1:4 1 The sinful nation is as good as dead, 2
the people weighed down by evil deeds.
They are offspring who do wrong,
children 3 who do wicked things.
They have abandoned the Lord,
and rejected the Holy One of Israel. 4
They are alienated from him. 5
1:18 6 Come, let’s consider your options,” 7 says the Lord.
“Though your sins have stained you like the color red,
you can become 8 white like snow;
though they are as easy to see as the color scarlet,
you can become 9 white like wool. 10
5:7 Indeed 11 Israel 12 is the vineyard of the Lord who commands armies,
the people 13 of Judah are the cultivated place in which he took delight.
He waited for justice, but look what he got – disobedience! 14
He waited for fairness, but look what he got – cries for help! 15
5:24 Therefore, as flaming fire 16 devours straw,
and dry grass disintegrates in the flames,
so their root will rot,
and their flower will blow away like dust. 17
For they have rejected the law of the Lord who commands armies,
they have spurned the commands 18 of the Holy One of Israel. 19
5:25 So the Lord is furious 20 with his people;
he lifts 21 his hand and strikes them.
The mountains shake,
and corpses lie like manure 22 in the middle of the streets.
Despite all this, his anger does not subside,
and his hand is ready to strike again. 23
9:7 His dominion will be vast 26
and he will bring immeasurable prosperity. 27
He will rule on David’s throne
and over David’s kingdom, 28
establishing it 29 and strengthening it
by promoting justice and fairness, 30
from this time forward and forevermore.
The Lord’s intense devotion to his people 31 will accomplish this.
10:24 So 32 here is what the sovereign master, the Lord who commands armies, says: “My people who live in Zion, do not be afraid of Assyria, even though they beat you with a club and lift their cudgel against you as Egypt did. 33
11:15 The Lord will divide 37 the gulf 38 of the Egyptian Sea; 39
he will wave his hand over the Euphrates River 40 and send a strong wind, 41
he will turn it into seven dried-up streams, 42
and enable them to walk across in their sandals.
14:23 “I will turn her into a place that is overrun with wild animals 44
and covered with pools of stagnant water.
I will get rid of her, just as one sweeps away dirt with a broom,” 45
says the Lord who commands armies.
26:21 For look, the Lord is coming out of the place where he lives, 46
to punish the sin of those who live on the earth.
The earth will display the blood shed on it;
it will no longer cover up its slain. 47
28:13 So the Lord’s word to them will sound like
meaningless gibberish,
senseless babbling,
a syllable here, a syllable there. 53
As a result, they will fall on their backsides when they try to walk, 54
and be injured, ensnared, and captured. 55
30:26 The light of the full moon will be like the sun’s glare
and the sun’s glare will be seven times brighter,
like the light of seven days, 56
when the Lord binds up his people’s fractured bones 57
and heals their severe wound. 58
31:1 Those who go down to Egypt for help are as good as dead, 59
those who rely on war horses,
and trust in Egypt’s many chariots 60
and in their many, many horsemen. 61
But they do not rely on the Holy One of Israel 62
and do not seek help from the Lord.
37:33 So this is what the Lord says about the king of Assyria:
‘He will not enter this city,
nor will he shoot an arrow here. 63
He will not attack it with his shielded warriors, 64
nor will he build siege works against it.
38:1 In those days Hezekiah was stricken with a terminal illness. 65 The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz visited him and told him, “This is what the Lord says, ‘Give instructions to your household, for you are about to die; you will not get well.’”
42:5 This is what the true God, 66 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, 67
the one who gives breath to the people on it,
and life to those who live on it: 68
45:11 This is what the Lord says,
the Holy One of Israel, 69 the one who formed him,
concerning things to come: 70
“How dare you question me 71 about my children!
How dare you tell me what to do with 72 the work of my own hands!
