Discovery BoxIsaiah 46:1--66:24
ContextNebo 2 bends low.
Their images weigh down animals and beasts. 3
Your heavy images are burdensome to tired animals. 4
46:2 Together they bend low and kneel down;
they are unable to rescue the images; 5
they themselves 6 head off into captivity. 7
46:3 “Listen to me, O family of Jacob, 8
all you who are left from the family of Israel, 9
you who have been carried from birth, 10
you who have been supported from the time you left the womb. 11
46:4 Even when you are old, I will take care of you, 12
even when you have gray hair, I will carry you.
I made you and I will support you;
I will carry you and rescue you. 13
46:5 To whom can you compare and liken me?
Tell me whom you think I resemble, so we can be compared!
46:6 Those who empty out gold from a purse
and weigh out silver on the scale 14
hire a metalsmith, who makes it into a god.
They then bow down and worship it.
46:7 They put it on their shoulder and carry it;
they put it in its place and it just stands there;
it does not 15 move from its place.
Even when someone cries out to it, it does not reply;
it does not deliver him from his distress.
46:8 Remember this, so you can be brave! 16
Think about it, you rebels! 17
46:9 Remember what I accomplished in antiquity! 18
Truly I am God, I have no peer; 19
I am God, and there is none like me,
46:10 who announces the end from the beginning
and reveals beforehand 20 what has not yet occurred,
who says, ‘My plan will be realized,
I will accomplish what I desire,’
46:11 who summons an eagle 21 from the east,
from a distant land, one who carries out my plan.
Yes, I have decreed, 22
yes, I will bring it to pass;
I have formulated a plan,
yes, I will carry it out.
46:12 Listen to me, you stubborn people, 23
you who distance yourself from doing what is right. 24
46:13 I am bringing my deliverance near, it is not far away;
I am bringing my salvation near, 25 it does not wait.
I will save Zion; 26
I will adorn Israel with my splendor.” 27
47:1 “Fall down! Sit in the dirt,
O virgin 28 daughter Babylon!
Sit on the ground, not on a throne,
O daughter of the Babylonians!
Indeed, 29 you will no longer be called delicate and pampered.
47:2 Pick up millstones and grind flour!
Remove your veil,
strip off your skirt,
expose your legs,
cross the streams!
47:3 Let your private parts be exposed!
Your genitals will be on display! 30
I will get revenge;
I will not have pity on anyone,” 31
47:4 says our protector –
the Lord who commands armies is his name,
the Holy One of Israel. 32
47:5 “Sit silently! Go to a hiding place, 33
O daughter of the Babylonians!
Indeed, 34 you will no longer be called ‘Queen of kingdoms.’
47:6 I was angry at my people;
I defiled my special possession
and handed them over to you.
You showed them no mercy; 35
you even placed a very heavy burden on old people. 36
47:7 You said,
‘I will rule forever as permanent queen!’ 37
You did not think about these things; 38
you did not consider how it would turn out. 39
47:8 So now, listen to this,
O one who lives so lavishly, 40
who lives securely,
who says to herself, 41
‘I am unique! No one can compare to me! 42
I will never have to live as a widow;
I will never lose my children.’ 43
47:9 Both of these will come upon you
suddenly, in one day!
You will lose your children and be widowed. 44
You will be overwhelmed by these tragedies, 45
despite 46 your many incantations
and your numerous amulets. 47
47:10 You were complacent in your evil deeds; 48
you thought, 49 ‘No one sees me.’
Your self-professed 50 wisdom and knowledge lead you astray,
when you say, ‘I am unique! No one can compare to me!’ 51
47:11 Disaster will overtake you;
you will not know how to charm it away. 52
Destruction will fall on you;
you will not be able to appease it.
Calamity will strike you suddenly,
before you recognize it. 53
47:12 Persist 54 in trusting 55 your amulets
and your many incantations,
which you have faithfully recited 56 since your youth!
Maybe you will be successful 57 –
maybe you will scare away disaster. 58
47:13 You are tired out from listening to so much advice. 59
Let them take their stand –
the ones who see omens in the sky,
who gaze at the stars,
who make monthly predictions –
let them rescue you from the disaster that is about to overtake you! 60
47:14 Look, they are like straw,
which the fire burns up;
they cannot rescue themselves
from the heat 61 of the flames.
There are no coals to warm them,
no firelight to enjoy. 62
47:15 They will disappoint you, 63
those you have so faithfully dealt with since your youth. 64
Each strays off in his own direction, 65
leaving no one to rescue you.”
48:1 Listen to this, O family of Jacob, 66
you who are called by the name ‘Israel,’
and are descended from Judah, 67
who take oaths in the name of the Lord,
and invoke 68 the God of Israel –
but not in an honest and just manner. 69
48:2 Indeed, they live in the holy city; 70
they trust in 71 the God of Israel,
whose name is the Lord who commands armies.
48:3 “I announced events beforehand, 72
I issued the decrees and made the predictions; 73
suddenly I acted and they came to pass.
48:4 I did this 74 because I know how stubborn you are.
Your neck muscles are like iron
and your forehead like bronze. 75
48:5 I announced them to you beforehand;
before they happened, I predicted them for you,
so you could never say,
‘My image did these things,
my idol, my cast image, decreed them.’
48:6 You have heard; now look at all the evidence! 76
Will you not admit that what I say is true? 77
From this point on I am announcing to you new events
that are previously unrevealed and you do not know about. 78
48:7 Now they come into being, 79 not in the past;
before today you did not hear about them,
so you could not say,
‘Yes, 80 I know about them.’
48:8 You did not hear,
you do not know,
you were not told beforehand. 81
For I know that you are very deceitful; 82
you were labeled 83 a rebel from birth.
48:9 For the sake of my reputation 84 I hold back my anger;
for the sake of my prestige 85 I restrain myself from destroying you. 86
48:10 Look, I have refined you, but not as silver;
I have purified you 87 in the furnace of misery.
48:11 For my sake alone 88 I will act,
for how can I allow my name to be defiled? 89
I will not share my glory with anyone else! 90
48:12 Listen to me, O Jacob,
Israel, whom I summoned!
I am the one;
I am present at the very beginning
and at the very end. 91
48:13 Yes, my hand founded the earth;
my right hand spread out the sky.
I summon them;
they stand together.
48:14 All of you, gather together and listen!
Who among them 92 announced these things?
The Lord’s ally 93 will carry out his desire against Babylon;
he will exert his power against the Babylonians. 94
48:15 I, I have spoken –
yes, I have summoned him;
I lead him and he will succeed. 95
48:16 Approach me! Listen to this!
From the very first I have not spoken in secret;
when it happens, 96 I am there.”
So now, the sovereign Lord has sent me, accompanied by his spirit. 97
48:17 This is what the Lord, your protector, 98 says,
the Holy One of Israel: 99
“I am the Lord your God,
who teaches you how to succeed,
who leads you in the way you should go.
48:18 If only you had obeyed my 100 commandments,
prosperity would have flowed to you like a river, 101
deliverance would have come to you like the waves of the sea. 102
48:19 Your descendants would have been as numerous as sand, 103
and your children 104 like its granules.
Their name would not have been cut off
and eliminated from my presence. 105
48:20 Leave Babylon!
Flee from the Babylonians!
Announce it with a shout of joy!
Make this known!
Proclaim it throughout the earth! 106
Say, ‘The Lord protects 107 his servant Jacob.
48:21 They do not thirst as he leads them through dry regions;
he makes water flow out of a rock for them;
he splits open a rock and water flows out.’ 108
48:22 There will be no prosperity for the wicked,” says the Lord.
49:1 Listen to me, you coastlands! 109
Pay attention, you people who live far away!
The Lord summoned me from birth; 110
he commissioned me when my mother brought me into the world. 111
49:2 He made my mouth like a sharp sword,
he hid me in the hollow of his hand;
he made me like a sharpened 112 arrow,
he hid me in his quiver. 113
49:3 He said to me, “You are my servant,
Israel, through whom I will reveal my splendor.” 114
49:4 But I thought, 115 “I have worked in vain;
I have expended my energy for absolutely nothing.” 116
But the Lord will vindicate me;
my God will reward me. 117
49:5 So now the Lord says,
the one who formed me from birth 118 to be his servant –
he did this 119 to restore Jacob to himself,
so that Israel might be gathered to him;
and I will be honored 120 in the Lord’s sight,
for my God is my source of strength 121 –
49:6 he says, “Is it too insignificant a task for you to be my servant,
to reestablish the tribes of Jacob,
and restore the remnant 122 of Israel? 123
I will make you a light to the nations, 124
so you can bring 125 my deliverance to the remote regions of the earth.”
49:7 This is what the Lord,
the protector 126 of Israel, their Holy One, 127 says
to the one who is despised 128 and rejected 129 by nations, 130
a servant of rulers:
“Kings will see and rise in respect, 131
princes will bow down,
because of the faithful Lord,
the Holy One of Israel who has chosen you.”
49:8 This is what the Lord says:
“At the time I decide to show my favor, I will respond to you;
in the day of deliverance I will help you;
I will protect you 132 and make you a covenant mediator for people, 133
and to reassign the desolate property.
49:9 You will say 136 to the prisoners, ‘Come out,’
and to those who are in dark dungeons, 137 ‘Emerge.’ 138
They will graze beside the roads;
on all the slopes they will find pasture.
49:10 They will not be hungry or thirsty;
the sun’s oppressive heat will not beat down on them, 139
for one who has compassion on them will guide them;
he will lead them to springs of water.
49:11 I will make all my mountains into a road;
I will construct my roadways.”
49:12 Look, they come from far away!
Look, some come from the north and west,
and others from the land of Sinim! 140
49:13 Shout for joy, O sky! 141
Rejoice, O earth!
Let the mountains give a joyful shout!
For the Lord consoles his people
and shows compassion to the 142 oppressed.
49:14 “Zion said, ‘The Lord has abandoned me,
the sovereign master 143 has forgotten me.’
49:15 Can a woman forget her baby who nurses at her breast? 144
Can she withhold compassion from the child she has borne? 145
Even if mothers 146 were to forget,
I could never forget you! 147
49:16 Look, I have inscribed your name 148 on my palms;
your walls are constantly before me.
49:17 Your children hurry back,
while those who destroyed and devastated you depart.
49:18 Look all around you! 149
All of them gather to you.
As surely as I live,” says the Lord,
“you will certainly wear all of them like jewelry;
you will put them on as if you were a bride.
49:19 Yes, your land lies in ruins;
it is desolate and devastated. 150
But now you will be too small to hold your residents,
and those who devoured you will be far away.
49:20 Yet the children born during your time of bereavement
will say within your hearing,
‘This place is too cramped for us, 151
make room for us so we can live here.’ 152
49:21 Then you will think to yourself, 153
‘Who bore these children for me?
I was bereaved and barren,
dismissed and divorced. 154
Who raised these children?
Look, I was left all alone;
where did these children come from?’”
49:22 This is what the sovereign Lord says:
“Look I will raise my hand to the nations;
I will raise my signal flag to the peoples.
They will bring your sons in their arms
and carry your daughters on their shoulders.
49:23 Kings will be your children’s 155 guardians;
their princesses will nurse your children. 156
With their faces to the ground they will bow down to you
and they will lick the dirt on 157 your feet.
Then you will recognize that I am the Lord;
those who wait patiently for me are not put to shame.
49:24 Can spoils be taken from a warrior,
or captives be rescued from a conqueror? 158
49:25 Indeed,” says the Lord,
“captives will be taken from a warrior;
spoils will be rescued from a conqueror.
I will oppose your adversary
and I will rescue your children.
49:26 I will make your oppressors eat their own flesh;
they will get drunk on their own blood, as if it were wine. 159
Then all humankind 160 will recognize that
I am the Lord, your deliverer,
your protector, 161 the powerful ruler of Jacob.” 162
50:1 This is what the Lord says:
“Where is your mother’s divorce certificate
by which I divorced her?
Or to which of my creditors did I sell you? 163
Look, you were sold because of your sins; 164
because of your rebellious acts I divorced your mother. 165
50:2 Why does no one challenge me when I come?
Why does no one respond when I call? 166
Is my hand too weak 167 to deliver 168 you?
Do I lack the power to rescue you?
Look, with a mere shout 169 I can dry up the sea;
I can turn streams into a desert,
so the fish rot away and die
from lack of water. 170
50:3 I can clothe the sky in darkness;
I can cover it with sackcloth.”
50:4 The sovereign Lord has given me the capacity to be his spokesman, 171
so that I know how to help the weary. 172
He wakes me up every morning;
he makes me alert so I can listen attentively as disciples do. 173
50:5 The sovereign Lord has spoken to me clearly; 174
I have not rebelled,
I have not turned back.
50:6 I offered my back to those who attacked, 175
my jaws to those who tore out my beard;
I did not hide my face
from insults and spitting.
50:7 But the sovereign Lord helps me,
so I am not humiliated.
For that reason I am steadfastly resolved; 176
I know I will not be put to shame.
50:8 The one who vindicates me is close by.
Who dares to argue with me? Let us confront each other! 177
Who is my accuser? 178 Let him challenge me! 179
50:9 Look, the sovereign Lord helps me.
Who dares to condemn me?
Look, all of them will wear out like clothes;
a moth will eat away at them.
50:10 Who among you fears the Lord?
Who obeys 180 his servant?
Whoever walks in deep darkness, 181
without light,
should trust in the name of the Lord
and rely on his God.
50:11 Look, all of you who start a fire
and who equip yourselves with 182 flaming arrows, 183
walk 184 in the light 185 of the fire you started
and among the flaming arrows you ignited! 186
This is what you will receive from me: 187
you will lie down in a place of pain. 188
51:1 “Listen to me, you who pursue godliness, 189
who seek the Lord!
Look at the rock from which you were chiseled,
at the quarry 190 from which you were dug! 191
51:2 Look at Abraham, your father,
and Sarah, who gave you birth. 192
When I summoned him, he was a lone individual, 193
but I blessed him 194 and gave him numerous descendants. 195
51:3 Certainly the Lord will console Zion;
he will console all her ruins.
He will make her wilderness like Eden,
her desert like the Garden of the Lord.
Happiness and joy will be restored to 196 her,
thanksgiving and the sound of music.
51:4 Pay attention to me, my people!
Listen to me, my people!
For 197 I will issue a decree, 198
I will make my justice a light to the nations. 199
51:5 I am ready to vindicate, 200
I am ready to deliver, 201
I will establish justice among the nations. 202
The coastlands 203 wait patiently for me;
they wait in anticipation for the revelation of my power. 204
51:6 Look up at the sky!
Look at the earth below!
For the sky will dissipate 205 like smoke,
and the earth will wear out like clothes;
its residents will die like gnats.
But the deliverance I give 206 is permanent;
the vindication I provide 207 will not disappear. 208
51:7 Listen to me, you who know what is right,
you people who are aware of my law! 209
Don’t be afraid of the insults of men;
don’t be discouraged because of their abuse!
51:8 For a moth will eat away at them like clothes;
a clothes moth will devour them like wool.
But the vindication I provide 210 will be permanent;
the deliverance I give will last.”
51:9 Wake up! Wake up!
Clothe yourself with strength, O arm of the Lord! 211
Wake up as in former times, as in antiquity!
Did you not smash 212 the Proud One? 213
Did you not 214 wound the sea monster? 215
51:10 Did you not dry up the sea,
the waters of the great deep?
Did you not make 216 a path through the depths of the sea,
so those delivered from bondage 217 could cross over?
51:11 Those whom the Lord has ransomed will return;
they will enter Zion with a happy shout.
Unending joy will crown them, 218
happiness and joy will overwhelm 219 them;
grief and suffering will disappear. 220
51:12 “I, I am the one who consoles you. 221
Why are you afraid of mortal men,
of mere human beings who are as short-lived as grass? 222
51:13 Why do you forget 223 the Lord, who made you,
who stretched out the sky 224
and founded the earth?
Why do you constantly tremble all day long 225
at the anger of the oppressor,
when he makes plans to destroy?
Where is the anger of the oppressor? 226
51:14 The one who suffers 227 will soon be released;
he will not die in prison, 228
he will not go hungry. 229
51:15 I am the Lord your God,
who churns up the sea so that its waves surge.
The Lord who commands armies is his name!
51:16 I commission you 230 as my spokesman; 231
I cover you with the palm of my hand, 232
to establish 233 the sky and to found the earth,
to say to Zion, ‘You are my people.’” 234
51:17 Wake up! Wake up!
Get up, O Jerusalem!
You drank from the cup the Lord passed to you,
which was full of his anger! 235
You drained dry
the goblet full of intoxicating wine. 236
51:18 There was no one to lead her
among all the children she bore;
there was no one to take her by the hand
among all the children she raised.
51:19 These double disasters confronted you.
But who feels sorry for you?
Destruction and devastation,
famine and sword.
But who consoles you? 237
51:20 Your children faint;
they lie at the head of every street
like an antelope in a snare.
They are left in a stupor by the Lord’s anger,
by the battle cry of your God. 238
51:21 So listen to this, oppressed one,
who is drunk, but not from wine!
51:22 This is what your sovereign master, 239 the Lord your God, says:
“Look, I have removed from your hand
the cup of intoxicating wine, 240
the goblet full of my anger. 241
You will no longer have to drink it.
51:23 I will put it into the hand of your tormentors 242
who said to you, ‘Lie down, so we can walk over you.’
You made your back like the ground,
and like the street for those who walked over you.”
52:1 Wake up! Wake up!
Clothe yourself with strength, O Zion!
Put on your beautiful clothes,
O Jerusalem, 243 holy city!
For uncircumcised and unclean pagans
will no longer invade you.
Get up, captive 245 Jerusalem!
Take off the iron chains around your neck,
O captive daughter Zion!
52:3 For this is what the Lord says:
“You were sold for nothing,
and you will not be redeemed for money.”
52:4 For this is what the sovereign Lord says:
“In the beginning my people went to live temporarily in Egypt;
Assyria oppressed them for no good reason.
52:5 And now, what do we have here?” 246 says the Lord.
“Indeed my people have been carried away for nothing,
those who rule over them taunt,” 247 says the Lord,
“and my name is constantly slandered 248 all day long.
52:6 For this reason my people will know my name,
for this reason they will know 249 at that time 250 that I am the one who says,
‘Here I am.’”
52:7 How delightful it is to see approaching over the mountains 251
the feet of a messenger who announces peace,
a messenger who brings good news, who announces deliverance,
who says to Zion, “Your God reigns!” 252
52:8 Listen, 253 your watchmen shout;
in unison they shout for joy,
for they see with their very own eyes 254
the Lord’s return to Zion.
52:9 In unison give a joyful shout,
O ruins of Jerusalem!
For the Lord consoles his people;
he protects 255 Jerusalem.
52:10 The Lord reveals 256 his royal power 257
in the sight of all the nations;
the entire 258 earth sees
our God deliver. 259
52:11 Leave! Leave! Get out of there!
Don’t touch anything unclean!
Get out of it!
Stay pure, you who carry the Lord’s holy items! 260
52:12 Yet do not depart quickly
or leave in a panic. 261
For the Lord goes before you;
the God of Israel is your rear guard.
52:13 “Look, my servant will succeed! 262
He will be elevated, lifted high, and greatly exalted 263 –
52:14 (just as many were horrified by the sight of you) 264
he was so disfigured 265 he no longer looked like a man; 266
52:15 his form was so marred he no longer looked human 267 –
so now 268 he will startle 269 many nations.
Kings will be shocked by his exaltation, 270
for they will witness something unannounced to them,
and they will understand something they had not heard about.
53:1 Who would have believed 271 what we 272 just heard? 273
When 274 was the Lord’s power 275 revealed through him?
53:2 He sprouted up like a twig before God, 276
like a root out of parched soil; 277
he had no stately form or majesty that might catch our attention, 278
no special appearance that we should want to follow him. 279
53:3 He was despised and rejected by people, 280
one who experienced pain and was acquainted with illness;
people hid their faces from him; 281
he was despised, and we considered him insignificant. 282
53:4 But he lifted up our illnesses,
he carried our pain; 283
even though we thought he was being punished,
attacked by God, and afflicted for something he had done. 284
53:5 He was wounded because of 285 our rebellious deeds,
crushed because of our sins;
he endured punishment that made us well; 286
because of his wounds we have been healed. 287
53:6 All of us had wandered off like sheep;
each of us had strayed off on his own path,
but the Lord caused the sin of all of us to attack him. 288
53:7 He was treated harshly and afflicted, 289
but he did not even open his mouth.
Like a lamb led to the slaughtering block,
like a sheep silent before her shearers,
he did not even open his mouth. 290
53:8 He was led away after an unjust trial 291 –
but who even cared? 292
Indeed, he was cut off from the land of the living; 293
because of the rebellion of his own 294 people he was wounded.
53:9 They intended to bury him with criminals, 295
but he ended up in a rich man’s tomb, 296
because 297 he had committed no violent deeds,
nor had he spoken deceitfully.
53:10 Though the Lord desired to crush him and make him ill,
once restitution is made, 298
he will see descendants and enjoy long life, 299
and the Lord’s purpose will be accomplished through him.
53:11 Having suffered, he will reflect on his work,
he will be satisfied when he understands what he has done. 300
“My servant 301 will acquit many, 302
for he carried their sins. 303
53:12 So I will assign him a portion with the multitudes, 304
he will divide the spoils of victory with the powerful, 305
because he willingly submitted 306 to death
and was numbered with the rebels,
when he lifted up the sin of many
and intervened 307 on behalf of the rebels.”
