Isaiah 42:13-14

42:13 The Lord emerges like a hero,

like a warrior he inspires himself for battle; ¹ 

he shouts, yes, he yells,

he shows his enemies his power. ² 

42:14 “I have been inactive ³  for a long time;

I kept quiet and held back.

Like a woman in labor I groan;

I pant and gasp. ⁴ 

[42:13]  ¹ tn Heb “like a man of war he stirs up zeal” (NIV similar).

[42:13]  ² tn Or perhaps, “he triumphs over his enemies” (cf. NIV); NLT “will crush all his enemies.”

[42:14]  ³ tn Heb “silent” (so NASB, NIV, TEV, NLT); CEV “have held my temper.”

[42:14]  ⁴ sn The imagery depicts the Lord as a warrior who is eager to fight and can no longer hold himself back from the attack.