Discovery BoxIsaiah 2:14-16
Context2:14 for all the tall mountains,
for all the high hills, 1
2:15 for every high tower,
for every fortified wall,
2:16 for all the large ships, 2
for all the impressive 3 ships. 4
Isaiah 13:15
Context13:15 Everyone who is caught will be stabbed;
everyone who is seized 5 will die 6 by the sword.
Isaiah 14:18
Context14:18 7 As for all the kings of the nations,
all of them 8 lie down in splendor, 9
each in his own tomb. 10
Isaiah 56:9
Context56:9 All you wild animals in the fields, come and devour,
all you wild animals in the forest!
[2:14] 1 sn The high mountains and hills symbolize the apparent security of proud men, as do the high tower and fortified wall of v. 15.
[2:16] 2 tn Heb “the ships of Tarshish.” This probably refers to large ships either made in or capable of traveling to the distant western port of Tarshish.
[2:16] 3 tn Heb “desirable”; NAB, NIV “stately”; NRSV “beautiful.”
[2:16] 4 tn On the meaning of this word, which appears only here in the Hebrew Bible, see H. R. Cohen, Biblical Hapax Legomena (SBLDS), 41-42.
[13:15] 3 tn Heb “carried off,” i.e., grabbed from the fleeing crowd. See HALOT 764 s.v. ספה.
[13:15] 4 tn Heb “will fall” (so KJV, NIV, NRSV); NLT “will be run through with a sword.”
[14:18] 4 sn It is unclear where the quotation of the kings, begun in v. 10b, ends. However, the reference to the “kings of the nations” in v. 18 (see also v. 9) seems to indicate that the quotation has ended at this point and that Israel’s direct taunt (cf. vv. 4b-10a) has resumed. In fact the references to the “kings of the nations” may form a stylistic inclusio or frame around the quotation.
[14:18] 5 tc The phrase “all of them” does not appear in the Qumran scroll 1QIsaa.
[14:18] 6 sn This refers to the typically extravagant burial of kings.
[14:18] 7 tn Heb “house” (so KJV, ASV), but in this context a tomb is in view. Note the verb “lie down” in the preceding line and the reference to a “grave” in the next line.
