Isaiah 28:7

28:7 Even these men ¹  stagger because of wine,

they stumble around because of beer –

priests and prophets stagger because of beer,

they are confused ²  because of wine,

they stumble around because of beer;

they stagger while seeing prophetic visions, ³ 

they totter while making legal decisions. ⁴ 

Isaiah 30:33

30:33 For ⁵  the burial place is already prepared; ⁶ 

it has been made deep and wide for the king. ⁷ 

The firewood is piled high on it. ⁸ 

The Lord’s breath, like a stream flowing with brimstone,

will ignite it.

Isaiah 49:25

49:25 Indeed,” says the Lord,

“captives will be taken from a warrior;

spoils will be rescued from a conqueror.

I will oppose your adversary

and I will rescue your children.

Isaiah 66:3-4

66:3 The one who slaughters a bull also strikes down a man; ⁹ 

the one who sacrifices a lamb also breaks a dog’s neck; ¹⁰ 

the one who presents an offering includes pig’s blood with it; ¹¹ 

the one who offers incense also praises an idol. ¹² 

They have decided to behave this way; ¹³ 

they enjoy these disgusting practices. ¹⁴ 

66:4 So I will choose severe punishment ¹⁵  for them;

I will bring on them what they dread,

because I called, and no one responded,

I spoke and they did not listen.

They did evil before me; ¹⁶ 

they chose to do what displeases me.”

Isaiah 66:8

66:8 Who has ever heard of such a thing?

Who has ever seen this?

Can a country ¹⁷  be brought forth in one day?

Can a nation be born in a single moment?

Yet as soon as Zion goes into labor she gives birth to sons!

[28:7]  ¹ tn Heb “these.” The demonstrative pronoun anticipates “priests and prophets” two lines later.

[28:7]  ² tn According to HALOT 135 s.v. III בלע, the verb form is derived from בָּלַע (bala’, “confuse”), not the more common בָּלַע (“swallow”). See earlier notes at 3:12 and 9:16.

[28:7]  ³ tn Heb “in the seeing.”

[28:7]  ⁴ tn Heb “[in] giving a decision.”

[30:33]  ⁵ tn Or “indeed.”

[30:33]  ⁶ tc The Hebrew text reads literally, “for arranged from before [or “yesterday”] is [?].” The meaning of תָּפְתֶּה (tafÿteh), which occurs only here, is unknown. The translation above (as with most English versions) assumes an emendation to תֹּפֶת (tofet, “Topheth”; cf. NASB, NIV, NLT) and places the final hey (ה) on the beginning of the next word as an interrogative particle. Topheth was a place near Jerusalem used as a burial ground (see Jer 7:32; 19:11).

[30:33]  ⁷ tn The Hebrew text reads literally, “Also it is made ready for the king, one makes it deep and wide.” If one takes the final hey (ה) on תָּפְתֶּה (tafÿteh) and prefixes it to גָּם (gam) as an interrogative particle (see the preceding note), one can translate, “Is it also made ready for the king?” In this case the question is rhetorical and expects an emphatic affirmative answer, “Of course it is!”

[30:33]  ⁸ tn Heb “its pile of wood, fire and wood one makes abundant.”

[66:3]  ⁹ tn Heb “one who slaughters a bull, one who strikes down a man.” Some understand a comparison here and in the following lines. In God’s sight the one who sacrifices is like (i.e., regarded as) a murderer or one whose worship is ritually defiled or idolatrous. The translation above assumes that the language is not metaphorical, but descriptive of the sinners’ hypocritical behavior. (Note the last two lines of the verse, which suggests they are guilty of abominable practices.) On the one hand, they act pious and offer sacrifices; but at the same time they commit violent crimes against men, defile their sacrifices, and worship other gods.

[66:3]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “one who sacrifices a lamb, one who breaks a dog’s neck.” Some understand a comparison, but see the previous note.

[66:3]  ¹¹ tn Heb “one who offers an offering, pig’s blood.” Some understand a comparison, but see the note at the end of the first line.

[66:3]  ¹² tn Heb “one who offers incense as a memorial offering, one who blesses something false.” Some understand a comparison, but see the note at the end of the first line. אָוֶן (’aven), which has a wide variety of attested nuances, here refers metonymically to an idol. See HALOT 22 s.v. and BDB 20 s.v. 2.

[66:3]  ¹³ tn Heb “also they have chosen their ways.”

[66:3]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “their being [or “soul”] takes delight in their disgusting [things].”

[66:4]  ¹³ tn The precise meaning of the noun is uncertain. It occurs only here and in 3:4 (but see the note there). It appears to be derived from the verbal root עָלַל (’alal), which can carry the nuance “deal severely.”

[66:4]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “that which is evil in my eyes.”

[66:8]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “land,” but here אֶרֶץ (’erets) stands metonymically for an organized nation (see the following line).