54:1 “Shout for joy, O barren one who has not given birth!
Give a joyful shout and cry out, you who have not been in labor!
For the children of the desolate one are more numerous
than the children of the married woman,” says the Lord.
54:2 Make your tent larger,
stretch your tent curtains farther out! 308
Spare no effort,
lengthen your ropes,
and pound your stakes deep. 309
54:3 For you will spread out to the right and to the left;
your children will conquer 310 nations
and will resettle desolate cities.
54:4 Don’t be afraid, for you will not be put to shame!
Don’t be intimidated, 311 for you will not be humiliated!
You will forget about the shame you experienced in your youth;
you will no longer remember the disgrace of your abandonment. 312
54:5 For your husband is the one who made you –
the Lord who commands armies is his name.
He is your protector, 313 the Holy One of Israel. 314
He is called “God of the entire earth.”
54:6 “Indeed, the Lord will call you back
like a wife who has been abandoned and suffers from depression, 315
like a young wife when she has been rejected,” says your God.
54:7 “For a short time I abandoned 316 you,
but with great compassion I will gather you.
54:8 In a burst 317 of anger I rejected you 318 momentarily,
but with lasting devotion I will have compassion on you,”
says your protector, 319 the Lord.
54:9 “As far as I am concerned, this is like in Noah’s time, 320
when I vowed that the waters of Noah’s flood 321 would never again cover the earth.
In the same way I have vowed that I will not be angry at you or shout at you.
54:10 Even if the mountains are removed
and the hills displaced,
my devotion will not be removed from you,
nor will my covenant of friendship 322 be displaced,”
says the Lord, the one who has compassion on you.
54:11 “O afflicted one, driven away, 323 and unconsoled!
Look, I am about to set your stones in antimony
and I lay your foundation with lapis-lazuli.
54:12 I will make your pinnacles out of gems, 324
your gates out of beryl, 325
and your outer wall 326 out of beautiful 327 stones.
54:13 All your children will be followers of the Lord,
and your children will enjoy great prosperity. 328
54:14 You will be reestablished when I vindicate you. 329
You will not experience oppression; 330
indeed, you will not be afraid.
You will not be terrified, 331
for nothing frightening 332 will come near you.
54:15 If anyone dares to 333 challenge you, it will not be my doing!
Whoever tries to challenge you will be defeated. 334
54:16 Look, I create the craftsman,
who fans the coals into a fire
and forges a weapon. 335
I create the destroyer so he might devastate.
54:17 No weapon forged to be used against you will succeed;
you will refute everyone who tries to accuse you. 336
This is what the Lord will do for his servants –
I will vindicate them,” 337
says the Lord.
55:1 “Hey, 338 all who are thirsty, come to the water!
You who have no money, come!
Buy and eat!
Come! Buy wine and milk
without money and without cost! 339
55:2 Why pay money for something that will not nourish you? 340
Why spend 341 your hard-earned money 342 on something that will not satisfy?
Listen carefully 343 to me and eat what is nourishing! 344
Enjoy fine food! 345
55:3 Pay attention and come to me!
Listen, so you can live! 346
Then I will make an unconditional covenantal promise to 347 you,
just like the reliable covenantal promises I made to David. 348
55:4 Look, I made him a witness to nations, 349
a ruler and commander of nations.”
55:5 Look, you will summon nations 350 you did not previously know;
nations 351 that did not previously know you will run to you,
because of the Lord your God,
the Holy One of Israel, 352
for he bestows honor on you.
55:6 Seek the Lord while he makes himself available; 353
call to him while he is nearby!
55:7 The wicked need to abandon their lifestyle 354
and sinful people their plans. 355
They should return 356 to the Lord, and he will show mercy to them, 357
and to their God, for he will freely forgive them. 358
55:8 “Indeed, 359 my plans 360 are not like 361 your plans,
and my deeds 362 are not like 363 your deeds,
55:9 for just as the sky 364 is higher than the earth,
so my deeds 365 are superior to 366 your deeds
and my plans 367 superior to your plans.
55:10 368 The rain and snow fall from the sky
and do not return,
but instead water the earth
and make it produce and yield crops,
and provide seed for the planter and food for those who must eat.
55:11 In the same way, the promise that I make
does not return to me, having accomplished nothing. 369
No, it is realized as I desire
and is fulfilled as I intend.” 370
55:12 Indeed you will go out with joy;
you will be led along in peace;
the mountains and hills will give a joyful shout before you,
and all the trees in the field will clap their hands.
55:13 Evergreens will grow in place of thorn bushes,
firs will grow in place of nettles;
they will be a monument to the Lord, 371
a permanent reminder that will remain. 372
56:1 This is what the Lord says,
“Promote 373 justice! Do what is right!
For I am ready to deliver you;
I am ready to vindicate you openly. 374
56:2 The people who do this will be blessed, 375
the people who commit themselves to obedience, 376
who observe the Sabbath and do not defile it,
who refrain from doing anything that is wrong. 377
56:3 No foreigner who becomes a follower of 378 the Lord should say,
‘The Lord will certainly 379 exclude me from his people.’
The eunuch should not say,
‘Look, I am like a dried-up tree.’”
56:4 For this is what the Lord says:
“For the eunuchs who observe my Sabbaths
and choose what pleases me
and are faithful to 380 my covenant,
56:5 I will set up within my temple and my walls a monument 381
that will be better than sons and daughters.
I will set up a permanent monument 382 for them that will remain.
56:6 As for foreigners who become followers of 383 the Lord and serve him,
who love the name of the Lord and want to be his servants –
all who observe the Sabbath and do not defile it,
and who are faithful to 384 my covenant –
56:7 I will bring them to my holy mountain;
I will make them happy in the temple where people pray to me. 385
Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on my altar,
for my temple will be known as a temple where all nations may pray.” 386
56:8 The sovereign Lord says this,
the one who gathers the dispersed of Israel:
“I will still gather them up.” 387
56:9 All you wild animals in the fields, come and devour,
all you wild animals in the forest!
56:10 All their watchmen 388 are blind,
they are unaware. 389
All of them are like mute dogs,
unable to bark.
They pant, 390 lie down,
and love to snooze.
56:11 The dogs have big appetites;
they are never full. 391
They are shepherds who have no understanding;
they all go their own way,
each one looking for monetary gain. 392
‘Come on, I’ll get some wine!
Let’s guzzle some beer!
Tomorrow will be just like today!
We’ll have everything we want!’ 394
but no one cares. 396
Honest people disappear, 397
that the godly 400 disappear 401 because of 402 evil. 403
57:2 Those who live uprightly enter a place of peace;
they rest on their beds. 404
57:3 But approach, you sons of omen readers,
you offspring of adulteresses and prostitutes! 405
57:4 At whom are you laughing?
At whom are you opening your mouth
and sticking out your tongue?
You are the children of rebels,
the offspring of liars, 406
57:5 you who practice ritual sex 407 under the oaks and every green tree,
who slaughter children near the streams under the rocky overhangs. 408
57:6 Among the smooth stones of the stream are the idols you love;
they, they are the object of your devotion. 409
You pour out liquid offerings to them,
you make an offering.
Because of these things I will seek vengeance. 410
57:7 On every high, elevated hill you prepare your bed;
you go up there to offer sacrifices.
57:8 Behind the door and doorpost you put your symbols. 411
Indeed, 412 you depart from me 413 and go up
and invite them into bed with you. 414
You purchase favors from them, 415
you love their bed,
and gaze longingly 416 on their genitals. 417
57:9 You take olive oil as tribute 418 to your king, 419
along with many perfumes. 420
You send your messengers to a distant place;
you go all the way to Sheol. 421
57:10 Because of the long distance you must travel, you get tired, 422
but you do not say, ‘I give up.’ 423
You get renewed energy, 424
so you don’t collapse. 425
57:11 Whom are you worried about?
Whom do you fear, that you would act so deceitfully
and not remember me
or think about me? 426
Because I have been silent for so long, 427
you are not afraid of me. 428
57:12 I will denounce your so-called righteousness and your deeds, 429
but they will not help you.
57:13 When you cry out for help, let your idols 430 help you!
The wind blows them all away, 431
a breeze carries them away. 432
But the one who looks to me for help 433 will inherit the land
and will have access to 434 my holy mountain.”
“Build it! Build it! Clear a way!
Remove all the obstacles out of the way of my people!”
57:15 For this is what the high and exalted one says,
the one who rules 436 forever, whose name is holy:
“I dwell in an exalted and holy place,
but also with the discouraged and humiliated, 437
in order to cheer up the humiliated
and to encourage the discouraged. 438
57:16 For I will not be hostile 439 forever
or perpetually angry,
for then man’s spirit would grow faint before me, 440
the life-giving breath I created.
57:17 I was angry because of their sinful greed;
I attacked them and angrily rejected them, 441
yet they remained disobedient and stubborn. 442
57:18 I have seen their behavior, 443
but I will heal them and give them rest,
and I will once again console those who mourn. 444
57:19 I am the one who gives them reason to celebrate. 445
Complete prosperity 446 is available both to those who are far away and those who are nearby,”
says the Lord, “and I will heal them.
57:20 But the wicked are like a surging sea
that is unable to be quiet;
its waves toss up mud and sand.
57:21 There will be no prosperity,” says my God, “for the wicked.”
58:1 “Shout loudly! Don’t be quiet!
Yell as loud as a trumpet!
Confront my people with their rebellious deeds; 447
confront Jacob’s family with their sin! 448
58:2 They seek me day after day;
they want to know my requirements, 449
like a nation that does what is right
and does not reject the law of their God.
They ask me for just decrees;
they want to be near God.
58:3 They lament, 450 ‘Why don’t you notice when we fast?
Why don’t you pay attention when we humble ourselves?’
Look, at the same time you fast, you satisfy your selfish desires, 451
you oppress your workers. 452
58:4 Look, your fasting is accompanied by 453 arguments, brawls,
and fistfights. 454
Do not fast as you do today,
trying to make your voice heard in heaven.
58:5 Is this really the kind of fasting I want? 455
Do I want a day when people merely humble themselves, 456
bowing their heads like a reed
and stretching out 457 on sackcloth and ashes?
Is this really what you call a fast,
a day that is pleasing to the Lord?
58:6 No, this is the kind of fast I want. 458
I want you 459 to remove the sinful chains,
to tear away the ropes of the burdensome yoke,
to set free the oppressed, 460
and to break every burdensome yoke.
58:7 I want you 461 to share your food with the hungry
and to provide shelter for homeless, oppressed people. 462
When you see someone naked, clothe him!
Don’t turn your back on your own flesh and blood! 463
58:8 Then your light will shine like the sunrise; 464
your restoration will quickly arrive; 465
your godly behavior 466 will go before you,
and the Lord’s splendor will be your rear guard. 467
58:9 Then you will call out, and the Lord will respond;
you will cry out, and he will reply, ‘Here I am.’
You must 468 remove the burdensome yoke from among you
and stop pointing fingers and speaking sinfully.
58:10 You must 469 actively help the hungry
and feed the oppressed. 470
Then your light will dispel the darkness, 471
and your darkness will be transformed into noonday. 472
58:11 The Lord will continually lead you;
he will feed you even in parched regions. 473
He will give you renewed strength, 474
and you will be like a well-watered garden,
like a spring that continually produces water.
58:12 Your perpetual ruins will be rebuilt; 475
you will reestablish the ancient foundations.
You will be called, ‘The one who repairs broken walls,
the one who makes the streets inhabitable again.’ 476
58:13 You must 477 observe the Sabbath 478
rather than doing anything you please on my holy day. 479
You must look forward to the Sabbath 480
and treat the Lord’s holy day with respect. 481
You must treat it with respect by refraining from your normal activities,
and by refraining from your selfish pursuits and from making business deals. 482
58:14 Then you will find joy in your relationship to the Lord, 483
and I will give you great prosperity, 484
and cause crops to grow on the land I gave to your ancestor Jacob.” 485
Know for certain that the Lord has spoken. 486
59:1 Look, the Lord’s hand is not too weak 487 to deliver you;
his ear is not too deaf to hear you. 488
59:2 But your sinful acts have alienated you from your God;
your sins have caused him to reject you and not listen to your prayers. 489
59:3 For your hands are stained with blood
and your fingers with sin;
your lips speak lies,
your tongue utters malicious words.
59:4 No one is concerned about justice; 490
no one sets forth his case truthfully.
They depend on false words 491 and tell lies;
they conceive of oppression 492
and give birth to sin.
59:5 They hatch the eggs of a poisonous snake
and spin a spider’s web.
Whoever eats their eggs will die,
a poisonous snake is hatched. 493
59:6 Their webs cannot be used for clothing;
they cannot cover themselves with what they make.
Their deeds are sinful;
they commit violent crimes. 494
59:7 They are eager to do evil, 495
quick to shed innocent blood. 496
Their thoughts are sinful;
they crush and destroy. 497
59:8 They are unfamiliar with peace;
their deeds are unjust. 498
They use deceitful methods,
and whoever deals with them is unfamiliar with peace. 499
59:9 For this reason deliverance 500 is far from us 501
and salvation does not reach us.
We wait for light, 502 but see only darkness; 503
we wait for 504 a bright light, 505 but live 506 in deep darkness. 507
59:10 We grope along the wall like the blind,
we grope like those who cannot see; 508
we stumble at noontime as if it were evening.
Though others are strong, we are like dead men. 509
59:11 We all growl like bears,
we coo mournfully like doves;
we wait for deliverance, 510 but there is none,
for salvation, but it is far from us.
59:12 For you are aware of our many rebellious deeds, 511
and our sins testify against us;
indeed, we are aware of our rebellious deeds;
we know our sins all too well. 512
59:13 We have rebelled and tried to deceive the Lord;
we turned back from following our God.
We stir up 513 oppression and rebellion;
we tell lies we concocted in our minds. 514
59:14 Justice is driven back;
godliness 515 stands far off.
Indeed, 516 honesty stumbles in the city square
and morality is not even able to enter.
59:15 Honesty has disappeared;
the one who tries to avoid evil is robbed.
The Lord watches and is displeased, 517
for there is no justice.
59:16 He sees there is no advocate; 518
he is shocked 519 that no one intervenes.
So he takes matters into his own hands; 520
his desire for justice drives him on. 521
59:17 He wears his desire for justice 522 like body armor, 523
and his desire to deliver is like a helmet on his head. 524
He puts on the garments of vengeance 525
and wears zeal like a robe.
59:18 He repays them for what they have done,
dispensing angry judgment to his adversaries
and punishing his enemies. 526
He repays the coastlands. 527
59:19 In the west, people respect 528 the Lord’s reputation; 529
in the east they recognize his splendor. 530
For he comes like a rushing 531 stream
driven on by wind sent from the Lord. 532
59:20 “A protector 533 comes to Zion,
to those in Jacob who repent of their rebellious deeds,” 534 says the Lord.
59:21 “As for me, this is my promise to 535 them,” says the Lord. “My spirit, who is upon you, and my words, which I have placed in your mouth, will not depart from your mouth or from the mouths of your children and descendants from this time forward,” 536 says the Lord.
60:1 “Arise! Shine! For your light arrives!
The splendor 537 of the Lord shines on you!
60:2 For, look, darkness covers the earth
and deep darkness covers 538 the nations,
but the Lord shines on you;
his splendor 539 appears over you.
60:3 Nations come to your light,
kings to your bright light.
They all gather and come to you –
your sons come from far away
and your daughters are escorted by guardians.
60:5 Then you will look and smile, 541
you will be excited and your heart will swell with pride. 542
For the riches of distant lands 543 will belong to you
and the wealth of nations will come to you.
60:6 Camel caravans will cover your roads, 544
young camels from Midian and Ephah.
All the merchants of Sheba 545 will come,
bringing gold and incense
and singing praises to the Lord. 546
60:7 All the sheep of Kedar will be gathered to you;
the rams of Nebaioth will be available to you as sacrifices. 547
They will go up on my altar acceptably, 548
and I will bestow honor on my majestic temple.
60:8 Who are these who float along 549 like a cloud,
who fly like doves to their shelters? 550
60:9 Indeed, the coastlands 551 look eagerly for me,
the large ships 552 are in the lead,
bringing your sons from far away,
along with their silver and gold,
to honor the Lord your God, 553
the Holy One of Israel, 554 for he has bestowed honor on you.
60:10 Foreigners will rebuild your walls;
their kings will serve you.
Even though I struck you down in my anger,
I will restore my favor and have compassion on you. 555
60:11 Your gates will remain open at all times;
they will not be shut during the day or at night,
so that the wealth of nations may be delivered,
with their kings leading the way. 556
60:12 Indeed, 557 nations or kingdoms that do not serve you will perish;
such nations will be totally destroyed. 558
60:13 The splendor of Lebanon will come to you,
its evergreens, firs, and cypresses together,
to beautify my palace; 559
I will bestow honor on my throne room. 560
60:14 The children of your oppressors will come bowing to you;
all who treated you with disrespect will bow down at your feet.
They will call you, ‘The City of the Lord,
Zion of the Holy One of Israel.’ 561
60:15 You were once abandoned
and despised, with no one passing through,
but I will make you 562 a permanent source of pride
and joy to coming generations.
60:16 You will drink the milk of nations;
you will nurse at the breasts of kings. 563
Then you will recognize that I, the Lord, am your deliverer,
your protector, 564 the powerful ruler of Jacob. 565
60:17 Instead of bronze, I will bring you gold,
instead of iron, I will bring you silver,
instead of wood, I will bring you 566 bronze,
instead of stones, I will bring you 567 iron.
I will make prosperity 568 your overseer,
and vindication your sovereign ruler. 569
60:18 Sounds of violence 570 will no longer be heard in your land,
or the sounds of 571 destruction and devastation within your borders.
You will name your walls, ‘Deliverance,’
and your gates, ‘Praise.’
60:19 The sun will no longer supply light for you by day,
nor will the moon’s brightness shine on you;
the Lord will be your permanent source of light –
the splendor of your God will shine upon you. 572
60:20 Your sun will no longer set;
your moon will not disappear; 573
the Lord will be your permanent source of light;
your time 574 of sorrow will be over.
60:21 All of your people will be godly; 575
they will possess the land permanently.
I will plant them like a shoot;
they will be the product of my labor,
through whom I reveal my splendor. 576
60:22 The least of you will multiply into 577 a thousand;
the smallest of you will become a large nation.
When the right time comes, I the Lord will quickly do this!” 578
61:1 The spirit of the sovereign Lord is upon me,
because the Lord has chosen 579 me. 580
He has commissioned 581 me to encourage 582 the poor,
to help 583 the brokenhearted,
to decree the release of captives,
and the freeing of prisoners,
61:2 to announce the year when the Lord will show his favor,
the day when our God will seek vengeance, 584
to console all who mourn,
61:3 to strengthen those who mourn in Zion,
by giving them a turban, instead of ashes,
oil symbolizing joy, 585 instead of mourning,
a garment symbolizing praise, 586 instead of discouragement. 587
They will be called oaks of righteousness, 588
trees planted by the Lord to reveal his splendor. 589
61:4 They will rebuild the perpetual ruins
and restore the places that were desolate; 590
they will reestablish the ruined cities,
the places that have been desolate since ancient times.
61:5 591 “Foreigners will take care of 592 your sheep;
foreigners will work in your fields and vineyards.
61:6 You will be called, ‘the Lord’s priests,
servants of our God.’ 593
You will enjoy 594 the wealth of nations
and boast about 595 the riches you receive from them. 596
61:7 Instead of shame, you will get a double portion; 597
instead of humiliation, they will rejoice over the land they receive. 598
Yes, 599 they will possess a double portion in their land
and experience lasting joy.
61:8 For I, the Lord, love justice
and hate robbery and sin.
I will repay them because of my faithfulness; 600
I will make a permanent covenant with them.
61:9 Their descendants will be known among the nations,
their offspring among the peoples.
All who see them will recognize that
the Lord has blessed them.” 601
61:10 I 602 will greatly rejoice 603 in the Lord;
I will be overjoyed because of my God. 604
For he clothes me in garments of deliverance;
he puts on me a robe symbolizing vindication. 605
I look like a bridegroom when he wears a turban as a priest would;
I look like a bride when she puts on her jewelry. 606
61:11 For just as the ground produces its crops
and a garden yields its produce,
so the sovereign Lord will cause deliverance 607 to grow,
and give his people reason to praise him in the sight of all the nations. 608
62:1 “For the sake of Zion I will not be silent;
for the sake of Jerusalem 609 I will not be quiet,
until her vindication shines brightly 610
and her deliverance burns like a torch.”
62:2 Nations will see your vindication,
and all kings your splendor.
You will be called by a new name
that the Lord himself will give you. 611
62:3 You will be a majestic crown in the hand of the Lord,
a royal turban in the hand of your God.
62:4 You will no longer be called, “Abandoned,”
and your land will no longer be called “Desolate.”
Indeed, 612 you will be called “My Delight is in Her,” 613
and your land “Married.” 614
For the Lord will take delight in you,
and your land will be married to him. 615
62:5 As a young man marries a young woman,
so your sons 616 will marry you.
As a bridegroom rejoices over a bride,
so your God will rejoice over you.
62:6 I 617 post watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem;
they should keep praying all day and all night. 618
You who pray to 619 the Lord, don’t be silent!
62:7 Don’t allow him to rest until he reestablishes Jerusalem, 620
until he makes Jerusalem the pride 621 of the earth.
