Isaiah 8:17

8:17 I will wait patiently for the Lord,

who has rejected the family of Jacob;

I will wait for him.

Isaiah 36:21

36:21 They were silent and did not respond, for the king had ordered, “Don’t respond to him.”

Isaiah 53:1

53:1 Who would have believed what we just heard?

When was the Lord’s power revealed through him?

Isaiah 62:7

62:7 Don’t allow him to rest until he reestablishes Jerusalem,

until he makes Jerusalem the pride of the earth.


tn Heb “who hides his face from the house of Jacob.”

tn The perfect has a hypothetical force in this rhetorical question. For another example, see Gen 21:7.

sn The speaker shifts here from God to an unidentified group (note the first person plural pronouns throughout vv. 1-6). The content of the speech suggests that the prophet speaks here as representative of the sinful nation Israel. The group acknowledges its sin and recognizes that the servant suffered on their behalf.

tn The first half of v. 1 is traditionally translated, “Who has believed our report?” or “Who has believed our message?” as if the group speaking is lamenting that no one will believe what they have to say. But that doesn’t seem to be the point in this context. Here the group speaking does not cast itself in the role of a preacher or evangelist. No, they are repentant sinners, who finally see the light. The phrase “our report” can mean (1) the report which we deliver, or (2) the report which was delivered to us. The latter fits better here, where the report is most naturally taken as the announcement that has just been made in 52:13-15.

tn Heb “to whom” (so KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV).

tn Heb “the arm of the Lord.” The “arm of the Lord” is a metaphor of military power; it pictures the Lord as a warrior who bares his arm, takes up his weapon, and crushes his enemies (cf. 51:9-10; 63:5-6). But Israel had not seen the Lord’s military power at work in the servant.

tn “Jerusalem” is supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons; note the following line.

tn Heb “[the object of] praise.”