36:22 In the first year of the reign of 1 King Cyrus of Persia, in fulfillment of the promise he delivered through Jeremiah, 2 the Lord moved 3 King Cyrus of Persia to issue a written decree throughout his kingdom.
1:1 4 In the first 5 year of King Cyrus of Persia, in order to fulfill the Lord’s message 6 spoken through 7 Jeremiah, 8 the Lord stirred the mind 9 of King Cyrus of Persia. He disseminated 10 a proclamation 11 throughout his entire kingdom, announcing in a written edict 12 the following: 13
1:2 “Thus says King Cyrus of Persia:
“‘The Lord God of heaven has given me all the kingdoms of the earth. He has instructed me to build a temple 14 for him in Jerusalem, 15 which is in Judah. 1:3 Anyone from 16 his people among you (may his God be with him!) may go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and may build the temple of the Lord God of Israel – he is the God who is in Jerusalem. 1:4 Anyone who survives in any of those places where he is a resident foreigner must be helped by his neighbors 17 with silver, gold, equipment, and animals, along with voluntary offerings for the temple of God which is in Jerusalem.’”
1:5 Then the leaders 18 of Judah and Benjamin, along with the priests and the Levites – all those whose mind God had stirred – got ready 19 to go up in order to build the temple of the Lord in Jerusalem. 20 1:6 All their neighbors assisted 21 them with silver utensils, 22 gold, equipment, animals, and expensive gifts, not to mention 23 all the voluntary offerings.
1:7 Then King Cyrus brought out the vessels of the Lord’s temple which Nebuchadnezzar had brought from Jerusalem and had displayed 24 in the temple of his gods. 1:8 King Cyrus of Persia entrusted 25 them to 26 Mithredath 27 the treasurer, who counted them out to Sheshbazzar 28 the leader of the Judahite exiles. 29
1:9 The inventory 30 of these items was as follows:
30 gold basins, 31
1,000 silver basins,
29 silver utensils, 32
1:10 30 gold bowls,
410 other 33 silver bowls,
and 1,000 other vessels.
1:11 All these gold and silver vessels totaled 5,400. 34 Sheshbazzar brought them all along when the captives were brought up from Babylon to Jerusalem.
2:1 35 These are the people 36 of the province who were going up, 37 from the captives of the exile whom King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had forced into exile in Babylon. They returned to Jerusalem 38 and Judah, each to his own city. 2:2 They came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, and Baanah.
The number of Israelites 39 was as follows: 40
2:3 the descendants 41 of Parosh: 2,172;
2:4 the descendants of Shephatiah: 372;
2:5 the descendants of Arah: 775;
2:6 the descendants of Pahath-Moab (from the line 42 of Jeshua and 43 Joab): 2,812;
2:7 the descendants of Elam: 1,254;
2:8 the descendants of Zattu: 945;
2:9 the descendants of Zaccai: 760;
2:10 the descendants of Bani: 642;
2:11 the descendants of Bebai: 623;
2:12 the descendants of Azgad: 1,222;
2:13 the descendants of Adonikam: 666;
2:14 the descendants of Bigvai: 2,056;
2:15 the descendants of Adin: 454;
2:16 the descendants of Ater (through 44 Hezekiah): 98;
2:17 the descendants of Bezai: 323;
2:18 the descendants of Jorah: 112;
2:19 the descendants of Hashum: 223;
2:20 the descendants of Gibbar: 95.
2:21 The men 45 of Bethlehem: 46 123;
2:22 the men of Netophah: 56;
2:23 the men of Anathoth: 128;
2:24 the men of the family 47 of Azmaveth: 42;
2:25 the men of Kiriath Jearim, 48 Kephirah and Beeroth: 743;
2:26 the men of Ramah and Geba: 621;
2:27 the men of Micmash: 122;
2:28 the men of Bethel 49 and Ai: 223;
2:29 the descendants of Nebo: 52;
2:30 the descendants of Magbish: 156;
2:31 the descendants of the other Elam: 1,254;
2:32 the descendants of Harim: 320;
2:33 the men of Lod, Hadid, and Ono: 725;
2:34 the men of Jericho: 50 345;
2:35 the descendants of Senaah: 3,630.
2:36 The priests: the descendants of Jedaiah (through the family 51 of Jeshua): 973;
2:37 the descendants of Immer: 1,052;
2:38 the descendants of Pashhur: 1,247;
2:39 the descendants of Harim: 1,017.
2:40 The Levites: the descendants of Jeshua and Kadmiel (through the line of Hodaviah): 74.
2:41 The singers: the descendants of Asaph: 128.
2:42 The gatekeepers: 52 the descendants of Shallum, the descendants of Ater, the descendants of Talmon, the descendants of Akkub, the descendants of Hatita, and the descendants of Shobai: 139.
2:43 The temple servants: the descendants of Ziha, the descendants of Hasupha, the descendants of Tabbaoth, 2:44 the descendants of Keros, the descendants of Siaha, the descendants of Padon, 2:45 the descendants of Lebanah, the descendants of Hagabah, the descendants of Akkub, 2:46 the descendants of Hagab, the descendants of Shalmai, 53 the descendants of Hanan, 2:47 the descendants of Giddel, the descendants of Gahar, the descendants of Reaiah, 2:48 the descendants of Rezin, the descendants of Nekoda, the descendants of Gazzam, 2:49 the descendants of Uzzah, the descendants of Paseah, the descendants of Besai, 2:50 the descendants of Asnah, the descendants of Meunim, the descendants of Nephussim, 2:51 the descendants of Bakbuk, the descendants of Hakupha, the descendants of Harhur, 2:52 the descendants of Bazluth, the descendants of Mehida, the descendants of Harsha, 2:53 the descendants of Barkos, the descendants of Sisera, the descendants of Temah, 2:54 the descendants of Neziah, and the descendants of Hatipha.
2:55 The descendants of the servants of Solomon: the descendants of Sotai, the descendants of Hassophereth, the descendants of Peruda, 2:56 the descendants of Jaala, the descendants of Darkon, the descendants of Giddel, 2:57 the descendants of Shephatiah, the descendants of Hattil, the descendants of Pokereth-Hazzebaim, and the descendants of Ami.
2:58 All the temple servants and the descendants of the servants of Solomon: 392.
2:59 These are the ones that came up from Tel Melah, Tel Harsha, Kerub, Addon, and Immer (although they were unable to certify 54 their family connection 55 or their ancestry, 56 as to whether they really were from Israel):
2:60 the descendants of Delaiah, the descendants of Tobiah, and the descendants of Nekoda: 652.
2:61 And from among 57 the priests: the descendants of Hobaiah, the descendants of Hakkoz, and the descendants of Barzillai (who had taken a wife from the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite and was called by that 58 name). 2:62 They 59 searched for their records in the genealogical materials, but did not find them. 60 They were therefore excluded 61 from the priesthood. 2:63 The governor 62 instructed them not to eat any of the sacred food until there was a priest who could consult 63 the Urim and Thummim.
2:64 The entire group numbered 42,360, 64 2:65 not counting 65 their male and female servants, who numbered 7,337. They also had 200 male and female singers 2:66 and 736 horses, 245 mules, 2:67 435 camels, and 6,720 donkeys. 2:68 When they came to the Lord’s temple in Jerusalem, some of the family leaders 66 offered voluntary offerings for the temple of God in order to rebuild 67 it on its site. 2:69 As they were able, 68 they gave to the treasury for this work 61,000 drachmas 69 of gold, 5,000 minas 70 of silver, and 100 priestly robes. 71
2:70 The priests, the Levites, some of the people, the singers, the gatekeepers, and the temple servants lived in their towns, and all the rest of Israel lived in their towns.
40:1 “Comfort, comfort my people,”
says your 72 God.
40:2 “Speak kindly to 73 Jerusalem, 74 and tell her
that her time of warfare is over, 75
that her punishment is completed. 76
For the Lord has made her pay double 77 for all her sins.”
40:3 A voice cries out,
“In the wilderness clear a way for the Lord;
construct in the desert a road for our God.
40:4 Every valley must be elevated,
and every mountain and hill leveled.
The rough terrain will become a level plain,
the rugged landscape a wide valley.
40:5 The splendor 78 of the Lord will be revealed,
and all people 79 will see it at the same time.
For 80 the Lord has decreed it.” 81
40:6 A voice says, “Cry out!”
Another asks, 82 “What should I cry out?”
The first voice responds: 83 “All people are like grass, 84
and all their promises 85 are like the flowers in the field.
40:7 The grass dries up,
the flowers wither,
when the wind sent by the Lord 86 blows on them.
Surely humanity 87 is like grass.
40:8 The grass dries up,
the flowers wither,
but the decree of our God is forever reliable.” 88
40:9 Go up on a high mountain, O herald Zion!
Shout out loudly, O herald Jerusalem! 89
Shout, don’t be afraid!
Say to the towns of Judah,
“Here is your God!”
40:10 Look, the sovereign Lord comes as a victorious warrior; 90
his military power establishes his rule. 91
Look, his reward is with him;
his prize goes before him. 92
40:11 Like a shepherd he tends his flock;
he gathers up the lambs with his arm;
he carries them close to his heart; 93
he leads the ewes along.
40:12 Who has measured out the waters 94 in the hollow of his hand,
or carefully 95 measured the sky, 96
or carefully weighed 97 the soil of the earth,
or weighed the mountains in a balance,
or the hills on scales? 98
40:13 Who comprehends 99 the mind 100 of the Lord,
or gives him instruction as his counselor? 101
40:14 From whom does he receive directions? 102
Who 103 teaches him the correct way to do things, 104
or imparts knowledge to him,
or instructs him in skillful design? 105
40:15 Look, the nations are like a drop in a bucket;
they are regarded as dust on the scales.
He lifts 106 the coastlands 107 as if they were dust.
40:16 Not even Lebanon could supply enough firewood for a sacrifice; 108
its wild animals would not provide enough burnt offerings. 109
40:17 All the nations are insignificant before him;
they are regarded as absolutely nothing. 110
40:18 To whom can you compare God?
To what image can you liken him?
40:19 A craftsman casts 111 an idol;
a metalsmith overlays it with gold
and forges silver chains for it.
40:20 To make a contribution one selects wood that will not rot; 112
he then seeks a skilled craftsman
to make 113 an idol that will not fall over.
40:21 Do you not know?
Do you not hear?
Has it not been told to you since the very beginning?
Have you not understood from the time the earth’s foundations were made?
40:22 He is the one who sits on the earth’s horizon; 114
its inhabitants are like grasshoppers before him. 115
He is the one who stretches out the sky like a thin curtain, 116
and spreads it out 117 like a pitched tent. 118
40:23 He is the one who reduces rulers to nothing;
he makes the earth’s leaders insignificant.
40:24 Indeed, they are barely planted;
yes, they are barely sown;
yes, they barely take root in the earth,
and then he blows on them, causing them to dry up,
and the wind carries them away like straw.
40:25 “To whom can you compare me? Whom do I resemble?”
says the Holy One. 119
40:26 Look up at the sky! 120
Who created all these heavenly lights? 121
He is the one who leads out their ranks; 122
he calls them all by name.
Because of his absolute power and awesome strength,
not one of them is missing.
40:27 Why do you say, Jacob,
Why do you say, Israel,
“The Lord is not aware of what is happening to me, 123
My God is not concerned with my vindication”? 124
40:28 Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The Lord is an eternal God,
the creator of the whole earth. 125
He does not get tired or weary;
there is no limit to his wisdom. 126
40:29 He gives strength to those who are tired;
to the ones who lack power, he gives renewed energy.
40:30 Even youths get tired and weary;
even strong young men clumsily stumble. 127
40:31 But those who wait for the Lord’s help 128 find renewed strength;
they rise up as if they had eagles’ wings, 129
they run without growing weary,
they walk without getting tired.
41:1 “Listen to me in silence, you coastlands! 130
Let the nations find renewed strength!
Let them approach and then speak;
let us come together for debate! 131
41:2 Who stirs up this one from the east? 132
Who 133 officially commissions him for service? 134
He hands nations over to him, 135
and enables him to subdue 136 kings.
He makes them like dust with his sword,
like windblown straw with his bow. 137
41:3 He pursues them and passes by unharmed; 138
he advances with great speed. 139
41:4 Who acts and carries out decrees? 140
Who 141 summons the successive generations from the beginning?
I, the Lord, am present at the very beginning,
and at the very end – I am the one. 142
41:5 The coastlands 143 see and are afraid;
the whole earth 144 trembles;
they approach and come.
41:6 They help one another; 145
one says to the other, ‘Be strong!’
41:7 The craftsman encourages the metalsmith,
the one who wields the hammer encourages 146 the one who pounds on the anvil.
He approves the quality of the welding, 147
and nails it down so it won’t fall over.”
41:8 “You, my servant Israel,
Jacob whom I have chosen,
offspring of Abraham my friend, 148
41:9 you whom I am bringing back 149 from the earth’s extremities,
and have summoned from the remote regions –
I told you, “You are my servant.”
I have chosen you and not rejected you.
41:10 Don’t be afraid, for I am with you!
Don’t be frightened, for I am your God! 150
I strengthen you –
yes, I help you –
yes, I uphold you with my saving right hand! 151
41:11 Look, all who were angry at you will be ashamed and humiliated;
your adversaries 152 will be reduced to nothing 153 and perish.
41:12 When you will look for your opponents, 154 you will not find them;
your enemies 155 will be reduced to absolutely nothing.
41:13 For I am the Lord your God,
the one who takes hold of your right hand,
who says to you, ‘Don’t be afraid, I am helping you.’
41:14 Don’t be afraid, despised insignificant Jacob, 156
men of 157 Israel.
I am helping you,” says the Lord,
your protector, 158 the Holy One of Israel. 159
41:15 “Look, I am making you like 160 a sharp threshing sledge,
new and double-edged. 161
You will thresh the mountains and crush them;
you will make the hills like straw. 162
41:16 You will winnow them and the wind will blow them away;
the wind will scatter them.