62:8 The Lord swears an oath by his right hand,
by his strong arm: 622
“I will never again give your grain
to your enemies as food,
and foreigners will not drink your wine,
which you worked hard to produce.
62:9 But those who harvest the grain 623 will eat it,
and will praise the Lord.
Those who pick the grapes will drink the wine 624
in the courts of my holy sanctuary.”
62:10 Come through! Come through the gates!
Prepare the way for the people!
Build it! Build the roadway!
Remove the stones!
Lift a signal flag for the nations!
62:11 Look, the Lord announces to the entire earth: 625
“Say to Daughter Zion,
‘Look, your deliverer comes!
Look, his reward is with him
and his reward goes before him!’” 626
62:12 They will be called, “The Holy People,
the Ones Protected 627 by the Lord.”
You will be called, “Sought After,
City Not Abandoned.”
63:1 Who is this who comes from Edom, 628
dressed in bright red, coming from Bozrah? 629
Who 630 is this one wearing royal attire, 631
who marches confidently 632 because of his great strength?
“It is I, the one who announces vindication,
and who is able to deliver!” 633
63:2 Why are your clothes red?
Why do you look like someone who has stomped on grapes in a vat? 634
63:3 “I have stomped grapes in the winepress all by myself;
no one from the nations joined me.
I stomped on them 635 in my anger;
I trampled them down in my rage.
Their juice splashed on my garments,
and stained 636 all my clothes.
63:4 For I looked forward to the day of vengeance,
and then payback time arrived. 637
63:5 I looked, but there was no one to help;
I was shocked because there was no one offering support. 638
So my right arm accomplished deliverance;
my raging anger drove me on. 639
63:6 I trampled nations in my anger,
I made them drunk 640 in my rage,
I splashed their blood on the ground.” 641
63:7 I will tell of the faithful acts of the Lord,
of the Lord’s praiseworthy deeds.
I will tell about all 642 the Lord did for us,
the many good things he did for the family of Israel, 643
because of 644 his compassion and great faithfulness.
63:8 He said, “Certainly they will be my people,
children who are not disloyal.” 645
He became their deliverer.
63:9 Through all that they suffered, he suffered too. 646
The messenger sent from his very presence 647 delivered them.
In his love and mercy he protected 648 them;
he lifted them up and carried them throughout ancient times. 649
63:10 But they rebelled and offended 650 his holy Spirit, 651
so he turned into an enemy
and fought against them.
63:11 His people remembered the ancient times. 652
Where is the one who brought them up out of the sea,
along with the shepherd of 653 his flock?
Where is the one who placed his holy Spirit among them, 654
63:12 the one who made his majestic power available to Moses, 655
who divided the water before them,
gaining for himself a lasting reputation, 656
63:13 who led them through the deep water?
Like a horse running on flat land 657 they did not stumble.
63:14 Like an animal that goes down into a valley to graze, 658
so the Spirit of the Lord granted them rest.
In this way 659 you guided your people,
gaining for yourself an honored reputation. 660
63:15 Look down from heaven and take notice,
from your holy, majestic palace!
Where are your zeal 661 and power?
Do not hold back your tender compassion! 662
63:16 For you are our father,
though Abraham does not know us
and Israel does not recognize us.
You, Lord, are our father;
you have been called our protector from ancient times. 663
63:17 Why, Lord, do you make us stray 664 from your ways, 665
and make our minds stubborn so that we do not obey you? 666
Return for the sake of your servants,
the tribes of your inheritance!
63:18 For a short time your special 667 nation possessed a land, 668
but then our adversaries knocked down 669 your holy sanctuary.
63:19 We existed from ancient times, 670
but you did not rule over them,
they were not your subjects. 671
64:1 (63:19b) 672 If only you would tear apart the sky 673 and come down!
The mountains would tremble 674 before you!
64:2 (64:1) As when fire ignites dry wood,
or fire makes water boil,
let your adversaries know who you are, 675
and may the nations shake at your presence!
64:3 When you performed awesome deeds that took us by surprise, 676
you came down, and the mountains trembled 677 before you.
64:4 Since ancient times no one has heard or perceived, 678
no eye has seen any God besides you,
who intervenes for those who wait for him.
64:5 You assist 679 those who delight in doing what is right, 680
who observe your commandments. 681
Look, you were angry because we violated them continually.
How then can we be saved? 682
64:6 We are all like one who is unclean,
all our so-called righteous acts are like a menstrual rag in your sight. 683
We all wither like a leaf;
our sins carry us away like the wind.
64:7 No one invokes 684 your name,
or makes an effort 685 to take hold of you.
For you have rejected us 686
and handed us over to our own sins. 687
64:8 Yet, 688 Lord, you are our father.
We are the clay, and you are our potter;
we are all the product of your labor. 689
64:9 Lord, do not be too angry!
Do not hold our sins against us continually! 690
Take a good look at your people, at all of us! 691
64:10 Your chosen 692 cities have become a desert;
Zion has become a desert,
Jerusalem 693 is a desolate ruin.
64:11 Our holy temple, our pride and joy, 694
the place where our ancestors praised you,
has been burned with fire;
all our prized possessions have been destroyed. 695
64:12 In light of all this, 696 how can you still hold back, Lord?
How can you be silent and continue to humiliate us?
65:1 “I made myself available to those who did not ask for me; 697
I appeared to those who did not look for me. 698
I said, ‘Here I am! Here I am!’
to a nation that did not invoke 699 my name.
65:2 I spread out my hands all day long
to my rebellious people,
who lived in a way that is morally unacceptable,
and who did what they desired. 700
65:3 These people continually and blatantly offend me 701
as they sacrifice in their sacred orchards 702
and burn incense on brick altars. 703
65:4 They sit among the tombs 704
and keep watch all night long. 705
They eat pork, 706
and broth 707 from unclean sacrificial meat is in their pans.
65:5 They say, ‘Keep to yourself!
Don’t get near me, for I am holier than you!’
These people are like smoke in my nostrils,
like a fire that keeps burning all day long.
65:6 Look, I have decreed: 708
I will not keep silent, but will pay them back;
I will pay them back exactly what they deserve, 709
65:7 for your sins and your ancestors’ sins,” 710 says the Lord.
“Because they burned incense on the mountains
and offended 711 me on the hills,
I will punish them in full measure.” 712
65:8 This is what the Lord says:
“When 713 juice is discovered in a cluster of grapes,
someone says, ‘Don’t destroy it, for it contains juice.’ 714
So I will do for the sake of my servants –
I will not destroy everyone. 715
65:9 I will bring forth descendants from Jacob,
and from Judah people to take possession of my mountains.
My chosen ones will take possession of the land; 716
my servants will live there.
65:10 Sharon 717 will become a pasture for sheep,
and the Valley of Achor 718 a place where cattle graze; 719
they will belong to my people, who seek me. 720
65:11 But as for you who abandon the Lord
and forget about worshiping at 721 my holy mountain,
who prepare a feast for the god called ‘Fortune,’ 722
and fill up wine jugs for the god called ‘Destiny’ 723 –
65:12 I predestine you to die by the sword, 724
all of you will kneel down at the slaughtering block, 725
because I called to you, and you did not respond,
I spoke and you did not listen.
You did evil before me; 726
you chose to do what displeases me.”
65:13 So this is what the sovereign Lord says:
“Look, my servants will eat, but you will be hungry!
Look, my servants will drink, but you will be thirsty!
Look, my servants will rejoice, but you will be humiliated!
65:14 Look, my servants will shout for joy as happiness fills their hearts! 727
But you will cry out as sorrow fills your hearts; 728
you will wail because your spirits will be crushed. 729
65:15 Your names will live on in the curse formulas of my chosen ones. 730
The sovereign Lord will kill you,
but he will give his servants another name.
65:16 Whoever pronounces a blessing in the earth 731
will do so in the name of the faithful God; 732
whoever makes an oath in the earth
will do so in the name of the faithful God. 733
For past problems will be forgotten;
I will no longer think about them. 734
65:17 For look, I am ready to create
new heavens and a new earth! 735
The former ones 736 will not be remembered;
no one will think about them anymore. 737
65:18 But be happy and rejoice forevermore
over what I am about to create!
For look, I am ready to create Jerusalem 738 to be a source of joy, 739
and her people to be a source of happiness. 740
65:19 Jerusalem will bring me joy,
and my people will bring me happiness. 741
The sound of weeping or cries of sorrow
will never be heard in her again.
65:20 Never again will one of her infants live just a few days 742
or an old man die before his time. 743
Indeed, no one will die before the age of a hundred, 744
anyone who fails to reach 745 the age of a hundred will be considered cursed.
65:21 They will build houses and live in them;
they will plant vineyards and eat their fruit.
65:22 No longer will they build a house only to have another live in it, 746
or plant a vineyard only to have another eat its fruit, 747
for my people will live as long as trees, 748
and my chosen ones will enjoy to the fullest what they have produced. 749
65:23 They will not work in vain,
or give birth to children that will experience disaster. 750
For the Lord will bless their children
and their descendants. 751
65:24 Before they even call out, 752 I will respond;
while they are still speaking, I will hear.
65:25 A wolf and a lamb will graze together; 753
a lion, like an ox, will eat straw, 754
and a snake’s food will be dirt. 755
They will no longer injure or destroy
on my entire royal mountain,” 756 says the Lord.
66:1 This is what the Lord says:
“The heavens are my throne
and the earth is my footstool.
Where then is the house you will build for me?
Where is the place where I will rest?
that is how they came to be,” 758 says the Lord.
I show special favor 759 to the humble and contrite,
who respect what I have to say. 760
66:3 The one who slaughters a bull also strikes down a man; 761
the one who sacrifices a lamb also breaks a dog’s neck; 762
the one who presents an offering includes pig’s blood with it; 763
the one who offers incense also praises an idol. 764
They have decided to behave this way; 765
they enjoy these disgusting practices. 766
66:4 So I will choose severe punishment 767 for them;
I will bring on them what they dread,
because I called, and no one responded,
I spoke and they did not listen.
They did evil before me; 768
they chose to do what displeases me.”
66:5 Hear the word of the Lord,
you who respect what he has to say! 769
Your countrymen, 770 who hate you
and exclude you, supposedly for the sake of my name,
say, “May the Lord be glorified,
then we will witness your joy.” 771
But they will be put to shame.
66:6 The sound of battle comes from the city;
the sound comes from the temple!
It is the sound of the Lord paying back his enemies.
66:7 Before she goes into labor, she gives birth!
Before her contractions begin, she delivers a boy!
66:8 Who has ever heard of such a thing?
Who has ever seen this?
Can a country 772 be brought forth in one day?
Can a nation be born in a single moment?
Yet as soon as Zion goes into labor she gives birth to sons!
66:9 “Do I bring a baby to the birth opening and then not deliver it?”
asks the Lord.
“Or do I bring a baby to the point of delivery and then hold it back?”
asks your God. 773
66:10 Be happy for Jerusalem
and rejoice with her, all you who love her!
Share in her great joy,
all you who have mourned over her!
66:11 For 774 you will nurse from her satisfying breasts and be nourished; 775
you will feed with joy from her milk-filled breasts. 776
66:12 For this is what the Lord says:
“Look, I am ready to extend to her prosperity that will flow like a river,
the riches of nations will flow into her like a stream that floods its banks. 777
You will nurse from her breast 778 and be carried at her side;
you will play on her knees.
66:13 As a mother consoles a child, 779
so I will console you,
and you will be consoled over Jerusalem.”
66:14 When you see this, you will be happy, 780
and you will be revived. 781
The Lord will reveal his power to his servants
and his anger to his enemies. 782
66:15 For look, the Lord comes with fire,
his chariots come like a windstorm, 783
to reveal his raging anger,
his battle cry, and his flaming arrows. 784
66:16 For the Lord judges all humanity 785
with fire and his sword;
the Lord will kill many. 786
66:17 “As for those who consecrate and ritually purify themselves so they can follow their leader and worship in the sacred orchards, 787 those who eat the flesh of pigs and other disgusting creatures, like mice 788 – they will all be destroyed together,” 789 says the Lord. 66:18 “I hate their deeds and thoughts! So I am coming 790 to gather all the nations and ethnic groups; 791 they will come and witness my splendor. 66:19 I will perform a mighty act among them 792 and then send some of those who remain to the nations – to Tarshish, Pul, 793 Lud 794 (known for its archers 795 ), Tubal, Javan, 796 and to the distant coastlands 797 that have not heard about me or seen my splendor. They will tell the nations of my splendor. 66:20 They will bring back all your countrymen 798 from all the nations as an offering to the Lord. They will bring them 799 on horses, in chariots, in wagons, on mules, and on camels 800 to my holy hill Jerusalem,” says the Lord, “just as the Israelites bring offerings to the Lord’s temple in ritually pure containers. 66:21 And I will choose some of them as priests and Levites,” says the Lord. 66:22 “For just as the new heavens and the new earth I am about to make will remain standing before me,” says the Lord, “so your descendants and your name will remain. 66:23 From one month 801 to the next and from one Sabbath to the next, all people 802 will come to worship me,” 803 says the Lord. 66:24 “They will go out and observe the corpses of those who rebelled against me, for the maggots that eat them will not die, 804 and the fire that consumes them will not die out. 805 All people will find the sight abhorrent.” 806
[46:1] 1 sn Bel was the name of a Babylonian god. The name was originally associated with Enlil, but later was applied to Marduk. See HALOT 132 s.v. בֵּל.
[46:1] 2 sn Nebo is a variation of the name of the Babylonian god Nabu.
[46:1] 3 tn Heb “their images belong to animals and beasts”; NIV “their idols are borne by beasts of burden”; NLT “are being hauled away.”
[46:1] 4 tn Heb “your loads are carried [as] a burden by a weary [animal].”
[46:2] 5 tn Heb “[the] burden,” i.e., their images, the heavy burden carried by the animals.
[46:2] 6 tn נַפְשָׁם (nafsham, “their souls/lives”) is equivalent here to a third masculine plural suffix, but the third feminine singular verb הָלָכָה (halakhah, “they go”) agrees with the feminine noun נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh, “soul, life”).
[46:2] 7 sn The downfall of Babylon is depicted here. The idols are carried off by the victorious enemy; the gods are likened to defeated captives who cower before the enemy and are taken into exile.
[46:3] 9 tn Heb “house of Jacob”; TEV “descendants of Jacob.”
[46:3] 10 tn Heb “and all the remnant of the house of Israel.”
[46:3] 11 tn Heb “from the womb” (so NRSV); KJV “from the belly”; NAB “from your infancy.”
[46:3] 12 tn Heb “who have been lifted up from the womb.”
[46:4] 13 tn Heb “until old age, I am he” (NRSV similar); NLT “I will be your God throughout your lifetime.”
[46:4] 14 sn Unlike the weary idol gods, whose images must be carried by animals, the Lord carries his weary people.
[46:6] 17 tn Heb “the reed,” probably referring to the beam of a scales. See BDB 889 s.v. קָנֶה 4.c.
[46:7] 21 tn Or perhaps, “cannot,” here and in the following two lines. The imperfect forms can indicate capability.
[46:8] 25 tn The meaning of the verb אָשַׁשׁ (’ashash, which appears here in the Hitpolel stem) is uncertain. BDB 84 s.v. אשׁשׁ relates it to a root meaning “found, establish” in Arabic; HALOT 100 s.v. II אשׁשׁ gives the meaning “pluck up courage.” The imperative with vav (ו) may indicate purpose following the preceding imperative.
[46:8] 26 tn Heb “return [it], rebels, to heart”; NRSV “recall it to mind, you transgressors.”
[46:9] 29 tn Heb “remember the former things, from antiquity”; KJV, ASV “the former things of old.”
[46:9] 30 tn Heb “and there is no other” (so NASB, NIV, NRSV).
[46:10] 33 tn Or “from long ago”; KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV “from ancient times.”
[46:11] 37 tn Or, more generally, “a bird of prey” (so NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV; see 18:6).
[46:11] 38 tn Heb “spoken”; KJV “I have spoken it.”
[46:12] 41 tn Heb “strong of heart [or, mind]”; KJV “stouthearted”; NAB “fainthearted”; NIV “stubborn-hearted.”
[46:12] 42 tn Heb “who are far from righteousness [or perhaps, “deliverance”].”
[46:13] 45 tn Heb “my salvation.” The verb “I am bringing near” is understood by ellipsis (note the previous line).
[46:13] 46 tn Heb “I will place in Zion salvation”; NASB “I will grant salvation in Zion.”
[46:13] 47 tn Heb “to Israel my splendor”; KJV, ASV “for Israel my glory.”
[47:1] 49 tn בְּתוּלַה (bÿtulah) often refers to a virgin, but the phrase “virgin daughter” is apparently stylized (see also 23:12; 37:22). In the extended metaphor of this chapter, where Babylon is personified as a queen (vv. 5, 7), she is depicted as being both a wife and mother (vv. 8-9).
[47:1] 50 tn Or “For” (NASB, NRSV).
[47:3] 53 tn Heb “Your shame will be seen.” In this context “shame” is a euphemism referring to the genitals.
[47:3] 54 tn Heb “I will not meet a man.” The verb פָּגַע (pagah) apparently carries the nuance “meet with kindness” here (cf. 64:5, and see BDB 803 s.v. Qal.2).
[47:4] 57 tc The Hebrew text reads, “Our redeemer – the Lord who commands armies [traditionally, the Lord of hosts] is his name, the Holy One of Israel.” The ancient Greek version adds “says” before “our redeemer.” אָמַר (’amar) may have accidentally dropped from the text by virtual haplography. Note that the preceding word אָדָם (’adam) is graphically similar.
[47:5] 61 tn Heb “darkness,” which may indicate a place of hiding where a fugitive would seek shelter and protection.
[47:5] 62 tn Or “For” (NASB, NRSV).
[47:6] 66 tn Heb “on the old you made very heavy your yoke.”
[47:7] 69 tn Heb “Forever I [will be] permanent queen”; NIV “the eternal queen”; CEV “queen forever.”
[47:7] 70 tn Heb “you did not set these things upon your heart [or “mind”].”
[47:7] 71 tn Heb “you did not remember its outcome”; NAB “you disregarded their outcome.”
[47:8] 73 tn Or perhaps, “voluptuous one” (NAB); NAB “you sensual one”; NLT “You are a pleasure-crazy kingdom.”
[47:8] 74 tn Heb “the one who says in her heart.”
[47:8] 75 tn Heb “I [am], and besides me there is no other.” See Zeph 2:15.
[47:8] 76 tn Heb “I will not live [as] a widow, and I will not know loss of children.”
[47:9] 77 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] 78 tn Heb “according to their fullness, they will come upon you.”
[47:9] 79 tn For other examples of the preposition bet (בְּ) having the sense of “although, despite,” see BDB 90 s.v. III.7.
[47:9] 80 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.
[47:10] 81 tn Heb “you trusted in your evil”; KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV “wickedness.”
[47:10] 82 tn Or “said”; NAB “said to yourself”’ NASB “said in your heart.”
[47:10] 83 tn The words “self-professed” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
[47:10] 84 tn See the note at v. 8.
[47:11] 85 tc The Hebrew text has שַׁחְרָהּ (shakhrah), which is either a suffixed noun (“its dawning,” i.e., origin) or infinitive (“to look early for it”). Some have suggested an emendation to שַׁחֲדָהּ (shakhadah), a suffixed infinitive from שָׁחַד (shakhad, “[how] to buy it off”; see BDB 1005 s.v. שָׁחַד). This forms a nice parallel with the following couplet. The above translation is based on a different etymology of the verb in question. HALOT 1466 s.v. III שׁחר references a verbal root with these letters (שׁחד) that refers to magical activity.
[47:11] 86 tn Heb “you will not know”; NIV “you cannot foresee.”
[47:12] 89 tn Heb “stand” (so KJV, ASV); NASB, NRSV “Stand fast.”
[47:12] 90 tn The word “trusting” is supplied in the translation for clarification. See v. 9.
[47:12] 91 tn Heb “in that which you have toiled.”
[47:12] 92 tn Heb “maybe you will be able to profit.”
[47:12] 93 tn Heb “maybe you will cause to tremble.” The object “disaster” is supplied in the translation for clarification. See the note at v. 9.
[47:13] 93 tn Heb “you are tired because of the abundance of your advice.”
[47:13] 94 tn Heb “let them stand and rescue you – the ones who see omens in the sky, who gaze at the stars, who make known by months – from those things which are coming upon you.”
[47:14] 97 tn Heb “hand,” here a metaphor for the strength or power of the flames.
[47:14] 98 tn The Hebrew text reads literally, “there is no coal [for?] their food, light to sit before it.” Some emend לַחְמָם (lakhmam, “their food”) to לְחֻמָּם (lÿkhummam, “to warm them”; see HALOT 328 s.v. חמם). This statement may allude to Isa 44:16, where idolaters are depicted warming themselves over a fire made from wood, part of which was used to form idols. The fire of divine judgment will be no such campfire; its flames will devour and destroy.
[47:15] 101 tn Heb “So they will be to you”; NIV “That is all they can do for you.”
[47:15] 102 tn Heb “that for which you toiled, your traders from your youth.” The omen readers and star gazers are likened to merchants with whom Babylon has had an ongoing economic relationship.
[47:15] 103 tn Heb “each to his own side, they err.”
[48:1] 105 tn Heb “house of Jacob”; TEV, CEV “people of Israel.”