45:13 It is me – I stir him up and commission him; 73
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 74 of Egypt and the revenue 75 of Ethiopia,
along with the Sabeans, those tall men,
will be brought to you 76 and become yours.
They will walk behind you, coming along in chains. 77
They will bow down to you
and pray to you: 78
‘Truly God is with 79 you; he has no peer; 80
there is no other God!’”
45:21 Tell me! Present the evidence! 81
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; 82
there is none but me.
48:1 Listen to this, O family of Jacob, 83
you who are called by the name ‘Israel,’
and are descended from Judah, 84
who take oaths in the name of the Lord,
and invoke 85 the God of Israel –
but not in an honest and just manner. 86
49:8 This is what the Lord says:
“At the time I decide to show my favor, I will respond to you;
in the day of deliverance I will help you;
I will protect you 87 and make you a covenant mediator for people, 88
to rebuild 89 the land 90
and to reassign the desolate property.
49:23 Kings will be your children’s 91 guardians;
their princesses will nurse your children. 92
With their faces to the ground they will bow down to you
and they will lick the dirt on 93 your feet.
Then you will recognize that I am the Lord;
those who wait patiently for me are not put to shame.
49:26 I will make your oppressors eat their own flesh;
they will get drunk on their own blood, as if it were wine. 94
Then all humankind 95 will recognize that
I am the Lord, your deliverer,
your protector, 96 the powerful ruler of Jacob.” 97
50:1 This is what the Lord says:
“Where is your mother’s divorce certificate
by which I divorced her?
Or to which of my creditors did I sell you? 98
Look, you were sold because of your sins; 99
because of your rebellious acts I divorced your mother. 100
51:13 Why do you forget 101 the Lord, who made you,
who stretched out the sky 102
and founded the earth?
Why do you constantly tremble all day long 103
at the anger of the oppressor,
when he makes plans to destroy?
Where is the anger of the oppressor? 104
54:1 “Shout for joy, O barren one who has not given birth!
Give a joyful shout and cry out, you who have not been in labor!
For the children of the desolate one are more numerous
than the children of the married woman,” says the Lord.
58:5 Is this really the kind of fasting I want? 105
Do I want a day when people merely humble themselves, 106
bowing their heads like a reed
and stretching out 107 on sackcloth and ashes?
Is this really what you call a fast,
a day that is pleasing to the Lord?
58:13 You must 108 observe the Sabbath 109
rather than doing anything you please on my holy day. 110
You must look forward to the Sabbath 111
and treat the Lord’s holy day with respect. 112
You must treat it with respect by refraining from your normal activities,
and by refraining from your selfish pursuits and from making business deals. 113
60:9 Indeed, the coastlands 114 look eagerly for me,
the large ships 115 are in the lead,
bringing your sons from far away,
along with their silver and gold,
to honor the Lord your God, 116
the Holy One of Israel, 117 for he has bestowed honor on you.
61:3 to strengthen those who mourn in Zion,
by giving them a turban, instead of ashes,
oil symbolizing joy, 118 instead of mourning,
a garment symbolizing praise, 119 instead of discouragement. 120
They will be called oaks of righteousness, 121
trees planted by the Lord to reveal his splendor. 122
61:10 I 123 will greatly rejoice 124 in the Lord;
I will be overjoyed because of my God. 125
For he clothes me in garments of deliverance;
he puts on me a robe symbolizing vindication. 126
I look like a bridegroom when he wears a turban as a priest would;
I look like a bride when she puts on her jewelry. 127
62:4 You will no longer be called, “Abandoned,”
and your land will no longer be called “Desolate.”
Indeed, 128 you will be called “My Delight is in Her,” 129
and your land “Married.” 130
For the Lord will take delight in you,
and your land will be married to him. 131
65:8 This is what the Lord says:
“When 132 juice is discovered in a cluster of grapes,
someone says, ‘Don’t destroy it, for it contains juice.’ 133
So I will do for the sake of my servants –
I will not destroy everyone. 134
66:12 For this is what the Lord says:
“Look, I am ready to extend to her prosperity that will flow like a river,
the riches of nations will flow into her like a stream that floods its banks. 135
You will nurse from her breast 136 and be carried at her side;
you will play on her knees.