You will rejoice in the Lord;
you will boast in the Holy One of Israel.
41:17 The oppressed and the poor look for water, but there is none;
their tongues are parched from thirst.
I, the Lord, will respond to their prayers; 163
I, the God of Israel, will not abandon them.
41:18 I will make streams flow down the slopes
and produce springs in the middle of the valleys.
I will turn the desert into a pool of water
and the arid land into springs.
41:19 I will make cedars, acacias, myrtles, and olive trees grow in the wilderness;
I will make evergreens, firs, and cypresses grow together in the desert.
41:20 I will do this so 164 people 165 will observe and recognize,
so they will pay attention and understand
that the Lord’s power 166 has accomplished this,
and that the Holy One of Israel has brought it into being.” 167
41:21 “Present your argument,” says the Lord.
“Produce your evidence,” 168 says Jacob’s king. 169
41:22 “Let them produce evidence! Let them tell us what will happen!
Tell us about your earlier predictive oracles, 170
so we may examine them 171 and see how they were fulfilled. 172
Or decree for us some future events!
41:23 Predict how future events will turn out, 173
so we might know you are gods.
Yes, do something good or bad,
so we might be frightened and in awe. 174
41:24 Look, you are nothing, and your accomplishments are nonexistent;
the one who chooses to worship you is disgusting. 175
41:25 I have stirred up one out of the north 176 and he advances,
one from the eastern horizon who prays in my name. 177
He steps on 178 rulers as if they were clay,
like a potter treading the clay.
41:26 Who decreed this from the beginning, so we could know?
Who announced it 179 ahead of time, so we could say, ‘He’s correct’?
Indeed, none of them decreed it!
Indeed, none of them announced it!
Indeed, no one heard you say anything!
41:27 I first decreed to Zion, ‘Look, here’s what will happen!’ 180
I sent a herald to Jerusalem. 181
41:28 I look, but there is no one,
among them there is no one who serves as an adviser,
that I might ask questions and receive answers.
41:29 Look, all of them are nothing, 182
their accomplishments are nonexistent;
their metal images lack any real substance. 183
42:1 184 “Here is my servant whom I support,
my chosen one in whom I take pleasure.
I have placed my spirit on him;
he will make just decrees 185 for the nations. 186
42:2 He will not cry out or shout;
he will not publicize himself in the streets. 187
42:3 A crushed reed he will not break,
a dim wick he will not extinguish; 188
he will faithfully make just decrees. 189
42:4 He will not grow dim or be crushed 190
before establishing justice on the earth;
the coastlands 191 will wait in anticipation for his decrees.” 192
42:5 This is what the true God, 193 the Lord, says –
the one who created the sky and stretched it out,
the one who fashioned the earth and everything that lives on it, 194
the one who gives breath to the people on it,
and life to those who live on it: 195
42:6 “I, the Lord, officially commission you; 196
I take hold of your hand.
I protect you 197 and make you a covenant mediator for people, 198
and a light 199 to the nations, 200
42:7 to open blind eyes, 201
to release prisoners 202 from dungeons,
those who live in darkness from prisons.
42:8 I am the Lord! That is my name!
I will not share my glory with anyone else,
or the praise due me with idols.
42:9 Look, my earlier predictive oracles have come to pass; 203
now I announce new events.
Before they begin to occur,
I reveal them to you.” 204
42:10 Sing to the Lord a brand new song!
Praise him 205 from the horizon of the earth,
you who go down to the sea, and everything that lives in it, 206
you coastlands 207 and those who live there!
42:11 Let the desert and its cities shout out,
the towns where the nomads of Kedar live!
Let the residents of Sela shout joyfully;
let them shout loudly from the mountaintops.
42:12 Let them give the Lord the honor he deserves; 208
let them praise his deeds in the coastlands. 209
42:13 The Lord emerges like a hero,
like a warrior he inspires himself for battle; 210
he shouts, yes, he yells,
he shows his enemies his power. 211
42:14 “I have been inactive 212 for a long time;
I kept quiet and held back.
Like a woman in labor I groan;
I pant and gasp. 213
42:15 I will make the trees on the mountains and hills wither up; 214
I will dry up all their vegetation.
I will turn streams into islands, 215
and dry up pools of water. 216
42:16 I will lead the blind along an unfamiliar way; 217
I will guide them down paths they have never traveled. 218
I will turn the darkness in front of them into light,
and level out the rough ground. 219
This is what I will do for them.
I will not abandon them.
42:17 Those who trust in idols
will turn back and be utterly humiliated, 220
those who say to metal images, ‘You are our gods.’”
42:18 “Listen, you deaf ones!
Take notice, 221 you blind ones!
42:19 My servant is truly blind,
my messenger is truly deaf.
My covenant partner, 222 the servant of the Lord, is truly blind. 223
42:20 You see 224 many things, but don’t comprehend; 225
their ears are open, but do not hear.”
42:21 The Lord wanted to exhibit his justice
by magnifying his law and displaying it. 226
42:22 But these people are looted and plundered;
all of them are trapped in pits 227
and held captive 228 in prisons.
They were carried away as loot with no one to rescue them;
they were carried away as plunder, and no one says, “Bring that back!” 229
42:23 Who among you will pay attention to this?
Who will listen attentively in the future? 230
42:24 Who handed Jacob over to the robber?
Who handed Israel over to the looters? 231
Was it not the Lord, against whom we sinned?
They refused to follow his commands;
they disobeyed his law. 232
42:25 So he poured out his fierce anger on them,
along with the devastation 233 of war.
Its flames encircled them, but they did not realize it; 234
it burned against them, but they did notice. 235
43:1 Now, this is what the Lord says,
the one who created you, O Jacob,
and formed you, O Israel:
“Don’t be afraid, for I will protect 236 you.
I call you by name, you are mine.
43:2 When you pass through the waters, I am with you;
when you pass 237 through the streams, they will not overwhelm you.
When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned;
the flames will not harm 238 you.
43:3 For I am the Lord your God,
the Holy One of Israel, 239 your deliverer.
I have handed over Egypt as a ransom price,
Ethiopia and Seba 240 in place of you.
43:4 Since you are precious and special in my sight, 241
and I love you,
I will hand over people in place of you,
nations in place of your life.
43:5 Don’t be afraid, for I am with you.
From the east I will bring your descendants;
from the west I will gather you.
43:6 I will say to the north, ‘Hand them over!’
and to the south, ‘Don’t hold any back!’
Bring my sons from distant lands,
and my daughters from the remote regions of the earth,
43:7 everyone who belongs to me, 242
whom I created for my glory,
whom I formed – yes, whom I made!
43:8 Bring out the people who are blind, even though they have eyes,
those who are deaf, even though they have ears!
43:9 All nations gather together,
the peoples assemble.
Who among them announced this?
Who predicted earlier events for us? 243
Let them produce their witnesses to testify they were right;
let them listen and affirm, ‘It is true.’
43:10 You are my witnesses,” says the Lord,
“my servant whom I have chosen,
so that you may consider 244 and believe in me,
and understand that I am he.
No god was formed before me,
and none will outlive me. 245
43:11 I, I am the Lord,
and there is no deliverer besides me.
43:12 I decreed and delivered and proclaimed,
and there was no other god among you.
You are my witnesses,” says the Lord, “that I am God.
43:13 From this day forward I am he;
no one can deliver from my power; 246
I will act, and who can prevent it?”
43:14 This is what the Lord says,
your protector, 247 the Holy One of Israel: 248
“For your sake I send to Babylon
and make them all fugitives, 249
turning the Babylonians’ joyful shouts into mourning songs. 250
43:15 I am the Lord, your Holy One, 251
the one who created Israel, your king.”
43:16 This is what the Lord says,
the one who made a road through the sea,
a pathway through the surging waters,
43:17 the one who led chariots and horses to destruction, 252
together with a mighty army.
They fell down, 253 never to rise again;
they were extinguished, put out like a burning wick:
43:18 “Don’t remember these earlier events; 254
don’t recall these former events.
43:19 “Look, I am about to do something new.
Now it begins to happen! 255 Do you not recognize 256 it?
Yes, I will make a road in the desert
and paths 257 in the wilderness.
43:20 The wild animals of the desert honor me,
the jackals and ostriches,
because I put water in the desert
and streams in the wilderness,
to quench the thirst of my chosen people,
43:21 the people whom I formed for myself,
so they might praise me.” 258
43:22 “But you did not call for me, O Jacob;
you did not long 259 for me, O Israel.
43:23 You did not bring me lambs for your burnt offerings;
you did not honor me with your sacrifices.
I did not burden you with offerings;
I did not make you weary by demanding 260 incense.
43:24 You did not buy me aromatic reeds; 261
you did not present to me 262 the fat of your sacrifices.
Yet you burdened me with your sins;
you made me weary with your evil deeds. 263
43:25 I, I am the one who blots out your rebellious deeds for my sake;
your sins I do not remember.
43:26 Remind me of what happened! Let’s debate!
You, prove to me that you are right! 264
43:27 The father of your nation 265 sinned;
your spokesmen 266 rebelled against me.
43:28 So I defiled your holy princes,
and handed Jacob over to destruction,
and subjected 267 Israel to humiliating abuse.”
44:1 “Now, listen, Jacob my servant,
Israel whom I have chosen!”
44:2 This is what the Lord, the one who made you, says –
the one who formed you in the womb and helps you:
“Don’t be afraid, my servant Jacob,
Jeshurun, 268 whom I have chosen!
44:3 For I will pour water on the parched ground 269
and cause streams to flow 270 on the dry land.
I will pour my spirit on your offspring
and my blessing on your children.
44:4 They will sprout up like a tree in the grass, 271
like poplars beside channels of water.
44:5 One will say, ‘I belong to the Lord,’
and another will use 272 the name ‘Jacob.’
One will write on his hand, ‘The Lord’s,’
and use the name ‘Israel.’” 273
44:6 This is what the Lord, Israel’s king, says,
their protector, 274 the Lord who commands armies:
“I am the first and I am the last,
there is no God but me.
44:7 Who is like me? Let him make his claim! 275
Let him announce it and explain it to me –
since I established an ancient people – 276
let them announce future events! 277
44:8 Don’t panic! Don’t be afraid! 278
Did I not tell you beforehand and decree it?
You are my witnesses! Is there any God but me?
There is no other sheltering rock; 279 I know of none.
44:9 All who form idols are nothing;
the things in which they delight are worthless.
Their witnesses cannot see;
they recognize nothing, so they are put to shame.
44:10 Who forms a god and casts an idol
that will prove worthless? 280
44:11 Look, all his associates 281 will be put to shame;
the craftsmen are mere humans. 282
Let them all assemble and take their stand!
They will panic and be put to shame.
44:12 A blacksmith works with his tool 283
and forges metal over the coals.
He forms it 284 with hammers;
he makes it with his strong arm.
He gets hungry and loses his energy; 285
he drinks no water and gets tired.
44:13 A carpenter takes measurements; 286
he marks out an outline of its form; 287
he scrapes 288 it with chisels,
and marks it with a compass.
He patterns it after the human form, 289
like a well-built human being,
and puts it in a shrine. 290
44:14 He cuts down cedars
and acquires a cypress 291 or an oak.
He gets 292 trees from the forest;
he plants a cedar 293 and the rain makes it grow.
44:15 A man uses it to make a fire; 294
he takes some of it and warms himself.
Yes, he kindles a fire and bakes bread.
Then he makes a god and worships it;
he makes an idol and bows down to it. 295
44:16 Half of it he burns in the fire –
over that half he cooks 296 meat;
he roasts a meal and fills himself.
Yes, he warms himself and says,
‘Ah! I am warm as I look at the fire.’
44:17 With the rest of it he makes a god, his idol;
he bows down to it and worships it.
He prays to it, saying,
‘Rescue me, for you are my god!’
44:18 They do not comprehend or understand,
for their eyes are blind and cannot see;
their minds do not discern. 297
44:19 No one thinks to himself,
nor do they comprehend or understand and say to themselves:
‘I burned half of it in the fire –
yes, I baked bread over the coals;
I roasted meat and ate it.
With the rest of it should I make a disgusting idol?
Should I bow down to dry wood?’ 298
44:20 He feeds on ashes; 299
his deceived mind misleads him.
He cannot rescue himself,
nor does he say, ‘Is this not a false god I hold in my right hand?’ 300
44:21 Remember these things, O Jacob,
O Israel, for you are my servant.
I formed you to be my servant;
O Israel, I will not forget you! 301
44:22 I remove the guilt of your rebellious deeds as if they were a cloud,
the guilt of your sins as if they were a cloud. 302
Come back to me, for I protect 303 you.”
44:23 Shout for joy, O sky, for the Lord intervenes; 304
shout out, you subterranean regions 305 of the earth.
O mountains, give a joyful shout;
you too, O forest and all your trees! 306
For the Lord protects 307 Jacob;
he reveals his splendor through Israel. 308
44:24 This is what the Lord, your protector, 309 says,
the one who formed you in the womb:
“I am the Lord, who made everything,
who alone stretched out the sky,
who fashioned the earth all by myself, 310
44:25 who frustrates the omens of the empty talkers 311
and humiliates 312 the omen readers,
who overturns the counsel of the wise men 313
and makes their advice 314 seem foolish,
44:26 who fulfills the oracles of his prophetic servants 315
and brings to pass the announcements 316 of his messengers,
who says about Jerusalem, 317 ‘She will be inhabited,’
and about the towns of Judah, ‘They will be rebuilt,
her ruins I will raise up,’
44:27 who says to the deep sea, ‘Be dry!