[48:1] 106 tc The Hebrew text reads literally “and from the waters of Judah came out.” מִמֵּי (mimme) could be a corruption of מִמְּעֵי (mimmÿ’e, “from the inner parts of”; cf. NASB, NIV, NLT, NRSV) as suggested in the above translation. Some translations (ESV, NKJV) retain the MT reading because the Qumran scroll 1QIsaa, which corrects a similar form to “from inner parts of” in 39:7, does not do it here.
[48:1] 107 tn Heb “cause to remember”; KJV, ASV “make mention of.”
[48:1] 108 tn Heb “not in truth and not in righteousness.”
[48:2] 109 tn Heb “they call themselves [or “are called”] from the holy city.” The precise meaning of the statement is uncertain. The Niphal of קָרָא (qara’) is combined with the preposition מִן (min) only here. When the Qal of קָרָא is used with מִן, the preposition often indicates the place from which one is summoned (see 46:11). So one could translate, “from the holy city they are summoned,” meaning that they reside there.
[48:2] 110 tn Heb “lean on” (so NASB, NRSV); NAB, NIV “rely on.”
[48:3] 113 tn Heb “the former things beforehand I declared.”
[48:3] 114 tn Heb “and from my mouth they came forth and I caused them to be heard.”
[48:4] 117 tn The words “I did this” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons. In the Hebrew text v. 4 is subordinated to v. 3.
[48:4] 118 sn The image is that of a person who has tensed the muscles of the face and neck as a sign of resolute refusal.
[48:6] 121 tn Heb “gaze [at] all of it”; KJV “see all this.”
[48:6] 122 tn Heb “[as for] you, will you not declare?”
[48:6] 123 tn Heb “and hidden things, and you do not know them.”
[48:7] 125 tn Heb “are created” (so KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV); NLT “They are brand new.”
[48:7] 126 tn Heb “look”; KJV, NASB “Behold.”
[48:8] 129 tn Heb “beforehand your ear did not open.”
[48:8] 130 tn Heb “deceiving, you deceive.” The infinitive absolute precedes the finite verb for emphasis.
[48:8] 131 tn Or “called” (KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV).
[48:9] 133 tn Heb “for the sake of my name” (so NAB, NASB); NLT “for my own sake.”
[48:9] 134 tn Heb “and my praise.” לְמַעַן (lÿma’an, “for the sake of”) is understood by ellipsis (note the preceding line).
[48:9] 135 tn Heb “I restrain [myself] concerning you not to cut you off.”
[48:10] 137 tc The Hebrew text has בְּחַרְתִּיךָ (bÿkhartikha, “I have chosen you”), but the Qumran scroll 1QIsaa reads correctly בחנתיכה (“I have tested you”). The metallurgical background of the imagery suggests that purification through testing is the idea.
[48:11] 141 tn The Hebrew text repeats לְמַעֲנִי (lÿma’ani, “for my sake”) for emphasis.
[48:11] 142 tn The Hebrew text reads literally, “for how can it be defiled?” The subject of the verb is probably “name” (v. 9).
[48:12] 145 tn Heb “I [am] he, I [am the] first, also I [am the] last.”
[48:14] 149 sn This probably refers to the idol gods (see v. 5).
[48:14] 150 tn Or “friend,” or “covenant partner.”
[48:14] 151 tn Heb “and his arm [against] the Babylonians.”
[48:15] 153 tn Heb “and his way will be prosperous.”
[48:16] 157 tn Heb “from the time of its occurring.”
[48:16] 158 sn The speaker here is not identified specifically, but he is probably Cyrus, the Lord’s “ally” mentioned in vv. 14-15.
[48:17] 161 tn Heb “your redeemer.” See the note at 41:14.
[48:17] 162 sn See the note on the phrase “the Holy One of Israel” in 1:4.
[48:18] 165 tn Heb “paid attention to” (so NASB, NIV, NRSV); TEV “had listened to.”
[48:18] 166 tn Heb “like a river your peace would have been.” שָׁלוֹם (shalom) probably refers here to the peace and prosperity which God promised in return for obedience to the covenant.
[48:18] 167 tn Heb “and your righteousness like the waves of the sea.” צְדָקָה (tsÿdaqah) probably refers here to divine deliverance from enemies. See v. 19.
[48:19] 169 tn Heb “like sand”; NCV “as many as the grains of sand.”
[48:19] 170 tn Heb “and the issue from your inner parts.”
[48:19] 171 tn Heb “and his name would not be cut off and would not be destroyed from before me.”
[48:20] 173 tn Heb “to the end of the earth” (so KJV, NASB, NRSV).
[48:20] 174 tn Heb “redeems.” See the note at 41:14.
[48:21] 177 sn The translation above (present tense) assumes that this verse describes God’s provision for returning Babylonian exiles (see v. 20; 35:6; 49:10) in terms reminiscent of the Exodus from Egypt (see Exod 17:6).
[49:1] 181 tn Or “islands” (NASB, NIV); NLT “in far-off lands.”
[49:1] 182 tn Heb “called me from the womb.”
[49:1] 183 tn Heb “from the inner parts of my mother he mentioned my name.”
[49:2] 185 tn Or perhaps, “polished” (so KJV, ASV, NAB, NIV, NRSV); NASB “a select arrow.”
[49:2] 186 sn The figurative language emphasizes the servant’s importance as the Lord’s effective instrument. The servant’s mouth, which stands metonymically for his words, is compared to a sharp sword because he will be an effective spokesman on God’s behalf (see 50:4). The Lord holds his hand on the servant, ready to draw and use him at the appropriate time. The servant is like a sharpened arrow reserved in a quiver for just the right moment.
[49:3] 189 sn This verse identifies the servant as Israel. This seems to refer to the exiled nation (cf. 41:8-9; 44:1-2, 21; 45:4; 48:20), but in vv. 5-6 this servant says he has been commissioned to reconcile Israel to God, so he must be distinct from the exiled nation. This servant is an ideal “Israel” who, like Moses of old, mediates a covenant for the nation (see v. 8), leads them out of bondage (v. 9a), and carries out God’s original plan for Israel by positively impacting the pagan nations (see v. 6b). By living according to God’s law, Israel was to be a model of God’s standards of justice to the surrounding nations (Deut 4:6-8). The sinful nation failed, but the servant, the ideal “Israel,” will succeed by establishing justice throughout the earth.
[49:4] 193 tn Or “said” (KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV); NLT “I replied.”
[49:4] 194 tn Heb “for nothing and emptiness.” Synonyms are combined to emphasize the common idea.
[49:4] 195 tn Heb “But my justice is with the Lord, and my reward [or “wage”] with my God.”
[49:5] 197 tn Heb “from the womb” (so KJV, NASB).
[49:5] 198 tn The words “he did this” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons. In the Hebrew text the infinitive construct of purpose is subordinated to the previous statement.
[49:5] 199 tn The vav (ו) + imperfect is translated here as a result clause; one might interpret it as indicating purpose, “and so I might be honored.”
[49:5] 200 tn Heb “and my God is [perhaps, “having been”] my strength.” The disjunctive structure (vav [ו] + subject + verb) is interpreted here as indicating a causal circumstantial clause.
[49:6] 201 tn Heb “the protected [or “preserved”] ones.”
[49:6] 202 sn The question is purely rhetorical; it does not imply that the servant was dissatisfied with his commission or that he minimized the restoration of Israel.
[49:6] 203 tn See the note at 42:6.
[49:6] 204 tn Heb “be” (so KJV, ASV); CEV “you must take.”
[49:7] 205 tn Heb “redeemer.” See the note at 41:14.
[49:7] 206 sn See the note on the phrase “the Holy One of Israel” in 1:4.
[49:7] 207 tc The Hebrew text reads literally “to [one who] despises life.” It is preferable to read with the Qumran scroll 1QIsaa לבזוי, which should be vocalized as a passive participle, לִבְזוּי (livzuy, “to the one despised with respect to life” [נֶפֶשׁ is a genitive of specification]). The consonantal sequence וי was probably misread as ה in the MT tradition. The contextual argument favors the 1QIsaa reading. As J. N. Oswalt (Isaiah [NICOT], 2:294) points out, the three terse phrases “convey a picture of lowliness, worthlessness, and helplessness.”
[49:7] 208 tn MT’s Piel participle (“to the one who rejects”) does not fit contextually. The form should be revocalized as a Pual, “to the one rejected.”
[49:7] 209 tn Parallelism (see “rulers,” “kings,” “princes”) suggests that the singular גּוֹי (goy) be emended to a plural or understood in a collective sense (see 55:5).
[49:7] 210 tn For this sense of קוּם (qum), see Gen 19:1; 23:7; 33:10; Lev 19:32; 1 Sam 20:41; 25:41; 1 Kgs 2:19; Job 29:8.
[49:8] 209 tn The translation assumes the verb is derived from the root נָצָר (natsar, “protect”). Some prefer to derive it from the root יָצָר (yatsar, “form”).
[49:8] 210 tn Heb “a covenant of people.” A person cannot literally be a covenant; בְּרִית (bÿrit) is probably metonymic here, indicating a covenant mediator. Here עָם (’am, “people”) appears to refer to Israel. See the note at 42:6.
[49:8] 211 tn The Hiphil of קוּם (qum, “arise”) is probably used here in the sense of “rebuild.”
[49:8] 212 tn The “land” probably stands by metonymy for the ruins within it.
[49:9] 213 tn Heb “to say.” In the Hebrew text the infinitive construct is subordinated to what precedes.
[49:9] 214 tn Heb “in darkness” (so KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV); NLT “the prisoners of darkness.”
[49:9] 215 tn Heb “show yourselves” (so ASV, NAB, NASB).
[49:10] 217 tn Heb “and the heat and the sun will not strike them.” In Isa 35:7, its only other occurrence in the OT, שָׁרָב (sharav) stands parallel to “parched ground” and in contrast to “pool.” In later Hebrew and Aramaic it refers to “dry heat, heat of the sun” (Jastrow 1627 s.v.). Here it likely has this nuance and forms a hendiadys with “sun.”
[49:12] 221 tc The MT reads “Sinim” here; the Dead Sea Scrolls read “Syene,” a location in Egypt associated with modern Aswan. A number of recent translations adopt this reading: “Syene” (NAB, NRSV); “Aswan” (NIV); “Egypt” (NLT).
[49:13] 225 tn Or “O heavens.” The Hebrew term שָׁמַיִם (shamayim) may be translated “heavens” or “sky” depending on the context.
[49:13] 226 tn Heb “his” (so KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV).
[49:14] 229 tn The Hebrew term translated “sovereign master” here is אֲדֹנָי (’adonay).
[49:15] 233 tn Heb “her suckling”; NASB “her nursing child.”
[49:15] 234 tn Heb “so as not to have compassion on the son of her womb?”
[49:15] 235 tn Heb “these” (so ASV, NASB).
[49:15] 236 sn The argument of v. 15 seems to develop as follows: The Lord has an innate attachment to Zion, just like a mother does for her infant child. But even if mothers were to suddenly abandon their children, the Lord would never forsake Zion. In other words, the Lord’s attachment to Zion is like a mother’s attachment to her infant child, but even stronger.
[49:16] 237 tn Heb “you.” Here the pronoun is put by metonymy for the person’s name.
[49:18] 241 tn Heb “Lift up around your eyes and see.”
[49:19] 245 tn Heb “Indeed your ruins and your desolate places, and the land of your destruction.” This statement is abruptly terminated in the Hebrew text and left incomplete.
[49:20] 249 tn Heb “me.” The singular is collective.
[49:20] 250 tn Heb “draw near to me so I can dwell.”
[49:21] 253 tn Heb “and you will say in your heart.”
[49:21] 254 tn Or “exiled and thrust away”; NIV “exiled and rejected.”
[49:23] 257 tn Heb “your,” but Zion here stands by metonymy for her children (see v. 22b).
[49:23] 258 tn Heb “you.” See the preceding note.
[49:23] 259 tn Or “at your feet” (NAB, NIV); NLT “from your feet.”
[49:24] 261 tc The Hebrew text has צָדִיק (tsadiq, “a righteous [one]”), but this makes no sense in the parallelism. The Qumran scroll 1QIsaa reads correctly עריץ (“violent [one], tyrant”; see v. 25).
[49:26] 265 sn Verse 26a depicts siege warfare and bloody defeat. The besieged enemy will be so starved they will their own flesh. The bloodstained bodies lying on the blood-soaked battle site will look as if they collapsed in drunkenness.
[49:26] 266 tn Heb “flesh” (so KJV, NASB).
[49:26] 267 tn Heb “your redeemer.” See the note at 41:14.
[49:26] 268 tn Heb “the powerful [one] of Jacob.” See 1:24.
[50:1] 269 sn The Lord challenges the exiles (Zion’s children) to bring incriminating evidence against him. The rhetorical questions imply that Israel accused the Lord of divorcing his wife (Zion) and selling his children (the Israelites) into slavery to pay off a debt.
[50:1] 270 sn The Lord admits that he did sell the Israelites, but it was because of their sins, not because of some debt he owed. If he had sold them to a creditor, they ought to be able to point him out, but the preceding rhetorical question implies they would not be able to do so.
[50:1] 271 sn The Lord admits he did divorce Zion, but that too was the result of the nation’s sins. The force of the earlier rhetorical question comes into clearer focus now. The question does not imply that a certificate does not exist and that no divorce occurred. Rather, the question asks for the certificate to be produced so the accuser can see the reason for the divorce in black and white. The Lord did not put Zion away arbitrarily.
[50:2] 273 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] 274 tn Heb “short” (so NAB, NASB, NIV).
[50:2] 275 tn Or “ransom” (NAB, NASB, NIV).
[50:2] 276 tn Heb “with my rebuke.”
[50:2] 277 tn Heb “the fish stink from lack of water and die from thirst.”
[50:4] 277 tn Heb “has given to me a tongue of disciples.”
[50:4] 278 tc Heb “to know [?] the weary with a word.” Comparing it with Arabic and Aramaic cognates yields the meaning of “help, sustain.” Nevertheless, the meaning of עוּת (’ut) is uncertain. The word occurs only here in the OT (see BDB 736 s.v.). Various scholars have suggested an emendation to עָנוֹת (’anot) from עָנָה (’anah, “answer”): “so that I know how to respond kindly to the weary.” Since the Qumran scroll 1QIsaa and the Vulgate support the MT reading, that reading is retained.
[50:4] 279 tn Heb “he arouses for me an ear, to hear like disciples.”
[50:5] 281 tn Or perhaps, “makes me obedient.” The text reads literally, “has opened for me an ear.”
[50:6] 285 tn Or perhaps, “who beat [me].”
[50:7] 289 tn Heb “Therefore I set my face like flint.”
[50:8] 293 tn Heb “Let us stand together!”
[50:8] 294 tn Heb “Who is the master of my judgment?”
[50:8] 295 tn Heb “let him approach me”; NAB, NIV “Let him confront me.”
[50:10] 297 tn Heb “[who] listens to the voice of his servant?” The interrogative is understood by ellipsis (note the preceding line).
[50:10] 298 tn The plural indicates degree. Darkness may refer to exile and/or moral evil.
[50:11] 301 tc Several more recent commentators have proposed an emendation of מְאַזְּרֵי (mÿ’azzÿre, “who put on”) to מְאִירִי (mÿ’iri, “who light”). However, both Qumran scrolls of Isaiah and the Vulgate support the MT reading (cf. NIV, ESV).
[50:11] 302 tn On the meaning of זִיקוֹת (ziqot, “flaming arrows”), see HALOT 268 s.v. זִיקוֹת.
[50:11] 303 tn The imperative is probably rhetorical and has a predictive force.
[50:11] 304 tn Or perhaps, “flame” (so ASV).
[50:11] 305 sn Perhaps the servant here speaks to his enemies and warns them that they will self-destruct.
[50:11] 306 tn Heb “from my hand” (so NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV).
[50:11] 307 sn The imagery may be that of a person who becomes ill and is forced to lie down in pain on a sickbed. Some see this as an allusion to a fiery place of damnation because of the imagery employed earlier in the verse.
[51:1] 305 tn Or “righteousness” (KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV); NAB “justice”; NLT “hope for deliverance.”
[51:1] 306 tn Heb “the excavation of the hole.”
[51:1] 307 sn The “rock” and “quarry” refer here to Abraham and Sarah, the progenitors of the nation.
[51:2] 309 sn Although Abraham and Sarah are distant ancestors of the people the prophet is addressing, they are spoken of as the immediate parents.
[51:2] 310 tn Heb “one”; NLT “was alone”; TEV “was childless.”
[51:2] 311 tn “Bless” may here carry the sense of “endue with potency, reproductive power.” See Gen 1:28.
[51:2] 312 tn Heb “and I made him numerous.”
[51:3] 313 tn Heb “found in” (so NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV).
[51:4] 318 tn Heb “instruction [or “a law”] will go out from me.”
[51:4] 319 tn Heb “and my justice for a light to the nations I will cause to rest.”
[51:5] 321 tn Heb “my righteousness [or “vindication”] is near.”
[51:5] 322 tn Heb “my deliverance goes forth.”
[51:5] 323 tn Heb “and my arms will judge [on behalf of] nations.”
[51:5] 324 tn Or “islands” (NIV); TEV “Distant lands.”
[51:5] 325 tn Heb “for my arm” (so NIV, NRSV).
[51:6] 325 tn Heb “will be torn in pieces.” The perfect indicates the certitude of the event, from the Lord’s rhetorical perspective.
[51:6] 326 tn Heb “my deliverance.” The same Hebrew word can also be translated “salvation” (so KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT); cf. CEV “victory.”
[51:6] 327 tn Heb “my righteousness [or “vindication”].”
[51:6] 328 tn Heb “will not be shattered [or “dismayed”].”
[51:7] 329 tn Heb “people (who have) my law in their heart.”
[51:8] 333 tn Heb “my vindication”; many English versions “my righteousness”; NRSV, TEV “my deliverance”; CEV “my victory.”
[51:9] 337 tn The arm of the Lord is a symbol of divine military power. Here it is personified and told to arouse itself from sleep and prepare for action.
[51:9] 338 tn Heb “Are you not the one who smashed?” The feminine singular forms agree grammatically with the feminine noun “arm.” The Hebrew text has ַהמַּחְצֶבֶת (hammakhtsevet), from the verbal root חָצַב (khatsav, “hew, chop”). The Qumran scroll 1QIsaa has, probably correctly, המחצת, from the verbal root מָחַץ (makhats, “smash”) which is used in Job 26:12 to describe God’s victory over “the Proud One.”
[51:9] 339 tn This title (רַהַב, rahav, “proud one”) is sometimes translated as a proper name: “Rahab” (cf. NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV). It is used here of a symbolic sea monster, known elsewhere in the Bible and in Ugaritic myth as Leviathan. This sea creature symbolizes the forces of chaos that seek to destroy the created order. In the Bible “the Proud One” opposes God’s creative work, but is defeated (see Job 26:12; Ps 89:10). Here the title refers to Pharaoh’s Egyptian army that opposed Israel at the Red Sea (see v. 10, and note also Isa 30:7 and Ps 87:4, where the title is used of Egypt).
[51:9] 340 tn The words “did you not” are understood by ellipsis (note the preceding line). The rhetorical questions here and in v. 10 expect the answer, “Yes, you certainly did!”
[51:9] 341 tn Hebrew תַּנִּין (tannin) is another name for the symbolic sea monster. See the note at 27:1. In this context the sea creature represents Egypt. See the note on the title “Proud One” earlier in this verse.
[51:10] 341 tn The Hebrew text reads literally, “Are you not the one who dried up the sea, the waters of the great deep, who made…?”
[51:10] 342 tn Heb “the redeemed” (so ASV, NASB, NIV, NRSV); KJV “the ransomed.”
[51:11] 345 tn Heb “[will be] on their head[s].” “Joy” may be likened here to a crown (cf. 2 Sam 1:10). The statement may also be an ironic twist on the idiom “earth/dust on the head” (cf. 2 Sam 1:2; 13:19; 15:32; Job 2:12), referring to a mourning practice.
[51:11] 346 tn Heb “overtake” (so NIV); NASB “they will obtain.”
[51:11] 347 tn Heb “grief and groaning will flee.”
[51:12] 349 tc The plural suffix should probably be emended to the second masculine singular (which is used in v. 13). The final mem (ם) is probably dittographic; note the mem at the beginning of the next word.
[51:12] 350 tn Heb “Who are you that you are afraid of man who dies, and of the son of man who [as] grass is given up?” The feminine singular forms should probably be emended to the masculine singular (see v. 13). They have probably been influenced by the construction אַתְּ־הִיא (’at-hi’) in vv. 9-10.
[51:13] 353 tn Heb “and that you forget.”
[51:13] 354 tn Or “the heavens” (also in v. 16). The Hebrew term שָׁמַיִם (shamayim) may be translated “heavens” or “sky” depending on the context.
[51:13] 355 tn Heb “and that you tremble constantly all the day.”
[51:13] 356 tn The question anticipates the answer, “Ready to disappear!” See v. 14.
[51:14] 357 tn Heb “who is stooped over” (under a burden).
[51:14] 358 tn Heb “the pit” (so KJV); ASV, NAB “die and go down into the pit”; NASB, NIV “dungeon”; NCV “prison.”
[51:14] 359 tn Heb “he will not lack his bread.”