66:17 “As for those who consecrate and ritually purify themselves so they can follow their leader and worship in the sacred orchards, 137 those who eat the flesh of pigs and other disgusting creatures, like mice 138 – they will all be destroyed together,” 139 says the Lord.
1 sn Having summoned the witnesses and announced the Lord’s accusation against Israel, Isaiah mourns the nation’s impending doom. The third person references to the Lord in the second half of the verse suggest that the quotation from the Lord (cf. vv. 2-3) has concluded.
2 tn Heb “Woe [to the] sinful nation.” The Hebrew term הוֹי, (hoy, “woe, ah”) was used in funeral laments (see 1 Kgs 13:30; Jer 22:18; 34:5) and carries the connotation of death. In highly dramatic fashion the prophet acts out Israel’s funeral in advance, emphasizing that their demise is inevitable if they do not repent soon.
3 tn Or “sons” (NASB). The prophet contrasts four terms of privilege – nation, people, offspring, children – with four terms that depict Israel’s sinful condition in Isaiah’s day – sinful, evil, wrong, wicked (see J. A. Motyer, The Prophecy of Isaiah, 43).
4 sn Holy One of Israel is one of Isaiah’s favorite divine titles for God. It pictures the Lord as the sovereign king who rules over his covenant people and exercises moral authority over them.
5 tn Heb “they are estranged backward.” The LXX omits this statement, which presents syntactical problems and seems to be outside the synonymous parallelistic structure of the verse.
6 sn The Lord concludes his case against Israel by offering them the opportunity to be forgiven and by setting before them the alternatives of renewed blessing (as a reward for repentance) and final judgment (as punishment for persistence in sin).
7 tn Traditionally, “let us reason together,” but the context suggests a judicial nuance. The Lord is giving the nation its options for the future.
8 tn The imperfects must be translated as modal (indicating capability or possibility) to bring out the conditional nature of the offer. This purification will only occur if the people repent and change their ways.
9 tn The imperfects must be translated as modal (indicating capability or possibility) to bring out the conditional nature of the offer. This purification will only occur if the people repent and change their ways.
10 tn Heb “though your sins are like red, they will become white like snow; though they are red like scarlet, they will be like wool.” The point is not that the sins will be covered up, though still retained. The metaphorical language must be allowed some flexibility and should not be pressed into a rigid literalistic mold. The people’s sins will be removed and replaced by ethical purity. The sins that are now as obvious as the color red will be washed away and the ones who are sinful will be transformed.
11 tn Or “For” (KJV, ASV, NASB, NRSV).
12 tn Heb “the house of Israel” (so NASB, NIV, NRSV).
13 tn Heb “men,” but in a generic sense.
14 tn Heb “but, look, disobedience.” The precise meaning of מִשְׂפָּח (mishpakh), which occurs only here in the OT, is uncertain. Some have suggested a meaning “bloodshed.” The term is obviously chosen for its wordplay value; it sounds very much like מִשְׁפָּט (mishpat, “justice”). The sound play draws attention to the point being made; the people have not met the Lord’s expectations.
15 tn Heb “but, look, a cry for help.” The verb (“he waited”) does double duty in the parallelism. צְעָקָה (tsa’qah) refers to the cries for help made by the oppressed. It sounds very much like צְדָקָה (tsÿdaqah, “fairness”). The sound play draws attention to the point being made; the people have not met the Lord’s expectations.
16 tn Heb “a tongue of fire” (so NASB), referring to a tongue-shaped flame.
17 sn They are compared to a flowering plant that withers quickly in a hot, arid climate.
18 tn Heb “the word.”