I will dry up your sea currents,’
44:28 who commissions 318 Cyrus, the one I appointed as shepherd 319
to carry out all my wishes 320
and to decree concerning Jerusalem, ‘She will be rebuilt,’
and concerning the temple, ‘It will be reconstructed.’” 321
45:1 This is what the Lord says to his chosen 322 one,
to Cyrus, whose right hand I hold 323
in order to subdue nations before him,
and disarm kings, 324
to open doors before him,
so gates remain unclosed:
45:2 “I will go before you
and level mountains. 325
Bronze doors I will shatter
and iron bars 326 I will hack through.
45:3 I will give you hidden treasures, 327
riches stashed away in secret places,
so you may recognize that I am the Lord,
the one who calls you by name, the God of Israel.
45:4 For the sake of my servant Jacob,
Israel, my chosen one,
I call you by name
and give you a title of respect, even though you do not recognize 328 me.
45:5 I am the Lord, I have no peer, 329
there is no God but me.
I arm you for battle, 330 even though you do not recognize 331 me.
45:6 I do this 332 so people 333 will recognize from east to west
that there is no God but me;
I am the Lord, I have no peer.
45:7 I am 334 the one who forms light
and creates darkness; 335
the one who brings about peace
and creates calamity. 336
I am the Lord, who accomplishes all these things.
45:8 O sky, rain down from above!
Let the clouds send down showers 337 of deliverance!
Let the earth absorb it 338 so salvation may grow, 339
and deliverance may sprout up 340 along with it.
I, the Lord, create it. 341
45:9 One who argues with his creator is in grave danger, 342
one who is like a mere 343 shard among the other shards on the ground!
The clay should not say to the potter, 344
“What in the world 345 are you doing?
Your work lacks skill!” 346
45:10 Danger awaits one who says 347 to his father,
“What in the world 348 are you fathering?”
and to his mother,
“What in the world are you bringing forth?” 349
45:11 This is what the Lord says,
the Holy One of Israel, 350 the one who formed him,
concerning things to come: 351
“How dare you question me 352 about my children!
How dare you tell me what to do with 353 the work of my own hands!
45:12 I made the earth,
I created the people who live 354 on it.
It was me – my hands 355 stretched out the sky, 356
I give orders to all the heavenly lights. 357
45:13 It is me – I stir him up and commission him; 358
I will make all his ways level.
He will rebuild my city;
he will send my exiled people home,
but not for a price or a bribe,”
says the Lord who commands armies.
45:14 This is what the Lord says:
“The profit 359 of Egypt and the revenue 360 of Ethiopia,
along with the Sabeans, those tall men,
will be brought to you 361 and become yours.
They will walk behind you, coming along in chains. 362
They will bow down to you
and pray to you: 363
‘Truly God is with 364 you; he has no peer; 365
there is no other God!’”
45:15 Yes, you are a God who keeps hidden,
O God of Israel, deliverer!
45:16 They will all be ashamed and embarrassed;
those who fashion idols will all be humiliated. 366
45:17 Israel will be delivered once and for all by the Lord; 367
you will never again be ashamed or humiliated. 368
45:18 For this is what the Lord says,
the one who created the sky –
he is the true God, 369
the one who formed the earth and made it;
he established it,
he did not create it without order, 370
he formed it to be inhabited –
“I am the Lord, I have no peer.
45:19 I have not spoken in secret,
in some hidden place. 371
I did not tell Jacob’s descendants,
‘Seek me in vain!’ 372
I am the Lord,
the one who speaks honestly,
who makes reliable announcements. 373
45:20 Gather together and come!
Approach together, you refugees from the nations!
Those who carry wooden idols know nothing,
those who pray to a god that cannot deliver.
45:21 Tell me! Present the evidence! 374
Let them consult with one another!
Who predicted this in the past?
Who announced it beforehand?
Was it not I, the Lord?
I have no peer, there is no God but me,
a God who vindicates and delivers; 375
there is none but me.
45:22 Turn to me so you can be delivered, 376
all you who live in the earth’s remote regions!
For I am God, and I have no peer.
45:23 I solemnly make this oath 377 –
what I say is true and reliable: 378
‘Surely every knee will bow to me,
every tongue will solemnly affirm; 379
45:24 they will say about me,
“Yes, the Lord is a powerful deliverer.”’” 380
All who are angry at him will cower before him. 381
45:25 All the descendants of Israel will be vindicated by the Lord
and will boast in him. 382
46:1 Bel 383 kneels down,
Nebo 384 bends low.
Their images weigh down animals and beasts. 385
Your heavy images are burdensome to tired animals. 386
46:2 Together they bend low and kneel down;
they are unable to rescue the images; 387
they themselves 388 head off into captivity. 389
46:3 “Listen to me, O family of Jacob, 390
all you who are left from the family of Israel, 391
you who have been carried from birth, 392
you who have been supported from the time you left the womb. 393
46:4 Even when you are old, I will take care of you, 394
even when you have gray hair, I will carry you.
I made you and I will support you;
I will carry you and rescue you. 395
46:5 To whom can you compare and liken me?
Tell me whom you think I resemble, so we can be compared!
46:6 Those who empty out gold from a purse
and weigh out silver on the scale 396
hire a metalsmith, who makes it into a god.
They then bow down and worship it.
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 397 move from its place.
Even when someone cries out to it, it does not reply;
it does not deliver him from his distress.
46:8 Remember this, so you can be brave! 398
Think about it, you rebels! 399
46:9 Remember what I accomplished in antiquity! 400
Truly I am God, I have no peer; 401
I am God, and there is none like me,
46:10 who announces the end from the beginning
and reveals beforehand 402 what has not yet occurred,
who says, ‘My plan will be realized,
I will accomplish what I desire,’
46:11 who summons an eagle 403 from the east,
from a distant land, one who carries out my plan.
Yes, I have decreed, 404
yes, I will bring it to pass;
I have formulated a plan,
yes, I will carry it out.
46:12 Listen to me, you stubborn people, 405
you who distance yourself from doing what is right. 406
46:13 I am bringing my deliverance near, it is not far away;
I am bringing my salvation near, 407 it does not wait.
I will save Zion; 408
I will adorn Israel with my splendor.” 409
47:1 “Fall down! Sit in the dirt,
O virgin 410 daughter Babylon!
Sit on the ground, not on a throne,
O daughter of the Babylonians!
Indeed, 411 you will no longer be called delicate and pampered.
47:2 Pick up millstones and grind flour!
Remove your veil,
strip off your skirt,
expose your legs,
cross the streams!
47:3 Let your private parts be exposed!
Your genitals will be on display! 412
I will get revenge;
I will not have pity on anyone,” 413
47:4 says our protector –
the Lord who commands armies is his name,
the Holy One of Israel. 414
47:5 “Sit silently! Go to a hiding place, 415
O daughter of the Babylonians!
Indeed, 416 you will no longer be called ‘Queen of kingdoms.’
47:6 I was angry at my people;
I defiled my special possession
and handed them over to you.
You showed them no mercy; 417
you even placed a very heavy burden on old people. 418
47:7 You said,
‘I will rule forever as permanent queen!’ 419
You did not think about these things; 420
you did not consider how it would turn out. 421
47:8 So now, listen to this,
O one who lives so lavishly, 422
who lives securely,
who says to herself, 423
‘I am unique! No one can compare to me! 424
I will never have to live as a widow;
I will never lose my children.’ 425
47:9 Both of these will come upon you
suddenly, in one day!
You will lose your children and be widowed. 426
You will be overwhelmed by these tragedies, 427
despite 428 your many incantations
and your numerous amulets. 429
47:10 You were complacent in your evil deeds; 430
you thought, 431 ‘No one sees me.’
Your self-professed 432 wisdom and knowledge lead you astray,
when you say, ‘I am unique! No one can compare to me!’ 433
47:11 Disaster will overtake you;
you will not know how to charm it away. 434
Destruction will fall on you;
you will not be able to appease it.
Calamity will strike you suddenly,
before you recognize it. 435
47:12 Persist 436 in trusting 437 your amulets
and your many incantations,
which you have faithfully recited 438 since your youth!
Maybe you will be successful 439 –
maybe you will scare away disaster. 440
47:13 You are tired out from listening to so much advice. 441
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! 442
47:14 Look, they are like straw,
which the fire burns up;
they cannot rescue themselves
from the heat 443 of the flames.
There are no coals to warm them,
no firelight to enjoy. 444
47:15 They will disappoint you, 445
those you have so faithfully dealt with since your youth. 446
Each strays off in his own direction, 447
leaving no one to rescue you.”
48:1 Listen to this, O family of Jacob, 448
you who are called by the name ‘Israel,’
and are descended from Judah, 449
who take oaths in the name of the Lord,
and invoke 450 the God of Israel –
but not in an honest and just manner. 451
48:2 Indeed, they live in the holy city; 452
they trust in 453 the God of Israel,
whose name is the Lord who commands armies.
48:3 “I announced events beforehand, 454
I issued the decrees and made the predictions; 455
suddenly I acted and they came to pass.
48:4 I did this 456 because I know how stubborn you are.
Your neck muscles are like iron
and your forehead like bronze. 457
48:5 I announced them to you beforehand;
before they happened, I predicted them for you,
so you could never say,
‘My image did these things,
my idol, my cast image, decreed them.’
48:6 You have heard; now look at all the evidence! 458
Will you not admit that what I say is true? 459
From this point on I am announcing to you new events
that are previously unrevealed and you do not know about. 460
48:7 Now they come into being, 461 not in the past;
before today you did not hear about them,
so you could not say,
‘Yes, 462 I know about them.’
48:8 You did not hear,
you do not know,
you were not told beforehand. 463
For I know that you are very deceitful; 464
you were labeled 465 a rebel from birth.
48:9 For the sake of my reputation 466 I hold back my anger;
for the sake of my prestige 467 I restrain myself from destroying you. 468
48:10 Look, I have refined you, but not as silver;
I have purified you 469 in the furnace of misery.
48:11 For my sake alone 470 I will act,
for how can I allow my name to be defiled? 471
I will not share my glory with anyone else! 472
48:12 Listen to me, O Jacob,
Israel, whom I summoned!
I am the one;
I am present at the very beginning
and at the very end. 473
48:13 Yes, my hand founded the earth;
my right hand spread out the sky.
I summon them;
they stand together.
48:14 All of you, gather together and listen!
Who among them 474 announced these things?
The Lord’s ally 475 will carry out his desire against Babylon;
he will exert his power against the Babylonians. 476
48:15 I, I have spoken –
yes, I have summoned him;
I lead him and he will succeed. 477
48:16 Approach me! Listen to this!
From the very first I have not spoken in secret;
when it happens, 478 I am there.”
So now, the sovereign Lord has sent me, accompanied by his spirit. 479
48:17 This is what the Lord, your protector, 480 says,
the Holy One of Israel: 481
“I am the Lord your God,
who teaches you how to succeed,
who leads you in the way you should go.
48:18 If only you had obeyed my 482 commandments,
prosperity would have flowed to you like a river, 483
deliverance would have come to you like the waves of the sea. 484
48:19 Your descendants would have been as numerous as sand, 485
and your children 486 like its granules.
Their name would not have been cut off
and eliminated from my presence. 487
48:20 Leave Babylon!
Flee from the Babylonians!
Announce it with a shout of joy!
Make this known!
Proclaim it throughout the earth! 488
Say, ‘The Lord protects 489 his servant Jacob.
48:21 They do not thirst as he leads them through dry regions;
he makes water flow out of a rock for them;
he splits open a rock and water flows out.’ 490
48:22 There will be no prosperity for the wicked,” says the Lord.
1 tn The words “the reign of” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
2 tn Heb “to complete the word of the
sn Regarding the promise he delivered through Jeremiah see Jer 29:10.
3 tn Heb “stirred the spirit of.”
4 sn In addition to the canonical books of Ezra and Nehemiah, there are two deuterocanonical books that are also called “Ezra.” Exactly how these books are designated varies in ancient literature. In the Septuagint (LXX) canonical Ezra is called Second Esdras, but in the Latin Vulgate it is called First Esdras. Our Nehemiah is called Third Esdras in some manuscripts of the LXX, but it is known as Second Esdras in the Latin Vulgate. (In the earliest LXX manuscripts Ezra and Nehemiah were regarded as one book, as they were in some Hebrew manuscripts.) The deuterocanonical books of Ezra are called First and Fourth Esdras in the LXX, but Third and Fourth Esdras in the Latin Vulgate. The titles for the so-called books of Ezra are thus rather confusing, a fact that one must keep in mind when consulting this material.
5 sn The first year of Cyrus would be ca. 539
6 tn Heb “the word of the Lord.”
7 tc The MT reads מִפִּי (mippi, “from the mouth of”), but this should probably be emended to בְּפִי (bÿfi, “by the mouth of”), which is the way the parallel passage in 2 Chr 36:22 reads. This is also reflected in the LXX, which is either reflecting an alternate textual tradition of בְּפִי or is attempting to harmonize Ezra 1:1 in light of 2 Chronicles.
tn Heb “from the mouth of.”
8 sn Cf. Jer 29:10; 25:11-14. Jeremiah had prophesied that after a time of seventy years the Jews would return “to this place.” How these seventy years are to be reckoned is a matter of debate among scholars. Some understand the period to refer to the approximate length of Babylon’s ascendancy as a world power, beginning either with the fall of Nineveh (612
9 tn Heb “spirit.” The Hebrew noun רוּחַ (ruakh, “spirit”) has a broad range of meanings (see BDB 924-26 s.v.). Here, it probably refers to (1) “mind” as the seat of mental acts (e.g., Exod 28:3; Deut 34:9; Isa 29:24; 40:13; Ezek 11:5; 20:32; 1 Chr 28:12; cf. BDB 925 s.v. 6) or (2) “will” as the seat of volitional decisions (e.g., Exod 35:5, 22; Pss 51:12, 14; 57:8; 2 Chr 29:31; cf. BDB 925 s.v. 7). So also in v. 5.
