Isaiah 47:11

47:11 Disaster will overtake you;

you will not know how to charm it away. ¹ 

Destruction will fall on you;

you will not be able to appease it.

Calamity will strike you suddenly,

before you recognize it. ² 

Isaiah 58:8

58:8 Then your light will shine like the sunrise; ³ 

your restoration will quickly arrive; ⁴ 

your godly behavior ⁵  will go before you,

and the Lord’s splendor will be your rear guard. ⁶ 

[47:11]  ¹ 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]  ² tn Heb “you will not know”; NIV “you cannot foresee.”

[58:8]  ³ tn Heb “will burst out like the dawn.”

[58:8]  ⁴ tn Heb “prosper”; KJV “spring forth speedily.”

[58:8]  ⁵ tn Or “righteousness.” Their godly behavior will be on display for all to see.

[58:8]  ⁶ sn The nation will experience God’s protective presence.