Isaiah 31:9

31:9 They will surrender their stronghold ¹  because of fear; ² 

their officers will be afraid of the Lord’s battle flag.” ³ 

This is what the Lord says –

the one whose fire is in Zion,

whose firepot is in Jerusalem. ⁴ 

Isaiah 44:8

44:8 Don’t panic! Don’t be afraid! ⁵ 

Did I not tell you beforehand and decree it?

You are my witnesses! Is there any God but me?

There is no other sheltering rock; ⁶  I know of none.

[31:9]  ¹ tn Heb “rocky cliff” (cf. ASV, NASB “rock”), viewed metaphorically as a place of defense and security.

[31:9]  ² tn Heb “His rocky cliff, because of fear, will pass away [i.e., “perish”].”

[31:9]  ³ tn Heb “and they will be afraid of the flag, his officers.”

[31:9]  ⁴ sn The “fire” and “firepot” here symbolize divine judgment, which is heating up like a fire in Jerusalem, waiting to be used against the Assyrians when they attack the city.

[44:8]  ⁵ tn BDB 923 s.v. רָהָה derives this verb from an otherwise unattested root, while HALOT 403 s.v. יָרָה defines it as “be stupefied” on the basis of an Arabic cognate. The form is likely a corruption of תיראו, the reading attested in the Qumran scroll 1QIsa^a.

[44:8]  ⁶ tn Heb “rock” or “rocky cliff,” a title that depicts God as a protective refuge in his role as sovereign king; thus the translation “sheltering rock.”