11:14 They will swoop down 5 on the Philistine hills to the west; 6
together they will loot the people of the east.
They will take over Edom and Moab, 7
and the Ammonites will be their subjects.
14:11 Your splendor 8 has been brought down to Sheol,
as well as the sound of your stringed instruments. 9
You lie on a bed of maggots,
with a blanket of worms over you. 10
28:27 Certainly 13 caraway seed is not threshed with a sledge,
nor is the wheel of a cart rolled over cumin seed. 14
Certainly caraway seed is beaten with a stick,
and cumin seed with a flail.
34:11 Owls and wild animals 15 will live there, 16
all kinds of wild birds 17 will settle in it.
The Lord 18 will stretch out over her
the measuring line of ruin
and the plumb line 19 of destruction. 20
40:2 “Speak kindly to 23 Jerusalem, 24 and tell her
that her time of warfare is over, 25
that her punishment is completed. 26
For the Lord has made her pay double 27 for all her sins.”
41:2 Who stirs up this one from the east? 28
Who 29 officially commissions him for service? 30
He hands nations over to him, 31
and enables him to subdue 32 kings.
He makes them like dust with his sword,
like windblown straw with his bow. 33
41:7 The craftsman encourages the metalsmith,
the one who wields the hammer encourages 34 the one who pounds on the anvil.
He approves the quality of the welding, 35
and nails it down so it won’t fall over.”
43:3 For I am the Lord your God,
the Holy One of Israel, 36 your deliverer.
I have handed over Egypt as a ransom price,
Ethiopia and Seba 37 in place of you.
43:6 I will say to the north, ‘Hand them over!’
and to the south, ‘Don’t hold any back!’
Bring my sons from distant lands,
and my daughters from the remote regions of the earth,
44:12 A blacksmith works with his tool 38
and forges metal over the coals.
He forms it 39 with hammers;
he makes it with his strong arm.
He gets hungry and loses his energy; 40
he drinks no water and gets tired.
44:16 Half of it he burns in the fire –
over that half he cooks 41 meat;
he roasts a meal and fills himself.
Yes, he warms himself and says,
‘Ah! I am warm as I look at the fire.’
47:6 I was angry at my people;
I defiled my special possession
and handed them over to you.
You showed them no mercy; 42
you even placed a very heavy burden on old people. 43
51:10 Did you not dry up the sea,
the waters of the great deep?
Did you not make 44 a path through the depths of the sea,
so those delivered from bondage 45 could cross over?
52:5 And now, what do we have here?” 46 says the Lord.
“Indeed my people have been carried away for nothing,
those who rule over them taunt,” 47 says the Lord,
“and my name is constantly slandered 48 all day long.
52:7 How delightful it is to see approaching over the mountains 49
the feet of a messenger who announces peace,
a messenger who brings good news, who announces deliverance,
who says to Zion, “Your God reigns!” 50
61:7 Instead of shame, you will get a double portion; 51
instead of humiliation, they will rejoice over the land they receive. 52
Yes, 53 they will possess a double portion in their land
and experience lasting joy.
65:18 But be happy and rejoice forevermore
over what I am about to create!
For look, I am ready to create Jerusalem 54 to be a source of joy, 55
and her people to be a source of happiness. 56
1 tn Hebrew שָׂרָף (saraf, “seraph”) literally means “burning one,” perhaps suggesting that these creatures had a fiery appearance (cf. TEV, CEV “flaming creatures”; NCV “heavenly creatures of fire”). Elsewhere in the OT the word “seraph” refers to poisonous snakes (Num 21:6; Deut 8:15; Isa 14:29; 30:6). Perhaps they were called “burning ones” because of their appearance or the effect of their venomous bites, which would cause a victim to burn up with fever. It is possible that the seraphs seen by Isaiah were at least partially serpentine in appearance. Though it might seem strange for a snake-like creature to have wings, two of the texts where “seraphs” are snakes describe them as “flying” (Isa 14:29; 30:6), perhaps referring to their darting movements. See the note at 14:29.
2 sn Some understand “feet” here as a euphemistic reference to the genitals.
3 tn Heb “and the spreading out of his wings [will be over] the fullness of the breadth of your land.” The metaphor changes here from raging flood to predatory bird.
