Isaiah 5:13

5:13 Therefore my ¹  people will be deported ² 

because of their lack of understanding.

Their ³  leaders will have nothing to eat, ⁴ 

their ⁵  masses will have nothing to drink. ⁶ 

Isaiah 41:17

41:17 The oppressed and the poor look for water, but there is none;

their tongues are parched from thirst.

I, the Lord, will respond to their prayers; ⁷ 

I, the God of Israel, will not abandon them.

Isaiah 50:2

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

Why does no one respond when I call? ⁸ 

Is my hand too weak ⁹  to deliver ¹⁰  you?

Do I lack the power to rescue you?

Look, with a mere shout ¹¹  I can dry up the sea;

I can turn streams into a desert,

so the fish rot away and die

from lack of water. ¹² 

[5:13]  ¹ sn It is not certain if the prophet or the Lord is speaking at this point.

[5:13]  ² tn The suffixed (perfect) form of the verb is used; in this way the coming event is described for rhetorical effect as occurring or as already completed.

[5:13]  ³ tn The third masculine singular suffix refers back to “my people.”

[5:13]  ⁴ tn Heb “Their glory will be men of hunger.” כָּבוֹד (kavod, “glory”) is in opposition to הָמוֹן (hamon, “masses”) and refers here to the rich and prominent members of the nation. Some prefer to repoint מְתֵי (mÿtey, “men of”) as מִתֵי (mitey, “dead ones of”).

[5:13]  ⁵ tn The third masculine singular suffix refers back to “my people.”

[5:13]  ⁶ tn Heb “and their masses will be parched [by] thirst.”

[41:17]  ⁷ tn Heb “will answer them” (so ASV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT).

[50:2]  ¹³ 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]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “short” (so NAB, NASB, NIV).

[50:2]  ¹⁵ tn Or “ransom” (NAB, NASB, NIV).

[50:2]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “with my rebuke.”

[50:2]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “the fish stink from lack of water and die from thirst.”