Isaiah 51:12-13

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 

51:13 Why do you forget ³  the Lord, who made you,

who stretched out the sky ⁴ 

and founded the earth?

Why do you constantly tremble all day long ⁵ 

at the anger of the oppressor,

when he makes plans to destroy?

Where is the anger of the oppressor? ⁶ 

[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.

[51:13]  ³ tn Heb “and that you forget.”

[51:13]  ⁴ 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]  ⁵ tn Heb “and that you tremble constantly all the day.”

[51:13]  ⁶ tn The question anticipates the answer, “Ready to disappear!” See v. 14.