3:7 At that time 1 the brother will shout, 2
‘I am no doctor, 3
I have no food or coat in my house;
don’t make me a leader of the people!’”
5:6 I will make it a wasteland;
no one will prune its vines or hoe its ground, 4
and thorns and briers will grow there.
I will order the clouds
not to drop any rain on it.
11:4 He will treat the poor fairly, 10
and make right decisions 11 for the downtrodden of the earth. 12
He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, 13
and order the wicked to be executed. 14
16:5 Then a trustworthy king will be established;
he will rule in a reliable manner,
this one from David’s family. 15
He will be sure to make just decisions
and will be experienced in executing justice. 16
25:10 For the Lord’s power will make this mountain secure. 20
Moab will be trampled down where it stands, 21
as a heap of straw is trampled down in 22 a manure pile.
29:16 Your thinking is perverse! 23
Should the potter be regarded as clay? 24
Should the thing made say 25 about its maker, “He didn’t make me”?
Or should the pottery say about the potter, “He doesn’t understand”?
30:1 “The rebellious 26 children are as good as dead,” 27 says the Lord,
“those who make plans without consulting me, 28
who form alliances without consulting my Spirit, 29
and thereby compound their sin. 30
41:15 “Look, I am making you like 31 a sharp threshing sledge,
new and double-edged. 32
You will thresh the mountains and crush them;
you will make the hills like straw. 33
41:18 I will make streams flow down the slopes
and produce springs in the middle of the valleys.
I will turn the desert into a pool of water
and the arid land into springs.
42:1 34 “Here is my servant whom I support,
my chosen one in whom I take pleasure.
I have placed my spirit on him;
he will make just decrees 35 for the nations. 36
42:6 “I, the Lord, officially commission you; 37
I take hold of your hand.
I protect you 38 and make you a covenant mediator for people, 39
and a light 40 to the nations, 41
42:15 I will make the trees on the mountains and hills wither up; 42
I will dry up all their vegetation.
I will turn streams into islands, 43
and dry up pools of water. 44
43:14 This is what the Lord says,
your protector, 45 the Holy One of Israel: 46
“For your sake I send to Babylon
and make them all fugitives, 47
turning the Babylonians’ joyful shouts into mourning songs. 48
43:19 “Look, I am about to do something new.
Now it begins to happen! 49 Do you not recognize 50 it?
Yes, I will make a road in the desert
and paths 51 in the wilderness.
43:23 You did not bring me lambs for your burnt offerings;
you did not honor me with your sacrifices.
I did not burden you with offerings;
I did not make you weary by demanding 52 incense.
44:7 Who is like me? Let him make his claim! 53
Let him announce it and explain it to me –
since I established an ancient people – 54
let them announce future events! 55
49:20 Yet the children born during your time of bereavement
will say within your hearing,
‘This place is too cramped for us, 56
make room for us so we can live here.’ 57
51:10 Did you not dry up the sea,
the waters of the great deep?
Did you not make 58 a path through the depths of the sea,
so those delivered from bondage 59 could cross over?
53:10 Though the Lord desired to crush him and make him ill,
once restitution is made, 60
he will see descendants and enjoy long life, 61
and the Lord’s purpose will be accomplished through him.
55:3 Pay attention and come to me!
Listen, so you can live! 62
Then I will make an unconditional covenantal promise to 63 you,
just like the reliable covenantal promises I made to David. 64
55:10 65 The rain and snow fall from the sky
and do not return,
but instead water the earth
and make it produce and yield crops,
and provide seed for the planter and food for those who must eat.
55:11 In the same way, the promise that I make
does not return to me, having accomplished nothing. 66
No, it is realized as I desire
and is fulfilled as I intend.” 67
57:6 Among the smooth stones of the stream are the idols you love;
they, they are the object of your devotion. 68
You pour out liquid offerings to them,
you make an offering.
Because of these things I will seek vengeance. 69
1 tn Or “in that day” (KJV).
2 tn Heb “he will lift up [his voice].”
3 tn Heb “wrapper [of wounds]”; KJV, ASV, NRSV “healer.”
4 tn Heb “it will not be pruned or hoed” (so NASB); ASV and NRSV both similar.
5 tn Heb “guard yourself and be quiet,” but the two verbs should be coordinated.
6 tn Heb “and let not your heart be weak”; ASV “neither let thy heart be faint.”
7 sn The derogatory metaphor indicates that the power of Rezin and Pekah is ready to die out.