10 tn Heb “caused to pass.”
11 tn Heb “a voice.” The Hebrew noun קוֹל (qol, “voice, sound”) has a broad range of meanings, including the metonymical (cause – effect) nuance “proclamation” (e.g., Exod 36:6; 2 Chr 24:9; 30:5; 36:22; Ezra 1:1; 10:7; Neh 8:15). See BDB 877 s.v. 3.a.2.
12 sn For an interesting extrabiblical parallel to this edict see the Cyrus cylinder (ANET 315-16).
13 tn Heb “in writing, saying.”
14 tn Heb “house.” The Hebrew noun בַּיִת (bayit, “house”) is often used in reference to the temple of Yahweh (BDB 108 s.v. 1.a). This is also frequent elsewhere in Ezra and Nehemiah (e.g., Ezra 1:3, 4, 5, 7; 2:68; 3:8, 9, 11, 12; 4:3; 6:22; 7:27; 8:17, 25, 29, 30, 33, 36; 9:9; 10:1, 6, 9).
15 map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.
16 tn Heb “from all.”
17 tn Heb “the men of his place.”
18 tn Heb “the heads of the fathers.”
19 tn Heb “arose.”
20 map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.
21 tn Heb “strengthened their hands.”
22 tc The MT reads בִּכְלֵי־כֶסֶף (bikhley khesef, “with silver vessels”). However, part of the LXX manuscript tradition reads ἐν πᾶσιν ἀργυρίῳ (en pasin arguriw), which reflects an alternate Hebrew reading of בַּכֹּל־בַּכֶּסֶף (bakkol-bakkesef, “everywhere, with silver”). The textual variant involves (1) simple omission of yod (י) between two words, a common scribal mistake; (2) haplography of the preposition bet (בּ); and (3) an alternate vocalization tradition of the first term.
23 tn Heb “besides” or “in addition to.”
24 tn Heb “and he gave them.”
25 tn Heb “brought them forth.”
26 tn Heb “upon the hand of.”
27 sn A Persian name meaning “gift of Mithras.” See HALOT 656 s.v. מִתְרְדָת.
28 sn A Babylonian name with the probable meaning “Shamash protect the father.” See HALOT 1664-65 s.v. שֵׁשְׁבַּצַּר.
29 tn Heb “Sheshbazzar the prince to Judah”; TEV, CEV “the governor of Judah.”
30 tn Heb “these are their number.”
31 tn The exact meaning of the Hebrew noun אֲגַרְטָל (’agartal, which occurs twice in this verse) is somewhat uncertain. The lexicons suggest that it is related to a common Semitic root (the Hebrew derivative has a prosthetic prefixed א [aleph] and interchange between ג [gimel] and ק [kof]): Judean Aramaic and Syriac qartalla, Arabic qirtallat, Ethiopic qartalo, all meaning “basket” (BDB 173-74 s.v.; HALOT 11 s.v.). There is debate whether this is a loanword from Greek κάρταλλος (kartallo", “basket”), Persian hirtal (“leather bag”) or Hittite kurtal (“container”). The term is traditionally understood as a kind of vessel, such as “basket, basin” (BDB 173-74 s.v.; HALOT 11 s.v.); but some suggest “leather bag” or a basket-shaped container of some sort (P. Humbert, “En marge du dictionnaire hébraïque,” ZAW 62 [1950]: 199-207; DCH 1:118 s.v.). The LXX translated it as ψυκτήρ (yukthr, “metal bowl”). The precise meaning depends on whether the nouns כֶּסֶף (kesef, “silver”) and זָהָב (zahav, “gold”), which follow each use of this plural construct noun, are genitives of content (“containers full of silver” and “containers full of gold”) or genitives of material (“silver containers” and “gold containers” = containers made from silver and gold). If they are genitives of content, the term probably means “baskets” or “leather bags” (filled with silver and gold); however, if they are genitives of material, the term would mean “basins” (made of silver and gold). Elsewhere in Ezra 1, the nouns כֶּסֶף (“silver”) and זָהָב (“gold”) are used as genitives or material, not genitives of contents; therefore, the translation “gold basins” and “silver basins” is preferred.
32 tn Heb “knives.” The Hebrew noun מַחֲלָפִים (makhalafim, “knives”) is found only here in the OT. While the basic meaning of the term is fairly clear, what it refers to here is unclear. The verb II חָלַף (khalaf) means “to pass through” (BDB 322 s.v. חָלַף) or “to cut through” (HALOT 321 s.v. II חלף; see also Judg 5:26; Job 20:24); thus, the lexicons suggest מַחֲלָפִים means “knives” (BDB 322 s.v. מַחֲלָף; HALOT 569 s.v. *מַחֲלָף). The related noun חֲלָפוֹת (khalafot, “knife”) is used in Mishnaic Hebrew (HALOT 321 s.v. II חלף), and חֲלִיפוֹת (khalifot, “knives”) appears in the Talmud. The noun appears in the cognate languages: Ugaritic khlpnm (“knives”; UT 19) and Syriac khalofta (“shearing knife”; HALOT 321 s.v. II חלף). The Vulgate translated it as “knives,” while the LXX understood it as referring to replacement pieces for the offering basins. The English translations render it variously; some following the Vulgate and others adopting the approach of the LXX: “knives” (KJV, NKJV, NRSV), “censers” (RSV), “duplicates” (NASV), “silver pans” (NIV), “bowls” (TEV), “other dishes” (CEV). Verse 11 lists these twenty-nine objects among the “gold and silver vessels” brought back to Jerusalem for temple worship. The translation above offers the intentionally ambiguous “silver utensils” (the term מַחֲלָפִים [“knives”] would hardly refer to “gold” items, but could refer to “silver items”).
33 tn The meaning of the Hebrew term מִשְׁנִים (mishnim) is uncertain. The noun מִשְׁנֶה (mishneh) means “double, second” (BDB 1041 s.v.), “what is doubled, two-fold” (HALOT 650 s.v. מִשְׁנֶה 3). The translations reflect a diversity of approaches: “410 silver bowls of a second kind” (KJV, NASV, RSV margin), “410 other silver bowls” (NRSV) and “410 matching silver bowls” (NIV). BDB 1041 s.v. משׁנה 3.a suggests it was originally a numeral that was garbled in the transmission process, as reflected in the LXX: “two thousand” (so RSV: “two thousand four hundred and ten bowls of silver”). The BHS editor suggests revocalizing the term to מְשֻׁנִים (mÿshunim, “changed”).
34 sn The total number as given in the MT does not match the numbers given for the various items in v. 9. It is not clear whether the difference is due to error in textual transmission or whether the constituent items mentioned are only a selection from a longer list, in which case the total from that longer list may have been retained. The numbers provided in 1 Esdras come much closer to agreeing with the number in Ezra 1:9-11, but this does not necessarily mean that 1 Esdras has been better preserved here than Ezra. 1 Esdras 2:13-15 (RSV) says, “The number of these was: a thousand gold cups, a thousand silver cups, twenty-nine silver censures, thirty gold bowls, two thousand four hundred and ten silver bowls, and a thousand other vessels. All the vessels were handed over, gold and silver, five thousand four hundred and sixty-nine, and they were carried back by Shesbazzar with the returning exiles from Babylon to Jerusalem.”
35 sn The list of names and numbers in this chapter of Ezra has a parallel account in Neh 7:6-73. The fact that the two lists do not always agree in specific details suggests that various textual errors have crept into the accounts during the transmission process.
36 tn Heb “the sons of.”
37 tn The Hebrew term הָעֹלִים (ha’olim, “those who were going up” [Qal active participle]) refers to continual action in the past. Most translations render this as a simple past: “went up” (KJV), “came up” (RSV, ASV, NASV, NIV), “came” (NRSV). CEV paraphrases: “were on their way back.”
38 map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.
39 tn Heb “men of the people of Israel.”
40 tn The words “was as follows” are not in the Hebrew text but are used in the translation for clarity.
41 tn Heb “the sons of.”
42 tn Heb “to the sons of.” Cf. v. 40.
43 tc The MT reads יוֹאָב (yo’av, “Joab”). However, syntax demands the reading וְיוֹאָב (vÿyo’av, “and Joab”) which is reflected in the LXX and Syriac.
44 tn Heb “to.” So also in vv. 36, 40.
45 tc The translation follows the suggestion in BHS and reads אַנְשֵׁי (’anshe, “the men of”) here rather than the reading בְּנֵי (bÿne, “the sons of”) found in the MT. So also in vv. 25, 26, 33, 34.
46 map For location see Map5-B1; Map7-E2; Map8-E2; Map10-B4.
47 tc The translation follows the suggestion in BHS and reads אַשְׁנֵי בֵּית (’ashne bet, “men of the house of”) here rather than the reading בְּנֵי (bÿne, “the sons of”) found in the MT.
tn Heb “the men of the house of Azmaveth”; some regard בֵּית (bet, “house of”) as a part of the place name: NAB, NLT “Beth-azmaveth.”
48 tc The translation, with the support of many manuscripts, reads יְעָרִים (yÿ’arim) here rather than the reading עָרִים (’arim) of the MT.
49 map For location see Map4-G4; Map5-C1; Map6-E3; Map7-D1; Map8-G3.
50 map For location see Map5-B2; Map6-E1; Map7-E1; Map8-E3; Map10-A2; Map11-A1.
51 tn Heb “the house of.”
52 tc Here it is preferable to delete the reading בְּנֵי (bÿne, “the sons of”) found in the MT.
53 tc The translation follows the Qere reading “Shalmai” (so KJV, NASB, NIV, NLT) rather than the MT Kethib “Shamlai” (so ASV, NAB, NRSV).
54 tn Heb “relate.”
55 tn Heb “the house of their fathers.”
56 tn Heb “their seed.”
57 tc The translation reads וּמִן (umin, “and from”) rather than the reading וּמִבּנֵי (umibbÿney, “and from the sons of”) found in the MT.
58 tn Heb “their.”
59 tn Heb “these.”
60 tn Heb “their records were searched for in the genealogical materials, but were not found.” This passive construction has been translated as active for stylistic reasons.
61 tn Heb “they were desecrated.”
62 tn The Hebrew word תִּרְשָׁתָא (tirshata’) is an official title of the Persian governor in Judea, perhaps similar in meaning to “excellency” (BDB 1077 s.v.; HALOT 1798 s.v.; W. L. Holladay, Concise Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon, 395).
63 tn Heb “to stand.”
64 sn The same total is given in Neh 7:66, but it is difficult to understand how this number is reached, since the numbers of people listed in the constituent groups do not add up to 42,360. The list in vv. 3-60 apparently is not intended to be exhaustive, but the basis of the selectivity is unclear.
65 tn Heb “besides” or “in addition to.”
66 tn Heb “the heads of the fathers.”
67 tn Heb “cause it to stand.”
68 tn Heb “according to their strength.”
69 tn The meaning of the Hebrew word דַּרְכְּמוֹנִים (darkÿmonim, cf. Neh 7:69, 70, 71) is uncertain. It may be a Greek loanword meaning “drachmas” (the view adopted here and followed also by NAB, NASB, NIV) or a Persian loanword “daric,” referring to a Persian gold coin (BDB 204 s.v. דַּרְכְּמוֹן; HALOT 232 s.v. נִים(וֹ)דַּרְכְּמֹ; cf. ASV, NRSV). For further study, see R. de Vaux, Ancient Israel, 206-9.
70 sn The מָנִים (manim, cf. Neh 7:71, 72) is a measuring weight for valuable metals, equal to 1/60 of a talent or 60 shekels (BDB 584 s.v. מָנֶה; HALOT 599 s.v. מָנֶה). For further study, see R. de Vaux, Ancient Israel, 203-6.
71 tn Or “garments.”
72 tn The pronominal suffix is second masculine plural. The identity of the addressee is uncertain: (1) God’s people may be addressed, or (2) the unidentified heralds commanded to comfort Jerusalem.
73 tn Heb “speak to the heart of Jerusalem.” Jerusalem is personified as a woman.
74 map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.
75 tn Heb “that she is filled [with] her warfare.” Some understand צָבָא (tsavah, “warfare”) as meaning “hard service” or “compulsory labor” in this context.
76 tn Heb “that her punishment is accepted [as satisfactory].”
77 tn Heb “for she has received from the hand of the Lord double.” The principle of the double portion in punishment is also seen in Jer 16:18; 17:18 and Rev 18:6. For examples of the double portion in Israelite law, see Exod 22:4, 7, 9 (double restitution by a thief) and Deut 21:17 (double inheritance portion for the firstborn).
78 tn Or “glory.” The Lord’s “glory” is his theophanic radiance and royal splendor (see Isa 6:3; 24:23; 35:2; 60:1; 66:18-19).
79 tn Heb “flesh” (so KJV, ASV, NASB); NAB, NIV “mankind”; TEV “the whole human race.”
80 tn Or “indeed.”
81 tn Heb “the mouth of the Lord has spoken” (so NASB, NIV, NRSV).
82 tn Heb “and he says.” Apparently a second “voice” responds to the command of the first “voice.”
83 tn The words “the first voice responds” are supplied in the translation for clarification. The first voice tells the second one what to declare.
84 tn Heb “all flesh is grass.” The point of the metaphor is explained in v. 7.
85 tn Heb “and all his loyalty.” The antecedent of the third masculine suffix is בָּשָׂר (basar, “flesh”), which refers collectively to mankind. The LXX, apparently understanding the antecedent as “grass,” reads “glory,” but חֶסֶד (khesed) rarely, if ever, has this nuance. The normal meaning of חֶסֶד (“faithfulness, loyalty, devotion”) fits very well in the argument. Human beings and their faithfulness (verbal expressions of faithfulness are specifically in view; cf. NRSV “constancy”) are short-lived and unreliable, in stark contrast to the decrees and promises of the eternal God.
