Discovery BoxIsaiah 57:21
Context57:21 There will be no prosperity,” says my God, “for the wicked.”
Isaiah 59:8-12
Context59:8 They are unfamiliar with peace;
their deeds are unjust. 1
They use deceitful methods,
and whoever deals with them is unfamiliar with peace. 2
59:9 For this reason deliverance 3 is far from us 4
and salvation does not reach us.
We wait for light, 5 but see only darkness; 6
we wait for 7 a bright light, 8 but live 9 in deep darkness. 10
59:10 We grope along the wall like the blind,
we grope like those who cannot see; 11
we stumble at noontime as if it were evening.
Though others are strong, we are like dead men. 12
59:11 We all growl like bears,
we coo mournfully like doves;
we wait for deliverance, 13 but there is none,
for salvation, but it is far from us.
59:12 For you are aware of our many rebellious deeds, 14
and our sins testify against us;
indeed, we are aware of our rebellious deeds;
we know our sins all too well. 15
Jeremiah 8:15-16
Context8:15 We hoped for good fortune, but nothing good has come of it.
We hoped for a time of relief, but instead we experience terror. 16
8:16 The snorting of the enemy’s horses
is already being heard in the city of Dan.
The sound of the neighing of their stallions 17
causes the whole land to tremble with fear.
They are coming to destroy the land and everything in it!
They are coming to destroy 18 the cities and everyone who lives in them!”
Lamentations 4:17-18
Contextע (Ayin)
4:17 Our eyes continually failed us
as we looked in vain for help. 19
From our watchtowers we watched
for a nation that could not rescue us.
צ (Tsade)
4:18 Our enemies 20 hunted us down at every step 21
so that we could not walk about in our streets.
Our end drew near, our days were numbered, 22
for our end had come!
Micah 1:12
Context1:12 Indeed, the residents of Maroth 23 hope for something good to happen, 24
though the Lord has sent disaster against the city of Jerusalem. 25
[59:8] 1 tn Heb “a way of peace they do not know, and there is no justice in their pathways.”
[59:8] 2 tn Heb “their paths they make crooked, everyone who walks in it does not know peace.”
[59:9] 3 tn מִשְׁפָּט (mishpat), which refers to “justice” in the earlier verses, here refers to “justice from God,” or “vindication.” Because the people are unjust, God refuses to vindicate them before their enemies. See v. 11.
[59:9] 4 sn The prophet speaks on behalf of the sinful nation and confesses its sins.
[59:9] 5 sn Light here symbolizes prosperity and blessing.
[59:9] 6 tn Heb “but, look, darkness”; NIV “but all is darkness.”
[59:9] 7 tn The words “we wait for” are supplied in the translation; the verb is understood by ellipsis (note the preceding line).
[59:9] 8 tn The plural noun form may indicate degree here.
[59:9] 9 tn Or “walk about”; NCV “all we have is darkness.”
[59:9] 10 tn The plural noun form may indicate degree here.
[59:10] 11 tn Heb “like there are no eyes.”
[59:10] 12 tn Heb among the strong, like dead men.”
[59:11] 13 tn See the note at v. 9.
[59:12] 14 tn Heb “for many are our rebellious deeds before you.”
[59:12] 15 tn Heb “indeed [or “for”] our rebellious deeds (are) with us, and our sins, we know them.”
[8:15] 16 tn Heb “[We hoped] for a time of healing but behold terror.”
[8:16] 17 tn Heb “his stallions.”
[8:16] 18 tn The words “They are coming to destroy” are not in the text. They are inserted to break up a long sentence in conformity with contemporary English style.
[4:17] 19 tn Heb “Our eyes failed in vain for help.”
[4:18] 20 tn Heb “they”; this has been specified in the translation as “our enemies” for clarity.
[4:18] 21 tn Heb “they hunted our steps.”
[4:18] 22 tn Heb “our days were full.”
[1:12] 23 sn The place name Maroth sounds like the Hebrew word for “bitter.”
[1:12] 24 tc The translation assumes an emendation of חָלָה (khalah; from חִיל, khil, “to writhe”) to יִחֲלָה (yikhalah; from יָחַל, yakhal, “to wait”).
[1:12] 25 tn Heb “though disaster has come down from the