4 sn The appearance of the name Immanuel (“God is with us”) is ironic at this point, for God is present with his people in judgment. Immanuel is addressed here as if he has already been born and will see the judgment occur. This makes excellent sense if his birth has just been recorded. There are several reasons for considering Immanuel and Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz one and the same. 8:3 is a birth account which could easily be understood as recording the fulfillment of the birth prophecy of 7:14. The presence of a formal record/witnesses (8:1-2) suggests a sign function for the child (cf. 7:14). As in 7:14-16, the removal of Judah’s enemies would take place before the child reached a specified age (cf. 8:4). Both 7:17-25 and 8:7-8 speak of an Assyrian invasion of Judah which would follow the defeat of Israel/Syria. The major objection to this view is the fact that different names appear, but such a phenomenon is not without parallel in the OT (cf. Gen 35:18). The name Immanuel may emphasize the basic fact of God’s presence, while the name Maher focuses on the specific nature of God’s involvement. In 7:14 the mother is viewed as naming the child, while in 8:3 Isaiah is instructed to give the child’s name, but one might again point to Gen 35:18 for a precedent. The sign child’s age appears to be different in 8:4 than in 7:15-16, but 7:15-16 pertains to the judgment on Judah, as well as the defeat of Israel/Syria (cf. vv. 17-25), while 8:4 deals only with the downfall of Israel/Syria. Some argue that the suffixed form “your land” in 8:8 points to a royal referent (a child of Ahaz or the Messiah), but usage elsewhere shows that the phrase does not need to be so restricted. While the suffix can refer to the king of a land (cf. Num 20:17; 21:22; Deut 2:27; Judg 11:17, 19; 2 Sam 24:13; 1 Kgs 11:22; Isa 14:20), it can also refer to one who is a native of a particular land (cf. Gen 12:1; 32:9; Jonah 1:8). (See also the use of “his land” in Isa 13:14 [where the suffix refers to a native of a land] and 37:7 [where it refers to a king].)
5 tn Heb “fly.” Ephraim/Judah are compared to a bird of prey.
6 tn Heb “on the shoulder of Philistia toward the sea.” This refers to the slopes of the hill country west of Judah. See HALOT 506 s.v. כָּתֵף.
7 tn Heb “Edom and Moab [will be the place of] the outstretching of their hand,” i.e., included in their area of jurisdiction (see HALOT 648 s.v. ח(וֹ)מִשְׁלֹ).
8 tn Or “pride” (NCV, CEV); KJV, NIV, NRSV “pomp.”
9 tn Or “harps” (NAB, NIV, NRSV).
10 tn Heb “under you maggots are spread out, and worms are your cover.”
11 tn Heb “which the Lord who commands armies [traditionally, the Lord of hosts] will bless [it], saying.” The third masculine singular suffix on the form בֵּרֲכוֹ (berakho) should probably be emended to a third feminine singular suffix בֵּרֲכָהּ (berakhah), for its antecedent would appear to be the feminine noun אֶרֶץ (’erets, “earth”) at the end of v. 24.
12 tn Or “my inheritance” (NAB, NASB, NIV).
13 tn Or “For” (KJV, ASV, NASB).
14 sn Both of these seeds are too small to use the ordinary threshing techniques.
15 tn קָאַת (qa’at) refers to some type of bird (cf. Lev 11:18; Deut 14:17) that was typically found near ruins (see Zeph 2:14). קִפּוֹד (qippod) may also refer to a type of bird (NAB “hoot owl”; NIV “screech owl”; TEV “ravens”), but some have suggested a rodent may be in view (cf. NCV “small animals”; ASV “porcupine”; NASB, NRSV “hedgehog”).
16 tn Heb “will possess it” (so NIV).
17 tn The Hebrew text has יַנְשׁוֹף וְעֹרֵב (yanshof vÿ’orev). Both the יַנְשׁוֹף (“owl”; see Lev 11:17; Deut 14:16) and עֹרֵב (“raven”; Lev 11:15; Deut 14:14) were types of wild birds.
18 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the Lord) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
19 tn Heb “stones,” i.e., the stones used in a plumb bob.
20 sn The metaphor in v. 11b emphasizes that God has carefully planned Edom’s demise.
21 sn Cherubim (singular “cherub”) refers to the images of winged angelic creatures that were above the ark of the covenant.
22 tn Or “the heavens.” The Hebrew term שָׁמַיִם (shamayim) may be translated “heavens” or “sky” depending on the context.