19 sn See the note on the phrase “the Holy One of Israel” in 1:4.
20 tn Heb “the anger of the Lord rages.”
21 tn Or “extends”; KJV, ASV “he hath stretched forth.”
22 tn Or “garbage” (NCV, CEV, NLT); NAB, NASB, NIV “refuse.”
23 tn Heb “in all this his anger is not turned, and still his hand is outstretched.”
24 tn The name means “a remnant will return.” Perhaps in this context, where the Lord is trying to encourage Ahaz, the name suggests that only a few of the enemy invaders will return home; the rest will be defeated.
25 tn Heb “the field of the washer”; traditionally “the fuller’s field” (so KJV, NAB, NASB, NRSV); NIV “the Washerman’s Field.”
26 tc The Hebrew text has לְםַרְבֵּה (lÿmarbeh), which is a corrupt reading. לם is dittographic; note the preceding word, שָׁלוֹם (shalom). The corrected text reads literally, “great is the dominion.”
27 tn Heb “and to peace there will be no end” (KJV and ASV both similar). On the political and socio-economic sense of שָׁלוֹם (shalom) in this context, see the note at v. 6 on “Prince of Peace.”
28 tn Heb “over the throne of David, and over his kingdom.” The referent of the pronoun “his” (i.e., David) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
29 tn The feminine singular pronominal suffix on this form and the following one (translated “it” both times) refers back to the grammatically feminine noun “kingdom.”
30 tn Heb “with/by justice and fairness”; ASV “with justice and with righteousness.”
31 tn Heb “the zeal of the Lord.” In this context the Lord’s “zeal” refers to his intense devotion to and love for his people which prompts him to vindicate them and to fulfill his promises to David and the nation.
32 tn Heb “therefore.” The message that follows is one of encouragement, for it focuses on the eventual destruction of the Assyrians. Consequently “therefore” relates back to vv. 5-21, not to vv. 22-23, which must be viewed as a brief parenthesis in an otherwise positive speech.
33 tn Heb “in the way [or “manner”] of Egypt.”
34 tn Heb “him” (so KJV, ASV, NASB); the singular refers to the leader or king who stands for the entire nation. This is specified by NCV, CEV as “the Assyrians.”
35 sn According to Judg 7:25, the Ephraimites executed the Midianite general Oreb at a rock which was subsequently named after the executed enemy.
36 tc The Hebrew text reads literally, “and his staff [will be] against the sea, and he will lift it in the way [or “manner”] of Egypt.” If the text is retained, “the sea” symbolizes Assyria’s hostility, the metaphor being introduced because of the reference to Egypt. The translation above assumes an emendation of עַל הַיָּם (’al hayyam, “against the sea”) to עַלֵיהֶם (’alehem, “against them”). The proposed shift from the third singular pronoun (note “beat him” earlier in the verse) to the plural is not problematic, for the singular is collective. Note that a third plural pronoun is used at the end of v. 25 (“their destruction”). The final phrase, “in the way/manner of Egypt,” probably refers to the way in which God used the staff of Moses to bring judgment down on Egypt.
37 tn The verb is usually understood as “put under the ban, destroy,” or emended to חָרָב (kharav, “dry up”). However, HALOT 354 s.v. II חרם proposes a homonymic root meaning “divide.”
38 tn Heb “tongue” (so KJV, NAB, NASB, NRSV).
39 sn That is, the Red Sea.
40 tn Heb “the river”; capitalized in some English versions (e.g., ASV, NASB, NRSV) as a reference to the Euphrates River.
41 tn Heb “with the [?] of his wind” [or “breath”]. The Hebrew term עַיָם (’ayam) occurs only here. Some attempt to relate the word to an Arabic root and translate, “scorching [or “hot”] wind.” This interpretation fits especially well if one reads “dry up” in the previous line. Others prefer to emend the form to עֹצֶם (’otsem, “strong”). See HALOT 817 s.v. עֲצַם.