86 tn The Hebrew text has רוּחַ יְהוָה (ruakh yehvah), which in this context probably does not refer to the Lord’s personal Spirit. The phrase is better translated “the breath of the Lord,” or “the wind of [i.e., sent by] the Lord.” The Lord’s sovereign control over nature, including the hot desert winds that dry up vegetation, is in view here (cf. Ps 147:18; Isa 59:19).
87 tn Heb “the people” (so KJV, ASV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV).
88 tn Heb “but the word of our God stands forever.” In this context the divine “word” specifically refers to his decreed promise assuring Jerusalem that her suffering is over and his glorious return imminent (vv. 1-5).
89 tn The second feminine singular imperatives are addressed to personified Zion/Jerusalem, who is here told to ascend a high hill and proclaim the good news of the Lord’s return to the other towns of Judah. Isa 41:27 and 52:7 speak of a herald sent to Zion, but the masculine singular form מְבַשֵּׂר (mÿvaser) is used in these verses, in contrast to the feminine singular form מְבַשֶּׂרֶת (mÿvaseret) employed in 40:9, where Zion is addressed as a herald.
90 tn Heb “comes as a strong one”; ASV “will come as a mighty one.” The preposition בְּ (bet) here carries the nuance “in the capacity of.” It indicates that the Lord possesses the quality expressed by the noun. See GKC 379 §119.i and HALOT 104 s.v. בְּ.
91 tn Heb “his arm rules for him” (so NIV, NRSV). The Lord’s “arm” symbolizes his military power (see Isa 51:9-10; 63:5).
92 tn As the Lord returns to Jerusalem as a victorious warrior, he brings with him the spoils of victory, called here his “reward” and “prize.” These terms might also be translated “wages” and “recompense.” Verse 11 indicates that his rescued people, likened to a flock of sheep, are his reward.
93 tn Heb “in his bosom” (so KJV, NAB, NASB, NRSV), an expression which reflects closeness and protective care.
94 tn The Qumran scroll 1QIsaa has מי ים (“waters of the sea”), a reading followed by NAB.
95 tn Heb “with a span.” A “span” was the distance between the ends of the thumb and the little finger of the spread hand” (BDB 285 s.v. זֶרֶת).
96 tn Or “the heavens.” The Hebrew term שָׁמַיִם (shamayim) may be translated “heavens” or “sky” depending on the context.
97 tn Heb “or weighed by a third part [of a measure].”
98 sn The implied answer to the rhetorical questions of v. 12 is “no one but the Lord. The Lord, and no other, created the world. Like a merchant weighing out silver or commodities on a scale, the Lord established the various components of the physical universe in precise proportions.
99 tn Perhaps the verb is used metonymically here in the sense of “advises” (note the following line).
100 tn In this context רוּחַ (ruakh) likely refers to the Lord’s “mind,” or mental faculties, rather than his personal Spirit (see BDB 925 s.v.).
101 tn Heb “or [as] the man of his counsel causes him to know?”
102 tn Heb “With whom did he consult, so that he gave discernment to him?”
103 tn Heb “and taught him.” The vav (ו) consecutive with prefixed verbal form continues the previous line. The translation employs an interrogative pronoun for stylistic reasons.
104 tn The phrase אֹרַח מִשְׁפָּט (’orakh mishpat) could be translated “path of justice” (so NASB, NRSV), but in this context, where creative ability and skill is in view, the phrase is better understood in the sense of “the way that is proper or fitting” (see BDB 1049 s.v. מִשְׁפָּט 6); cf. NIV, NCV “the right way.”
105 tn Heb “or the way of understanding causes him to know?”
sn The implied answer to the rhetorical questions in vv. 13-14 is, “No one.” In contrast to Marduk, the creator-god of Mesopotamian myths who receives help from the god of wisdom, the Lord neither needs nor receives any such advice or help. See R. Whybray, Heavenly Counsellor (SOTSMS), 64-77.
106 tn Or “weighs” (NIV); NLT “picks up.”
107 tn Or “islands” (NASB, NIV, NLT).
108 tn The words “for a sacrifice” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
109 sn The point is that not even the Lebanon forest could supply enough wood and animals for an adequate sacrifice to the Lord.
110 tn Heb “[as derived] from nothing and unformed.”
111 tn Heb “pours out”; KJV “melteth.”
112 tn The first two words of the verse (הַמְסֻכָּן תְּרוּמָה, hamsukan tÿrumah) are problematic. Some take מְסֻכָּן as an otherwise unattested Pual participle from סָכַן (sakhan, “be poor”) and translate “the one who is impoverished.” תְּרוּמָה (tÿrumah, “contribution”) can then be taken as an adverbial accusative, “with respect to a contribution,” and the entire line translated, “the one who is too impoverished for such a contribution [i.e., the metal idol of v. 19?] selects wood that will not rot.” However, מְסֻכָּן is probably the name of a tree used in idol manufacturing (cognate with Akkadian musukkanu, cf. H. R. Cohen, Biblical Hapax Legomena [SBLDS], 133). מְסֻכָּן may be a scribal interpretive addition attempting to specify עֵץ (’ets) or עֵץ may be a scribal attempt to categorize מְסֻכָּן. How an idol constitutes a תְּרוּמָה (“contribution”) is not entirely clear.
113 tn Or “set up” (ASV, NAB, NIV, NRSV); KJV, NASB “to prepare.”
114 tn Heb “the circle of the earth” (so KJV, NIV, NRSV, NLT).
115 tn The words “before him” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
116 tn The otherwise unattested noun דֹּק (doq), translated here “thin curtain,” is apparently derived from the verbal root דקק (“crush”) from which is derived the adjective דַּק (daq, “thin”; see HALOT 229 s.v. דקק). The nuance “curtain” is implied from the parallelism (see “tent” in the next line).
117 tn The meaning of the otherwise unattested verb מָתַח (matakh, “spread out”) is determined from the parallelism (note the corresponding verb “stretch out” in the previous line) and supported by later Hebrew and Aramaic cognates. See HALOT 654 s.v. *מתה.
118 tn Heb “like a tent [in which] to live”; NAB, NASB “like a tent to dwell (live NIV, NRSV) in.”
119 sn See the note on the phrase “the Holy One of Israel” in 1:4.
120 tn Heb “Lift on high your eyes and see.”
121 tn The words “heavenly lights” are supplied in the translation for clarification. See the following lines.
122 tn Heb “the one who brings out by number their host.” The stars are here likened to a huge army that the Lord leads out. Perhaps the next line pictures God calling roll. If so, the final line may be indicating that none of them dares “go AWOL.” (“AWOL” is a military acronym for “absent without leave.”)
123 tn Heb “my way is hidden from the Lord” (so NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV).
124 tn Heb “and from my God my justice passes away”; NRSV “my right is disregarded by my God.”
125 tn Heb “the ends of the earth,” but this is a merism, where the earth’s extremities stand for its entirety, i.e., the extremities and everything in between them.
126 sn Exiled Israel’s complaint (v. 27) implies that God might be limited in some way. Perhaps he, like so many of the pagan gods, has died. Or perhaps his jurisdiction is limited to Judah and does not include Babylon. Maybe he is unable to devise an adequate plan to rescue his people, or is unable to execute it. But v. 28 affirms that he is not limited temporally or spatially nor is his power and wisdom restricted in any way. He can and will deliver his people, if they respond in hopeful faith (v. 31a).
127 tn Heb “stumbling they stumble.” The verbal idea is emphasized by the infinitive absolute.
128 tn The words “for the Lord’s help” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
129 tn Heb “they rise up [on] wings like eagles” (TEV similar).
130 tn Or “islands” (KJV, NIV, CEV); TEV “distant lands”; NLT “lands beyond the sea.”
131 tn The Hebrew term מִשְׁפָּט (mishpat) could be translated “judgment,” but here it seems to refer to the dispute or debate between the Lord and the nations.
132 sn The expression this one from the east refers to the Persian conqueror Cyrus, as later texts indicate (see 44:28-45:6; 46:11; 48:14-16).
133 tn The interrogative particle is understood by ellipsis.
134 tn Heb “[in] righteousness called him to his foot.”
135 tn Heb “he [the Lord] places before him [Cyrus] nations.”
136 tn The verb יַרְדְּ (yardÿ) is an otherwise unattested Hiphil form from רָדָה (radah, “rule”). But the Hiphil makes no sense with “kings” as object; one must understand an ellipsis and supply “him” (Cyrus) as the object. The Qumran scroll 1QIsaa has יוֹרִד (yorid), which appears to be a Hiphil form from יָרַד (yarad, “go down”). Others suggest reading יָרֹד (yarod), a Qal form from רָדַד (radad, “beat down”).
137 sn The point is that they are powerless before Cyrus’ military power and scatter before him.
138 tn Heb “[in] peace”; KJV, ASV “safely”; NASB “in safety”; NIV “unscathed.”
139 tn Heb “a way with his feet he does not come [or “enter”].” One could translate, “by a way he was not [previously] entering with his feet.” This would mean that he is advancing into new territory and expanding his conquests. The present translation assumes this is a hyperbolic description to his speedy advance. He moves so quickly he does not enter the way with his feet, i.e., his feet don’t even touch the ground. See C. R. North, Second Isaiah, 94.
140 tn Heb “Who acts and accomplishes?”; NASB “Who has performed and accomplished it.”
141 tn The interrogative particle is understood by ellipsis (note the preceding line).
142 tn Heb “I, the Lord, [am with] the first, and with the last ones I [am] he.”
143 tn Or “islands” (NIV, CEV); NCV “faraway places”; NLT “lands beyond the sea.”
144 tn Heb “the ends of the earth,” but this is a merism, where the earth’s extremities stand for its entirety, i.e., the extremities and everything in between them.
145 tn Heb “each his neighbor helps”; NCV “The workers help each other.”
146 tn The verb “encourages” is understood by ellipsis (note the preceding line).
147 tn Heb “saying of the welding, ‘It is good.’”
148 tn Or perhaps, “covenantal partner” (see 1 Kgs 5:15 HT [5:1 ET]; 2 Chr 20:7).
149 tn Heb “whom I have taken hold of [i.e., to lead back].”
150 tn According to BDB (1043 s.v. שָׁעָה), the verb תִּשְׁתָּע (tishta’) in the second line of the poetic couplet is a Hitpael form from the root שָׁעָה (sha’ah, “gaze,” with metathesis of the stem prefix and the first root letter). Taking the Hitpael as iterative, one may then translate “do not anxiously look about.” However, the alleged Hitpael form of שָׁעָה (sha’ah) only occurs here and in verse 23. HALOT 1671 s.v. שׁתע proposes that the verb is instead a Qal form from the root שׁתע (“fear”) which is attested in cognate Semitic languages, including Ugaritic (discovered after the publishing of BDB), suggests the existence of this root. The poetic structure of v. 10 also supports the proposal, for the form in question is in synonymous parallelism to יָרֵא (yare’, “fear”).
151 tn The “right hand” is a symbol of the Lord’s power to deliver (Exod 15:6, 12) and protect (Ps 63:9 HT [63:8 ET]). Here צֶדֶק (tsedeq) has its well-attested nuance of “vindicated righteousness,” i.e., “victory, deliverance” (see 45:8; 51:5, and BDB 841-42 s.v.).
152 tn Heb “the men of your strife”; NASB “those who contend with you.”
153 tn Heb “like nothing”; NAB “come to nought.”
154 tn Heb “the men of your struggle”; NASB “those who quarrel with you.”
155 tn Heb “the men of your battle”; NAB “who do battle with you.”
156 tn Heb “O worm Jacob” (NAB, NIV). The worm metaphor suggests that Jacob is insignificant and despised.
157 tn On the basis of the parallelism (note “worm”) and an alleged Akkadian cognate, some read “louse” or “weevil.” Cf. NAB “O maggot Israel”; NRSV “you insect Israel.”
158 tn Heb “your kinsman redeemer.” A גָּאַל (ga’al, “kinsman redeemer”) was a protector of the extended family’s interests.
159 sn See the note on the phrase “the Holy One of Israel” in 1:4.
160 tn Heb “into” (so NIV); ASV “have made thee to be.”
161 tn Heb “owner of two-mouths,” i.e., double-edged.
162 sn The mountains and hills symbolize hostile nations that are obstacles to Israel’s restoration.
163 tn Heb “will answer them” (so ASV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT).
164 tn The words “I will do this” are supplied in the translation for clarification. The Hebrew text has here simply, “in order that.”
165 tn Heb “they”; NAB, NRSV “that all may see”; CEV, NLT “Everyone will see.”
166 tn Heb “hand” (so KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV).
167 tn Or “created it” (KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV); TEV “has made it happen.”
168 tn Heb “strong [words],” see HALOT 870 s.v. *עֲצֻמוֹת.
169 sn Apparently this challenge is addressed to the pagan idol gods, see vv. 23-24.
170 tn Heb “As for the former things, tell us what they are!”
171 tn Heb “so we might set [them to] our heart.”
172 tn Heb “and might know their outcome.”
173 tn Heb “Declare the coming things, with respect to the end.”
174 tc The translation assumes the Qere (וְנִרְאֶה [vÿnir’eh], from יָרֵא [yare’], “be afraid”).
tn Heb “so we might be frightened and afraid together.” On the meaning of the verb שָׁתָע (shata’), see the note at v. 10.
175 tn Heb “an object of disgust [is he who] chooses you.”
176 sn That is, Cyrus the Persian. See the note at v. 2.
177 tn Heb “[one] from the rising of the sun [who] calls in my name.”
178 tn The Hebrew text has וְיָבֹא (vÿyavo’, “and he comes”), but this is likely a corruption of an original וַיָּבָס (vayyavas), from בּוּס (bus, “step on”).
179 tn The words “who announced it” are supplied in the translation for clarification. The interrogative particle and verb are understood by ellipsis (see the preceding line).
