29:8 It will be like a hungry man dreaming that he is eating,
only to awaken and find that his stomach is empty. 1
It will be like a thirsty man dreaming that he is drinking,
only to awaken and find that he is still weak and his thirst unquenched. 2
So it will be for the horde from all the nations
that fight against Mount Zion.
50:11 Look, all of you who start a fire
and who equip yourselves with 3 flaming arrows, 4
walk 5 in the light 6 of the fire you started
and among the flaming arrows you ignited! 7
This is what you will receive from me: 8
you will lie down in a place of pain. 9
65:12 I predestine you to die by the sword, 10
all of you will kneel down at the slaughtering block, 11
because I called to you, and you did not respond,
I spoke and you did not listen.
You did evil before me; 12
you chose to do what displeases me.”
1 tn Or “that he [or “his appetite”] is unsatisfied.”
2 tn Or “that he is faint and that he [or “his appetite”] longs [for water].”
3 tc Several more recent commentators have proposed an emendation of מְאַזְּרֵי (mÿ’azzÿre, “who put on”) to מְאִירִי (mÿ’iri, “who light”). However, both Qumran scrolls of Isaiah and the Vulgate support the MT reading (cf. NIV, ESV).
4 tn On the meaning of זִיקוֹת (ziqot, “flaming arrows”), see HALOT 268 s.v. זִיקוֹת.
5 tn The imperative is probably rhetorical and has a predictive force.
6 tn Or perhaps, “flame” (so ASV).
7 sn Perhaps the servant here speaks to his enemies and warns them that they will self-destruct.
8 tn Heb “from my hand” (so NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV).
9 sn The imagery may be that of a person who becomes ill and is forced to lie down in pain on a sickbed. Some see this as an allusion to a fiery place of damnation because of the imagery employed earlier in the verse.
10 tn Heb “I assign you to the sword.” Some emend the Qal verb form מָנִיתִי (maniti, “I assign”) to the Piel מִנִּיתִי (minniti, “ I ordain”). The verb sounds like the name of the god Meni (מְנִי, mÿni, “Destiny, Fate”). The sound play draws attention to the irony of the statement. The sinners among God’s people worship the god Meni, apparently in an effort to ensure a bright destiny for themselves. But the Lord is the one who really determines their destiny and he has decreed their demise.
11 tn Or “at the slaughter”; NIV “for the slaughter”; NLT “before the executioner.”
12 tn Heb “that which is evil in my eyes.”