42 tn Heb “seven streams.” The Hebrew term נַחַל (nakhal, “stream”) refers to a wadi, or seasonal stream, which runs during the rainy season, but is otherwise dry. The context (see v. 15b) here favors the translation, “dried up streams.” The number seven suggests totality and completeness. Here it indicates that God’s provision for escape will be thorough and more than capable of accommodating the returning exiles.
43 tn Heb “and the house of Jacob will take possession of them [i.e., the nations], on the land of the Lord, as male servants and female servants.”
44 tn Heb “I will make her into a possession of wild animals.” It is uncertain what type of animal קִפֹּד (qippod) refers to. Some suggest a rodent (cf. NASB, NRSV “hedgehog”), others an owl (cf, NAB, NIV, TEV).
45 tn Heb “I will sweep her away with the broom of destruction.”
46 tn Heb “out of his place” (so KJV, ASV).
47 sn This implies that rampant bloodshed is one of the reasons for divine judgment. See the note at 24:5.
48 tn Heb “and it will be in that day.” The verb that introduces this verse serves as a discourse particle and is untranslated; see note on “in the future” in 2:2.
49 tn Traditionally, “great” (KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NLT); CEV “loud.”
50 tn Or “the ones perishing.”
51 tn Or “the ones driven into.”
52 map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.
53 tn Heb “And the word of the Lord will be to them, ‘tsahv latsahv,’ etc.” See the note at v. 10. In this case the “Lord’s word” is not the foreigner’s strange sounding words (as in v. 10), but the Lord’s repeated appeals to them (like the one quoted in v. 12). As time goes on, the Lord’s appeals through the prophets will have no impact on the people; they will regard prophetic preaching as gibberish.
54 tn Heb “as a result they will go and stumble backward.” Perhaps an infant falling as it attempts to learn to walk is the background image here (cf. v. 9b). The Hebrew term לְמַעַן (lÿma’an) could be taken as indicating purpose (“in order that”), rather than simple result. In this case the people’s insensitivity to the message is caused by the Lord as a means of expediting their downfall.
55 sn When divine warnings and appeals become gibberish to the spiritually insensitive, they have no guidance and are doomed to destruction.
56 sn Light here symbolizes restoration of divine blessing and prosperity. The number “seven” is used symbolically to indicate intensity. The exact meaning of the phrase “the light of seven days” is uncertain; it probably means “seven times brighter” (see the parallel line).
57 tn Heb “the fracture of his people” (so NASB).
sn The Lord is here compared to a physician setting a broken bone in a bandage or cast.
58 tn Heb “the injury of his wound.” The joining of synonyms emphasizes the severity of the wound. Another option is to translate, “the wound of his blow.” In this case the pronominal suffix might refer to the Lord, not the people, yielding the translation, “the wound which he inflicted.”
59 tn Heb “Woe [to] those who go down to Egypt for help.”
60 tn Heb “and trust in chariots for they are many.”
61 tn Heb “and in horsemen for they are very strong [or “numerous”].”
62 sn See the note on the phrase “the Holy One of Israel” in 1:4.
63 tn Heb “there” (so KJV, NASB, NRSV). In terms of English style “here” is expected in collocation with “this” in the previous line.
64 tn Heb “[with] a shield” (so ASV, NASB, NRSV).
65 tn Heb “was sick to the point of dying”; NRSV “became sick and was at the point of death.”
66 tn Heb “the God.” The definite article here indicates distinctiveness or uniqueness.
67 tn Heb “and its offspring” (so NASB); NIV “all that comes out of it.”
68 tn Heb “and spirit [i.e., “breath”] to the ones walking in it” (NAB, NASB, and NRSV all similar).
69 sn See the note on the phrase “the Holy One of Israel” in 1:4.
70 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.”
71 tn Heb “Ask me” The rhetorical command sarcastically expresses the Lord’s disgust with those who question his ways.