180 tn The Hebrew text reads simply, “First to Zion, ‘Look here they are!’” The words “I decreed” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
181 map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.
182 tc The Hebrew text has אָוֶן (’aven, “deception,” i.e., “false”), but the Qumran scroll 1QIsaa has אין (“nothing”), which forms a better parallel with אֶפֶס (’efes, “nothing”) in the next line. See also 40:17 and 41:12.
183 tn Heb “their statues are wind and nothing”; NASB “wind and emptiness”; NIV “wind and confusion.”
184 sn Verses 1-7 contain the first of Isaiah’s “servant songs,” which describe the ministry of a special, ideal servant who accomplishes God’s purposes for Israel and the nations. This song depicts the servant as a just king who brings justice to the earth and relief for the oppressed. The other songs appear in 49:1-13; 50:4-11; and 52:13-53:12.
185 tn Heb “he will bring out justice” (cf. ASV, NASB, NRSV).
186 sn Like the ideal king portrayed in Isa 11:1-9, the servant is energized by the divine spirit and establishes justice on the earth.
187 tn Heb “he will not cause his voice to be heard in the street.”
188 sn The “crushed reed” and “dim wick” symbolize the weak and oppressed who are on the verge of extinction.
189 tn Heb “faithfully he will bring out justice” (cf. NASB, NRSV).
190 tn For rhetorical effect the terms used to describe the “crushed (רָצַץ, ratsats) reed” and “dim (כָּהָה, kahah) wick” in v. 3 are repeated here.
191 tn Or “islands” (NIV); NLT “distant lands beyond the sea.”
192 tn Or “his law” (KJV, ASV, NASB, NIV) or “his instruction” (NLT).
193 tn Heb “the God.” The definite article here indicates distinctiveness or uniqueness.
194 tn Heb “and its offspring” (so NASB); NIV “all that comes out of it.”
195 tn Heb “and spirit [i.e., “breath”] to the ones walking in it” (NAB, NASB, and NRSV all similar).
196 tn Heb “call you in righteousness.” The pronoun “you” is masculine singular, referring to the servant. See the note at 41:2.
197 tn The translation assumes the verb is derived from the root נָצַר (natsar, “protect”). Some prefer to derive it from the root יָצַר (yatsar, “form”).
198 tn Heb “a covenant of people.” A person cannot literally be a covenant; בְּרִית (bÿrit) is probably metonymic here, indicating a covenant mediator. The precise identity of עָם (’am, “people”) is uncertain. In v. 5 עָם refers to mankind, and the following reference to “nations” also favors this. But in 49:8, where the phrase בְּרִית עָם occurs again, Israel seems to be in view.
199 sn Light here symbolizes deliverance from bondage and oppression; note the parallelism in 49:6b and in 51:4-6.
200 tn Or “the Gentiles” (so KJV, ASV, NIV); the same Hebrew word can be translated “nations” or “Gentiles” depending on the context.
201 sn This does not refer to literal physical healing of the blind. As the next two lines suggest, this refers metonymically to freeing captives from their dark prisons where their eyes have grown unaccustomed to light.
202 sn This does not refer to hardened, dangerous criminals, who would have been executed for their crimes in ancient Near Eastern society. This verse refers to political prisoners or victims of social injustice.
203 tn Heb “the former things, look, they have come.”
204 tn Heb “before they sprout up, I cause you to hear.” The pronoun “you” is plural, referring to the people of Israel. In this verse “the former things” are the Lord’s earlier predictive oracles which have come to pass, while “the new things” are predicted events that have not yet begun to take place. “The former things” are earlier events in Israel’s history which God announced beforehand, such as the Exodus (see 43:16-18). “The new things” are the predictions about the servant (42:1-7). and may also include Cyrus’ conquests (41:25-27).
205 tn Heb “his praise.” The phrase stands parallel to “new song” in the previous line.
206 tn Heb “and its fullness”; NASB, NIV “and all that is in it.”
207 tn Or “islands” (NASB, NIV); NLT “distant coastlands.”
208 tn Heb “Let them ascribe to the Lord glory.”
209 tn Heb “and his praise in the coastlands [or “islands”] let them declare.”
210 tn Heb “like a man of war he stirs up zeal” (NIV similar).
211 tn Or perhaps, “he triumphs over his enemies” (cf. NIV); NLT “will crush all his enemies.”
212 tn Heb “silent” (so NASB, NIV, TEV, NLT); CEV “have held my temper.”
213 sn The imagery depicts the Lord as a warrior who is eager to fight and can no longer hold himself back from the attack.
214 tn Heb “I will dry up the mountains and hills.” The “mountains and hills” stand by synecdoche for the trees that grow on them. Some prefer to derive the verb from a homonymic root and translate, “I will lay waste.”
215 tc The Hebrew text reads, “I will turn streams into coastlands [or “islands”].” Scholars who believe that this reading makes little sense have proposed an emendation of אִיִּים (’iyyim, “islands”) to צִיּוֹת (tsiyyot, “dry places”; cf. NCV, NLT, TEV). However, since all the versions support the MT reading, there is insufficient grounds for an emendation here. Although the imagery of changing rivers into islands is somewhat strange, J. N. Oswalt describes this imagery against the backdrop of rivers of the Near East. The receding of these rivers at times occasioned the appearance of previously submerged islands (Isaiah [NICOT], 2:126).
216 sn The imagery of this verse, which depicts the Lord bringing a curse of infertility to the earth, metaphorically describes how the Lord will destroy his enemies.
217 tn Heb “a way they do not know” (so NASB); NRSV “a road they do not know.”
218 tn Heb “in paths they do not know I will make them walk.”
219 tn Heb “and the rough ground into a level place.”
220 tn Heb “be ashamed with shame”; ASV, NASB “be utterly put to shame.”
221 tn Heb “look to see”; NAB, NCV “look and see”; NRSV “look up and see.”
222 tc The precise meaning of מְשֻׁלָּם (mÿshullam) in this context is uncertain. In later biblical Hebrew the form (which appears to be a Pual participle from the root שָׁלַם, shalam) occurs as a proper name, Meshullam. The Pual of שָׁלַם (“be complete”) is attested with the meaning “repaid, requited,” but that makes little sense here. BDB 1023 s.v. שָׁלַם relates the form to the denominative verb שָׁלַם (“be at peace”) and paraphrases “one in a covenant of peace” (J. N. Oswalt suggests “the covenanted one”; Isaiah [NICOT], 2:128, n. 59) Some emend the form to מֹשְׁלָם (moshÿlam, “their ruler”) or to מְשֻׁלָּחִי (mÿshullakhi, “my sent [or “commissioned”] one”), which fits nicely in the parallelism (note “my messenger” in the previous line). The translation above assumes an emendation to כְּמוֹ שֹׁלְמִי (kÿmo sholÿmi, “like my ally”). Isaiah uses כְּמוֹ in 30:22 and perhaps 51:5; for שֹׁלְמי (“my ally”) see Ps 7:5 HT (7:4 ET).
223 tn Heb “Who is blind but my servant, and deaf like my messenger I send? Who is blind like my commissioned one, blind like the servant of the Lord?” The point of the rhetorical questions is that no one is as blind/deaf as this servant. In this context the Lord’s “servant” is exiled Israel (cf. 41:8-9), which is spiritually blind and deaf and has failed to fulfill God’s purpose for it. This servant stands in contrast to the ideal “Israel” of the servant songs.
224 tn The consonantal text (Kethib) has a perfect, 2nd person masculine singular; the marginal reading (Qere) has an infinitive absolute, which functions here as a finite verb.
225 tn Heb “but you do not guard [i.e., retain in your memory]”; NIV “but have paid no attention.”
226 tn Heb “The Lord was pleased for the sake of his righteousness [or “justice”], he was magnifying [the] law and was making [it] glorious.” The Lord contrasts his good intentions for the people with their present crisis (v. 22). To demonstrate his just character and attract the nations, the Lord wanted to showcase his law among and through Israel (Deut 4:5-8). But Israel disobeyed (v. 24) and failed to carry out their commission.
227 tc The Hebrew text has בַּחוּרִים (bakhurim, “young men”), but the text should be emended to בְּהוֹרִים (bÿhorim, “in holes”).
228 tn Heb “and made to be hidden”; NAB, NASB, NIV, TEV “hidden away in prisons.”
229 tn Heb “they became loot and there was no one rescuing, plunder and there was no one saying, ‘Bring back’.”
230 tn The interrogative particle is understood in the second line by ellipsis (note the preceding line).
231 tn Heb “Who gave to the robber Jacob, and Israel to the looters?” In the first line the consonantal text (Kethib) has מְשׁוֹסֶה (mÿshoseh), a Polel participle from שָׁסָה (shasah, “plunder”). The marginal reading (Qere) is מְשִׁיסָּה (mÿshissah), a noun meaning “plunder.” In this case one could translate “Who handed Jacob over as plunder?”
232 tn Heb “they were not willing in his ways to walk, and they did not listen to his law.”
233 tn Heb “strength” (so KJV, NASB); NAB “fury”; NASB “fierceness”; NIV “violence.”
234 tn Heb “and it blazed against him all around, but he did not know.” The subject of the third feminine singular verb “blazed” is the divine חֵמָה (khemah, “anger”) mentioned in the previous line.
235 tn Heb “and it burned against him, but he did not set [it] upon [the] heart.”
236 tn Or “redeem.” See the note at 41:14. Cf. NCV “saved you”; CEV “rescued you”; NLT “ransomed you.”
237 tn The verb is understood by ellipsis (note the preceding line).
238 tn Heb “burn” (so NASB); NAB, NRSV, NLT “consume”; NIV “set you ablaze.”
239 sn See the note on the phrase “the Holy One of Israel” in 1:4.
240 sn Seba is not the same as Sheba in southern Arabia; cf. Gen 1:10; 1 Chr 1:9.
241 tn Heb “Since you are precious in my eyes and you are honored.”
242 tn Heb “everyone who is called by my name” (so NASB, NIV, NRSV).
243 tn Heb “and the former things was causing us to hear?”
244 tn Or “know” (KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV).
245 tn Heb “and after me, there will not be”; NASB “there will be none after Me.”
246 tn Heb “hand” (so KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV); NLT “No one can oppose what I do.”
247 tn Or “kinsman redeemer.” See the note at 41:14.
248 sn See the note on the phrase “the Holy One of Israel” in 1:4.
249 tn Heb “and I bring down [as] fugitives all of them.”
250 tn The Hebrew text reads literally, “as for the Babylonians, in ships their joyful shout.” This might be paraphrased, “even the Babylonians in the ships [over which] they joyfully shouted.” The point would be that the Lord caused the Babylonians to flee for safety in the ships in which they took such great pride. A slight change in vocalization yields the reading “into mourning songs,” which provides a good contrast with “joyful shout.” The prefixed bet (בְּ) would indicate identity.
251 sn See the note on the phrase “the Holy One of Israel” in 1:4.
252 tn Heb “led out chariots and horses.” The words “to destruction” are supplied in the translation for clarification. The verse refers to the destruction of the Egyptians at the Red Sea.
253 tn Heb “lay down”; NAB “lie prostrate together”; CEV “lie dead”; NRSV “they lie down.”
254 tn Heb “the former things” (so KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV); NLT “forget all that.”
255 tn Heb “sprouts up”; NASB “will spring forth.”
256 tn Or “know” (KJV, ASV); NASB “be aware of”; NAB, NIV, NRSV “perceive.”
257 tn The Hebrew texts has “streams,” probably under the influence of v. 20. The Qumran scroll 1QIsaa has נתיבות (“paths”).
258 tn Heb “[so] they might declare my praise.”
259 tn Or “strive”; KJV, ASV, NRSV “been weary of me.”
260 tn Heb “with.” The words “by demanding” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
261 tn That is, “calamus” (so NIV); NCV, TEV, NLT “incense”; CEV “spices.”
262 tn Heb “you did not saturate me”; NASB “Neither have you filled Me.”
263 sn In vv. 22-24 the Lord appears to be condemning his people for failure to bring the proper sacrifices. However, this is problematic. If this refers to the nation’s behavior while in exile, such cultic service was impossible and could hardly be expected by the Lord. If this refers to the nation’s conduct before the exile, it contradicts other passages that depict Israel as bringing excessive sacrifices (see, e.g., Isa 1:11-14; Jer 6:20; Amos 4:4-5, 5:21-23). Rather than being a condemnation of Israel’s failure to bring sacrifices, these verses are better taken as a highly rhetorical comment on the worthlessness of Israel’s religious ritual. They may have brought sacrifices, but not to the Lord, for he did not accept them or even want them. See C. R. North, Second Isaiah, 127, and R. Whybray, Isaiah 40-66 (NCBC), 91.
264 tn Heb “you, tell in order that you may be right”; NAB “prove your innocence.”
265 tn Heb “your first father.” This could refer to Abraham (see 51:2), but elsewhere in Isaiah he does not appear in a negative light (see 29:22; 41:8; 63:16). A more likely candidate is Jacob/Israel, also referred to as the nation’s “father” elsewhere (see 58:14; 63:16).
266 tn On the meaning of the term לִיץ (lits), see HALOT 590 s.v. מֵלִיץ. This may refer to the nation’s prophets, priests, and/or kings.
267 tn The word “subjected” is supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
268 sn Jeshurun is a poetic name for Israel; it occurs here and in Deut 32:15; 33:5, 26.
269 tn Heb “the thirsty.” Parallelism suggests that dry ground is in view (see “dry land” in the next line.)
270 tn Heb “and streams”; KJV “floods.” The verb “cause…to flow” is supplied in the second line for clarity and for stylistic reasons.
