56:6 As for foreigners who become followers of 1 the Lord and serve him,
who love the name of the Lord and want to be his servants –
all who observe the Sabbath and do not defile it,
and who are faithful to 2 my covenant –
57:15 For this is what the high and exalted one says,
the one who rules 3 forever, whose name is holy:
“I dwell in an exalted and holy place,
but also with the discouraged and humiliated, 4
in order to cheer up the humiliated
and to encourage the discouraged. 5
66:5 Hear the word of the Lord,
you who respect what he has to say! 6
Your countrymen, 7 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.” 8
But they will be put to shame.
1 tn Heb “who attach themselves to.”
2 tn Heb “and take hold of”; NAB “hold to”; NIV, NRSV “hold fast.”
3 tn Heb “the one who dwells forever.” שֹׁכֵן עַד (shokhen ’ad) is sometimes translated “the one who lives forever,” and understood as a reference to God’s eternal existence. However, the immediately preceding and following descriptions (“high and exalted” and “holy”) emphasize his sovereign rule. In the next line, he declares, “I dwell in an exalted and holy [place],” which refers to the place from which he rules. Therefore it is more likely that שֹׁכֵן עַד (shokhen ’ad) means “I dwell [in my lofty palace] forever” and refers to God’s eternal kingship.
4 tn Heb “and also with the crushed and lowly of spirit.” This may refer to the repentant who have humbled themselves (see 66:2) or more generally to the exiles who have experienced discouragement and humiliation.
5 tn Heb “to restore the lowly of spirit and to restore the heart of the crushed.”
6 tn Heb “who tremble at his word.”
7 tn Heb “brothers” (so NASB, NIV); NRSV “Your own people”; NLT “Your close relatives.”
8 tn Or “so that we might witness your joy.” The point of this statement is unclear.