Discovery BoxIsaiah 34:16
Context34:16 Carefully read the scroll of the Lord! 1
Not one of these creatures will be missing, 2
none will lack a mate. 3
For the Lord has issued the decree, 4
and his own spirit gathers them. 5
Isaiah 47:9
Context47:9 Both of these will come upon you
suddenly, in one day!
You will lose your children and be widowed. 6
You will be overwhelmed by these tragedies, 7
despite 8 your many incantations
and your numerous amulets. 9
[34:16] 1 tn Heb “Seek from upon the scroll of the Lord and read.”
[34:16] 2 tn Heb “one from these will not be missing.” הֵנָּה (hennah, “these”) is feminine plural in the Hebrew text. It may refer only to the birds mentioned in v. 15b or may include all of the creatures listed in vv. 14b-15 (all of which are identified with feminine nouns).
[34:16] 3 tn Heb “each its mate they will not lack.”
[34:16] 4 tc The Hebrew text reads literally, “for a mouth, it has commanded.” The Qumran scroll 1QIsaa and a few medieval
[34:16] 5 tn Heb “and his spirit, he gathers them.” The pronominal suffix (“them”) is feminine plural, referring to the birds mentioned in v. 15b or to all of the creatures listed in vv. 14b-15 (all of which are identified with feminine nouns).
[47:9] 6 tn Heb “loss of children and widowhood.” In the Hebrew text the phrase is in apposition to “both of these” in line 1.
[47:9] 7 tn Heb “according to their fullness, they will come upon you.”
[47:9] 8 tn For other examples of the preposition bet (בְּ) having the sense of “although, despite,” see BDB 90 s.v. III.7.
[47:9] 9 sn Reference is made to incantations and amulets, both of which were important in Mesopotamian religion. They were used to ward off danger and demons.
