Isaiah 8:16

8:16 Tie up the scroll as legal evidence, ¹ 

seal the official record of God’s instructions and give it to my followers. ² 

Isaiah 28:3

28:3 The splendid crown of Ephraim’s drunkards

will be trampled underfoot.

Isaiah 28:26

28:26 His God instructs him;

he teaches him the principles of agriculture. ³ 

Isaiah 47:8

47:8 So now, listen to this,

O one who lives so lavishly, ⁴ 

who lives securely,

who says to herself, ⁵ 

‘I am unique! No one can compare to me! ⁶ 

I will never have to live as a widow;

I will never lose my children.’ ⁷ 

Isaiah 49:14

The Lord Remembers Zion

49:14 “Zion said, ‘The Lord has abandoned me,

the sovereign master ⁸  has forgotten me.’

[8:16]  ¹ tn Heb “tie up [the] testimony.” The “testimony” probably refers to the prophetic messages God has given him. When the prophecies are fulfilled, he will be able to produce this official, written record to confirm the authenticity of his ministry and to prove to the people that God is sovereign over events.

[8:16]  ² tn Heb “seal [the] instruction among my followers.” The “instruction” probably refers to the prophet’s exhortations and warnings. When the people are judged for the sins, the prophet can produce these earlier messages and essentially say, “I told you so.” In this way he can authenticate his ministry and impress upon the people the reality of God’s authority over them.

[28:26]  ³ tn Heb “he teaches him the proper way, his God instructs him.”

[47:8]  ⁵ tn Or perhaps, “voluptuous one” (NAB); NAB “you sensual one”; NLT “You are a pleasure-crazy kingdom.”

[47:8]  ⁶ tn Heb “the one who says in her heart.”

[47:8]  ⁷ tn Heb “I [am], and besides me there is no other.” See Zeph 2:15.

[47:8]  ⁸ tn Heb “I will not live [as] a widow, and I will not know loss of children.”

[49:14]  ⁷ tn The Hebrew term translated “sovereign master” here is אֲדֹנָי (’adonay).