Isaiah 9:4

9:4 For their oppressive yoke

and the club that strikes their shoulders,

the cudgel the oppressor uses on them, ¹ 

you have shattered, as in the day of Midian’s defeat. ² 

Isaiah 31:9

31:9 They will surrender their stronghold ³  because of fear; ⁴ 

their officers will be afraid of the Lord’s battle flag.” ⁵ 

This is what the Lord says –

the one whose fire is in Zion,

whose firepot is in Jerusalem. ⁶ 

Isaiah 37:27

37:27 Their residents are powerless; ⁷ 

they are terrified and ashamed.

They are as short-lived as plants in the field

or green vegetation. ⁸ 

They are as short-lived as grass on the rooftops ⁹ 

when it is scorched by the east wind. ¹⁰ 

Isaiah 51:7

51:7 Listen to me, you who know what is right,

you people who are aware of my law! ¹¹ 

Don’t be afraid of the insults of men;

don’t be discouraged because of their abuse!

[9:4]  ¹ tn Heb “for the yoke of his burden, and the staff of his shoulder, the scepter of the oppressor against him.” The singular pronouns are collective, referring to the people. The oppressed nation is compared to an ox weighed down by a heavy yoke and an animal that is prodded and beaten.

[9:4]  ² sn This alludes to Gideon’s victory over Midian (Judg 7-8), when the Lord delivered Israel from an oppressive foreign invader.

[31:9]  ³ tn Heb “rocky cliff” (cf. ASV, NASB “rock”), viewed metaphorically as a place of defense and security.

[31:9]  ⁴ tn Heb “His rocky cliff, because of fear, will pass away [i.e., “perish”].”

[31:9]  ⁵ tn Heb “and they will be afraid of the flag, his officers.”

[31:9]  ⁶ sn The “fire” and “firepot” here symbolize divine judgment, which is heating up like a fire in Jerusalem, waiting to be used against the Assyrians when they attack the city.

[37:27]  ⁵ tn Heb “short of hand”; KJV, ASV “of small power”; NASB “short of strength.”

[37:27]  ⁶ tn Heb “they are plants in the field and green vegetation.” The metaphor emphasizes how short-lived these seemingly powerful cities really were. See Ps 90:5-6; Isa 40:6-8, 24.

[37:27]  ⁷ tn Heb “[they are] grass on the rooftops.” See the preceding note.

[37:27]  ⁸ tc The Hebrew text has “scorched before the standing grain” (perhaps meaning “before it reaches maturity”), but it is preferable to emend קָמָה (qamah, “standing grain”) to קָדִים (qadim, “east wind”) with the support of 1Q Isa^a; cf. J. N. Oswalt, Isaiah (NICOT), 1:657, n. 8.

[51:7]  ⁷ tn Heb “people (who have) my law in their heart.”