Isaiah 9:7

9:7 His dominion will be vast ¹ 

and he will bring immeasurable prosperity. ² 

He will rule on David’s throne

and over David’s kingdom, ³ 

establishing it ⁴  and strengthening it

by promoting justice and fairness, ⁵ 

from this time forward and forevermore.

The Lord’s intense devotion to his people ⁶  will accomplish this.

Isaiah 59:17

59:17 He wears his desire for justice ⁷  like body armor, ⁸ 

and his desire to deliver is like a helmet on his head. ⁹ 

He puts on the garments of vengeance ¹⁰ 

and wears zeal like a robe.

Isaiah 63:15

63:15 Look down from heaven and take notice,

from your holy, majestic palace!

Where are your zeal ¹¹  and power?

Do not hold back your tender compassion! ¹² 

Ezekiel 5:13

5:13 Then my anger will be fully vented; I will exhaust my rage on them, and I will be appeased. ¹³  Then they will know that I, the Lord, have spoken in my jealousy ¹⁴  when I have fully vented my rage against them.

Ezekiel 20:9

20:9 I acted for the sake of my reputation, ¹⁵  so that I would not be profaned before the nations among whom they lived, ¹⁶  before whom I revealed myself by bringing them out of the land of Egypt. ¹⁷ 

Zechariah 1:14

1:14 Turning to me, the messenger then said, “Cry out that the Lord who rules over all says, ‘I am very much moved ¹⁸  for Jerusalem and for Zion.

John 2:17

2:17 His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal ¹⁹  for your house will devour me.” ²⁰ 

[9:7]  ¹ tc The Hebrew text has לְםַרְבֵּה (lÿmarbeh), which is a corrupt reading. לם is dittographic; note the preceding word, שָׁלוֹם (shalom). The corrected text reads literally, “great is the dominion.”

[9:7]  ² tn Heb “and to peace there will be no end” (KJV and ASV both similar). On the political and socio-economic sense of שָׁלוֹם (shalom) in this context, see the note at v. 6 on “Prince of Peace.”

[9:7]  ³ tn Heb “over the throne of David, and over his kingdom.” The referent of the pronoun “his” (i.e., David) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[9:7]  ⁴ tn The feminine singular pronominal suffix on this form and the following one (translated “it” both times) refers back to the grammatically feminine noun “kingdom.”

[9:7]  ⁵ tn Heb “with/by justice and fairness”; ASV “with justice and with righteousness.”

[9:7]  ⁶ tn Heb “the zeal of the Lord.” In this context the Lord’s “zeal” refers to his intense devotion to and love for his people which prompts him to vindicate them and to fulfill his promises to David and the nation.

[59:17]  ⁷ tn Or “righteousness” (KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT); NCV “goodness.”

[59:17]  ⁸ tn Or “a breastplate” (traditional; so many English versions); TEV “a coat of armour.”

[59:17]  ⁹ tn Heb “and [as] a helmet deliverance on his head.”

[59:17]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “and he puts on the clothes of vengeance [as] a garment.”

[63:15]  ¹¹ tn This probably refers to his zeal for his people, which motivates him to angrily strike out against their enemies.

[63:15]  ¹² tn The Hebrew text reads literally, “the agitation of your intestines and your compassion to me they are held back.” The phrase “agitation of your intestines” is metonymic, referring to the way in which one’s nervous system reacts when one feels pity and compassion toward another. אֵלַי (’elay, “to me”) is awkward in this context, where the speaker represents the nation and, following the introduction (see v. 7), utilizes first person plural forms. The translation assumes an emendation to the negative particle אַל (’al). This also necessitates emending the following verb form (which is a plural perfect) to a singular jussive (תִתְאַפָּק, tit’appaq). The Hitpael of אָפַק (’afaq) also occurs in 42:14.

[5:13]  ¹³ tn Or “calm myself.”

[5:13]  ¹⁴ tn The Hebrew noun translated “jealousy” is used in the human realm to describe suspicion of adultery (Num 5:14ff.; Prov 6:34). Since Israel’s relationship with God was often compared to a marriage this term is appropriate here. The term occurs elsewhere in Ezekiel in 8:3, 5; 16:38, 42; 23:25.

[20:9]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “for the sake of my name.”

[20:9]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “before the eyes of the nations in whose midst they were.”

[20:9]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “to whom I made myself known before their eyes to bring them out from the land of Egypt.” The translation understands the infinitive construct (“to bring them out”) as indicating manner. God’s deliverance of his people from Egypt was an act of self-revelation in that it displayed his power and his commitment to his promises.

[1:14]  ¹⁸ tn Heb “jealous for” (so KJV, ASV); NIV, NRSV “very jealous for”; CEV “very protective of.” The meaning is that Jerusalem/Zion is the special object of God’s grace and purposes. This results in his unusual protection of his people, a protection not accorded others with whom he does not have such a close relationship.

[2:17]  ¹⁹ tn Or “Fervent devotion to your house.”

[2:17]  ²⁰ sn A quotation from Ps 69:9.