Isaiah 40:27

40:27 Why do you say, Jacob,

Why do you say, Israel,

“The Lord is not aware of what is happening to me, ¹ 

My God is not concerned with my vindication”? ² 

Isaiah 63:17

63:17 Why, Lord, do you make us stray ³  from your ways, ⁴ 

and make our minds stubborn so that we do not obey you? ⁵ 

Return for the sake of your servants,

the tribes of your inheritance!

[40:27]  ¹ tn Heb “my way is hidden from the Lord” (so NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV).

[40:27]  ² tn Heb “and from my God my justice passes away”; NRSV “my right is disregarded by my God.”

[63:17]  ³ tn Some suggest a tolerative use of the Hiphil here, “[why do] you allow us to stray?” (cf. NLT). Though the Hiphil of תָעָה (ta’ah) appears to be tolerative in Jer 50:6, elsewhere it is preferable or necessary to take it as causative. See Isa 3:12; 9:15; and 30:28, as well as Gen 20:13; 2 Kgs 21:9; Job 12:24-25; Prov 12:26; Jer 23:13, 32; Hos 4:12; Amos 2:4; Mic 3:5.

[63:17]  ⁴ tn This probably refers to God’s commands.

[63:17]  ⁵ tn Heb “[Why do] you harden our heart[s] so as not to fear you.” The interrogative particle is understood by ellipsis (note the preceding line).