Isaiah 12:2

12:2 Look, God is my deliverer! ¹ 

I will trust in him ²  and not fear.

For the Lord gives me strength and protects me; ³ 

he has become my deliverer.” ⁴ 

Isaiah 45:17

45:17 Israel will be delivered once and for all by the Lord; ⁵ 

you will never again be ashamed or humiliated. ⁶ 

Isaiah 45:1

45:1 This is what the Lord says to his chosen ⁷  one,

to Cyrus, whose right hand I hold ⁸ 

in order to subdue nations before him,

and disarm kings, ⁹ 

to open doors before him,

so gates remain unclosed:

Isaiah 4:1

4:1 Seven women will grab hold of

one man at that time. ¹⁰ 

They will say, “We will provide ¹¹  our own food,

we will provide ¹²  our own clothes;

but let us belong to you ¹³  –

take away our shame!” ¹⁴ 

[12:2]  ¹ tn Or “salvation” (KJV, NIV, NRSV).

[12:2]  ² tn The words “in him” are supplied in the translation for clarification.

[12:2]  ³ tc The Hebrew text has, “for my strength and protection [is] the Lord, the Lord (Heb “Yah, Yahweh).” The word יְהוָה (yehvah) is probably dittographic or explanatory here (note that the short form of the name [יָהּ, yah] precedes, and that the graphically similar וַיְהִי [vayÿhi] follows). Exod 15:2, the passage from which the words of v. 2b are taken, has only יָהּ. The word זִמְרָת (zimrat) is traditionally understood as meaning “song,” in which case one might translate, “for the Lord gives me strength and joy” (i.e., a reason to sing); note that in v. 5 the verb זָמַר (zamar, “sing”) appears. Many recent commentators, however, have argued that the noun is here instead a homonym, meaning “protection” or “strength.” See HALOT 274 s.v. III *זמר.

[12:2]  ⁴ tn Or “salvation” (so many English versions, e.g., KJV, NIV, NRSV, NLT); NAB “my savior.”

[45:17]  ⁵ tn Heb “Israel will be delivered by the Lord [with] a permanent deliverance.”

[45:17]  ⁶ tn Heb “you will not be ashamed and you will not be humiliated for ages of future time.”

[45:1]  ⁷ tn Heb “anointed” (so KJV, NAB, NIV, NRSV, NLT); NCV “his appointed king.”

[45:1]  ⁸ sn The “right hand” is a symbol of activity and strength; the Lord directs Cyrus’ activities and assures his success.

[45:1]  ⁹ tn Heb “and the belts of kings I will loosen”; NRSV “strip kings of their robes”; NIV “strip kings of their armor.”

[4:1]  ¹⁰ tn Or “in that day” (ASV).

[4:1]  ¹¹ tn Heb “eat” (so NASB, NIV, NRSV); CEV “buy.”

[4:1]  ¹² tn Heb “wear” (so NASB, NRSV); NCV “make.”

[4:1]  ¹³ tn Heb “only let your name be called over us.” The Hebrew idiom “call the name over” indicates ownership. See 2 Sam 12:28, and BDB 896 s.v. I ָקרָא Niph. 2.d.(4). The language reflects the cultural reality of ancient Israel, where women were legally the property of their husbands.

[4:1]  ¹⁴ sn This refers to the humiliation of being unmarried and childless. The women’s words reflect the cultural standards of ancient Israel, where a woman’s primary duties were to be a wife and mother.