56:3 No foreigner who becomes a follower of 1 the Lord should say,
‘The Lord will certainly 2 exclude me from his people.’
The eunuch should not say,
‘Look, I am like a dried-up tree.’”
66:5 Hear the word of the Lord,
you who respect what he has to say! 3
Your countrymen, 4 who hate you
and exclude you, supposedly for the sake of my name,
say, “May the Lord be glorified,
then we will witness your joy.” 5
But they will be put to shame.
1 tn Heb “who attaches himself to.”
2 tn The infinitive absolute precedes the finite verb for emphasis.
3 tn Heb “who tremble at his word.”
4 tn Heb “brothers” (so NASB, NIV); NRSV “Your own people”; NLT “Your close relatives.”
5 tn Or “so that we might witness your joy.” The point of this statement is unclear.