23 tn Heb “speak to the heart of Jerusalem.” Jerusalem is personified as a woman.
24 map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.
25 tn Heb “that she is filled [with] her warfare.” Some understand צָבָא (tsavah, “warfare”) as meaning “hard service” or “compulsory labor” in this context.
26 tn Heb “that her punishment is accepted [as satisfactory].”
27 tn Heb “for she has received from the hand of the Lord double.” The principle of the double portion in punishment is also seen in Jer 16:18; 17:18 and Rev 18:6. For examples of the double portion in Israelite law, see Exod 22:4, 7, 9 (double restitution by a thief) and Deut 21:17 (double inheritance portion for the firstborn).
28 sn The expression this one from the east refers to the Persian conqueror Cyrus, as later texts indicate (see 44:28-45:6; 46:11; 48:14-16).
29 tn The interrogative particle is understood by ellipsis.
30 tn Heb “[in] righteousness called him to his foot.”
31 tn Heb “he [the Lord] places before him [Cyrus] nations.”
32 tn The verb יַרְדְּ (yardÿ) is an otherwise unattested Hiphil form from רָדָה (radah, “rule”). But the Hiphil makes no sense with “kings” as object; one must understand an ellipsis and supply “him” (Cyrus) as the object. The Qumran scroll 1QIsaa has יוֹרִד (yorid), which appears to be a Hiphil form from יָרַד (yarad, “go down”). Others suggest reading יָרֹד (yarod), a Qal form from רָדַד (radad, “beat down”).
33 sn The point is that they are powerless before Cyrus’ military power and scatter before him.
34 tn The verb “encourages” is understood by ellipsis (note the preceding line).
35 tn Heb “saying of the welding, ‘It is good.’”
36 sn See the note on the phrase “the Holy One of Israel” in 1:4.
37 sn Seba is not the same as Sheba in southern Arabia; cf. Gen 1:10; 1 Chr 1:9.
38 tn The noun מַעֲצָד (ma’atsad), which refers to some type of tool used for cutting, occurs only here and in Jer 10:3. See HALOT 615 s.v. מַעֲצָד.
39 tn Some English versions take the pronoun “it” to refer to an idol being fashioned by the blacksmith (cf. NIV, NCV, CEV). NLT understands the referent to be “a sharp tool,” which is then used by the carpenter in the following verse to carve an idol from wood.
40 tn Heb “and there is no strength”; NASB “his strength fails.”
41 tn Heb “eats” (so NASB); NAB, NRSV “roasts.”
42 tn Or “compassion.”
43 tn Heb “on the old you made very heavy your yoke.”
44 tn The Hebrew text reads literally, “Are you not the one who dried up the sea, the waters of the great deep, who made…?”
45 tn Heb “the redeemed” (so ASV, NASB, NIV, NRSV); KJV “the ransomed.”
46 tn Heb “and now what [following the marginal reading (Qere)] to me here?”
47 tn The verb appears to be a Hiphil form from the root יָלַל (yalal, “howl”), perhaps here in the sense of “mock.” Some emend the form to יְהוֹלָּלוֹ (yÿhollalo) and understand a Polel form of the root הָלַל meaning here “mock, taunt.”
48 tn The verb is apparently a Hitpolal form (with assimilated tav, ת) from the root נָאַץ (na’ats), but GKC 151-52 §55.b explains it as a mixed form, combining Pual and Hitpolel readings.
49 tn Heb “How delightful on the mountains.”
50 tn Or “has become king.” When a new king was enthroned, his followers would give this shout. For other examples of this enthronement formula (Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular מָלַךְ [malakh], followed by the name of the king), see 2 Sam 15:10; 1 Kgs 1:11, 13, 18; 2 Kgs 9:13. The Lord is an eternal king, but here he is pictured as a victorious warrior who establishes his rule from Zion.
51 tn Heb “instead of your shame, a double portion.”
52 tn Heb “and [instead of] humiliation they will rejoice [over] their portion.” The term תָחָת (takhat, “instead of”) is understood by ellipsis (note the preceding line).
53 tn Heb “therefore” (so KJV, NASB); NIV “and so.”
54 map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.
55 tn Heb “Jerusalem, joy.” The next verse suggests the meaning: The Lord will create Jerusalem to be a source of joy to himself.
56 tn Heb “her people, happiness.” See the preceding note.