Isaiah 9:2

9:2 (9:1) The people walking in darkness

see a bright light; ¹ 

light shines

on those who live in a land of deep darkness. ² 

Isaiah 13:17

13:17 Look, I am stirring up the Medes to attack them; ³ 

they are not concerned about silver,

nor are they interested in gold. ⁴ 

Isaiah 14:1

14:1 The Lord will certainly have compassion on Jacob; ⁵  he will again choose Israel as his special people ⁶  and restore ⁷  them to their land. Resident foreigners will join them and unite with the family ⁸  of Jacob.

Isaiah 14:22

14:22 “I will rise up against them,”

says the Lord who commands armies.

“I will blot out all remembrance of Babylon and destroy all her people, ⁹ 

including the offspring she produces,” ¹⁰ 

says the Lord.

Isaiah 36:8

36:8 Now make a deal with my master the king of Assyria, and I will give you two thousand horses, provided you can find enough riders for them.

[9:2]  ¹ sn The darkness symbolizes judgment and its effects (see 8:22); the light represents deliverance and its effects, brought about by the emergence of a conquering Davidic king (see vv. 3-6).

[9:2]  ² tn Traditionally צַלְמָוֶת (tsalmavet) has been interpreted as a compound noun, meaning “shadow of death” (so KJV, ASV, NIV), but usage indicates that the word, though it sometimes refers to death, means “darkness.” The term should probably be repointed as an abstract noun צַלְמוּת (tsalmut). See the note at Ps 23:4.

[13:17]  ³ tn Heb “against them”; NLT “against Babylon.”

[13:17]  ⁴ sn They cannot be bought off, for they have a lust for bloodshed.

[14:1]  ⁵ tn The sentence begins with כִּי (ki), which is understood as asseverative (“certainly”) in the translation. Another option is to translate, “For the Lord will have compassion.” In this case one of the reasons for Babylon’s coming demise (13:22b) is the Lord’s desire to restore his people.

[14:1]  ⁶ tn The words “as his special people” are supplied in the translation for clarification.

[14:1]  ⁷ tn Or “settle” (NASB, NIV, NCV, NLT).

[14:1]  ⁸ tn Heb “house.”

[14:22]  ⁷ tn Heb “I will cut off from Babylon name and remnant” (ASV, NAB, and NRSV all similar).

[14:22]  ⁸ tn Heb “descendant and child.”