Isaiah 15:4

15:4 The people of ¹  Heshbon and Elealeh cry out,

their voices are heard as far away as Jahaz.

For this reason Moab’s soldiers shout in distress;

their courage wavers. ² 

Isaiah 25:4

25:4 For you are a protector for the poor,

a protector for the needy in their distress,

a shelter from the rainstorm,

a shade from the heat.

Though the breath of tyrants ³  is like a winter rainstorm, ⁴ 

Isaiah 37:3

37:3 “This is what Hezekiah says: ⁵  ‘This is a day of distress, insults, ⁶  and humiliation, ⁷  as when a baby is ready to leave the birth canal, but the mother lacks the strength to push it through. ⁸ 

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¹ tn The words “the people of” are supplied in the translation for clarification.

² tc The Hebrew text has, “For this reason the soldiers of Moab shout, his inner being quivers for him.” To achieve tighter parallelism, some emend the first line, changing חֲלֻצֵי (khalutse, “soldiers”) to חַלְצֵי (khaltse, “loins”) and יָרִיעוּ (yari’u, “they shout,” from רוּעַ, rua’) to יָרְעוּ (yor’u, “they quiver”), a verb from יָרַע (yara’), which also appears in the next line. One can then translate v. 4b as “For this reason the insides of the Moabites quiver, their whole body shakes” (cf. NAB, NRSV).

³ tn Or perhaps, “the violent”; NIV, NRSV “the ruthless.”

⁴ tc The Hebrew text has, “like a rainstorm of a wall,” which might be interpreted to mean, “like a rainstorm battering against a wall.” The translation assumes an emendation of קִיר (qir, “wall”) to קֹר (qor, “cold, winter”; cf. Gen 8:22). See J. N. Oswalt, Isaiah (NICOT), 1:457, n. 6, for discussion.

⁵ tn In the Hebrew text this verse begins with “they said to him” (cf. NRSV).

⁶ tn Or “rebuke” (KJV, NAB, NIV, NRSV), or “correction.”

⁷ tn Or “contempt”; NAB, NIV, NRSV “disgrace.”

⁸ tn Heb “when sons come to the cervical opening and there is no strength to give birth.”