1:24 Therefore, the sovereign Lord who commands armies, 1
the powerful ruler of Israel, 2 says this:
“Ah, I will seek vengeance 3 against my adversaries,
I will take revenge against my enemies. 4
57:6 Among the smooth stones of the stream are the idols you love;
they, they are the object of your devotion. 5
You pour out liquid offerings to them,
you make an offering.
Because of these things I will seek vengeance. 6
59:17 He wears his desire for justice 7 like body armor, 8
and his desire to deliver is like a helmet on his head. 9
He puts on the garments of vengeance 10
and wears zeal like a robe.
1 tn Heb “the master, the Lord who commands armies [traditionally, the Lord of hosts].” On the title “the Lord who commands armies,” see the note at v. 9.
2 tn Heb “the powerful [one] of Israel.”
3 tn Heb “console myself” (i.e., by getting revenge); NRSV “pour out my wrath on.”
4 sn The Lord here identifies with the oppressed and comes as their defender and vindicator.
5 tn Heb “among the smooth stones of the stream [is] your portion, they, they [are] your lot.” The next line indicates idols are in view.
6 tn The text reads literally, “Because of these am I relenting?” If the prefixed interrogative particle is retained at the beginning of the sentence, then the question would be rhetorical, with the Niphal of נָחָם (nakham) probably being used in the sense of “relent, change one’s mind.” One could translate: “Because of these things, how can I relent?” However, the initial letter he may be dittographic (note the final he [ה] on the preceding word). In this case one may understand the verb in the sense of “console oneself, seek vengeance,” as in 1:24.
7 tn Or “righteousness” (KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT); NCV “goodness.”
8 tn Or “a breastplate” (traditional; so many English versions); TEV “a coat of armour.”
9 tn Heb “and [as] a helmet deliverance on his head.”
10 tn Heb “and he puts on the clothes of vengeance [as] a garment.”