8 tn Heb “and shall rest” (so KJV, ASV); NASB, NIV, NRSV “and settle.”
9 tn The meaning of this word (נַהֲלֹל, nahalol) is uncertain; some understand this as referring to another type of thorn bush. For bibliography, see HALOT 676 s.v. I *נַהֲלֹל.
10 tn Heb “with justice” (so NAB) or “with righteousness” (so KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV).
11 tn Heb “make decisions with rectitude”; cf. ASV, NRSV “and decide with equity.”
12 tn Or “land” (NAB, NCV, CEV). It is uncertain if the passage is picturing universal dominion or focusing on the king’s rule over his covenant people. The reference to God’s “holy mountain” in v. 9 and the description of renewed Israelite conquests in v. 14 suggest the latter, though v. 10 seems to refer to a universal kingdom (see 2:2-4).
13 tc The Hebrew text reads literally, “and he will strike the earth with the scepter of his mouth.” Some have suggested that in this context אֶרֶץ (’erets, “earth”) as an object of judgment seems too broad in scope. The parallelism is tighter if one emends the word to ץ(י)עָרִ (’arits, “potentate, tyrant”). The phrase “scepter of his mouth” refers to the royal (note “scepter”) decrees that he proclaims with his mouth. Because these decrees will have authority and power (see v. 2) behind them, they can be described as “striking” the tyrants down. Nevertheless, the MT reading may not need emending. Isaiah refers to the entire “earth” as the object of God’s judgment in several places without specifying the wicked as the object of the judgment (Isa 24:17-21; 26:9, 21; 28:22; cf. 13:11).
14 tn Heb “and by the breath of his lips he will kill the wicked.” The “breath of his lips” refers to his speech, specifically in this context his official decrees that the wicked oppressors be eliminated from his realm. See the preceding note.
15 tn Heb “and a throne will be established in faithfulness, and he will sit on it in reliability, in the tent of David.”
16 tn Heb “one who judges and seeks justice, and one experienced in fairness.” Many understand מְהִר (mÿhir) to mean “quick, prompt” (see BDB 555 s.v. מָהִיר), but HALOT 552 s.v. מָהִיר offers the meaning “skillful, experienced,” and translates the phrase in v. 5 “zealous for what is right.”
17 tn Heb “Egypt.” For stylistic reasons, to avoid redundancy, the present translation uses the pronoun (“they”) here.
18 tn Heb “will know the Lord.”
19 tn Heb “in that day” (so KJV), likewise at the beginning of vv. 23 and 24.
20 tn Heb “for the hand of the Lord will rest on this mountain”; TEV “will protect Mount Zion”; NCV “will protect (rest on NLT) Jerusalem.”
21 tn Heb “under him,” i.e., “in his place.”
22 tc The marginal reading (Qere) is בְּמוֹ (bÿmo, “in”). The consonantal text (Kethib) has בְּמִי (bÿmi, “in the water of”).
23 tn Heb “your overturning.” The predicate is suppressed in this exclamation. The idea is, “O your perversity! How great it is!” See GKC 470 §147.c. The people “overturn” all logic by thinking their authority supersedes God’s.
24 tn The expected answer to this rhetorical question is “of course not.” On the interrogative use of אִם (’im), see BDB 50 s.v.
25 tn Heb “that the thing made should say.”
26 tn Or “stubborn” (NCV); cf. NIV “obstinate.”
27 tn Heb “Woe [to] rebellious children.”
28 tn Heb “making a plan, but not from me.”
29 tn Heb “and pouring out a libation, but not [from] my spirit.” This translation assumes that the verb נָסַךְ (nasakh) means “pour out,” and that the cognate noun מַסֵּכָה (massekhah) means “libation.” In this case “pouring out a libation” alludes to a ceremony that formally ratifies an alliance. Another option is to understand the verb נָסַךְ as a homonym meaning “weave,” and the cognate noun מַסֵּכָה as a homonym meaning “covering.” In this case forming an alliance is likened to weaving a garment.
30 tn Heb “consequently adding sin to sin.”
31 tn Heb “into” (so NIV); ASV “have made thee to be.”
32 tn Heb “owner of two-mouths,” i.e., double-edged.
33 sn The mountains and hills symbolize hostile nations that are obstacles to Israel’s restoration.
34 sn Verses 1-7 contain the first of Isaiah’s “servant songs,” which describe the ministry of a special, ideal servant who accomplishes God’s purposes for Israel and the nations. This song depicts the servant as a just king who brings justice to the earth and relief for the oppressed. The other songs appear in 49:1-13; 50:4-11; and 52:13-53:12.