[51:16] 361 tn The addressee (second masculine singular, as in vv. 13, 15) in this verse is unclear. The exiles are addressed in the immediately preceding verses (note the critical tone of vv. 12-13 and the reference to the exiles in v. 14). However, it seems unlikely that they are addressed in v. 16, for the addressee appears to be commissioned to tell Zion, who here represents the restored exiles, “you are my people.” The addressee is distinct from the exiles. The language of v. 16a is reminiscent of 49:2 and 50:4, where the Lord’s special servant says he is God’s spokesman and effective instrument. Perhaps the Lord, having spoken to the exiles in vv. 1-15, now responds to this servant, who spoke just prior to this in 50:4-11.
[51:16] 362 tn Heb “I place my words in your mouth.”
[51:16] 363 tn Heb “with the shadow of my hand.”
[51:16] 364 tc The Hebrew text has לִנְטֹעַ (lintoa’, “to plant”). Several scholars prefer to emend this form to לִנְטֹת (lintot) from נָטָה (natah, “to stretch out”); see v. 13, as well as 40:22; 42:5; 44:24; 45:12; cf. NAB, NCV, NRSV. However, since the Qumran scroll 1QIsaa, LXX (and Aquila and Symmachus), and Vulgate support the MT reading, there is no need to emend the form. The interpretation is clear enough: Yahweh fixed the sky in its place.
[51:16] 365 tn The infinitives in v. 16b are most naturally understood as indicating the purpose of the divine actions described in v. 16a. The relationship of the third infinitive to the commission is clear enough – the Lord has made the addressee (his special servant?) his spokesman so that the latter might speak encouraging words to those in Zion. But how do the first two infinitives relate? The text seems to indicate that the Lord has commissioned the addressee so that the latter might create the universe! Perhaps creation imagery is employed metaphorically here to refer to the transformation that Jerusalem will experience (see 65:17-18).
[51:17] 365 tn Heb “[you] who have drunk from the hand of the Lord the cup of his anger.”
[51:17] 366 tn Heb “the goblet, the cup [that causes] staggering, you drank, you drained.”
[51:19] 369 tc The Hebrew text has אֲנַחֲמֵךְ (’anakhamekh), a first person form, but the Qumran scroll 1QIsaa reads correctly יִנַחֲמֵךְ (yinakhamekh), a third person form.
[51:20] 373 tn Heb “those who are full of the anger of the Lord, the shout [or “rebuke”] of your God.”
[51:22] 377 tn The Hebrew term translated “sovereign master” here is אֲדֹנָי (’adonay).
[51:22] 378 tn Heb “the cup of [= that causes] staggering” (so ASV, NAB, NRSV); NASB “the cup of reeling.”
[51:22] 379 tn Heb “the goblet of the cup of my anger.”
[51:23] 381 tn That is, to make them drink it.
[52:1] 385 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[52:2] 389 tn Heb “Shake yourself free from the dirt.”
[52:2] 390 tc The Hebrew text has שְּׂבִי (shÿvi), which some understand as a feminine singular imperative from יָשַׁב (yashav, “sit”). The LXX, Vulgate, Syriac, and the Targum support the MT reading (the Qumran scroll 1QIsaa does indirectly). Some interpret this to mean “take your throne”: The Lord exhorts Jerusalem to get up from the dirt and sit, probably with the idea of sitting in a place of honor (J. N. Oswalt, Isaiah [NICOT], 2:361). However, the form is likely a corruption of שְׁבִיָּה (shÿviyyah, “captive”), which appears in the parallel line.
[52:5] 393 tn Heb “and now what [following the marginal reading (Qere)] to me here?”
[52:5] 394 tn The verb appears to be a Hiphil form from the root יָלַל (yalal, “howl”), perhaps here in the sense of “mock.” Some emend the form to יְהוֹלָּלוֹ (yÿhollalo) and understand a Polel form of the root הָלַל meaning here “mock, taunt.”
[52:5] 395 tn The verb is apparently a Hitpolal form (with assimilated tav, ת) from the root נָאַץ (na’ats), but GKC 151-52 §55.b explains it as a mixed form, combining Pual and Hitpolel readings.
[52:6] 397 tn The verb is understood by ellipsis (note the preceding line).
[52:6] 398 tn Heb “in that day” (so KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV).
[52:7] 401 tn Heb “How delightful on the mountains.”
[52:7] 402 tn Or “has become king.” When a new king was enthroned, his followers would give this shout. For other examples of this enthronement formula (Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular מָלַךְ [malakh], followed by the name of the king), see 2 Sam 15:10; 1 Kgs 1:11, 13, 18; 2 Kgs 9:13. The Lord is an eternal king, but here he is pictured as a victorious warrior who establishes his rule from Zion.
[52:8] 405 tn קוֹל (qol, “voice”) is used at the beginning of the verse as an interjection.
[52:8] 406 tn Heb “eye in eye”; KJV, ASV “eye to eye”; NAB “directly, before their eyes.”
[52:9] 409 tn Or “redeems.” See the note at 41:14.
[52:10] 413 tn Heb “lays bare”; NLT “will demonstrate.”
[52:10] 414 tn Heb “his holy arm.” This is a metonymy for his power.
[52:10] 415 tn Heb “the remote regions,” which here stand for the extremities and everything in between.
[52:10] 416 tn Heb “the deliverance of our God.” “God” is a subjective genitive here.
[52:11] 417 tn Heb “the vessels of the Lord” (so KJV, NAB).
[52:12] 421 tn Heb “or go in flight”; NAB “leave in headlong flight.”
[52:13] 425 tn Heb “act wisely,” which by metonymy means “succeed.”
[52:13] 426 tn This piling up of synonyms emphasizes the degree of the servant’s coming exaltation.
[52:14] 429 tn Some witnesses read “him,” which is more consistent with the context, where the servant is spoken about, not addressed. However, it is possible that the Lord briefly addresses the servant here. The present translation assumes the latter view and places the phrase in parentheses.
[52:14] 430 tn Heb “such was the disfigurement.” The noun מִשְׁחַת (mishkhat) occurs only here. It may be derived from the verbal root שָׁחַת (shakhat, “be ruined”; see BDB 1007-8 s.v. שָׁחַת). The construct form appears here before a prepositional phrase (cf. GKC 421 §130.a).
[52:14] 431 tn Heb “from a man his appearance.” The preposition מִן (min) here carries the sense “away from,” i.e., “so as not to be.” See BDB 583 s.v.
[52:15] 433 tn Heb “and his form from the sons of men.” The preposition מִן (min) here carries the sense “away from,” i.e., “so as not to be.”
[52:15] 434 tn This statement completes the sentence begun in v. 14a. The introductory כֵּן (ken) answers to the introductory כַּאֲשֶׁר (ka’asher) of v. 14a. Verses 14b-15a are parenthetical, explaining why many were horrified.
[52:15] 435 tn Traditionally the verb יַזֶּה (yazzeh, a Hiphil stem) has been understood as a causative of נָזָה (nazah, “spurt, spatter”) and translated “sprinkle.” In this case the passage pictures the servant as a priest who “sprinkles” (or spiritually cleanses) the nations. Though the verb נָזָה does occur in the Hiphil with the meaning “sprinkle,” the usual interpretation is problematic. In all other instances where the object or person sprinkled is indicated, the verb is combined with a preposition. This is not the case in Isaiah 52:15, unless one takes the following עָלָיו (’alayv, “on him”) with the preceding line. But then one would have to emend the verb to a plural, make the nations the subject of the verb “sprinkle,” and take the servant as the object. Consequently some interpreters doubt the cultic idea of “sprinkling” is present here. Some emend the text; others propose a homonymic root meaning “spring, leap,” which in the Hiphil could mean “cause to leap, startle” and would fit the parallelism of the verse nicely.
[52:15] 436 tn Heb “Because of him kings will shut their mouths,” i.e., be speechless.
[53:1] 437 tn The perfect has a hypothetical force in this rhetorical question. For another example, see Gen 21:7.
[53:1] 438 sn The speaker shifts here from God to an unidentified group (note the first person plural pronouns throughout vv. 1-6). The content of the speech suggests that the prophet speaks here as representative of the sinful nation Israel. The group acknowledges its sin and recognizes that the servant suffered on their behalf.
[53:1] 439 tn The first half of v. 1 is traditionally translated, “Who has believed our report?” or “Who has believed our message?” as if the group speaking is lamenting that no one will believe what they have to say. But that doesn’t seem to be the point in this context. Here the group speaking does not cast itself in the role of a preacher or evangelist. No, they are repentant sinners, who finally see the light. The phrase “our report” can mean (1) the report which we deliver, or (2) the report which was delivered to us. The latter fits better here, where the report is most naturally taken as the announcement that has just been made in 52:13-15.
[53:1] 440 tn Heb “to whom” (so KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV).
[53:1] 441 tn Heb “the arm of the Lord.” The “arm of the Lord” is a metaphor of military power; it pictures the Lord as a warrior who bares his arm, takes up his weapon, and crushes his enemies (cf. 51:9-10; 63:5-6). But Israel had not seen the Lord’s military power at work in the servant.
[53:2] 441 tn Heb “before him.” Some suggest an emendation to “before us.” If the third singular suffix of the Hebrew text is retained, it probably refers to the Lord (see v. 1b). For a defense of this reading, see R. Whybray, Isaiah 40-66 (NCBC), 173-74.
[53:2] 442 sn The metaphor in this verse suggests insignificance.
[53:2] 443 tn Heb “that we might see him.” The vav conjunctive prefixed to the imperfect introduces a result clause here. See GKC 504-5 §166.a.
[53:2] 444 tn Heb “that we should desire him.” The vav conjunctive prefixed to the imperfect introduces a result clause here. See GKC 504-5 §166.a.
[53:3] 445 tn Heb “lacking of men.” If the genitive is taken as specifying (“lacking with respect to men”), then the idea is that he lacked company because he was rejected by people. Another option is to take the genitive as indicating genus or larger class (i.e., “one lacking among men”). In this case one could translate, “he was a transient” (cf. the use of חָדֵל [khadel] in Ps 39:5 HT [39:4 ET]).
[53:3] 446 tn Heb “like a hiding of the face from him,” i.e., “like one before whom the face is hidden” (see BDB 712 s.v. מַסְתֵּר).
[53:3] 447 sn The servant is likened to a seriously ill person who is shunned by others because of his horrible disease.
[53:4] 449 sn Illness and pain stand by metonymy (or perhaps as metaphors) for sin and its effects, as vv. 11-12 make clear.
[53:4] 450 tn The words “for something he had done” are supplied in the translation for clarification. The group now realizes he suffered because of his identification with them, not simply because he was a special target of divine anger.
[53:5] 453 tn The preposition מִן (min) has a causal sense (translated “because of”) here and in the following clause.
[53:5] 454 tn Heb “the punishment of our peace [was] on him.” שָׁלוֹם (shalom, “peace”) is here a genitive of result, i.e., “punishment that resulted in our peace.”
[53:5] 455 sn Continuing to utilize the imagery of physical illness, the group acknowledges that the servant’s willingness to carry their illnesses (v. 4) resulted in their being healed. Healing is a metaphor for forgiveness here.
[53:6] 457 tn Elsewhere the Hiphil of פָגַע (paga’) means “to intercede verbally” (Jer 15:11; 36:25) or “to intervene militarily” (Isa 59:16), but neither nuance fits here. Apparently here the Hiphil is the causative of the normal Qal meaning, “encounter, meet, touch.” The Qal sometimes refers to a hostile encounter or attack; when used in this way the object is normally introduced by the preposition -בְּ (bet, see Josh 2:16; Judg 8:21; 15:12, etc.). Here the causative Hiphil has a double object – the Lord makes “sin” attack “him” (note that the object attacked is introduced by the preposition -בְּ. In their sin the group was like sheep who had wandered from God’s path. They were vulnerable to attack; the guilt of their sin was ready to attack and destroy them. But then the servant stepped in and took the full force of the attack.
[53:7] 461 tn The translation assumes the Niphal is passive; another option is take the clause (note the subject + verb pattern) as concessive and the Niphal as reflexive, “though he humbled himself.”
[53:7] 462 sn This verse emphasizes the servant’s silent submission. The comparison to a sheep does not necessarily suggest a sacrificial metaphor. Sheep were slaughtered for food as well as for sacrificial rituals, and טֶבַח (tevakh) need not refer to sacrificial slaughter (see Gen 43:16; Prov 7:22; 9:2; Jer 50:27; note also the use of the related verb in Exod 21:37; Deut 28:31; 1 Sam 25:11).
[53:8] 465 tn The precise meaning of this line is uncertain. The present translation assumes that מִן (min) here has an instrumental sense (“by, through”) and understands עֹצֶר וּמִמִּשְׁפָּט (’otser umimmishpat, “coercion and legal decision”) as a hendiadys meaning “coercive legal decision,” thus “an unjust trial.” Other interpretive options include: (1) “without [for this sense of מִן, see BDB 578 s.v. 1.b] hindrance and proper judicial process,” i.e., “unfairly and with no one to defend him,” (2) “from [in the sense of “after,” see BDB 581 s.v. 4.b] arrest and judgment.”
[53:8] 466 tn Heb “and his generation, who considers?” (NASB similar). Some understand “his generation” as a reference to descendants. In this case the question would suggest that he will have none. However, אֶת (’et) may be taken here as specifying a new subject (see BDB 85 s.v. I אֵת 3). If “his generation” refers to the servant’s contemporary generation, one may then translate, “As for his contemporary generation, who took note?” The point would be that few were concerned about the harsh treatment he received.
[53:8] 467 sn The “land of the living” is an idiom for the sphere where people live, in contrast to the underworld realm of the dead. See, for example, Ezek 32:23-27.
[53:8] 468 tn The Hebrew text reads “my people,” a reading followed by most English versions, but this is problematic in a context where the first person plural predominates, and where God does not appear to speak again until v. 11b. Therefore, it is preferable to read with the Qumran scroll 1QIsaa עמו (“his people”). In this case, the group speaking in these verses is identified as the servant’s people (compare פְּשָׁעֵנוּ [pÿsha’enu, “our rebellious deeds”] in v. 5 with פֶּשַׁע עַמִּי [pesha’ ’ammi, “the rebellion of his people”] in v. 8).
[53:9] 469 tn Heb “one assigned his grave with criminals.” The subject of the singular is impersonal; English typically uses “they” in such constructions.
[53:9] 470 tn This line reads literally, “and with the rich in his death.” בְּמֹתָיו (bÿmotayv) combines a preposition, a plural form of the noun מוֹת (mot), and a third masculine singular suffix. The plural of the noun is problematic and the יו may be the result of virtual dittography. The form should probably be emended to בָּמָתוֹ (bamato, singular noun). The relationship between this line and the preceding one is uncertain. The parallelism appears to be synonymous (note “his grave” and “in his death”), but “criminals” and “the rich” hardly make a compatible pair in this context, for they would not be buried in the same kind of tomb. Some emend עָשִׁיר (’ashir, “rich”) to עָשֵׂי רָע (’ase ra’, “doers of evil”) but the absence of the ayin (ע) is not readily explained in this graphic environment. Others suggest an emendation to שְׂעִירִים (sÿ’irim, “he-goats, demons”), but the meaning in this case is not entirely transparent and the proposal assumes that the form suffered from both transposition and the inexplicable loss of a final mem. Still others relate עָשִׁיר (’ashir) to an alleged Arabic cognate meaning “mob.” See HALOT 896 s.v. עָשִׁיר. Perhaps the parallelism is antithetical, rather than synonymous. In this case, the point is made that the servant’s burial in a rich man’s tomb, in contrast to a criminal’s burial, was appropriate, for he had done nothing wrong.
[53:9] 471 tn If the second line is antithetical, then עַל (’al) is probably causal here, explaining why the servant was buried in a rich man’s tomb, rather than that of criminal. If the first two lines are synonymous, then עַל is probably concessive: “even though….”
[53:10] 473 tn The meaning of this line is uncertain. It reads literally, “if you/she makes, a reparation offering, his life.” The verb תָּשִׂים (tasim) could be second masculine singular,in which case it would have to be addressed to the servant or to God. However, the servant is only addressed once in this servant song (see 52:14a), and God either speaks or is spoken about in this servant song; he is never addressed. Furthermore, the idea of God himself making a reparation offering is odd. If the verb is taken as third feminine singular, then the feminine noun נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh) at the end of the line is the likely subject. In this case one can take the suffixed form of the noun as equivalent to a pronoun and translate, “if he [literally, “his life”] makes a reparation offering.”
[53:10] 474 sn The idiomatic and stereotypical language emphasizes the servant’s restoration to divine favor. Having numerous descendants and living a long life are standard signs of divine blessing. See Job 42:13-16.
[53:11] 477 tn Heb “he will be satisfied by his knowledge,” i.e., “when he knows.” The preposition is understood as temporal and the suffix as a subjective genitive. Some take בְּדַעְתּוֹ (bÿda’to, “by his knowledge”) with what follows and translate “by knowledge of him,” understanding the preposition as instrumental and the suffix as objective.
[53:11] 478 sn The song ends as it began (cf. 52:13-15), with the Lord announcing the servant’s vindication and exaltation.
[53:11] 479 tn Heb “he will acquit, a righteous one, my servant, many.” צַדִּיק (tsadiq) may refer to the servant, but more likely it is dittographic (note the preceding verb יַצְדִּיק, yatsdiq). The precise meaning of the verb (the Hiphil of צָדַק, tsadaq) is debated. Elsewhere the Hiphil is used at least six times in the sense of “make righteous” in a legal sense, i.e., “pronounce innocent, acquit” (see Exod 23:7; Deut 25:1; 1 Kgs 8:32 = 2 Chr 6:23; Prov 17:15; Isa 5:23). It can also mean “render justice” (as a royal function, see 2 Sam 15:4; Ps 82:3), “concede” (Job 27:5), “vindicate” (Isa 50:8), and “lead to righteousness” (by teaching and example, Dan 12:3). The preceding context and the next line suggest a legal sense here. Because of his willingness to carry the people’s sins, the servant is able to “acquit” them.
[53:11] 480 tn The circumstantial clause (note the vav [ו] + object + subject + verb pattern) is understood as causal here. The prefixed verb form is either a preterite or an imperfect used in a customary manner.
[53:12] 481 tn Scholars have debated the precise meaning of the term רַבִּים (rabbim) that occurs five times in this passage (Isa 52:14, 15; 53:11, 12 [2x]). Its two broad categories of translation are “much”/“many” and “great” (HALOT 1171-72 s.v. I רַב). Unlike other Hebrew terms for might or strength, this term is linked with numbers or abundance. In all sixteen uses outside of Isaiah 52:13-53:12 (articular and plural) it signifies an inclusive meaning: “the majority” or “the multitude” (J. Jeremias, TDNT 6:536-37). This term occurs in parallelism with עֲצוּמִים (’atsumim), which normally signifies “numerous” or “large” or “powerful” (through large numbers). Like רַבִּים (rabbim), it refers to greatness in numbers (cf. Deut 4:38; 7:1; 9:1; 11:34). It emphasizes the multitudes with whom the Servant will share the spoil of his victory. As J. Olley wrote: “Yahweh has won the victory and vindicates his Servant, giving to him many subservient people, together with their spoils. These numerous peoples in turn receive blessing, sharing in the “peace” resulting from Yahweh’s victory and the Servant’s suffering” (John W. Olley, “‘The Many’: How Is Isa 53,12a to Be Understood,” Bib 68 [1987]: 330-56).
[53:12] 482 sn The servant is compared here to a warrior who will be richly rewarded for his effort and success in battle.
[53:12] 483 tn Heb “because he laid bare his life”; traditionally, ASV “because he (+ hath KJV) poured out his soul (life NIV) unto death.”
[53:12] 484 tn The Hiphil of פָּגַע (paga’) can mean “cause to attack” (v. 6), “urge, plead verbally” (Jer 15:11; 36:25), or “intervene militarily” (Isa 59:16). Perhaps the third nuance fits best here, for military imagery is employed in the first two lines of the verse.
[54:2] 485 tn Heb “the curtains of our dwelling places let them stretch out.”
[54:2] 486 tn Heb “your stakes strengthen.”
[54:3] 489 tn Or “take possession of”; NAB “shall dispossess.”
[54:4] 493 tn Or “embarrassed”; NASB “humiliated…disgraced.”
[54:4] 494 tn Another option is to translate, “the disgrace of our widowhood” (so NRSV). However, the following context (vv. 6-7) refers to Zion’s husband, the Lord, abandoning her, not dying. This suggests that an אַלְמָנָה (’almanah) was a woman who had lost her husband, whether by death or abandonment.
[54:5] 497 tn Or “redeemer.” See the note at 41:14.
[54:5] 498 sn See the note on the phrase “the Holy One of Israel” in 1:4.
[54:6] 501 tn Heb “like a woman abandoned and grieved in spirit.”
[54:7] 505 tn Or “forsook” (NASB).
[54:8] 509 tn According to BDB 1009 s.v. שֶׁטֶף the noun שֶׁצֶף here is an alternate form of שֶׁטֶף (shetef, “flood”). Some relate the word to an alleged Akkadian cognate meaning “strength.”
[54:8] 510 tn Heb “I hid my face from you.”
[54:8] 511 tn Or “redeemer.” See the note at 41:14.
[54:9] 513 tc The Hebrew text reads literally, “For [or “indeed”] the waters of Noah [is] this to me.” כִּי־מֵי (ki-me, “for the waters of”) should be emended to כְּמֵי (kÿmey, “like the days of”), which is supported by the Qumran scroll 1QIsaa and all the ancient versions except LXX.
[54:9] 514 tn Heb “the waters of Noah” (so NAB, NIV, NRSV).
[54:10] 517 tn Heb “peace” (so many English versions); NLT “of blessing.”
