Isaiah 42:16

42:16 I will lead the blind along an unfamiliar way; ¹ 

I will guide them down paths they have never traveled. ² 

I will turn the darkness in front of them into light,

and level out the rough ground. ³ 

This is what I will do for them.

I will not abandon them.

Isaiah 50:2

50:2 Why does no one challenge me when I come?

Why does no one respond when I call? ⁴ 

Is my hand too weak ⁵  to deliver ⁶  you?

Do I lack the power to rescue you?

Look, with a mere shout ⁷  I can dry up the sea;

I can turn streams into a desert,

so the fish rot away and die

from lack of water. ⁸ 

[42:16]  ¹ tn Heb “a way they do not know” (so NASB); NRSV “a road they do not know.”

[42:16]  ² tn Heb “in paths they do not know I will make them walk.”

[42:16]  ³ tn Heb “and the rough ground into a level place.”

[50:2]  ⁴ sn The present tense translation of the verbs assumes that the Lord is questioning why Israel does not attempt to counter his arguments. Another possibility is to take the verbs as referring to past events: “Why did no one meet me when I came? Why did no one answer when I called?” In this case the Lord might be asking why Israel rejected his calls to repent and his offer to deliver them.

[50:2]  ⁵ tn Heb “short” (so NAB, NASB, NIV).

[50:2]  ⁶ tn Or “ransom” (NAB, NASB, NIV).

[50:2]  ⁷ tn Heb “with my rebuke.”

[50:2]  ⁸ tn Heb “the fish stink from lack of water and die from thirst.”