Isaiah 1:29

1:29 Indeed, they 1  will be ashamed of the sacred trees

you 2  find so desirable;

you will be embarrassed because of the sacred orchards 3 

where you choose to worship.

Isaiah 14:32

14:32 How will they respond to the messengers of this nation? 4 

Indeed, the Lord has made Zion secure;

the oppressed among his people will find safety in her.

Isaiah 19:12

19:12 But where, oh where, are your wise men? 5 

Let them tell you, let them find out

what the Lord who commands armies has planned for Egypt.

Isaiah 23:12

23:12 He said,

“You will no longer celebrate,

oppressed 6  virgin daughter Sidon!

Get up, travel to Cyprus,

but you will find no relief there.” 7 

Isaiah 36:8

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

Isaiah 41:1

The Lord Challenges the Nations

41:1 “Listen to me in silence, you coastlands! 8 

Let the nations find renewed strength!

Let them approach and then speak;

let us come together for debate! 9 

1 tc The Hebrew text (and the Qumran scroll 1QIsaa) has the third person here, though a few Hebrew mss (and Targums) read the second person, which is certainly more consistent with the following context. The third person form is the more difficult reading and probably original. This disagreement in person has caused some to emend the first verb (3rd plural) to a 2nd plural form (followed by most English translations). The BHS textual apparatus suggests that the 2nd plural form be read even though there is only sparse textual evidence. LXX, Syriac, and the Vulgate change all the 2nd person verbs in 1:29-31 to 3rd person verbs. It is likely that the change to a 2nd person form represents an attempt at syntactical harmonization (J. de Waard, Isaiah, 10). The abrupt change from 3rd person to 2nd person may have been intentional for rhetorical impact (GKC 462 §144.p). The rapid change from exclamation (they did!) to reproach (you desired!) might be regarded as a rhetorical figure focusing attention on the addressees and their conditions (de Waard, 10; E. König, Stilistik, Rhetorik, Poetik, 239). This use of the 3rd person could also be understood as an impersonal third person: “one will be ashamed” (de Waard, 10). In v. 29 the prophet continues his description of the sinners (v. 28), but then suddenly makes a transition to direct address (switching from 3rd to 2nd person) in the middle of his sentence.

2 tn The second person pronouns in vv. 29-30 are masculine plural, indicating that the rebellious sinners (v. 28) are addressed.

3 tn Or “gardens” (so KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV); NAB “groves.”

4 sn The question forces the Philistines to consider the dilemma they will face – surrender and oppression, or battle and death.

5 tn Heb “Where are they? Where are your wise men?” The juxtaposition of the interrogative pronouns is emphatic. See HALOT 38 s.v. אֶי.

6 tn Or “violated, raped,” the point being that Daughter Sidon has lost her virginity in the most brutal manner possible.

7 tn Heb “[to the] Kittim, get up, cross over; even there there will be no rest for you.” On “Kittim” see the note on “Cyprus” at v. 1.

8 tn Or “islands” (KJV, NIV, CEV); TEV “distant lands”; NLT “lands beyond the sea.”

9 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.