Isaiah 51:12

51:12 “I, I am the one who consoles you. ¹ 

Why are you afraid of mortal men,

of mere human beings who are as short-lived as grass? ² 

Isaiah 57:11

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? ³ 

Because I have been silent for so long, ⁴ 

you are not afraid of me. ⁵ 

[51:12]  ¹ 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]  ² 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.

[57:11]  ³ tn Heb “you do not place [it] on your heart.”

[57:11]  ⁴ tn Heb “Is it not [because] I have been silent, and from long ago?”

[57:11]  ⁵ sn God’s patience with sinful Israel has caused them to think that they can sin with impunity and suffer no consequences.