14:15 But you were brought down 1 to Sheol,
to the remote slopes of the pit. 2
40:8 The grass dries up,
the flowers wither,
but the decree of our God is forever reliable.” 3
51:21 So listen to this, oppressed one,
who is drunk, but not from wine!
54:7 “For a short time I abandoned 4 you,
but with great compassion I will gather you.
57:3 But approach, you sons of omen readers,
you offspring of adulteresses and prostitutes! 5
1 tn The prefixed verb form is taken as a preterite. Note the use of perfects in v. 12 to describe the king’s downfall.
2 tn The Hebrew term בּוּר (bor, “cistern”) is sometimes used metaphorically to refer to the place of the dead or the entrance to the underworld.
3 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).
4 tn Or “forsook” (NASB).
5 tc The Hebrew text reads literally, “offspring of an adulterer [masculine] and [one who] has committed adultery.” Perhaps the text has suffered from transposition of vav (ו) and tav (ת) and מְנָאֵף וַתִּזְנֶה (mÿna’ef vattizneh) should be emended to מְנָאֶפֶת וְזֹנָה (mÿna’efet vÿzonah, “an adulteress and a prostitute”). Both singular nouns would be understood in a collective sense. Most modern English versions render both forms as nouns.