35 tn Heb “he will bring out justice” (cf. ASV, NASB, NRSV).
36 sn Like the ideal king portrayed in Isa 11:1-9, the servant is energized by the divine spirit and establishes justice on the earth.
37 tn Heb “call you in righteousness.” The pronoun “you” is masculine singular, referring to the servant. See the note at 41:2.
38 tn The translation assumes the verb is derived from the root נָצַר (natsar, “protect”). Some prefer to derive it from the root יָצַר (yatsar, “form”).
39 tn Heb “a covenant of people.” A person cannot literally be a covenant; בְּרִית (bÿrit) is probably metonymic here, indicating a covenant mediator. The precise identity of עָם (’am, “people”) is uncertain. In v. 5 עָם refers to mankind, and the following reference to “nations” also favors this. But in 49:8, where the phrase בְּרִית עָם occurs again, Israel seems to be in view.
40 sn Light here symbolizes deliverance from bondage and oppression; note the parallelism in 49:6b and in 51:4-6.
41 tn Or “the Gentiles” (so KJV, ASV, NIV); the same Hebrew word can be translated “nations” or “Gentiles” depending on the context.
42 tn Heb “I will dry up the mountains and hills.” The “mountains and hills” stand by synecdoche for the trees that grow on them. Some prefer to derive the verb from a homonymic root and translate, “I will lay waste.”
43 tc The Hebrew text reads, “I will turn streams into coastlands [or “islands”].” Scholars who believe that this reading makes little sense have proposed an emendation of אִיִּים (’iyyim, “islands”) to צִיּוֹת (tsiyyot, “dry places”; cf. NCV, NLT, TEV). However, since all the versions support the MT reading, there is insufficient grounds for an emendation here. Although the imagery of changing rivers into islands is somewhat strange, J. N. Oswalt describes this imagery against the backdrop of rivers of the Near East. The receding of these rivers at times occasioned the appearance of previously submerged islands (Isaiah [NICOT], 2:126).
44 sn The imagery of this verse, which depicts the Lord bringing a curse of infertility to the earth, metaphorically describes how the Lord will destroy his enemies.
45 tn Or “kinsman redeemer.” See the note at 41:14.
46 sn See the note on the phrase “the Holy One of Israel” in 1:4.
47 tn Heb “and I bring down [as] fugitives all of them.”
48 tn The Hebrew text reads literally, “as for the Babylonians, in ships their joyful shout.” This might be paraphrased, “even the Babylonians in the ships [over which] they joyfully shouted.” The point would be that the Lord caused the Babylonians to flee for safety in the ships in which they took such great pride. A slight change in vocalization yields the reading “into mourning songs,” which provides a good contrast with “joyful shout.” The prefixed bet (בְּ) would indicate identity.
49 tn Heb “sprouts up”; NASB “will spring forth.”
50 tn Or “know” (KJV, ASV); NASB “be aware of”; NAB, NIV, NRSV “perceive.”
51 tn The Hebrew texts has “streams,” probably under the influence of v. 20. The Qumran scroll 1QIsaa has נתיבות (“paths”).
52 tn Heb “with.” The words “by demanding” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
53 tn Heb “let him call” or “let him proclaim” (so NASB, NIV, NRSV); NAB “Let him stand up and speak.”
54 tc The Hebrew text reads, “from (the time) I established an ancient people, and the coming things.” Various emendations have been proposed. One of the options assumes the reading מַשְׁמִיעִים מֵעוֹלָם אוֹתִיּוֹת (mashmi’im me’olam ’otiyyot); This literally reads “the ones causing to hear from antiquity coming things,” but more idiomatically would read “as for those who predict from antiquity what will happen” (cf. NAB, NEB, REB). The emendation directs the attention of the reader to those who claim to be able to predict the future, challenging them to actually do what they claim they can do. The MT presents Yahweh as an example to whom these alleged “predictors of the future” can compare themselves. Since the ancient versions are unanimous in their support of the MT, the emendations should be set aside.
55 tn Heb and those things which are coming let them declare for themselves.”
56 tn Heb “me.” The singular is collective.
57 tn Heb “draw near to me so I can dwell.”
58 tn The Hebrew text reads literally, “Are you not the one who dried up the sea, the waters of the great deep, who made…?”