271 tn The Hebrew term בֵין (ven) is usually taken as a preposition, in which case one might translate, “among the grass.” But בֵין is probably the name of a tree (cf. C. R. North, Second Isaiah, 133). If one alters the preposition bet (בְּ) to kaf (כְּ), one can then read, “like a binu-tree.” (The Qumran scroll 1QIsaa supports this reading.) This forms a nice parallel to “like poplars” in the next line. חָצִיר (khatsir) is functioning as an adverbial accusative of location.
272 tn The Hebrew text has a Qal verb form, “and another will call by the name of Jacob.” With support from Symmachus (an ancient Greek textual witness), some read the Niphal, “and another will be called by the name of Jacob.”
273 tn Heb “and by the name of Israel he will title.” Some, with support from several ancient versions, prefer to change the Piel (active) verb form to a Pual (passive), “and he will be titled by the name of Israel.”
274 tn Heb “his kinsman redeemer.” See the note at 41:14.
275 tn Heb “let him call” or “let him proclaim” (so NASB, NIV, NRSV); NAB “Let him stand up and speak.”
276 tc The Hebrew text reads, “from (the time) I established an ancient people, and the coming things.” Various emendations have been proposed. One of the options assumes the reading מַשְׁמִיעִים מֵעוֹלָם אוֹתִיּוֹת (mashmi’im me’olam ’otiyyot); This literally reads “the ones causing to hear from antiquity coming things,” but more idiomatically would read “as for those who predict from antiquity what will happen” (cf. NAB, NEB, REB). The emendation directs the attention of the reader to those who claim to be able to predict the future, challenging them to actually do what they claim they can do. The MT presents Yahweh as an example to whom these alleged “predictors of the future” can compare themselves. Since the ancient versions are unanimous in their support of the MT, the emendations should be set aside.
277 tn Heb and those things which are coming let them declare for themselves.”
278 tn BDB 923 s.v. רָהָה derives this verb from an otherwise unattested root, while HALOT 403 s.v. יָרָה defines it as “be stupefied” on the basis of an Arabic cognate. The form is likely a corruption of תיראו, the reading attested in the Qumran scroll 1QIsaa.
279 tn Heb “rock” or “rocky cliff,” a title that depicts God as a protective refuge in his role as sovereign king; thus the translation “sheltering rock.”
280 tn The rhetorical question is sarcastic. The sense is, “Who is foolish enough…?”
281 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.
282 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.”
283 tn The noun מַעֲצָד (ma’atsad), which refers to some type of tool used for cutting, occurs only here and in Jer 10:3. See HALOT 615 s.v. מַעֲצָד.
284 tn Some English versions take the pronoun “it” to refer to an idol being fashioned by the blacksmith (cf. NIV, NCV, CEV). NLT understands the referent to be “a sharp tool,” which is then used by the carpenter in the following verse to carve an idol from wood.
285 tn Heb “and there is no strength”; NASB “his strength fails.”
286 tn Heb “stretches out a line” (ASV similar); NIV “measures with a line.”
287 tn Heb “he makes an outline with the [?].” The noun שֶׂרֶד (shered) occurs only here; it apparently refers to some type of tool or marker. Cf. KJV “with a line”; ASV “with a pencil”; NAB, NRSV “with a stylus”; NASB “with red chalk”; NIV “with a marker.”
288 tn Heb “works” (so NASB) or “fashions” (so NRSV); NIV “he roughs it out.”
289 tn Heb “he makes it like the pattern of a man”; NAB “like a man in appearance.”
290 tn Heb “like the glory of man to sit [in] a house”; NIV “that it may dwell in a shrine.”
291 tn It is not certain what type of tree this otherwise unattested noun refers to. Cf. ASV “a holm-tree” (NRSV similar).
292 tn Heb “strengthens for himself,” i.e., “secures for himself” (see BDB 55 s.v. אָמֵץ Pi.2).
293 tn Some prefer to emend אֹרֶן (’oren) to אֶרֶז (’erez, “cedar”), but the otherwise unattested noun appears to have an Akkadian cognate, meaning “cedar.” See H. R. Cohen, Biblical Hapax Legomena (SBLDS), 44-45. HALOT 90 s.v. I אֹרֶן offers the meaning “laurel.”
294 tn Heb “and it becomes burning [i.e., firewood] for a man”; NAB “to serve man for fuel.”
295 tn Or perhaps, “them.”
296 tn Heb “eats” (so NASB); NAB, NRSV “roasts.”
297 tn Heb “for their eyes are smeared over so they cannot see, so their heart cannot be wise.”
298 tn There is no formal interrogative sign here, but the context seems to indicate these are rhetorical questions. See GKC 473 §150.a.
299 tn Or perhaps, “he eats on an ash heap.”
300 tn Heb “Is it not a lie in my right hand?”
301 tc The verb in the Hebrew text is a Niphal imperfect with a pronominal suffix. Although the Niphal ordinarily has the passive sense, it can have a reflexive nuance as well (see above translation). Some have suggested an emendation to a Qal form: “Do not forget me” (all the ancient versions, NEB, REB; see GKC 369 §117.x). “Do not forget me” would make a good parallel with “remember these things” in the first line. Since the MT is the harder reading and fits with Israel’s complaint that God had forgotten her (Isa 40:27), the MT reading should be retained (NASB, NKJV, NRSV, ESV). The passive has been rendered as an active in the translation in keeping with contemporary English style (so also NIV, NCV, TEV, NLT).
302 tn Heb “I blot out like a cloud your rebellious deeds, and like a cloud your sins.” “Rebellious deeds” and “sins” stand by metonymy for the guilt they produce. Both עָב (’av) and עָנָן (’anan) refer to the clouds in the sky. It is tempting for stylistic purposes to translate the second with “fog” or “mist” (cf. NAB, NRSV “cloud…mist”; NIV “cloud…morning mist”; NLT “morning mists…clouds”), but this distinction between the synonyms is unwarranted here. The point of the simile seems to be this: The Lord forgives their sins, causing them to vanish just as clouds disappear from the sky (see Job 7:9; 30:15).
303 tn Heb “redeem.” See the note at 41:14.
304 tn Heb “acts”; NASB, NRSV “has done it”; NLT “has done this wondrous thing.”
305 tn Heb “lower regions.” This refers to Sheol and forms a merism with “sky” in the previous line. See Pss 63:9; 71:20.
306 tn Heb “O forest and all the trees in it”; NASB, NRSV “and every tree in it.”
307 tn Heb “redeems.” See the note at 41:14.
308 tn That is, by delivering Israel. Cf. NCV “showed his glory when he saved Israel”; TEV “has shown his greatness by saving his people Israel.”
309 tn Heb “your redeemer.” See the note at 41:14.
310 tn The consonantal text (Kethib) has “Who [was] with me?” The marginal reading (Qere) is “from with me,” i.e., “by myself.” See BDB 87 s.v. II אֵת 4.c.
311 tc The Hebrew text has בַּדִּים (baddim), perhaps meaning “empty talkers” (BDB 95 s.v. III בַּד). In the four other occurrences of this word (Job 11:3; Isa 16:6; Jer 48:30; 50:36) the context does not make the meaning of the term very clear. Its primary point appears to be that the words spoken are meaningless or false. In light of its parallelism with “omen readers,” some have proposed an emendation to בָּרִים (barim, “seers”). The Mesopotamian baru-priests were divination specialists who played an important role in court life. See R. Wilson, Prophecy and Society in Ancient Israel, 93-98. Rather than supporting an emendation, J. N. Oswalt (Isaiah [NICOT], 2:189, n. 79) suggests that Isaiah used בַּדִּים purposively as a derisive wordplay on the Akkadian word baru (in light of the close similarity of the d and r consonants).
312 tn Or “makes fools of” (NIV, NRSV); NAB and NASB both similar.
313 tn Heb “who turns back the wise” (so NRSV); NIV “overthrows the learning of the wise”; TEV “The words of the wise I refute.”
314 tn Heb “their knowledge” (so KJV, NAB, NASB, NRSV).
315 tn Heb “the word of his servant.” The following context indicates that the Lord’s prophets are in view.
316 tn Heb “counsel.” The Hebrew term עֵצָה (’etsah) probably refers here to the divine plan as announced by the prophets. See HALOT 867 s.v. I עֵצָה.
317 map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.
318 tn Heb “says to.” It is possible that the sentence is not completed, as the description of Cyrus and his God-given role is developed in the rest of the verse. 45:1 picks up where 44:28a leaves off with the Lord’s actual words to Cyrus finally being quoted in 45:2.
319 tn Heb “my shepherd.” The shepherd motif is sometimes applied, as here, to a royal figure who is responsible for the well-being of the people whom he rules.
320 tn Heb “that he might bring to completion all my desire.”
321 tn Heb “and [concerning the] temple, you will be founded.” The preposition -לְ (lÿ) is understood by ellipsis at the beginning of the second line. The verb תִּוָּסֵד (tivvased, “you will be founded”) is second masculine singular and is probably addressed to the personified temple (הֵיכָל [hekhal, “temple”] is masculine).
322 tn Heb “anointed” (so KJV, NAB, NIV, NRSV, NLT); NCV “his appointed king.”
323 sn The “right hand” is a symbol of activity and strength; the Lord directs Cyrus’ activities and assures his success.
324 tn Heb “and the belts of kings I will loosen”; NRSV “strip kings of their robes”; NIV “strip kings of their armor.”
325 tc The form הֲדוּרִים (hadurim) makes little, if any, sense here. It is probably a corruption of an original הָרָרִים (hararim, “mountains”), the reduplicated form of הָר (har, “mountain”).
326 tn That is, on the gates. Cf. CEV “break the iron bars on bronze gates.”
327 tn Heb “treasures of darkness” (KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV); TEV “treasures from dark, secret places.”
328 tn Or “know” (NCV, NRSV, TEV, NLT); NIV “acknowledge.”
329 tn Heb “and there is none besides.” On the use of עוֹד (’od) here, see BDB 729 s.v. 1.c.
330 tn Heb “gird you” (so NASB) or “strengthen you” (so NIV).
331 tn Or “know” (NAB, NCV, NRSV, TEV, CEV, NLT); NIV “have not acknowledged.”
332 tn The words “I do this” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
333 tn Heb “they” (so KJV, ASV); TEV, CEV “everyone”; NLT “all the world.”
334 tn The words “I am” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons. In the Hebrew text the participle at the beginning of v. 7 stands in apposition to “the Lord” in v. 6.
335 tn On the surface v. 7a appears to describe God’s sovereign control over the cycle of day and night, but the following statement suggests that “light” and “darkness” symbolize “deliverance” and “judgment.”
336 sn This verses affirms that God is ultimately sovereign over his world, including mankind and nations. In accordance with his sovereign will, he can cause wars to cease and peace to predominate (as he was about to do for his exiled people through Cyrus), or he can bring disaster and judgment on nations (as he was about to do to Babylon through Cyrus).
337 tn Heb “let the clouds drip with”; KJV “let the skies pour down.”
338 tn Heb “open up” (so NASB); NIV, NLT “open wide.”
339 tc The plural verb should be emended to a singular form. The vav (ו) ending is probably virtually dittographic (note the yod at the beginning of the following word).
340 tc The Hiphil verb form (תַצְמִיחַ, tatsmiakh) should probably be emended to a Qal (תִצְמַח, titsmakh). The יח sequence at the end of the form is probably due to dittography (note the following יַחַד, yakhad).
341 tn The masculine singular pronominal suffix probably refers back to יָשַׁע (yasha’, “salvation”).
342 tn Heb “Woe [to] the one who argues with the one who formed him.”
343 tn The words “one who is like a mere” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons and clarification.
344 tn Heb “Should the clay say to the one who forms it?” The rhetorical question anticipates a reply, “Of course not!”
345 tn The words “in the world” are supplied in the translation to approximate in English idiom the force of the sarcastic question.
346 tn Heb “your work, there are no hands for it,” i.e., “your work looks like something made by a person who has no hands.”
347 tn Heb “Woe [to] one who says” (NASB and NIV both similar); NCV “How terrible it will be.”
348 tn See the note at v. 9. This phrase occurs a second time later in this verse.
349 sn Verses 9-10 may allude to the exiles’ criticism that the Lord does not appear to know what he is doing.
350 sn See the note on the phrase “the Holy One of Israel” in 1:4.
351 tc The Hebrew text reads “the one who formed him, the coming things.” Among various suggestions, some have proposed an emendation of יֹצְרוֹ (yotsÿro, “the one who formed him”) to יֹצֵר (yotser, “the one who forms”; the suffixed form in the Hebrew text may be influenced by vv. 9-10, where the same form appears twice) and takes “coming things” as the object of the participle (either objective genitive or accusative): “the one who brings the future into being.”
352 tn Heb “Ask me” The rhetorical command sarcastically expresses the Lord’s disgust with those who question his ways.
353 tn Heb “Do you command me about…?” The rhetorical question sarcastically expresses the Lord’s disgust with those who question his ways.
354 tn The words “who live” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
355 tn Heb “I, even my hands”; NASB “I stretched out…with My hands”; NRSV “it was my hands that stretched out.” The same construction occurs at the beginning of v. 13.
356 tn Or “the heavens.” The Hebrew term שָׁמַיִם (shamayim) may be translated “heavens” or “sky” depending on the context.
357 tn Heb “and to all their host I commanded.” See the notes at 40:26.
358 tn Heb “I stir him up in righteousness”; NASB “I have aroused him.” See the note at 41:2. Cyrus (cf. 44:28) is in view here.
359 tn Heb “labor,” which stands metonymically for the fruits of labor, either “monetary profit,” or “products.”
360 tn Or perhaps, “merchandise” (so KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV); NAB “the gain of Ethiopia”; CEV “the treasures of Ethiopia.”
361 tn Heb “they will pass over to you”; NASB, NIV “will come over to you”; CEV “will belong to you.”
362 sn Restored Israel is depicted here in typical ancient Near Eastern fashion as an imperial power that receives riches and slaves as tribute.
363 sn Israel’s vassals are portrayed as so intimidated and awed that they treat Israel as an intermediary to God or sub-deity.