72 tn Heb “Do you command me about…?” The rhetorical question sarcastically expresses the Lord’s disgust with those who question his ways.
73 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.
74 tn Heb “labor,” which stands metonymically for the fruits of labor, either “monetary profit,” or “products.”
75 tn Or perhaps, “merchandise” (so KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV); NAB “the gain of Ethiopia”; CEV “the treasures of Ethiopia.”
76 tn Heb “they will pass over to you”; NASB, NIV “will come over to you”; CEV “will belong to you.”
77 sn Restored Israel is depicted here in typical ancient Near Eastern fashion as an imperial power that receives riches and slaves as tribute.
78 sn Israel’s vassals are portrayed as so intimidated and awed that they treat Israel as an intermediary to God or sub-deity.
79 tn Or perhaps, “among.” Cf. KJV, ASV “Surely God is in thee.”
80 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.
81 tn Heb “Declare! Bring near!”; NASB “Declare and set forth your case.” See 41:21.
82 tn Or “a righteous God and deliverer”; NASB, NIV, NRSV “a righteous God and a Savior.”
83 tn Heb “house of Jacob”; TEV, CEV “people of Israel.”
84 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.
85 tn Heb “cause to remember”; KJV, ASV “make mention of.”
86 tn Heb “not in truth and not in righteousness.”
87 tn The translation assumes the verb is derived from the root נָצָר (natsar, “protect”). Some prefer to derive it from the root יָצָר (yatsar, “form”).
88 tn Heb “a covenant of people.” A person cannot literally be a covenant; בְּרִית (bÿrit) is probably metonymic here, indicating a covenant mediator. Here עָם (’am, “people”) appears to refer to Israel. See the note at 42:6.
89 tn The Hiphil of קוּם (qum, “arise”) is probably used here in the sense of “rebuild.”
90 tn The “land” probably stands by metonymy for the ruins within it.
91 tn Heb “your,” but Zion here stands by metonymy for her children (see v. 22b).
92 tn Heb “you.” See the preceding note.
93 tn Or “at your feet” (NAB, NIV); NLT “from your feet.”
94 sn Verse 26a depicts siege warfare and bloody defeat. The besieged enemy will be so starved they will their own flesh. The bloodstained bodies lying on the blood-soaked battle site will look as if they collapsed in drunkenness.
95 tn Heb “flesh” (so KJV, NASB).
96 tn Heb “your redeemer.” See the note at 41:14.
97 tn Heb “the powerful [one] of Jacob.” See 1:24.
98 sn The Lord challenges the exiles (Zion’s children) to bring incriminating evidence against him. The rhetorical questions imply that Israel accused the Lord of divorcing his wife (Zion) and selling his children (the Israelites) into slavery to pay off a debt.
99 sn The Lord admits that he did sell the Israelites, but it was because of their sins, not because of some debt he owed. If he had sold them to a creditor, they ought to be able to point him out, but the preceding rhetorical question implies they would not be able to do so.
100 sn The Lord admits he did divorce Zion, but that too was the result of the nation’s sins. The force of the earlier rhetorical question comes into clearer focus now. The question does not imply that a certificate does not exist and that no divorce occurred. Rather, the question asks for the certificate to be produced so the accuser can see the reason for the divorce in black and white. The Lord did not put Zion away arbitrarily.
101 tn Heb “and that you forget.”
102 tn Or “the heavens” (also in v. 16). The Hebrew term שָׁמַיִם (shamayim) may be translated “heavens” or “sky” depending on the context.
103 tn Heb “and that you tremble constantly all the day.”
104 tn The question anticipates the answer, “Ready to disappear!” See v. 14.
105 tn Heb “choose” (so NASB, NRSV); NAB “wish.”
106 tn Heb “a day when man humbles himself.” The words “Do I want” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
107 tn Or “making [their] bed.”
