 59:4

59:4 No one is concerned about justice; ⁸ 

no one sets forth his case truthfully.

They depend on false words ⁹  and tell lies;

they conceive of oppression ¹⁰ 

and give birth to sin.

[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.

[33:6]  ² tn Heb “and he is the stability of your times.”

[33:6]  ³ tn Heb “a rich store of deliverance, wisdom, and knowledge.”

[33:6]  ⁴ tn Heb “the fear of the Lord, it is his treasure.”

[25:1]  ³ sn The prophet speaks here as one who has observed the coming judgment of the proud.

[25:1]  ⁴ tn Heb “name.” See the note at 24:15.

[25:1]  ⁵ tn Heb “plans from long ago [in] faithfulness, trustworthiness.” The feminine noun אֱמוּנָה (’emunah, “faithfulness”) and masculine noun אֹמֶן (’omen, “trustworthiness”), both of which are derived from the root אָמַן (’aman), are juxtaposed to emphasize the basic idea conveyed by the synonyms. Here they describe the absolute reliability of the divine plans.

[59:4]  ⁴ tn Heb “no one pleads with justice.”

[59:4]  ⁵ tn Heb “nothing”; NAB “emptiness.”

[59:4]  ⁶ tn Or “trouble” (NIV), or “harm.”