364 tn Or perhaps, “among.” Cf. KJV, ASV “Surely God is in thee.”
365 tn Heb “there is no other” (so NIV, NRSV). The same phrase occurs at the end of v. 18, in v. 21, and at the end of v. 22.
366 tn “together they will walk in humiliation, the makers of images.”
367 tn Heb “Israel will be delivered by the Lord [with] a permanent deliverance.”
368 tn Heb “you will not be ashamed and you will not be humiliated for ages of future time.”
369 tn Heb “he [is] the God.” The article here indicates uniqueness.
370 tn Or “unformed.” Gen 1:2 describes the world as “unformed” (תֹהוּ, tohu) prior to God’s creative work, but God then formed the world and made it fit for habitation.
371 tn Heb “in a place of a land of darkness” (ASV similar); NASB “in some dark land.”
372 tn “In vain” translates תֹהוּ (tohu), used here as an adverbial accusative: “for nothing.”
373 tn The translation above assumes that צֶדֶק (tsedeq) and מֵישָׁרִים (mesharim) are adverbial accusatives (see 33:15). If they are taken as direct objects, indicating the content of what is spoken, one might translate, “who proclaims deliverance, who announces justice.”
374 tn Heb “Declare! Bring near!”; NASB “Declare and set forth your case.” See 41:21.
375 tn Or “a righteous God and deliverer”; NASB, NIV, NRSV “a righteous God and a Savior.”
376 tn The Niphal imperative with prefixed vav (ו) indicates purpose after the preceding imperative. The Niphal probably has a tolerative sense, “allow yourselves to be delivered, accept help.”
377 tn Heb “I swear by myself”; KJV, NASB “have sworn.”
378 tn Heb “a word goes out from my mouth [in] truth and will not return.”
379 tn Heb “swear” (so KJV, NAB, NIV, NRSV); NLT “confess allegiance.”
380 tn Heb “‘Yes, in the Lord,’ one says about me, ‘is deliverance and strength.’”
381 tn Heb “will come to him and be ashamed.”
382 tn Heb “In the Lord all the offspring of Israel will be vindicated and boast.”
383 sn Bel was the name of a Babylonian god. The name was originally associated with Enlil, but later was applied to Marduk. See HALOT 132 s.v. בֵּל.
384 sn Nebo is a variation of the name of the Babylonian god Nabu.
385 tn Heb “their images belong to animals and beasts”; NIV “their idols are borne by beasts of burden”; NLT “are being hauled away.”
386 tn Heb “your loads are carried [as] a burden by a weary [animal].”
387 tn Heb “[the] burden,” i.e., their images, the heavy burden carried by the animals.
388 tn נַפְשָׁם (nafsham, “their souls/lives”) is equivalent here to a third masculine plural suffix, but the third feminine singular verb הָלָכָה (halakhah, “they go”) agrees with the feminine noun נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh, “soul, life”).
389 sn The downfall of Babylon is depicted here. The idols are carried off by the victorious enemy; the gods are likened to defeated captives who cower before the enemy and are taken into exile.
390 tn Heb “house of Jacob”; TEV “descendants of Jacob.”
391 tn Heb “and all the remnant of the house of Israel.”
392 tn Heb “from the womb” (so NRSV); KJV “from the belly”; NAB “from your infancy.”
393 tn Heb “who have been lifted up from the womb.”
394 tn Heb “until old age, I am he” (NRSV similar); NLT “I will be your God throughout your lifetime.”
395 sn Unlike the weary idol gods, whose images must be carried by animals, the Lord carries his weary people.
396 tn Heb “the reed,” probably referring to the beam of a scales. See BDB 889 s.v. קָנֶה 4.c.
397 tn Or perhaps, “cannot,” here and in the following two lines. The imperfect forms can indicate capability.
398 tn The meaning of the verb אָשַׁשׁ (’ashash, which appears here in the Hitpolel stem) is uncertain. BDB 84 s.v. אשׁשׁ relates it to a root meaning “found, establish” in Arabic; HALOT 100 s.v. II אשׁשׁ gives the meaning “pluck up courage.” The imperative with vav (ו) may indicate purpose following the preceding imperative.
399 tn Heb “return [it], rebels, to heart”; NRSV “recall it to mind, you transgressors.”
400 tn Heb “remember the former things, from antiquity”; KJV, ASV “the former things of old.”
401 tn Heb “and there is no other” (so NASB, NIV, NRSV).
402 tn Or “from long ago”; KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV “from ancient times.”
403 tn Or, more generally, “a bird of prey” (so NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV; see 18:6).
404 tn Heb “spoken”; KJV “I have spoken it.”
405 tn Heb “strong of heart [or, mind]”; KJV “stouthearted”; NAB “fainthearted”; NIV “stubborn-hearted.”
406 tn Heb “who are far from righteousness [or perhaps, “deliverance”].”
407 tn Heb “my salvation.” The verb “I am bringing near” is understood by ellipsis (note the previous line).
408 tn Heb “I will place in Zion salvation”; NASB “I will grant salvation in Zion.”
409 tn Heb “to Israel my splendor”; KJV, ASV “for Israel my glory.”
410 tn בְּתוּלַה (bÿtulah) often refers to a virgin, but the phrase “virgin daughter” is apparently stylized (see also 23:12; 37:22). In the extended metaphor of this chapter, where Babylon is personified as a queen (vv. 5, 7), she is depicted as being both a wife and mother (vv. 8-9).
411 tn Or “For” (NASB, NRSV).
412 tn Heb “Your shame will be seen.” In this context “shame” is a euphemism referring to the genitals.
413 tn Heb “I will not meet a man.” The verb פָּגַע (pagah) apparently carries the nuance “meet with kindness” here (cf. 64:5, and see BDB 803 s.v. Qal.2).
414 tc The Hebrew text reads, “Our redeemer – the Lord who commands armies [traditionally, the Lord of hosts] is his name, the Holy One of Israel.” The ancient Greek version adds “says” before “our redeemer.” אָמַר (’amar) may have accidentally dropped from the text by virtual haplography. Note that the preceding word אָדָם (’adam) is graphically similar.
sn See the note on the phrase “the Holy One of Israel” in 1:4.
415 tn Heb “darkness,” which may indicate a place of hiding where a fugitive would seek shelter and protection.
416 tn Or “For” (NASB, NRSV).
417 tn Or “compassion.”
418 tn Heb “on the old you made very heavy your yoke.”
419 tn Heb “Forever I [will be] permanent queen”; NIV “the eternal queen”; CEV “queen forever.”
420 tn Heb “you did not set these things upon your heart [or “mind”].”
421 tn Heb “you did not remember its outcome”; NAB “you disregarded their outcome.”
422 tn Or perhaps, “voluptuous one” (NAB); NAB “you sensual one”; NLT “You are a pleasure-crazy kingdom.”
423 tn Heb “the one who says in her heart.”
424 tn Heb “I [am], and besides me there is no other.” See Zeph 2:15.
425 tn Heb “I will not live [as] a widow, and I will not know loss of children.”
426 tn Heb “loss of children and widowhood.” In the Hebrew text the phrase is in apposition to “both of these” in line 1.
427 tn Heb “according to their fullness, they will come upon you.”
428 tn For other examples of the preposition bet (בְּ) having the sense of “although, despite,” see BDB 90 s.v. III.7.
429 sn Reference is made to incantations and amulets, both of which were important in Mesopotamian religion. They were used to ward off danger and demons.
430 tn Heb “you trusted in your evil”; KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV “wickedness.”
431 tn Or “said”; NAB “said to yourself”’ NASB “said in your heart.”
432 tn The words “self-professed” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
433 tn See the note at v. 8.
434 tc The Hebrew text has שַׁחְרָהּ (shakhrah), which is either a suffixed noun (“its dawning,” i.e., origin) or infinitive (“to look early for it”). Some have suggested an emendation to שַׁחֲדָהּ (shakhadah), a suffixed infinitive from שָׁחַד (shakhad, “[how] to buy it off”; see BDB 1005 s.v. שָׁחַד). This forms a nice parallel with the following couplet. The above translation is based on a different etymology of the verb in question. HALOT 1466 s.v. III שׁחר references a verbal root with these letters (שׁחד) that refers to magical activity.
435 tn Heb “you will not know”; NIV “you cannot foresee.”
436 tn Heb “stand” (so KJV, ASV); NASB, NRSV “Stand fast.”
437 tn The word “trusting” is supplied in the translation for clarification. See v. 9.
438 tn Heb “in that which you have toiled.”
439 tn Heb “maybe you will be able to profit.”
440 tn Heb “maybe you will cause to tremble.” The object “disaster” is supplied in the translation for clarification. See the note at v. 9.
441 tn Heb “you are tired because of the abundance of your advice.”
442 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.”
443 tn Heb “hand,” here a metaphor for the strength or power of the flames.
444 tn The Hebrew text reads literally, “there is no coal [for?] their food, light to sit before it.” Some emend לַחְמָם (lakhmam, “their food”) to לְחֻמָּם (lÿkhummam, “to warm them”; see HALOT 328 s.v. חמם). This statement may allude to Isa 44:16, where idolaters are depicted warming themselves over a fire made from wood, part of which was used to form idols. The fire of divine judgment will be no such campfire; its flames will devour and destroy.
445 tn Heb “So they will be to you”; NIV “That is all they can do for you.”
446 tn Heb “that for which you toiled, your traders from your youth.” The omen readers and star gazers are likened to merchants with whom Babylon has had an ongoing economic relationship.
447 tn Heb “each to his own side, they err.”
448 tn Heb “house of Jacob”; TEV, CEV “people of Israel.”
449 tc The Hebrew text reads literally “and from the waters of Judah came out.” מִמֵּי (mimme) could be a corruption of מִמְּעֵי (mimmÿ’e, “from the inner parts of”; cf. NASB, NIV, NLT, NRSV) as suggested in the above translation. Some translations (ESV, NKJV) retain the MT reading because the Qumran scroll 1QIsaa, which corrects a similar form to “from inner parts of” in 39:7, does not do it here.
450 tn Heb “cause to remember”; KJV, ASV “make mention of.”
451 tn Heb “not in truth and not in righteousness.”
452 tn Heb “they call themselves [or “are called”] from the holy city.” The precise meaning of the statement is uncertain. The Niphal of קָרָא (qara’) is combined with the preposition מִן (min) only here. When the Qal of קָרָא is used with מִן, the preposition often indicates the place from which one is summoned (see 46:11). So one could translate, “from the holy city they are summoned,” meaning that they reside there.
453 tn Heb “lean on” (so NASB, NRSV); NAB, NIV “rely on.”
454 tn Heb “the former things beforehand I declared.”
455 tn Heb “and from my mouth they came forth and I caused them to be heard.”
456 tn The words “I did this” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons. In the Hebrew text v. 4 is subordinated to v. 3.
457 sn The image is that of a person who has tensed the muscles of the face and neck as a sign of resolute refusal.
458 tn Heb “gaze [at] all of it”; KJV “see all this.”
459 tn Heb “[as for] you, will you not declare?”
460 tn Heb “and hidden things, and you do not know them.”
461 tn Heb “are created” (so KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV); NLT “They are brand new.”
462 tn Heb “look”; KJV, NASB “Behold.”
463 tn Heb “beforehand your ear did not open.”
464 tn Heb “deceiving, you deceive.” The infinitive absolute precedes the finite verb for emphasis.
465 tn Or “called” (KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV).
466 tn Heb “for the sake of my name” (so NAB, NASB); NLT “for my own sake.”
467 tn Heb “and my praise.” לְמַעַן (lÿma’an, “for the sake of”) is understood by ellipsis (note the preceding line).
468 tn Heb “I restrain [myself] concerning you not to cut you off.”
469 tc The Hebrew text has בְּחַרְתִּיךָ (bÿkhartikha, “I have chosen you”), but the Qumran scroll 1QIsaa reads correctly בחנתיכה (“I have tested you”). The metallurgical background of the imagery suggests that purification through testing is the idea.
470 tn The Hebrew text repeats לְמַעֲנִי (lÿma’ani, “for my sake”) for emphasis.
471 tn The Hebrew text reads literally, “for how can it be defiled?” The subject of the verb is probably “name” (v. 9).
472 sn See 42:8.
473 tn Heb “I [am] he, I [am the] first, also I [am the] last.”
474 sn This probably refers to the idol gods (see v. 5).
475 tn Or “friend,” or “covenant partner.”
sn The
476 tn Heb “and his arm [against] the Babylonians.”
477 tn Heb “and his way will be prosperous.”
478 tn Heb “from the time of its occurring.”
479 sn The speaker here is not identified specifically, but he is probably Cyrus, the Lord’s “ally” mentioned in vv. 14-15.
480 tn Heb “your redeemer.” See the note at 41:14.
481 sn See the note on the phrase “the Holy One of Israel” in 1:4.
482 tn Heb “paid attention to” (so NASB, NIV, NRSV); TEV “had listened to.”
483 tn Heb “like a river your peace would have been.” שָׁלוֹם (shalom) probably refers here to the peace and prosperity which God promised in return for obedience to the covenant.
484 tn Heb “and your righteousness like the waves of the sea.” צְדָקָה (tsÿdaqah) probably refers here to divine deliverance from enemies. See v. 19.
485 tn Heb “like sand”; NCV “as many as the grains of sand.”
486 tn Heb “and the issue from your inner parts.”
487 tn Heb “and his name would not be cut off and would not be destroyed from before me.”
488 tn Heb “to the end of the earth” (so KJV, NASB, NRSV).
489 tn Heb “redeems.” See the note at 41:14.
490 sn The translation above (present tense) assumes that this verse describes God’s provision for returning Babylonian exiles (see v. 20; 35:6; 49:10) in terms reminiscent of the Exodus from Egypt (see Exod 17:6).