[54:11] 521 tn Or, more literally, “windblown, storm tossed.”
[54:12] 525 tn Perhaps, “rubies” (so ASV, NAB, NIV, NRSV, NLT).
[54:12] 526 tn On the meaning of אֶקְדָּח (’eqdakh), which occurs only here, see HALOT 82 s.v.
[54:12] 527 tn Heb “border” (so ASV); NASB “your entire wall.”
[54:12] 528 tn Heb “delightful”; KJV “pleasant.”
[54:13] 529 tn Heb “and great [will be] the peace of your sons.”
[54:14] 533 tn Heb “in righteousness [or “vindication”] you will be established.” The precise meaning of צְדָקָה (tsÿdaqah) here is uncertain. It could mean “righteousness, justice,” indicating that the city will be a center for justice. But the context focuses on deliverance, suggesting that the term means “deliverance, vindication” here.
[54:14] 534 tn Heb “Be far from oppression!” The imperative is used here in a rhetorical manner to express certainty and assurance. See GKC 324 §110.c.
[54:14] 535 tn Heb “from terror.” The rhetorical command, “be far” is understood by ellipsis here. Note the preceding context.
[54:14] 536 tn Heb “it,” i.e., the “terror” just mentioned.
[54:15] 537 tn The infinitive absolute precedes the finite verb here for emphasis.
[54:15] 538 tn Heb “will fall over you.” The expression נָפַל עַל (nafal ’al) can mean “attack,” but here it means “fall over to,” i.e., “surrender to.”
[54:16] 541 tn Heb “who brings out an implement for his work.”
[54:17] 545 tn Heb “and every tongue that rises up for judgment with you will prove to be guilty.”
[54:17] 546 tn Heb “this is the inheritance of the servants of the Lord, and their vindication from me.”
[55:1] 549 tn The Hebrew term הוֹי (hoy, “woe, ah”) was used in funeral laments and is often prefixed to judgment oracles for rhetorical effect. But here it appears to be a simple interjection, designed to grab the audience’s attention. Perhaps there is a note of sorrow or pity. See BDB 223 s.v.
[55:1] 550 sn The statement is an oxymoron. Its ironic quality adds to its rhetorical impact. The statement reminds one of the norm (one must normally buy commodities) as it expresses the astounding offer. One might paraphrase the statement: “Come and take freely what you normally have to pay for.”
[55:2] 553 tn Heb “for what is not food.”
[55:2] 554 tn The interrogative particle and the verb “spend” are understood here by ellipsis (note the preceding line).
[55:2] 555 tn Heb “your labor,” which stands by metonymy for that which one earns.
[55:2] 556 tn The infinitive absolute follows the imperative and lends emphasis to the exhortation.
[55:2] 557 tn Heb “good” (so NASB, NIV, NRSV).
[55:2] 558 tn Heb “Let your appetite delight in fine food.”
[55:3] 557 tn The jussive with vav (ו) conjunctive following the imperative indicates purpose/result.
[55:3] 558 tn Or “an eternal covenant with.”
[55:3] 559 tn Heb “the reliable expressions of loyalty of David.” The syntactical relationship of חַסְדֵי (khasde, “expressions of loyalty”) to the preceding line is unclear. If the term is appositional to בְּרִית (bÿrit, “covenant”), then the Lord here transfers the promises of the Davidic covenant to the entire nation. Another option is to take חַסְדֵי (khasde) as an adverbial accusative and to translate “according to the reliable covenantal promises.” In this case the new covenantal arrangement proposed here is viewed as an extension or perhaps fulfillment of the Davidic promises. A third option, the one reflected in the above translation, is to take the last line as comparative. In this case the new covenant being proposed is analogous to the Davidic covenant. Verses 4-5, which compare David’s international prominence to what Israel will experience, favors this view. In all three of these interpretations, “David” is an objective genitive; he is the recipient of covenantal promises. A fourth option would be to take David as a subjective genitive and understand the line as giving the basis for the preceding promise: “Then I will make an unconditional covenantal promise to you, because of David’s faithful acts of covenantal loyalty.”
[55:4] 561 sn Ideally the Davidic king was to testify to the nations of God’s greatness (cf. Pss 18:50 HT [18:49 ET]; 22:28 HT [22:27 ET]). See J. H. Eaton, Kingship in the Psalms (SBT), 182-84.
[55:5] 565 tn Heb “a nation,” but the singular is collective here, as the plural verbs in the next line indicate (note that both “know” and “run” are third plural forms).
[55:5] 566 tn Heb “a nation,” but the singular is collective here, as the plural verbs that follow indicate.
[55:5] 567 sn See the note on the phrase “the Holy One of Israel” in 1:4.
[55:6] 569 tn Heb “while he allows himself to be found.” The Niphal form has a tolerative force here.
[55:7] 573 tn Heb “Let the wicked one abandon his way.” The singular is collective.
[55:7] 574 tn Heb “and the man of evil his thoughts.” The singular is collective.
[55:7] 575 tn Heb “let him return.” The singular is collective, meaning “let them.”
[55:7] 576 tn The imperfect with vav (ו) conjunctive after the jussive indicates purpose/result.
[55:7] 577 sn The appeal and promise of vv. 6-7 echoes the language of Deut 4:25-31; 30:1-10; and 1 Kgs 8:46-53, all of which anticipate the exile and speak of the prerequisites for restoration.
[55:8] 577 tn Or “For” (KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV).
[55:8] 578 tn Or “thoughts” (so many English versions).
[55:8] 579 tn Heb “are not.” “Like” is interpretive, but v. 9 indicates that a comparison is in view.
[55:8] 580 tn Heb “ways” (so many English versions).
[55:8] 581 tn Heb “are not.” “Like” is interpretive, but v. 9 indicates that a comparison is in view.
[55:9] 581 tn Or “the heavens.” The Hebrew term שָׁמַיִם (shamayim) may be translated “heavens” or “sky” depending on the context.
[55:9] 582 tn Heb “ways” (so many English versions).
[55:9] 583 tn Heb “are higher than.”
[55:9] 584 tn Or “thoughts” (so many English versions).
[55:10] 585 tn This verse begins in the Hebrew text with כִּי כַּאֲשֶׁר (ki ka’asher, “for, just as”), which is completed by כֵּן (ken, “so, in the same way”) at the beginning of v. 11. For stylistic reasons, this lengthy sentence is divided up into separate sentences in the translation.
[55:11] 589 tn Heb “so is the word which goes out from my mouth, it does not return to empty.” “Word” refers here to divine promises, like the ones made just prior to and after this (see vv. 7b, 12-13).
[55:11] 590 tn Heb “but it accomplishes what I desire, and succeeds [on the mission] which I send it.”
[55:13] 593 tn Heb “to the Lord for a name.” For שֵׁם (shem) used in the sense of “monument,” see also 56:5, where it stands parallel to יָד (yad).
[55:13] 594 tn Or, more literally, “a permanent sign that will not be cut off.”
[56:1] 597 tn Heb “guard”; KJV “Keep”; NAB “Observe”; NASB “Preserve”; NIV, NRSV “Maintain.”
[56:1] 598 tn Heb “for near is my deliverance to enter, and my vindication [or “righteousness”] to be revealed.”
[56:2] 601 tn Heb “blessed is the man who does this.”
[56:2] 602 tn Heb “the son of mankind who takes hold of it.”
[56:2] 603 tn Heb and who keeps his hand from doing any evil.”
[56:3] 605 tn Heb “who attaches himself to.”
[56:3] 606 tn The infinitive absolute precedes the finite verb for emphasis.
[56:4] 609 tn Heb “and take hold of” (so KJV); NASB “hold fast.”
[56:5] 613 tn Heb “a hand and a name.” For other examples where יָד (yad) refers to a monument, see HALOT 388 s.v.
[56:5] 614 tn Heb “name” (so KJV, NIV, NRSV).
[56:6] 617 tn Heb “who attach themselves to.”
[56:6] 618 tn Heb “and take hold of”; NAB “hold to”; NIV, NRSV “hold fast.”
[56:7] 621 tn Heb “in the house of my prayer.”
[56:7] 622 tn Heb “for my house will be called a house of prayer for all the nations.”
[56:8] 625 tn The meaning of the statement is unclear. The text reads literally, “Still I will gather upon him to his gathered ones.” Perhaps the preposition -לְ (lamed) before “gathered ones” introduces the object of the verb, as in Jer 49:5. The third masculine singular suffix on both עָלָיו (’alayv) and נִקְבָּצָיו (niqbatsayv) probably refers to “Israel.” In this case one can translate literally, “Still I will gather to him his gathered ones.”
[56:10] 629 sn The “watchmen” are probably spiritual leaders, most likely prophets and priests, responsible for giving the people moral direction.
[56:10] 630 tn Heb “they do not know”; KJV “they are all ignorant”; NIV “they all lack knowledge.”
[56:10] 631 tn The Hebrew text has הֹזִים (hozim), which appears to be derived from an otherwise unattested verbal root הָזָה (hazah). On the basis of alleged cognates, BDB 223 s.v. הָזָה offers the definition “dream, rave” while HALOT 243 s.v. הזה lists “pant.” In this case the dog metaphor of the preceding lines continues. The reference to dogs at the beginning of v. 11 favors the extension of the metaphor. The Qumran scroll 1QIsaa has חזים (“seers”) here. In this case the “watchmen” are directly identified as prophets and depicted as lazy.
[56:11] 633 sn The phrase never full alludes to the greed of the leaders.
[56:11] 634 tn Heb “for his gain from his end.”
[56:12] 637 tn The words “each one says” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
[56:12] 638 tn Heb “great, [in] abundance, very much,” i.e., “very great indeed.” See HALOT 452 s.v. יֶתֶר.
[57:1] 641 tn Or “righteous” (KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT); NAB “the just man”; TEV “Good people.”
[57:1] 642 tn Or perhaps, “understands.” Heb “and there is no man who sets [it] upon [his] heart.”
[57:1] 643 tn Heb “Men of loyalty are taken away.” The Niphal of אָסַף (’asaf) here means “to die.”
[57:1] 644 tn The Hebrew term בְּאֵין (bÿ’en) often has the nuance “when there is no.” See Prov 8:24; 11;14; 14:4; 15:22; 26:20; 29:18.
[57:1] 645 tn Or “realizes”; Heb “understands” (so NASB, NIV, NRSV).
[57:1] 646 tn Or “righteous” (KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT); NAB “the just man.”
[57:1] 647 tn Heb “are taken away.” The Niphal of אָסַף (’asaf) here means “to die.”
[57:1] 648 tn The term מִפְּנֵי (mippÿne, “from the face of”) often has a causal nuance. It also appears with the Niphal of אָסַף (’asaph, “gather”) in 2 Chr 12:5: אֲשֶׁר־נֶאֶסְפוּ אֶל־יְרוּשָׁלַם מִפְּנֵי שִׁישָׁק (’asher-ne’esphu ’el-yÿrushalam mippÿney shishaq, “who had gathered at Jerusalem because of [i.e., due to fear of] Shishak”).
[57:1] 649 tn The translation assumes that this verse, in proverbial fashion, laments society’s apathy over the persecution of the godly. The second half of the verse observes that such apathy results in more widespread oppression. Since the next verse pictures the godly being taken to a place of rest, some interpret the second half of v. 1 in a more positive vein. According to proponents of this view, God removes the godly so that they might be spared suffering and calamity, a fact which the general populace fails to realize.
[57:2] 645 tn Heb “he enters peace, they rest on their beds, the one who walks straight ahead of himself.” The tomb is here viewed in a fairly positive way as a place where the dead are at peace and sleep undisturbed.
[57:3] 649 tc The Hebrew text reads literally, “offspring of an adulterer [masculine] and [one who] has committed adultery.” Perhaps the text has suffered from transposition of vav (ו) and tav (ת) and מְנָאֵף וַתִּזְנֶה (mÿna’ef vattizneh) should be emended to מְנָאֶפֶת וְזֹנָה (mÿna’efet vÿzonah, “an adulteress and a prostitute”). Both singular nouns would be understood in a collective sense. Most modern English versions render both forms as nouns.
[57:4] 653 tn Heb “Are you not children of rebellion, offspring of a lie?” The rhetorical question anticipates the answer, “Of course you are!”
[57:5] 657 tn Heb “inflame yourselves”; NRSV “burn with lust.” This verse alludes to the practice of ritual sex that accompanied pagan fertility rites.
[57:5] 658 sn This apparently alludes to the practice of child sacrifice (cf. TEV, CEV, NLT).
[57:6] 661 tn Heb “among the smooth stones of the stream [is] your portion, they, they [are] your lot.” The next line indicates idols are in view.
[57:6] 662 tn The text reads literally, “Because of these am I relenting?” If the prefixed interrogative particle is retained at the beginning of the sentence, then the question would be rhetorical, with the Niphal of נָחָם (nakham) probably being used in the sense of “relent, change one’s mind.” One could translate: “Because of these things, how can I relent?” However, the initial letter he may be dittographic (note the final he [ה] on the preceding word). In this case one may understand the verb in the sense of “console oneself, seek vengeance,” as in 1:24.
[57:8] 665 tn The precise referent of זִכָּרוֹן (zikkaron) in this context is uncertain. Elsewhere the word refers to a memorial or commemorative sign. Here it likely refers to some type of idolatrous symbol.
[57:8] 666 tn Or “for” (KJV, NRSV).
[57:8] 667 tc The Hebrew text reads literally, “from me you uncover.” The translation assumes an emendation of the Piel form גִּלִּית (gillit, “you uncover”), which has no object expressed here, to the Qal גָּלִית (galit, “you depart”).
[57:8] 668 tn Heb “you make wide your bed” (NASB similar).
[57:8] 669 tc Heb “and you [second masculine singular, unless the form be taken as third feminine singular] cut for yourself [feminine singular] from them.” Most English translations retain the MT reading in spite of at least three problems. This section makes significant use of feminine verbs and noun suffixes because of the sexual imagery. The verb in question is likely a 2nd person masculine singular verb. Nevertheless, this kind of fluctuation in gender appears elsewhere (GKC 127-28 §47.k and 462 §144.p; cf. Jer 3:5; Ezek 22:4; 23:32; cf. J. N. Oswalt, Isaiah [NICOT], 2:473, n. 13). Secondly, when this verbal root signifies establishing a covenant, it is normally accompanied by the noun for “covenant” (בְּרִית, bÿrit). Finally, this juxtaposition of the verb “to cut” and “covenant” normally is followed by the preposition “with,” while here it is “from.” The translation above assumes an emendation of וַתִּכְרָת (vatikhrah, “and you cut”) to וְכָרִית (vÿkharit, “and you purchase”) from the root כָּרָה (kharah); see HALOT 497 s.v. II כרה.
[57:8] 670 tn The Hebrew text has simply חָזָה (khazah, “gaze”). The adverb “longingly” is interpretive (see the context, where sexual lust is depicted).
[57:8] 671 tn Heb “[at] a hand you gaze.” The term יָד (yad, “hand”) probably has the sense of “power, manhood” here, where it is used, as in Ugaritic, as a euphemism for the genitals. See HALOT 387 s.v. I יָד.
[57:9] 669 tn Heb “you journey with oil.”
[57:9] 670 tn Heb “the king.” Since the context refers to idolatry and child sacrifice (see v. 5), some emend מֶלֶך (melekh, “king”) to “Molech.” Perhaps Israel’s devotion to her idols is likened here to a subject taking tribute to a ruler.
[57:9] 671 tn Heb “and you multiply your perfumes.”
[57:9] 672 sn Israel’s devotion to her idols is inordinate, irrational, and self-destructive.
[57:10] 673 tn Heb “by the greatness [i.e., “length,” see BDB 914 s.v. רֹב 2] of your way you get tired.”
[57:10] 674 tn Heb “it is hopeless” (so NAB, NASB, NIV); NRSV “It is useless.”
[57:10] 675 tn Heb “the life of your hand you find.” The term חַיָּה (khayyah, “life”) is here used in the sense of “renewal” (see BDB 312 s.v.) while יָד (yad) is used of “strength.”
[57:10] 676 tn Heb “you do not grow weak.”
[57:11] 677 tn Heb “you do not place [it] on your heart.”
[57:11] 678 tn Heb “Is it not [because] I have been silent, and from long ago?”
[57:11] 679 sn God’s patience with sinful Israel has caused them to think that they can sin with impunity and suffer no consequences.
[57:12] 681 tn Heb “I, I will declare your righteousness and your deeds.”
[57:13] 685 tn The Hebrew text has קִבּוּצַיִךְ (qibbutsayikh, “your gatherings”), an otherwise unattested noun from the verbal root קָבַץ (qavats, “gather”). Perhaps this alludes to their religious assemblies and by metonymy to their rituals. Since idolatry is a prominent theme in the context, some understand this as a reference to a collection of idols. The second half of the verse also favors this view.
[57:13] 686 tn Heb “all of them a wind lifts up.”
[57:13] 687 tn Heb “a breath takes [them] away.”
[57:13] 688 tn Or “seeks refuge in me.” “Seeking refuge” is a metonymy for “being loyal to.”
[57:13] 689 tn Heb “possess, own.” The point seems to be that he will have free access to God’s presence, as if God’s temple mount were his personal possession.
[57:14] 689 tn Since God is speaking throughout this context, perhaps we should emend the text to “and I say.” However, divine speech is introduced in v. 15.
[57:15] 693 tn Heb “the one who dwells forever.” שֹׁכֵן עַד (shokhen ’ad) is sometimes translated “the one who lives forever,” and understood as a reference to God’s eternal existence. However, the immediately preceding and following descriptions (“high and exalted” and “holy”) emphasize his sovereign rule. In the next line, he declares, “I dwell in an exalted and holy [place],” which refers to the place from which he rules. Therefore it is more likely that שֹׁכֵן עַד (shokhen ’ad) means “I dwell [in my lofty palace] forever” and refers to God’s eternal kingship.
[57:15] 694 tn Heb “and also with the crushed and lowly of spirit.” This may refer to the repentant who have humbled themselves (see 66:2) or more generally to the exiles who have experienced discouragement and humiliation.
[57:15] 695 tn Heb “to restore the lowly of spirit and to restore the heart of the crushed.”
[57:16] 697 tn Or perhaps, “argue,” or “accuse” (so NAB, NIV, NRSV).
[57:16] 698 tn Heb “for a spirit from before me would be faint.”
[57:17] 701 tn Heb “and I struck him, hiding, and I was angry.” פָּנַיִם (panayim, “face”) is the implied object of “hiding.”
[57:17] 702 tn Heb “and he walked [as an] apostate in the way of his heart.”
[57:18] 705 tn Heb “his ways” (so KJV, NASB, NIV); TEV “how they acted.”
[57:18] 706 tn Heb “and I will restore consolation to him, to his mourners.”
[57:19] 709 tc The Hebrew text has literally, “one who creates fruit of lips.” Perhaps the pronoun אֲנִי (’ani) should be inserted after the participle; it may have been accidentally omitted by haplography: נוּב שְׂפָתָיִם[אֲנִי] בּוֹרֵא (bore’ [’ani] nuv sÿfatayim). “Fruit of the lips” is often understood as a metonymy for praise; perhaps it refers more generally to joyful shouts (see v. 18).
[57:19] 710 tn Heb “Peace, peace.” The repetition of the noun emphasizes degree.
[58:1] 713 tn Heb “declare to my people their rebellion.”
[58:1] 714 tn Heb “and to the house of Jacob their sin.” The verb “declare” is understood by ellipsis (note the preceding line).
[58:2] 717 tn Heb “ways” (so KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV, TEV); NLT “my laws.”
[58:3] 721 tn The words “they lament” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
[58:3] 722 tn Heb “you find pleasure”; NASB “you find your desire.”
[58:3] 723 tn Or perhaps, “debtors.” See HALOT 865 s.v. * עָצֵב.
[58:4] 725 tn Heb “you fast for” (so NASB); NRSV “you fast only to quarrel.”
[58:4] 726 tn Heb “and for striking with a sinful fist.”
[58:5] 729 tn Heb “choose” (so NASB, NRSV); NAB “wish.”
[58:5] 730 tn Heb “a day when man humbles himself.” The words “Do I want” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[58:5] 731 tn Or “making [their] bed.”
[58:6] 733 tn Heb “Is this not a fast I choose?” “No” is supplied in the translation for clarification.
[58:6] 734 tn The words “I want you” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[58:7] 737 tn Heb “Is it not?” The rhetorical question here expects a positive answer, “It is!”
[58:7] 738 tn Heb “and afflicted [ones], homeless [ones] you should bring [into] a house.” On the meaning of מְרוּדִים (mÿrudim, “homeless”) see HALOT 633 s.v. *מָרוּד.
[58:7] 739 tn Heb “and from your flesh do not hide yourself.”
[58:8] 741 tn Heb “will burst out like the dawn.”
[58:8] 742 tn Heb “prosper”; KJV “spring forth speedily.”
[58:8] 743 tn Or “righteousness.” Their godly behavior will be on display for all to see.
[58:8] 744 sn The nation will experience God’s protective presence.
[58:9] 745 tn Heb “if you.” In the Hebrew text vv. 9b-10 are one long conditional sentence. The protasis (“if” clauses appear in vv. 9b-10a), with the apodosis (“then” clause) appearing in v. 10b.
[58:10] 749 tn Heb “if you.” See the note on “you must” in v. 9b.
[58:10] 750 tn Heb “If you furnish for the hungry [with] your being, and the appetite of the oppressed you satisfy.”
