Isaiah 6:2

6:2 Seraphs ¹  stood over him; each one had six wings. With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, ²  and they used the remaining two to fly.

Isaiah 11:10

Israel is Reclaimed and Reunited

11:10 At that time ³  a root from Jesse ⁴  will stand like a signal flag for the nations. Nations will look to him for guidance, ⁵  and his residence will be majestic.

Isaiah 21:8

21:8 Then the guard ⁶  cries out:

“On the watchtower, O sovereign master, ⁷ 

I stand all day long;

at my post

I am stationed every night.

Isaiah 36:13

36:13 The chief adviser then stood there and called out loudly in the Judahite dialect, ⁸  “Listen to the message of the great king, the king of Assyria.

Isaiah 44:11

44:11 Look, all his associates ⁹  will be put to shame;

the craftsmen are mere humans. ¹⁰ 

Let them all assemble and take their stand!

They will panic and be put to shame.

Isaiah 46:7

46:7 They put it on their shoulder and carry it;

they put it in its place and it just stands there;

it does not ¹¹  move from its place.

Even when someone cries out to it, it does not reply;

it does not deliver him from his distress.

Isaiah 47:12-13

47:12 Persist ¹²  in trusting ¹³  your amulets

and your many incantations,

which you have faithfully recited ¹⁴  since your youth!

Maybe you will be successful ¹⁵  –

maybe you will scare away disaster. ¹⁶ 

47:13 You are tired out from listening to so much advice. ¹⁷ 

Let them take their stand –

the ones who see omens in the sky,

who gaze at the stars,

who make monthly predictions –

let them rescue you from the disaster that is about to overtake you! ¹⁸ 

Isaiah 59:14

59:14 Justice is driven back;

godliness ¹⁹  stands far off.

Indeed, ²⁰  honesty stumbles in the city square

and morality is not even able to enter.

[6:2]  ¹ tn Hebrew שָׂרָף (saraf, “seraph”) literally means “burning one,” perhaps suggesting that these creatures had a fiery appearance (cf. TEV, CEV “flaming creatures”; NCV “heavenly creatures of fire”). Elsewhere in the OT the word “seraph” refers to poisonous snakes (Num 21:6; Deut 8:15; Isa 14:29; 30:6). Perhaps they were called “burning ones” because of their appearance or the effect of their venomous bites, which would cause a victim to burn up with fever. It is possible that the seraphs seen by Isaiah were at least partially serpentine in appearance. Though it might seem strange for a snake-like creature to have wings, two of the texts where “seraphs” are snakes describe them as “flying” (Isa 14:29; 30:6), perhaps referring to their darting movements. See the note at 14:29.

[6:2]  ² sn Some understand “feet” here as a euphemistic reference to the genitals.

[11:10]  ³ tn Or “in that day” (KJV). The verb that introduces this verse serves as a discourse particle and is untranslated; see note on “in the future” in 2:2.

[11:10]  ⁴ sn See the note at v. 1.

[11:10]  ⁵ tn Heb “ a root from Jesse, which stands for a signal flag of the nations, of him nations will inquire” [or “seek”].

[21:8]  ⁵ tn The Hebrew text has, “the lion,” but this makes little sense here. אַרְיֵה (’aryeh, “lion”) is probably a corruption of an original הָרֹאֶה (haro’eh, “the one who sees”), i.e., the guard mentioned previously in v. 6.

[21:8]  ⁶ tn The Hebrew term translated “sovereign master” here is אֲדֹנָי (’adonay). Some translations take this to refer to the Lord (cf. NAB, NASB, NRSV), while others take it to refer to the guard’s human master (“my lord”; cf. NIV, NLT).

[36:13]  ⁷ tn The Hebrew text includes “and he said.”

[44:11]  ⁹ tn The pronoun “his” probably refers to the one who forms/casts an idol (v. 10), in which case it refers to the craftsman’s associates in the idol-manufacturing guild.

[44:11]  ¹⁰ sn The point seems to be this: If the idols are the mere products of human hands, then those who trust in them will be disappointed, for man-made gods are incapable of helping their “creators.”

[46:7]  ¹¹ tn Or perhaps, “cannot,” here and in the following two lines. The imperfect forms can indicate capability.

[47:12]  ¹³ tn Heb “stand” (so KJV, ASV); NASB, NRSV “Stand fast.”

[47:12]  ¹⁴ tn The word “trusting” is supplied in the translation for clarification. See v. 9.

[47:12]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “in that which you have toiled.”

[47:12]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “maybe you will be able to profit.”

[47:12]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “maybe you will cause to tremble.” The object “disaster” is supplied in the translation for clarification. See the note at v. 9.

[47:13]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “you are tired because of the abundance of your advice.”

[47:13]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “let them stand and rescue you – the ones who see omens in the sky, who gaze at the stars, who make known by months – from those things which are coming upon you.”

[59:14]  ¹⁷ tn Or “righteousness” (ASV, NASB, NIV, NRSV); KJV, NAB “justice.”

[59:14]  ¹⁸ tn Or “for” (KJV, NRSV).