Isaiah 59:16-18

The Lord Intervenes

59:16 He sees there is no advocate; ¹ 

he is shocked ²  that no one intervenes.

So he takes matters into his own hands; ³ 

his desire for justice drives him on. ⁴ 

59:17 He wears his desire for justice ⁵  like body armor, ⁶ 

and his desire to deliver is like a helmet on his head. ⁷ 

He puts on the garments of vengeance ⁸ 

and wears zeal like a robe.

59:18 He repays them for what they have done,

dispensing angry judgment to his adversaries

and punishing his enemies. ⁹ 

He repays the coastlands. ¹⁰ 

[59:16]  ¹ tn Heb “man” (so KJV, ASV); TEV “no one to help.”

[59:16]  ² tn Or “appalled” (NAB, NIV, NRSV), or “disgusted.”

[59:16]  ³ tn Heb “and his arm delivers for him.”

[59:16]  ⁴ tn Heb “and his justice [or “righteousness”] supports him.”

[59:17]  ⁵ tn Or “righteousness” (KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT); NCV “goodness.”

[59:17]  ⁶ tn Or “a breastplate” (traditional; so many English versions); TEV “a coat of armour.”

[59:17]  ⁷ tn Heb “and [as] a helmet deliverance on his head.”

[59:17]  ⁸ tn Heb “and he puts on the clothes of vengeance [as] a garment.”

[59:18]  ⁹ tn Heb “in accordance with deeds, so he repays, anger to his adversaries, repayment to his enemies.”

[59:18]  ¹⁰ tn Or “islands” (KJV, NIV).