Isaiah 28:9
Context28:9 Who is the Lord 1 trying to teach?
To whom is he explaining a message? 2
Those just weaned from milk!
Those just taken from their mother’s breast! 3
Isaiah 50:8
Context50:8 The one who vindicates me is close by.
Who dares to argue with me? Let us confront each other! 4
Who is my accuser? 5 Let him challenge me! 6
Isaiah 51:19
Context51:19 These double disasters confronted you.
But who feels sorry for you?
Destruction and devastation,
famine and sword.
But who consoles you? 7


[28:9] 1 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the Lord) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[28:9] 2 tn Heb “Who is he teaching knowledge? For whom is he explaining a message?” The translation assumes that the Lord is the subject of the verbs “teaching” and “explaining,” and that the prophet is asking the questions. See v. 12. According to some vv. 9-10 record the people’s sarcastic response to the Lord’s message through Isaiah.
[28:9] 3 tn Heb “from the breasts.” The words “their mother’s” are supplied in the translation for clarification. The translation assumes that this is the prophet’s answer to the questions asked in the first half of the verse. The Lord is trying to instruct people who are “infants” morally and ethically.
[50:8] 4 tn Heb “Let us stand together!”
[50:8] 5 tn Heb “Who is the master of my judgment?”
[50:8] 6 tn Heb “let him approach me”; NAB, NIV “Let him confront me.”
[51:19] 7 tc The Hebrew text has אֲנַחֲמֵךְ (’anakhamekh), a first person form, but the Qumran scroll 1QIsaa reads correctly יִנַחֲמֵךְ (yinakhamekh), a third person form.