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 1 and make you a covenant mediator for people, 2
to rebuild 3 the land 4
and to reassign the desolate property.
50:2 Why does no one challenge me when I come?
Why does no one respond when I call? 5
Is my hand too weak 6 to deliver 7 you?
Do I lack the power to rescue you?
Look, with a mere shout 8 I can dry up the sea;
I can turn streams into a desert,
so the fish rot away and die
from lack of water. 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 The translation assumes the verb is derived from the root נָצָר (natsar, “protect”). Some prefer to derive it from the root יָצָר (yatsar, “form”).
2 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.
3 tn The Hiphil of קוּם (qum, “arise”) is probably used here in the sense of “rebuild.”
4 tn The “land” probably stands by metonymy for the ruins within it.
5 sn The present tense translation of the verbs assumes that the Lord is questioning why Israel does not attempt to counter his arguments. Another possibility is to take the verbs as referring to past events: “Why did no one meet me when I came? Why did no one answer when I called?” In this case the Lord might be asking why Israel rejected his calls to repent and his offer to deliver them.
6 tn Heb “short” (so NAB, NASB, NIV).
7 tn Or “ransom” (NAB, NASB, NIV).
8 tn Heb “with my rebuke.”
9 tn Heb “the fish stink from lack of water and die from thirst.”
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.”