108 tn Lit., “if you.” In the Hebrew text vv. 13-14 are one long conditional sentence. The protasis (“if” clauses appear in v. 13), with the apodosis (“then” clause) appearing in v. 14.
109 tn Heb “if you turn from the Sabbath your feet.”
110 tn Heb “[from] doing your desires on my holy day.” The Qumran scroll 1QIsaa supplies the preposition מִן (min) on “doing.”
111 tn Heb “and call the Sabbath a pleasure”; KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV “a delight.”
112 tn Heb “and [call] the holy [day] of the Lord honored.” On קָדוֹשׁ (qadosh, “holy”) as indicating a time period, see BDB 872 s.v. 2.e (cf. also Neh 8:9-11).
113 tn Heb “and you honor it [by refraining] from accomplishing your ways, from finding your desire and speaking a word.” It is unlikely that the last phrase (“speaking a word”) is a prohibition against talking on the Sabbath; instead it probably refers to making transactions or plans (see Hos 10:4). Some see here a reference to idle talk (cf. 2 Sam 19:30).
114 tn Or “islands” (NIV); CEV “distant islands”; TEV “distant lands.”
115 tn Heb “the ships of Tarshish.” See the note at 2:16.
116 tn Heb “to the name of the Lord your God.”
117 sn See the note on the phrase “the Holy One of Israel” in 1:4.
118 tn Heb “oil of joy” (KJV, ASV); NASB, NIV, NRSV “the oil of gladness.”
119 tn Heb “garment of praise.”
120 tn Heb “a faint spirit” (so NRSV); KJV, ASV “the spirit of heaviness”; NASB “a spirit of fainting.”
121 tn Rather than referring to the character of the people, צֶדֶק (tsedeq) may carry the nuance “vindication” here, suggesting that God’s restored people are a testimony to his justice. See v. 2, which alludes to the fact that God will take vengeance against the enemies of his people. Cf. NAB “oaks of justice.”
122 tn Heb “a planting of the Lord to reveal splendor.”
123 sn The speaker in vv. 10-11 is not identified, but it is likely that the personified nation (or perhaps Zion) responds here to the Lord’s promise of restoration.
124 tn The infinitive absolute appears before the finite verb for emphasis.
125 tn Heb “my being is happy in my God”; NAB “in my God is the joy of my soul.”
126 tn Heb “robe of vindication”; KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV “robe of righteousness.”
127 tn Heb “like a bridegroom [who] acts like a priest [by wearing] a turban, and like a bride [who] wears her jewelry.” The words “I look” are supplied for stylistic reasons and clarification.
128 tn Or “for”; KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV “but.”
129 tn Hebrew חֶפְצִי־בָהּ (kheftsi-vah), traditionally transliterated “Hephzibah” (so KJV, ASV, NIV).
130 tn Hebrew בְּעוּלָה (bÿ’ulah), traditionally transliterated “Beulah” (so KJV, ASV, NIV).
131 tn That is, the land will be restored to the Lord’s favor and once again enjoy his blessing and protection. To indicate the land’s relationship to the Lord, the words “to him” have been supplied at the end of the clause.
132 tn Heb “just as.” In the Hebrew text the statement is one long sentence, “Just as…, so I will do….”
133 tn Heb “for a blessing is in it.”
134 tn Heb “by not destroying everyone.”
135 tn Heb “Look, I am ready to extend to her like a river prosperity [or “peace”], and like an overflowing stream, the riches of nations.”
136 tn The words “from her breast” are supplied in the translation for clarification (see v. 11).
137 tn Heb “the ones who consecrate themselves and the ones who purify themselves toward the orchards [or “gardens”] after the one in the midst.” The precise meaning of the statement is unclear, though it is obvious that some form of idolatry is in view.
138 tn Heb “ones who eat the flesh of the pig and the disgusting thing and the mouse.”
139 tn Heb “together they will come to an end.”