54:7 “For a short time I abandoned 1 you,
but with great compassion I will gather you.
54:8 In a burst 2 of anger I rejected you 3 momentarily,
but with lasting devotion I will have compassion on you,”
says your protector, 4 the Lord.
54:9 “As far as I am concerned, this is like in Noah’s time, 5
when I vowed that the waters of Noah’s flood 6 would never again cover the earth.
In the same way I have vowed that I will not be angry at you or shout at you.
54:10 Even if the mountains are removed
and the hills displaced,
my devotion will not be removed from you,
nor will my covenant of friendship 7 be displaced,”
says the Lord, the one who has compassion on you.
54:13 All your children will be followers of the Lord,
and your children will enjoy great prosperity. 8
1 tn Or “forsook” (NASB).
2 tn According to BDB 1009 s.v. שֶׁטֶף the noun שֶׁצֶף here is an alternate form of שֶׁטֶף (shetef, “flood”). Some relate the word to an alleged Akkadian cognate meaning “strength.”
3 tn Heb “I hid my face from you.”
4 tn Or “redeemer.” See the note at 41:14.
5 tc The Hebrew text reads literally, “For [or “indeed”] the waters of Noah [is] this to me.” כִּי־מֵי (ki-me, “for the waters of”) should be emended to כְּמֵי (kÿmey, “like the days of”), which is supported by the Qumran scroll 1QIsaa and all the ancient versions except LXX.
6 tn Heb “the waters of Noah” (so NAB, NIV, NRSV).
7 tn Heb “peace” (so many English versions); NLT “of blessing.”
8 tn Heb “and great [will be] the peace of your sons.”