Isaiah 49:8

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 ¹  and make you a covenant mediator for people, ² 

to rebuild ³  the land ⁴ 

and to reassign the desolate property.

Isaiah 54:1

Zion Will Be Secure

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.

Isaiah 59:16

The Lord Intervenes

59:16 He sees there is no advocate; ⁵ 

he is shocked ⁶  that no one intervenes.

So he takes matters into his own hands; ⁷ 

his desire for justice drives him on. ⁸ 

[49:8]  ¹ 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]  ² 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]  ³ tn The Hiphil of קוּם (qum, “arise”) is probably used here in the sense of “rebuild.”

[49:8]  ⁴ tn The “land” probably stands by metonymy for the ruins within it.

[59:16]  ⁵ tn Heb “man” (so KJV, ASV); TEV “no one to help.”

[59:16]  ⁶ tn Or “appalled” (NAB, NIV, NRSV), or “disgusted.”

[59:16]  ⁷ tn Heb “and his arm delivers for him.”

[59:16]  ⁸ tn Heb “and his justice [or “righteousness”] supports him.”