Isaiah 2:19

Context

2:19 They¹ will go into caves in the rocky cliffs

and into holes in the ground,²

trying to escape the dreadful judgment of the Lord³

and his royal splendor,

when he rises up to terrify the earth.⁴

Isaiah 32:14

Context

32:14 For the fortress is neglected;

the once-crowded⁵ city is abandoned.

Hill⁶ and watchtower

are permanently uninhabited.⁷

Wild donkeys love to go there,

and flocks graze there.⁸

[2:19] ¹tn The identity of the grammatical subject is unclear. The “idols” could be the subject; they will “go” into the caves and holes when the idolaters throw them there in their haste to escape God’s judgment (see vv. 20-21). The picture of the idols, which represent the foreign deities worshiped by the people, fleeing from the Lord would be highly polemical and fit the overall mood of the chapter. However it seems more likely that the idolaters themselves are the subject, for v. 10 uses similar language in sarcastically urging them to run from judgment.

[2:19] ²tn Heb “dust”; ASV “into the holes of the earth.”

[2:19] ³tn Heb “from the dread of the Lord,” that is, from the dread that he produces in the objects of his judgment.” The words “trying to escape” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[2:19] ⁴tn Or “land.” It is not certain if these verses are describing the judgment of Judah (see vv. 6-9) or a more universal judgment on all proud men.

[32:14] ⁵tn Or “noisy” (NAB, NIV, NCV).

[32:14] ⁶tn Hebrew עֹפֶל (’ofel), probably refers here to a specific area within the city of Jerusalem. See HALOT 861 s.v. II עֹפֶל.

[32:14] ⁷tn The Hebrew text has בְעַד מְעָרוֹת (vÿ’ad mÿ’arot). The force of בְעַד, which usually means “behind, through, round about,” or “for the benefit of,” is uncertain here. HALOT 616 s.v. *מְעָרָה takes מְעָרוֹת (mÿ’arot) as a homonym of “cave” and define it here as “cleared field.” Despite these lexical problems, the general point of the statement seems clear – the city will be uninhabited.

[32:14] ⁸tn Heb “the joy of wild donkeys, a pasture for flocks.”