Isaiah 2:2-3

2:2 In the future ¹ 

the mountain of the Lord’s temple will endure ² 

as the most important of mountains,

and will be the most prominent of hills. ³ 

All the nations will stream to it,

2:3 many peoples will come and say,

“Come, let us go up to the Lord’s mountain,

to the temple of the God of Jacob,

so ⁴  he can teach us his requirements, ⁵ 

and ⁶  we can follow his standards.” ⁷ 

For Zion will be the center for moral instruction; ⁸ 

the Lord will issue edicts from Jerusalem. ⁹ 

Micah 4:1-2

Better Days Ahead for Jerusalem

4:1 In the future ¹⁰  the Lord’s Temple Mount will be the most important mountain of all; ¹¹ 

it will be more prominent than other hills. ¹² 

People will stream to it.

4:2 Many nations will come, saying,

“Come on! Let’s go up to the Lord’s mountain,

to the temple ¹³  of Jacob’s God,

so he can teach us his commands ¹⁴ 

and we can live by his laws.” ¹⁵ 

For Zion will be the source of instruction;

the Lord’s teachings will proceed from Jerusalem. ¹⁶ 

[2:2]  ¹ tn Heb “in the end of the days.” This phrase may refer generally to the future, or more technically to the final period of history. See BDB 31 s.v. ַאחֲרִית. The verse begins with a verb that functions as a “discourse particle” and is not translated. In numerous places throughout the OT, the “to be” verb with a prefixed conjunction (וְהָיָה [vÿhayah] and וַיְהִי [vayÿhi]) occurs in this fashion to introduce a circumstantial clause and does not require translation.

[2:2]  ² tn Or “be established” (KJV, NIV, NRSV).

[2:2]  ³ tn Heb “as the chief of the mountains, and will be lifted up above the hills.” The image of Mount Zion being elevated above other mountains and hills pictures the prominence it will attain in the future.

[2:3]  ⁴ tn The prefixed verb form with simple vav (ו) introduces a purpose/result clause after the preceding prefixed verb form (probably to be taken as a cohortative; see IBHS 650 §39.2.2a).

[2:3]  ⁵ tn Heb “his ways.” In this context God’s “ways” are the standards of moral conduct he decrees that people should live by.

[2:3]  ⁶ tn The cohortative with vav (ו) after the prefixed verb form indicates the ultimate purpose/goal of their action.

[2:3]  ⁷ tn Heb “walk in his ways.”

[2:3]  ⁸ tn Heb “for out of Zion will go instruction.”

[2:3]  ⁹ tn Heb “the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.”

[4:1]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “at the end of days.”

[4:1]  ¹¹ tn Heb “will be established as the head of the mountains.”

[4:1]  ¹² tn Heb “it will be lifted up above the hills.”

[4:2]  ¹³ tn Heb “house.”

[4:2]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “ways.”

[4:2]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “and we can walk in his paths.”

[4:2]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “instruction [or, “law”] will go out from Zion, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.”