59 tn Heb “the redeemed” (so ASV, NASB, NIV, NRSV); KJV “the ransomed.”
60 tn The meaning of this line is uncertain. It reads literally, “if you/she makes, a reparation offering, his life.” The verb תָּשִׂים (tasim) could be second masculine singular,in which case it would have to be addressed to the servant or to God. However, the servant is only addressed once in this servant song (see 52:14a), and God either speaks or is spoken about in this servant song; he is never addressed. Furthermore, the idea of God himself making a reparation offering is odd. If the verb is taken as third feminine singular, then the feminine noun נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh) at the end of the line is the likely subject. In this case one can take the suffixed form of the noun as equivalent to a pronoun and translate, “if he [literally, “his life”] makes a reparation offering.”
sn What constitutes the servant’s reparation offering? Some might think his suffering, but the preceding context views this as past, while the verb here is imperfect in form. The offering appears to be something the servant does after his suffering has been completed. Perhaps the background of the language can be found in the Levitical code, where a healed leper would offer a reparation offering as part of the ritual to achieve ceremonial cleanliness (see Lev 14). The servant was pictured earlier in the song as being severely ill. This illness (a metaphor for the effects of the people’s sin) separated him from God. However, here we discover the separation is not final; once reparation is made, so to speak, he will again experience the Lord’s favor.
61 sn The idiomatic and stereotypical language emphasizes the servant’s restoration to divine favor. Having numerous descendants and living a long life are standard signs of divine blessing. See Job 42:13-16.
62 tn The jussive with vav (ו) conjunctive following the imperative indicates purpose/result.
sn To live here refers to covenantal blessing, primarily material prosperity and national security (see vv. 4-5, 13, and Deut 30:6, 15, 19-20).
63 tn Or “an eternal covenant with.”
64 tn Heb “the reliable expressions of loyalty of David.” The syntactical relationship of חַסְדֵי (khasde, “expressions of loyalty”) to the preceding line is unclear. If the term is appositional to בְּרִית (bÿrit, “covenant”), then the Lord here transfers the promises of the Davidic covenant to the entire nation. Another option is to take חַסְדֵי (khasde) as an adverbial accusative and to translate “according to the reliable covenantal promises.” In this case the new covenantal arrangement proposed here is viewed as an extension or perhaps fulfillment of the Davidic promises. A third option, the one reflected in the above translation, is to take the last line as comparative. In this case the new covenant being proposed is analogous to the Davidic covenant. Verses 4-5, which compare David’s international prominence to what Israel will experience, favors this view. In all three of these interpretations, “David” is an objective genitive; he is the recipient of covenantal promises. A fourth option would be to take David as a subjective genitive and understand the line as giving the basis for the preceding promise: “Then I will make an unconditional covenantal promise to you, because of David’s faithful acts of covenantal loyalty.”
65 tn This verse begins in the Hebrew text with כִּי כַּאֲשֶׁר (ki ka’asher, “for, just as”), which is completed by כֵּן (ken, “so, in the same way”) at the beginning of v. 11. For stylistic reasons, this lengthy sentence is divided up into separate sentences in the translation.
66 tn Heb “so is the word which goes out from my mouth, it does not return to empty.” “Word” refers here to divine promises, like the ones made just prior to and after this (see vv. 7b, 12-13).
67 tn Heb “but it accomplishes what I desire, and succeeds [on the mission] which I send it.”
sn Verses 8-11 focus on the reliability of the divine word and support the promises before (vv. 3-5, 7b) and after (vv. 12-13) this. Israel can be certain that repentance will bring forgiveness and a new covenantal relationship because God’s promises are reliable. In contrast to human plans (or “thoughts”), which are destined to fail (Ps 94:11) apart from divine approval (Prov 19:21), and human deeds (or “ways”), which are evil and lead to destruction (Prov 1:15-19; 3:31-33; 4:19), God’s plans are realized and his deeds accomplish something positive.
68 tn Heb “among the smooth stones of the stream [is] your portion, they, they [are] your lot.” The next line indicates idols are in view.
69 tn The text reads literally, “Because of these am I relenting?” If the prefixed interrogative particle is retained at the beginning of the sentence, then the question would be rhetorical, with the Niphal of נָחָם (nakham) probably being used in the sense of “relent, change one’s mind.” One could translate: “Because of these things, how can I relent?” However, the initial letter he may be dittographic (note the final he [ה] on the preceding word). In this case one may understand the verb in the sense of “console oneself, seek vengeance,” as in 1:24.