Isaiah 22:16

22:16 ‘What right do you have to be here? What relatives do you have buried here? ¹ 

Why ²  do you chisel out a tomb for yourself here?

He chisels out his burial site in an elevated place,

he carves out his tomb on a cliff.

Isaiah 26:5

26:5 Indeed, ³  the Lord knocks down those who live in a high place,

he brings down an elevated town;

he brings it down to the ground, ⁴ 

he throws it down to the dust.

Isaiah 37:23

37:23 Whom have you taunted and hurled insults at?

At whom have you shouted

and looked so arrogantly? ⁵ 

At the Holy One of Israel! ⁶ 

[22:16]  ¹ tn Heb “What to you here? And who to you here?” The point of the second question is not entirely clear. The interpretation reflected in the translation is based on the following context, which suggests that Shebna has no right to think of himself so highly and arrange such an extravagant burial place for himself.

[22:16]  ² tn Heb “that you chisel out.”

[26:5]  ³ tn Or “For” (KJV, ASV, NASB, NRSV).

[26:5]  ⁴ tn The translation assumes that יַשְׁפִּילֶנָּה (yashpilennah) goes with the preceding words “an elevated town,” and that יַשְׁפִּילָהּ (yashpilah) belongs with the following words, “to the ground.” See J. N. Oswalt, Isaiah (NICOT), 1:469, n. 7.

[37:23]  ⁵ tn Heb “and lifted your eyes on high?” Cf. NIV “lifted your eyes in pride”; NRSV “haughtily lifted your eyes.”

[37:23]  ⁶ sn See the note on the phrase “the Holy One of Israel” in 1:4.