Isaiah 38:20

38:20 The Lord is about to deliver me, ¹ 

and we will celebrate with music ² 

for the rest of our lives in the Lord’s temple.” ³ 

Isaiah 14:11

14:11 Your splendor ⁴  has been brought down to Sheol,

as well as the sound of your stringed instruments. ⁵ 

You lie on a bed of maggots,

with a blanket of worms over you. ⁶ 

Isaiah 5:12

5:12 They have stringed instruments, ⁷  tambourines, flutes,

and wine at their parties.

So they do not recognize what the Lord is doing,

they do not perceive what he is bringing about. ⁸ 

Isaiah 23:16

23:16 “Take the harp,

go through the city,

forgotten prostitute!

Play it well,

play lots of songs,

so you’ll be noticed!” ⁹ 

[38:20]  ¹ tn The infinitive construct is used here to indicate that an action is imminent. See GKC 348-49 §114.i, and IBHS 610 §36.2.3g.

[38:20]  ² tn Heb “and music [or perhaps, “stringed instruments”] we will play.”

[38:20]  ³ tn Heb “all the days of our lives in the house of the Lord.”

[14:11]  ⁴ tn Or “pride” (NCV, CEV); KJV, NIV, NRSV “pomp.”

[14:11]  ⁵ tn Or “harps” (NAB, NIV, NRSV).

[14:11]  ⁶ tn Heb “under you maggots are spread out, and worms are your cover.”

[5:12]  ⁷ tn Two types of stringed instruments are specifically mentioned in the Hebrew text, the כִּנּוֹר (kinnor, “zither”) and נֶבֶל (nevel, “harp”).

[5:12]  ⁸ tn Heb “the work of the Lord they do not look at, and the work of his hands they do not see.” God’s “work” can sometimes be his creative deeds, but in this context it is the judgment that he is planning to bring upon his people (cf. vv. 19, 26; 10:12; 28:21).

[23:16]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “so you will be remembered.”