[58:10] 751 tn Heb “will rise in the darkness.”
[58:10] 752 tn Heb “and your darkness [will be] like noonday.”
[58:11] 753 tn Heb “he will satisfy in parched regions your appetite.”
[58:11] 754 tn Heb “and your bones he will strengthen.”
[58:12] 757 tn Heb “and they will build from you ancient ruins.”
[58:12] 758 tc The Hebrew text has “the one who restores paths for dwelling.” The idea of “paths to dwell in” is not a common notion. Some have proposed emending נְתִיבוֹת (nÿtivot, “paths”) to נְתִיצוֹת (nÿtitsot, “ruins”), a passive participle from נָתַץ (natats, “tear down”; see HALOT 732 s.v. *נְתִיצָה), because tighter parallelism with the preceding line is achieved. However, none of the textual sources support this emendation. The line may mean that paths must be repaired in order to dwell in the land.
[58:13] 761 tn Lit., “if you.” In the Hebrew text vv. 13-14 are one long conditional sentence. The protasis (“if” clauses appear in v. 13), with the apodosis (“then” clause) appearing in v. 14.
[58:13] 762 tn Heb “if you turn from the Sabbath your feet.”
[58:13] 763 tn Heb “[from] doing your desires on my holy day.” The Qumran scroll 1QIsaa supplies the preposition מִן (min) on “doing.”
[58:13] 764 tn Heb “and call the Sabbath a pleasure”; KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV “a delight.”
[58:13] 765 tn Heb “and [call] the holy [day] of the Lord honored.” On קָדוֹשׁ (qadosh, “holy”) as indicating a time period, see BDB 872 s.v. 2.e (cf. also Neh 8:9-11).
[58:13] 766 tn Heb “and you honor it [by refraining] from accomplishing your ways, from finding your desire and speaking a word.” It is unlikely that the last phrase (“speaking a word”) is a prohibition against talking on the Sabbath; instead it probably refers to making transactions or plans (see Hos 10:4). Some see here a reference to idle talk (cf. 2 Sam 19:30).
[58:14] 765 tn For a parallel use of the phrase “find joy in” (Hitpael of עָנַג [’anag] followed by the preposition עַל [’al]), see Ps 37:4.
[58:14] 766 tn Heb “and I will cause you to ride upon the heights of the land.” The statement seems to be an allusion to Deut 32:13, where it is associated, as here, with God’s abundant provision of food.
[58:14] 767 tn Heb “and I will cause you to eat the inheritance of Jacob your father.” The Hebrew term נַחֲלָה (nakhalah) likely stands by metonymy for the crops that grow on Jacob’s “inheritance” (i.e., the land he inherited as a result of God’s promise).
[58:14] 768 tn Heb “for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” The introductory כִּי (ki) may be asseverative (as reflected in the translation) or causal/explanatory, explaining why the preceding promise will become reality (because it is guaranteed by the divine word).
[59:1] 769 tn Heb “short” (so NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV).
[59:1] 770 tn Heb “or his ear too heavy [i.e., “dull”] to hear.”
[59:2] 773 tn Heb “and your sins have caused [his] face to be hidden from you so as not to hear.”
[59:4] 777 tn Heb “no one pleads with justice.”
[59:4] 778 tn Heb “nothing”; NAB “emptiness.”
[59:4] 779 tn Or “trouble” (NIV), or “harm.”
[59:5] 781 tn Heb “that which is pressed in hatches [as] a snake.”
[59:6] 785 tn Heb “their deeds are deeds of sin, and the work of violence [is] in their hands.”
[59:7] 789 tn Heb “their feet run to evil.”
[59:7] 790 tn Heb “they quickly pour out innocent blood.”
[59:7] 791 tn Heb “their thoughts are thoughts of sin, destruction and crushing [are] in their roadways.”
[59:8] 793 tn Heb “a way of peace they do not know, and there is no justice in their pathways.”
[59:8] 794 tn Heb “their paths they make crooked, everyone who walks in it does not know peace.”
[59:9] 797 tn מִשְׁפָּט (mishpat), which refers to “justice” in the earlier verses, here refers to “justice from God,” or “vindication.” Because the people are unjust, God refuses to vindicate them before their enemies. See v. 11.
[59:9] 798 sn The prophet speaks on behalf of the sinful nation and confesses its sins.
[59:9] 799 sn Light here symbolizes prosperity and blessing.
[59:9] 800 tn Heb “but, look, darkness”; NIV “but all is darkness.”
[59:9] 801 tn The words “we wait for” are supplied in the translation; the verb is understood by ellipsis (note the preceding line).
[59:9] 802 tn The plural noun form may indicate degree here.
[59:9] 803 tn Or “walk about”; NCV “all we have is darkness.”
[59:9] 804 tn The plural noun form may indicate degree here.
[59:10] 801 tn Heb “like there are no eyes.”
[59:10] 802 tn Heb among the strong, like dead men.”
[59:11] 805 tn See the note at v. 9.
[59:12] 809 tn Heb “for many are our rebellious deeds before you.”
[59:12] 810 tn Heb “indeed [or “for”] our rebellious deeds (are) with us, and our sins, we know them.”
[59:13] 813 tn Heb “speaking.” A new sentence was started here in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[59:13] 814 tn Heb “conceiving and uttering from the heart words of falsehood.”
[59:14] 817 tn Or “righteousness” (ASV, NASB, NIV, NRSV); KJV, NAB “justice.”
[59:14] 818 tn Or “for” (KJV, NRSV).
[59:15] 821 tn Heb “and it is displeasing in his eyes.”
[59:16] 825 tn Heb “man” (so KJV, ASV); TEV “no one to help.”
[59:16] 826 tn Or “appalled” (NAB, NIV, NRSV), or “disgusted.”
[59:16] 827 tn Heb “and his arm delivers for him.”
[59:16] 828 tn Heb “and his justice [or “righteousness”] supports him.”
[59:17] 829 tn Or “righteousness” (KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT); NCV “goodness.”
[59:17] 830 tn Or “a breastplate” (traditional; so many English versions); TEV “a coat of armour.”
[59:17] 831 tn Heb “and [as] a helmet deliverance on his head.”
[59:17] 832 tn Heb “and he puts on the clothes of vengeance [as] a garment.”
[59:18] 833 tn Heb “in accordance with deeds, so he repays, anger to his adversaries, repayment to his enemies.”
[59:18] 834 tn Or “islands” (KJV, NIV).
[59:19] 837 tc Heb “fear.” A few medieval Hebrew
[59:19] 838 tn Heb “and they fear from the west the name of the Lord.”
[59:19] 839 tn Heb “and from the rising of the sun his splendor.”
[59:19] 840 tn Heb “narrow”; NAB, NIV, NRSV “pent-up.”
[59:19] 841 tn Heb “the wind of the Lord drives it on.” The term רוּחַ (ruakh) could be translated “breath” here (see 30:28).
[59:20] 841 tn Or “redeemer.” See the note at 41:14.
[59:20] 842 tn Heb “and to those who turn from rebellion in Jacob.”
[59:21] 845 tn Or “my covenant with” (so many English versions); NCV “my agreement with.”
[59:21] 846 tn Heb “from now and on into the future.”
[60:1] 849 tn Or “glory” (so most English versions).
[60:2] 853 tn The verb “covers” is understood by ellipsis (note the preceding line).
[60:2] 854 tn Or “glory” (so most English versions); TEV “the brightness of his presence.”
[60:4] 857 tn Heb “Lift up around your eyes and see!”
[60:5] 861 tn Or “shine,” or “be radiant” (NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV).
[60:5] 862 tn Heb “and it will tremble and be wide, your heart.”
[60:5] 863 tn Heb “the wealth of the sea,” i.e., wealth that is transported from distant lands via the sea.
[60:6] 865 tn Heb “an abundance of camels will cover you.”
[60:6] 866 tn Heb “all of them, from Sheba.”
[60:6] 867 tn Heb “and they will announce the praises of the Lord.”
[60:7] 869 tn Heb “will serve you,” i.e., be available as sacrifices (see the next line). Another option is to understood these “rams” as symbolic of leaders who will be subject to the people of Zion. See v. 10.
[60:7] 870 tc Heb “they will go up on acceptance [on] my altar.” Some have suggested that the preposition עַל (’al) is dittographic (note the preceding יַעֲלוּ [ya’alu]). Consequently, the form should be emended to לְרָצוֹן (lÿratson, “acceptably”; see BDB 953 s.v. רָצוֹן). However, the Qumran scroll 1QIsaa has both לרצון followed by the preposition על, which would argue against deleted the preposition. As the above translation seeks to demonstrate, the preposition עַל (’al) indicates a norm (“in accordance with acceptance” or “acceptably”; IBHS 218 §11.2.13e, n. 111) and the “altar” functions as an objective accusative with a verb of motion (cf. Gen 49:4; Lev 2:2; Num 13:17; J. N. Oswalt, Isaiah [NICOT], 2:534, n. 14).
[60:8] 873 tn Heb “fly” (so KJV, NASB, NRSV); NAB, NIV “fly along.”
[60:8] 874 tn Heb “to their windows,” i.e., to the openings in their coops. See HALOT 83 s.v. אֲרֻבָּה.
[60:9] 877 tn Or “islands” (NIV); CEV “distant islands”; TEV “distant lands.”
[60:9] 878 tn Heb “the ships of Tarshish.” See the note at 2:16.
[60:9] 879 tn Heb “to the name of the Lord your God.”
[60:9] 880 sn See the note on the phrase “the Holy One of Israel” in 1:4.
[60:10] 881 tn Heb “in my favor I will have compassion on you.”
[60:11] 885 tn Or “led in procession.” The participle is passive.
[60:12] 889 tn Or “For” (KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT); TEV “But.”
[60:12] 890 tn The infinitive absolute appears before the finite verb for emphasis.
[60:13] 893 tn Or “holy place, sanctuary.”
[60:13] 894 tn Heb “the place of my feet.” See Ezek 43:7, where the Lord’s throne is called the “place of the soles of my feet.”
[60:14] 897 sn See the note on the phrase “the Holy One of Israel” in 1:4.
[60:15] 901 tn Heb “Instead of your being abandoned and despised, with no one passing through, I will make you.”
[60:16] 905 sn The nations and kings are depicted as a mother nursing her children. Restored Zion will be nourished by them as she receives their wealth as tribute.
[60:16] 906 tn Or “redeemer.” See the note at 41:14.
[60:16] 907 sn See 1:24 and 49:26.
[60:17] 909 tn The words “I will bring you” are supplied in the translation; they are understood by ellipsis (see the preceding lines).
[60:17] 910 tn The words “I will bring you” are supplied in the translation; they are understood by ellipsis (see the first two lines of the verse).
[60:17] 911 tn Or “peace” (KJV and many other English versions).
[60:17] 912 tn The plural indicates degree. The language is ironic; in the past Zion was ruled by oppressive tyrants, but now personified prosperity and vindication will be the only things that will “dominate” the city.
[60:18] 913 tn The words “sounds of” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[60:18] 914 tn The words “sounds of” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[60:19] 917 tn Heb “and your God for your splendor.”
[60:20] 921 sn In this verse “sun” and “moon” refer to the Lord’s light, which will replace the sun and moon (see v. 19). Light here symbolizes the restoration of divine blessing and prosperity in conjunction with the Lord’s presence. See 30:26.
[60:20] 922 tn Heb “days” (so KJV, NAB, NIV, NRSV, NLT).
[60:21] 925 tn Or “righteous” (NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT); NAB “just.”
[60:21] 926 tn Heb “a shoot of his planting, the work of my hands, to reveal splendor.”
[60:22] 929 tn Heb “will become” (so NASB, NIV).
[60:22] 930 tn Heb “I, the Lord, in its time, I will quickly do it.”
[61:1] 933 tn Heb “anointed,” i.e., designated to carry out an assigned task.
[61:1] 934 sn The speaker is not identified, but he is distinct from the Lord and from Zion’s suffering people. He possesses the divine spirit, is God’s spokesman, and is sent to release prisoners from bondage. The evidence suggests he is the Lord’s special servant, described earlier in the servant songs (see 42:1-4, 7; 49:2, 9; 50:4; see also 51:16).
[61:1] 935 tn Or “sent” (NAB); NCV “has appointed me.”
[61:1] 936 tn Or “proclaim good news to.”
[61:1] 937 tn Heb “to bind up [the wounds of].”
[61:2] 937 tn Heb “to announce the year of the Lord’s favor, and the day of our God’s vengeance.
[61:3] 941 tn Heb “oil of joy” (KJV, ASV); NASB, NIV, NRSV “the oil of gladness.”
[61:3] 942 tn Heb “garment of praise.”
[61:3] 943 tn Heb “a faint spirit” (so NRSV); KJV, ASV “the spirit of heaviness”; NASB “a spirit of fainting.”
[61:3] 944 tn Rather than referring to the character of the people, צֶדֶק (tsedeq) may carry the nuance “vindication” here, suggesting that God’s restored people are a testimony to his justice. See v. 2, which alludes to the fact that God will take vengeance against the enemies of his people. Cf. NAB “oaks of justice.”
[61:3] 945 tn Heb “a planting of the Lord to reveal splendor.”
[61:4] 945 tn Heb “and the formerly desolate places they will raise up.”
[61:5] 949 sn The Lord speaks in vv. 7-8 (and possibly v. 9). It is not clear where the servant’s speech (see vv. 1-3a) ends and the Lord’s begins. Perhaps the direct address to the people signals the beginning of the Lord’s speech.
[61:5] 950 tn Heb “will stand [in position] and shepherd.”
[61:6] 953 tn The Hebrew text adds, “it will be said concerning you.”
[61:6] 954 tn Heb “eat” (KJV, NAB, NASB); NIV “feed on”; NLT “be fed with.”
[61:6] 955 tc The form in the Hebrew text is probably a corruption of יִתְאַמְּרוּ (yit’ammÿru), a Hitpael from אָמַר (’amar), meaning “boast about” (see HALOT 67 s.v. II אמר, HALOT 416 s.v. ימר, and BDB 56 s.v. אָמַר).
[61:6] 956 tn Heb “their glory” (i.e., riches).
[61:7] 957 tn Heb “instead of your shame, a double portion.”
[61:7] 958 tn Heb “and [instead of] humiliation they will rejoice [over] their portion.” The term תָחָת (takhat, “instead of”) is understood by ellipsis (note the preceding line).
[61:7] 959 tn Heb “therefore” (so KJV, NASB); NIV “and so.”
[61:8] 961 tn Heb “in faithfulness”; NASB, NRSV, NLT “faithfully.”
[61:9] 965 tn Heb “all who see them will recognize them, that they [are] descendants [whom] the Lord has blessed.”
[61:10] 969 sn The speaker in vv. 10-11 is not identified, but it is likely that the personified nation (or perhaps Zion) responds here to the Lord’s promise of restoration.
[61:10] 970 tn The infinitive absolute appears before the finite verb for emphasis.
[61:10] 971 tn Heb “my being is happy in my God”; NAB “in my God is the joy of my soul.”
[61:10] 972 tn Heb “robe of vindication”; KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV “robe of righteousness.”
[61:10] 973 tn Heb “like a bridegroom [who] acts like a priest [by wearing] a turban, and like a bride [who] wears her jewelry.” The words “I look” are supplied for stylistic reasons and clarification.
[61:11] 973 tn Or perhaps, “righteousness,” but the context seems to emphasize deliverance and restoration (see v. 10 and 62:1).
[61:11] 974 tn Heb “and praise before all the nations.”
[62:1] 977 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[62:1] 978 tn Heb “goes forth like brightness.”
[62:2] 981 tn Heb “which the mouth of the Lord will designate.”
[62:4] 985 tn Or “for”; KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV “but.”
[62:4] 986 tn Hebrew חֶפְצִי־בָהּ (kheftsi-vah), traditionally transliterated “Hephzibah” (so KJV, ASV, NIV).
[62:4] 987 tn Hebrew בְּעוּלָה (bÿ’ulah), traditionally transliterated “Beulah” (so KJV, ASV, NIV).
[62:4] 988 tn That is, the land will be restored to the Lord’s favor and once again enjoy his blessing and protection. To indicate the land’s relationship to the Lord, the words “to him” have been supplied at the end of the clause.
[62:5] 989 tc The Hebrew text has “your sons,” but this produces an odd metaphor and is somewhat incongruous with the parallelism. In the context (v. 4b, see also 54:5-7) the Lord is the one who “marries” Zion. Therefore several prefer to emend “your sons” to בֹּנָיִךְ (bonayikh, “your builder”; e.g., NRSV). In Ps 147:2 the Lord is called the “builder of Jerusalem.” However, this emendation is not the best option for at least four reasons. First, although the Lord is never called the “builder” of Jerusalem in Isaiah, the idea of Zion’s children possessing the land does occur (Isa 49:20; 54:3; cf. also 14:1; 60:21). Secondly, all the ancient versions support the MT reading. Thirdly, although the verb בָּעַל (ba’al) can mean “to marry,” its basic idea is “to possess.” Consequently, the verb stresses a relationship more than a state. All the ancient versions render this verb “to dwell in” or “to dwell with.” The point is not just that the land will be reinhabited, but that it will be in a relationship of “belonging” to the Israelites. Hence a relational verb like בָּעַל is used (J. N. Oswalt, Isaiah [NICOT], 2:581). Finally, “sons” is a well-known metaphor for “inhabitants” (J. de Waard, Isaiah, 208).
[62:6] 993 sn The speaker here is probably the prophet.
[62:6] 994 tn Heb “all day and all night continually they do not keep silent.” The following lines suggest that they pray for the Lord’s intervention and restoration of the city.
[62:6] 995 tn Or “invoke”; NIV “call on”; NASB, NRSV “remind.”
[62:7] 997 tn “Jerusalem” is supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons; note the following line.
[62:7] 998 tn Heb “[the object of] praise.”
[62:8] 1001 tn The Lord’s right hand and strong arm here symbolize his power and remind the audience that his might guarantees the fulfillment of the following promise.
[62:9] 1005 tn Heb “it,” the grain mentioned in v. 8a.
[62:9] 1006 tn Heb “and those who gather it will drink it.” The masculine singular pronominal suffixes attached to “gather” and “drink” refer back to the masculine noun תִּירוֹשׁ (tirosh, “wine”) in v. 8b.
[62:11] 1009 tn Heb “to the end of the earth” (so NASB, NRSV).
[62:11] 1010 sn As v. 12 indicates, the returning exiles are the Lord’s reward/prize. See also 40:10 and the note there.
[62:12] 1013 tn Or “the redeemed of the Lord” (KJV, NAB).
[63:1] 1017 sn Edom is here an archetype for the Lord’s enemies. See 34:5.
[63:1] 1018 tn Heb “[in] bright red garments, from Bozrah.”
[63:1] 1019 tn The interrogative particle is understood by ellipsis; note the first line of the verse.
[63:1] 1020 tn Heb “honored in his clothing”; KJV, ASV “glorious in his apparel.”
[63:1] 1021 tc The Hebrew text has צָעָה (tsa’ah), which means “stoop, bend” (51:14). The translation assumes an emendation to צָעַד (tsa’ad, “march”; see BDB 858 s.v. צָעָה).
[63:1] 1022 tn Heb “I, [the one] speaking in vindication [or “righteousness”], great to deliver.”
[63:2] 1021 tn Heb “and your garments like one who treads in a vat?”
[63:3] 1025 sn Nations, headed by Edom, are the object of the Lord’s anger (see v. 6). He compares military slaughter to stomping on grapes in a vat.
[63:3] 1026 tn Heb “and I stained.” For discussion of the difficult verb form, see HALOT 170 s.v. II גאל. Perhaps the form is mixed, combining the first person forms of the imperfect (note the alef prefix) and perfect (note the תי- ending).
[63:4] 1029 tn Heb “for the day of vengeance was in my heart, and the year of my revenge came.” The term גְּאוּלַי (gÿ’ulai) is sometimes translated here “my redemption,” for the verbal root גאל often means “deliver, buy back.” A גֹּאֵל (go’el, “kinsman-redeemer”) was responsible for protecting the extended family’s interests, often by redeeming property that had been sold outside the family. However, the responsibilities of a גֹּאֵל extended beyond financial concerns. He was also responsible for avenging the shed blood of a family member (see Num 35:19-27; Deut 19:6-12). In Isa 63:4, where vengeance is a prominent theme (note the previous line), it is probably this function of the family protector that is in view. The Lord pictures himself as a blood avenger who waits for the day of vengeance to arrive and then springs into action.
[63:5] 1033 sn See Isa 59:16 for similar language.
[63:5] 1034 tn Heb “and my anger, it supported me”; NIV “my own wrath sustained me.”
[63:6] 1037 sn See Isa 49:26 and 51:23 for similar imagery.
[63:6] 1038 tn Heb “and I brought down to the ground their juice.” “Juice” refers to their blood (see v. 3).
[63:7] 1041 tn Heb “according to all which.”
[63:7] 1042 tn Heb “greatness of goodness to the house of Israel which he did for them.”
[63:7] 1043 tn Heb “according to.”
[63:8] 1045 tn Heb “children [who] do not act deceitfully.” Here the verb refers to covenantal loyalty.
[63:9] 1049 tn Heb “in all their distress, there was distress to him” (reading לוֹ [lo] with the margin/Qere).
[63:9] 1050 tn Heb “the messenger [or “angel”] of his face”; NIV “the angel of his presence.”
[63:9] 1051 tn Or “redeemed” (KJV, NAB, NIV), or “delivered.”
[63:9] 1052 tn Heb “all the days of antiquity”; KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV “days of old.”
[63:10] 1053 tn Or “grieved, hurt the feelings of.”
[63:10] 1054 sn The phrase “holy Spirit” occurs in the OT only here (in v. 11 as well) and in Ps 51:11 (51:13 HT), where it is associated with the divine presence.
[63:11] 1057 tn Heb “and he remembered the days of antiquity, Moses, his people.” The syntax of the statement is unclear. The translation assumes that “his people” is the subject of the verb “remembered.” If original, “Moses” is in apposition to “the days of antiquity,” more precisely identifying the time period referred to. However, the syntactical awkwardness suggests that “Moses” may have been an early marginal note (perhaps identifying “the shepherd of his flock” two lines later) that has worked its way into the text.
[63:11] 1058 tn The Hebrew text has a plural form, which if retained and taken as a numerical plural, would probably refer to Moses, Aaron, and the Israelite tribal leaders at the time of the Exodus. Most prefer to emend the form to the singular (רָעָה, ra’ah) and understand this as a reference just to Moses.
[63:11] 1059 sn See the note at v. 10.
[63:12] 1061 tn Heb “who caused to go at the right hand of Moses the arm of his splendor.”
[63:12] 1062 tn Heb “making for himself a lasting name.”
[63:13] 1065 tn Heb “in the desert [or “steppe”].”
[63:14] 1069 tn The words “to graze” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
[63:14] 1070 tn Or “so” (KJV, ASV), or “thus” (NAB, NRSV).
[63:14] 1071 tn Heb “making for yourself a majestic name.”
[63:15] 1073 tn This probably refers to his zeal for his people, which motivates him to angrily strike out against their enemies.
[63:15] 1074 tn The Hebrew text reads literally, “the agitation of your intestines and your compassion to me they are held back.” The phrase “agitation of your intestines” is metonymic, referring to the way in which one’s nervous system reacts when one feels pity and compassion toward another. אֵלַי (’elay, “to me”) is awkward in this context, where the speaker represents the nation and, following the introduction (see v. 7), utilizes first person plural forms. The translation assumes an emendation to the negative particle אַל (’al). This also necessitates emending the following verb form (which is a plural perfect) to a singular jussive (תִתְאַפָּק, tit’appaq). The Hitpael of אָפַק (’afaq) also occurs in 42:14.
[63:16] 1077 tn Heb “our protector [or “redeemer”] from antiquity [is] your name.”
[63:17] 1081 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] 1082 tn This probably refers to God’s commands.
[63:17] 1083 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).
[63:18] 1085 tn Or “holy” (ASV, NASB, NRSV, TEV, NLT).
[63:18] 1086 tn Heb “for a short time they had a possession, the people of your holiness.”
[63:18] 1087 tn Heb “your adversaries trampled on.”
[63:19] 1089 tn Heb “we were from antiquity” (see v. 16). The collocation עוֹלָם + מִן + הָיָה (hayah + min + ’olam) occurs only here.
[63:19] 1090 tn Heb “you did not rule them, your name was not called over them.” The expression “the name is called over” indicates ownership; see the note at 4:1. As these two lines stand they are very difficult to interpret. They appear to be stating that the adversaries just mentioned in v. 18 have not been subject to the Lord’s rule in the past, perhaps explaining why they could commit the atrocity described in v. 18b.
[64:1] 1093 sn In BHS the chapter division occurs in a different place from the English Bible: 64:1 ET (63:19b HT) and 64:2-12 (64:1-11 HT). Beginning with 65:1 the verse numbers in the English Bible and the Hebrew Bible are again the same.
[64:1] 1094 tn Or “the heavens.” The Hebrew term שָׁמַיִם (shamayim) may be translated “heavens” or “sky” depending on the context.
[64:1] 1095 tn Or “quake.” נָזֹלּוּ (nazollu) is from the verbal root זָלַל (zalal, “quake”; see HALOT 272 s.v. II זלל). Perhaps there is a verbal allusion to Judg 5:5, the only other passage where this verb occurs. In that passage the poet tells how the Lord’s appearance to do battle caused the mountains to shake.
[64:2] 1097 tn Heb “to make known your name to your adversaries.” Perhaps the infinitive construct with preposition -לְ (lamed) should be construed with “come down” in v. 1a, or subordinated to the following line: “To make known your name to your adversaries, let the nations shake from before you.”
[64:3] 1101 tn Heb “[for which] we were not waiting.”
[64:3] 1102 tn See the note at v. 1.
[64:4] 1105 tn Heb “from ancient times they have not heard, they have not listened.”
[64:5] 1109 tn Heb “meet [with kindness].”
[64:5] 1110 tn Heb “the one who rejoices and does righteousness.”
[64:5] 1111 tn Heb “in your ways they remember you.”
[64:5] 1112 tc The Hebrew text reads literally, “look, you were angry and we sinned against them continually [or perhaps, “in ancient times”] and we were delivered.” The statement makes little sense as it stands. The first vav [ו] consecutive (“and we sinned”) must introduce an explanatory clause here (see Num 1:48 and Isa 39:1 for other examples of this relatively rare use of the vav [ו] consecutive). The final verb (if rendered positively) makes no sense in this context – God’s anger at their sin resulted in judgment, not deliverance. One of the alternatives involves an emendation to וַנִּרְשָׁע (vannirsha’, “and we were evil”; LXX, NRSV, TEV). The Vulgate and the Qumran scroll 1QIsaa support the MT reading. One can either accept an emendation or cast the statement as a question (as above).
[64:6] 1113 tn Heb “and like a garment of menstruation [are] all our righteous acts”; KJV, NIV “filthy rags”; ASV “a polluted garment.”
[64:7] 1117 tn Or “calls out in”; NASB, NIV, NRSV “calls on.”
[64:7] 1118 tn Or “rouses himself”; NASB “arouses himself.”
[64:7] 1119 tn Heb “for you have hidden your face from us.”
[64:7] 1120 tc The Hebrew text reads literally, “and you caused us to melt in the hand of our sin.” The verb וַתְּמוּגֵנוּ (vattÿmugenu) is a Qal preterite 2nd person masculine singular with a 1st person common plural suffix from the root מוּג (mug, “melt”). However, elsewhere the Qal of this verb is intransitive. If the verbal root מוּג (mug) is retained here, the form should be emended to a Polel pattern (וַתְּמֹגְגֵנוּ, vattÿmogÿgenu). The translation assumes an emendation to וַתְּמַגְּנֵנוּ (vattÿmaggÿnenu, “and you handed us over”). This form is a Piel preterite 2nd person masculine singular with a 1st person common plural suffix from the verbal root מִגֵּן (miggen, “hand over, surrender”; see HALOT 545 s.v. מגן and BDB 171 s.v. מָגָן). The point is that God has abandoned them to their sinful ways and no longer seeks reconciliation.
[64:8] 1121 tn On the force of וְעַתָּה (vÿ’attah) here, see HALOT 902 s.v. עַתָּה.
[64:8] 1122 tn Heb “the work of your hand.”
[64:9] 1125 tn Heb “do not remember sin continually.”
[64:9] 1126 tn Heb “Look, gaze at your people, all of us.” Another option is to translate, “Take a good look! We are all your people.”
[64:10] 1129 tn Heb “holy” (so KJV, NASB, NRSV, NLT); NIV “sacred.”
[64:10] 1130 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[64:11] 1133 tn Heb “our source of pride.”
[64:11] 1134 tn Or “all that we valued has become a ruin.”
[64:12] 1137 tn Heb “because of these”; KJV, ASV “for these things.”
[65:1] 1141 tn Heb “I allowed myself to be sought by those who did not ask.”
[65:1] 1142 tn Heb “I allowed myself to be found by those who did not seek.”
[65:1] 1143 tn Heb “call out in”; NASB, NIV, NRSV “call on.”
[65:2] 1145 tn Heb “who walked [in] the way that is not good, after their thoughts.”
[65:3] 1149 tn Heb “the people who provoke me to anger to my face continually.”
[65:3] 1150 tn Or “gardens” (KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT).
[65:3] 1151 tn Or perhaps, “on tiles.”
[65:4] 1153 sn Perhaps the worship of underworld deities or dead spirits is in view.
[65:4] 1154 tn The Hebrew text reads literally, “and in the watches they spend the night.” Some understand נְּצוּרִים (nÿtsurim) as referring to “secret places” or “caves,” while others emend the text to וּבֵין צוּרִים (uven tsurim, “between the rocky cliffs”).
[65:4] 1155 tn Heb “the flesh of the pig”; KJV, NAB, NASB “swine’s flesh.”
[65:4] 1156 tc The marginal reading (Qere), supported by the Qumran scroll 1QIsaa, reads מְרַק (mÿraq, “broth”), while the consonantal text (Kethib) has פְרַק (feraq, “fragment”).
[65:6] 1157 tn Heb “Look, it is written before me.”
[65:6] 1158 tn Heb “I will pay back into their lap.”
[65:7] 1161 tn Heb “the iniquities of your fathers.”
[65:7] 1162 tn Or perhaps, “taunted”; KJV “blasphemed”; NAB “disgraced”; NASB “scorned”; NIV “defied”; NRSV “reviled.”
[65:7] 1163 tn Heb “I will measure out their pay [from the] beginning into their lap,” i.e., he will give them everything they have earned.
[65:8] 1165 tn Heb “just as.” In the Hebrew text the statement is one long sentence, “Just as…, so I will do….”
[65:8] 1166 tn Heb “for a blessing is in it.”
[65:8] 1167 tn Heb “by not destroying everyone.”
[65:9] 1169 tn Heb “it.” The third feminine singular pronominal suffix probably refers to the land which contains the aforementioned mountains.
[65:10] 1173 sn Sharon was a plain located to the west, along the Mediterranean coast north of Joppa and south of Carmel.
[65:10] 1174 sn The Valley of Achor (“Achor” means “trouble” in Hebrew) was the site of Achan’s execution. It was located to the east, near Jericho.
[65:10] 1175 tn Heb “a resting place for cattle”; NASB, NIV “for herds.”
[65:10] 1176 tn Heb “for my people who seek me.”
[65:11] 1177 tn The Hebrew text has simply, “forget.” The words “about worshiping at” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
[65:11] 1178 tn The Hebrew has לַגַּד (laggad, “for Gad”), the name of a pagan deity. See HALOT 176 s.v. II גַּד 2.
[65:11] 1179 tn The Hebrew has לַמְנִי (lamni, “for Meni”), the name of a pagan deity. See HALOT 602 s.v. מְגִי.
[65:12] 1181 tn Heb “I assign you to the sword.” Some emend the Qal verb form מָנִיתִי (maniti, “I assign”) to the Piel מִנִּיתִי (minniti, “ I ordain”). The verb sounds like the name of the god Meni (מְנִי, mÿni, “Destiny, Fate”). The sound play draws attention to the irony of the statement. The sinners among God’s people worship the god Meni, apparently in an effort to ensure a bright destiny for themselves. But the Lord is the one who really determines their destiny and he has decreed their demise.
[65:12] 1182 tn Or “at the slaughter”; NIV “for the slaughter”; NLT “before the executioner.”
[65:12] 1183 tn Heb “that which is evil in my eyes.”
[65:14] 1185 tn Heb “from the good of the heart.”
[65:14] 1186 tn Heb “from the pain of the heart.”
[65:14] 1187 tn Heb “from the breaking of the spirit.”
[65:15] 1189 tn Heb “you will leave your name for an oath to my chosen ones.”
[65:16] 1193 tn Or “in the land” (NIV, NCV, NRSV). The same phrase occurs again later in this verse, with the same options.
[65:16] 1194 tn Heb “will pronounce a blessing by the God of truth.”
[65:16] 1195 tn Heb “will take an oath by the God of truth.”
[65:16] 1196 tn Heb “for the former distresses will be forgotten, and they will be hidden from my eyes.”
[65:17] 1197 sn This hyperbolic statement likens the coming transformation of Jerusalem (see vv. 18-19) to a new creation of the cosmos.
[65:17] 1198 tn Or perhaps, “the former things” (so ASV, NASB, NIV, NRSV); TEV “The events of the past.”
[65:17] 1199 tn Heb “and they will not come up on the mind.”
[65:18] 1201 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[65:18] 1202 tn Heb “Jerusalem, joy.” The next verse suggests the meaning: The Lord will create Jerusalem to be a source of joy to himself.
[65:18] 1203 tn Heb “her people, happiness.” See the preceding note.
[65:19] 1205 tn Heb “and I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and be happy in my people.”
[65:20] 1209 tn Heb “and there will not be from there again a nursing infant of days,” i.e., one that lives just a few days.
[65:20] 1210 tn Heb “or an old [man] who does not fill out his days.”
[65:20] 1211 tn Heb “for the child as a son of one hundred years will die.” The point seems to be that those who die at the age of a hundred will be considered children, for the average life span will be much longer than that. The category “child” will be redefined in light of the expanded life spans that will characterize this new era.
[65:20] 1212 tn Heb “the one who misses.” חָטָא (khata’) is used here in its basic sense of “miss the mark.” See HALOT 305 s.v. חטא. Another option is to translate, “and the sinner who reaches the age of a hundred will be cursed.”
[65:22] 1213 tn Heb “they will not build, and another live [in it].”
[65:22] 1214 tn Heb “they will not plant, and another eat.”
[65:22] 1215 tn Heb “for like the days of the tree [will be] the days of my people.”
[65:22] 1216 tn Heb “the work of their hands” (so KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV); NLT “their hard-won gains.”
[65:23] 1217 tn Heb “and they will not give birth to horror.”
[65:23] 1218 tn Heb “for offspring blessed by the Lord they [will be], and their descendants along with them.”
[65:24] 1221 tn The verb that introduces this verse serves as a discourse particle and is untranslated; see note on “in the future” in 2:2.
[65:25] 1225 sn A similar statement appears in 11:6.
[65:25] 1226 sn These words also appear in 11:7.
[65:25] 1227 sn Some see an allusion to Gen 3:14 (note “you will eat dirt”). The point would be that even in this new era the snake (often taken as a symbol of Satan) remains under God’s curse. However, it is unlikely that such an allusion exists. Even if there is an echo of Gen 3:14, the primary allusion is to 11:8, where snakes are pictured as no longer dangerous. They will no longer attack other living creatures, but will be content to crawl along the ground. (The statement “you will eat dirt” in Gen 3:14 means “you will crawl on the ground.” In the same way the statement “dirt will be its food” in Isa 65:25 means “it will crawl on the ground.”)
[65:25] 1228 tn Heb “in all my holy mountain.” These same words appear in 11:9. See the note there.
[66:2] 1229 tn Heb “all these.” The phrase refers to the heavens and earth, mentioned in the previous verse.
[66:2] 1230 tn Heb “and all these were.” Some prefer to emend וַיִּהְיוּ (vayyihyu, “and they were”) to וְלִי הָיוּ (vÿli hayu, “and to me they were”), i.e., “and they belong to me.”
[66:2] 1231 tn Heb “and to this one I look” (KJV and NASB both similar).
[66:2] 1232 tn Heb “to the humble and the lowly in spirit and the one who trembles at my words.”
[66:3] 1233 tn Heb “one who slaughters a bull, one who strikes down a man.” Some understand a comparison here and in the following lines. In God’s sight the one who sacrifices is like (i.e., regarded as) a murderer or one whose worship is ritually defiled or idolatrous. The translation above assumes that the language is not metaphorical, but descriptive of the sinners’ hypocritical behavior. (Note the last two lines of the verse, which suggests they are guilty of abominable practices.) On the one hand, they act pious and offer sacrifices; but at the same time they commit violent crimes against men, defile their sacrifices, and worship other gods.
[66:3] 1234 tn Heb “one who sacrifices a lamb, one who breaks a dog’s neck.” Some understand a comparison, but see the previous note.
[66:3] 1235 tn Heb “one who offers an offering, pig’s blood.” Some understand a comparison, but see the note at the end of the first line.
[66:3] 1236 tn Heb “one who offers incense as a memorial offering, one who blesses something false.” Some understand a comparison, but see the note at the end of the first line. אָוֶן (’aven), which has a wide variety of attested nuances, here refers metonymically to an idol. See HALOT 22 s.v. and BDB 20 s.v. 2.
[66:3] 1237 tn Heb “also they have chosen their ways.”
[66:3] 1238 tn Heb “their being [or “soul”] takes delight in their disgusting [things].”
[66:4] 1237 tn The precise meaning of the noun is uncertain. It occurs only here and in 3:4 (but see the note there). It appears to be derived from the verbal root עָלַל (’alal), which can carry the nuance “deal severely.”
[66:4] 1238 tn Heb “that which is evil in my eyes.”
[66:5] 1241 tn Heb “who tremble at his word.”
[66:5] 1242 tn Heb “brothers” (so NASB, NIV); NRSV “Your own people”; NLT “Your close relatives.”
[66:5] 1243 tn Or “so that we might witness your joy.” The point of this statement is unclear.
[66:8] 1245 tn Heb “land,” but here אֶרֶץ (’erets) stands metonymically for an organized nation (see the following line).
[66:9] 1249 sn The rhetorical questions expect the answer, “Of course not!”
[66:11] 1253 tn Or “in order that”; ASV, NRSV “that.”
[66:11] 1254 tn Heb “you will suck and be satisfied, from her comforting breast.”
[66:11] 1255 tn Heb “you will slurp and refresh yourselves from her heavy breast.”
[66:12] 1257 tn Heb “Look, I am ready to extend to her like a river prosperity [or “peace”], and like an overflowing stream, the riches of nations.”
[66:12] 1258 tn The words “from her breast” are supplied in the translation for clarification (see v. 11).
[66:13] 1261 tn Heb “like a man whose mother comforts him.”
[66:14] 1265 tn “and you will see and your heart will be happy.”
[66:14] 1266 tn Heb “and your bones like grass will sprout.”
[66:14] 1267 tn Heb “and the hand of the Lord will be made known to his servants, and anger to his enemies.”
[66:15] 1269 sn Chariots are like a windstorm in their swift movement and in the way that they kick up dust.
[66:15] 1270 tn Heb “to cause to return with the rage of his anger, and his battle cry [or “rebuke”] with flames of fire.”
[66:16] 1273 tn Heb “flesh” (so KJV, NASB, NRSV); NIV “upon all men”; TEV “all the people of the world.”
[66:16] 1274 tn Heb “many are the slain of the Lord.”
[66:17] 1277 tn Heb “the ones who consecrate themselves and the ones who purify themselves toward the orchards [or “gardens”] after the one in the midst.” The precise meaning of the statement is unclear, though it is obvious that some form of idolatry is in view.
[66:17] 1278 tn Heb “ones who eat the flesh of the pig and the disgusting thing and the mouse.”
[66:17] 1279 tn Heb “together they will come to an end.”
[66:18] 1281 tc The Hebrew text reads literally “and I, their deeds and their thoughts, am coming.” The syntax here is very problematic, suggesting that the text may have suffered corruption. Some suggest that the words “their deeds and their thoughts” have been displaced from v. 17. This line presents two primary challenges. In the first place, the personal pronoun “I” has no verb after it. Most translations insert “know” for the sake of clarity (NASB, NRSV, NLT, ESV). The NIV has “I, because of their actions and their imaginations…” Since God’s “knowledge” of Israel’s sin occasions judgment, the verb “hate” is an option as well (see above translation). The feminine form of the next verb (בָּאָה, ba’ah) could be understood in one of two ways. One could provide an implied noun “time” (עֵת, ’et) and render the next line “the time is coming/has come” (NASB, ESV). One could also emend the feminine verb to the masculine בָּא (ba’) and have the “I” at the beginning of the line govern this verb as well (for the Lord is speaking here): “I am coming” (cf. NIV, NCV, NRSV, TEV, NLT).
[66:18] 1282 tn Heb “and the tongues”; KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV “and tongues.”
[66:19] 1285 tn Heb “and I will set a sign among them.” The precise meaning of this statement is unclear. Elsewhere “to set a sign” means “perform a mighty act” (Ps 78:43; Jer 32:20), “make [someone] an object lesson” (Ezek 14:8), and “erect a [literal] standard” (Ps 74:4).
[66:19] 1286 tn Some prefer to read “Put” (i.e., Libya).
[66:19] 1287 sn That is, Lydia (in Asia Minor).
[66:19] 1288 tn Heb “drawers of the bow” (KJV and ASV both similar).
[66:19] 1289 sn Javan is generally identified today as Greece (so NIV, NCV, NLT).
[66:19] 1290 tn Or “islands” (NIV).
[66:20] 1289 tn Heb “brothers” (so NIV); NCV “fellow Israelites.”
[66:20] 1290 tn The words “they will bring them” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[66:20] 1291 tn The precise meaning of this word is uncertain. Some suggest it refers to “chariots.” See HALOT 498 s.v. *כִּרְכָּרָה.
[66:23] 1293 tn Heb “new moon.” The verb that introduces this verse serves as a discourse particle and is untranslated; see note on “in the future” in 2:2.
[66:23] 1294 tn Heb “all flesh” (so KJV, ASV, NRSV); NAB, NASB, NIV “all mankind”; NLT “All humanity.”
[66:23] 1295 tn Or “bow down before” (NASB).
[66:24] 1297 tn Heb “for their worm will not die.”
[66:24] 1298 tn Heb “and their fire will not be extinguished.”
[66:24] 1299 tn Heb “and they will be an abhorrence to all flesh.”
