¹ tn Heb “I close my eyes from you.”

² sn This does not just refer to the blood of sacrificial animals, but also the blood, as it were, of their innocent victims. By depriving the poor and destitute of proper legal recourse and adequate access to the economic system, the oppressors have, for all intents and purposes, “killed” their victims.

³ tn Or “stubborn”; CEV “have rejected me.”

⁴ tn Heb “and companions of” (so KJV, NASB); CEV “friends of crooks.”

⁵ tn Heb “pursue”; NIV “chase after gifts.”

⁶ sn Isaiah may have chosen the word for gifts (שַׁלְמוֹנִים, shalmonim; a hapax legomena here), as a sarcastic pun on what these rulers should have been doing. Instead of attending to peace and wholeness (שָׁלוֹם, shalom), they sought after payoffs (שַׁלְמוֹנִים).

⁷ sn See the note at v. 17.

⁸ sn The rich oppressors referred to in Isaiah and the other eighth century prophets were not rich capitalists in the modern sense of the word. They were members of the royal military and judicial bureaucracies in Israel and Judah. As these bureaucracies grew, they acquired more and more land and gradually commandeered the economy and legal system. At various administrative levels bribery and graft become commonplace. The common people outside the urban administrative centers were vulnerable to exploitation in such a system, especially those, like widows and orphans, who had lost their family provider through death. Through confiscatory taxation, conscription, excessive interest rates, and other oppressive governmental measures and policies, they were gradually disenfranchised and lost their landed property, and with it, their rights as citizens. The socio-economic equilibrium envisioned in the law of Moses was radically disturbed.

⁹ sn This refers to their proud, arrogant demeanor.

¹⁰ tn Heb “answers against them”; NRSV “bears witness against them.”

¹¹ tn Heb “their sin, like Sodom, they declare, they do not conceal [it].”

¹² tn Heb “woe to their soul.”

¹³ tn Or “in that day” (KJV).

¹⁴ tn Heb “over it”; the referent (the prey) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

¹⁵ tn Heb “like the growling of the sea.”

¹⁶ tn Heb “and one will gaze toward the land, and look, darkness of distress, and light will grow dark by its [the land’s?] clouds.”

sn The motif of light turning to darkness is ironic when compared to v. 20. There the sinners turn light (= moral/ethical good) to darkness (= moral/ethical evil). Now ironically the Lord will turn light (= the sinners’ sphere of existence and life) into darkness (= the judgment and death).

¹⁷ tn The Hebrew term אוֹת (’ot, “sign”) can refer to a miraculous event (see v. 11), but it does not carry this sense inherently. Elsewhere in Isaiah the word usually refers to a natural occurrence or an object/person vested with special significance (see 8:18; 19:20; 20:3; 37:30; 55:13; 66:19). Only in 38:7-8, 22 does it refer to a miraculous deed that involves suspending or overriding natural laws. The sign outlined in vv. 14-17 involves God’s providential control over events and their timing, but not necessarily miraculous intervention.

¹⁸ tn Heb “the young woman.” The Hebrew article has been rendered as a demonstrative pronoun (“this”) in the translation to bring out its force. It is very likely that Isaiah pointed to a woman who was present at the scene of the prophet’s interview with Ahaz. Isaiah’s address to the “house of David” and his use of second plural forms suggests other people were present, and his use of the second feminine singular verb form (“you will name”) later in the verse is best explained if addressed to a woman who is present.

¹⁹ tn Traditionally, “virgin.” Because this verse from Isaiah is quoted in Matt 1:23 in connection with Jesus’ birth, the Isaiah passage has been regarded since the earliest Christian times as a prophecy of Christ’s virgin birth. Much debate has taken place over the best way to translate this Hebrew term, although ultimately one’s view of the doctrine of the virgin birth of Christ is unaffected. Though the Hebrew word used here (עַלְמָה, ’almah) can sometimes refer to a woman who is a virgin (Gen 24:43), it does not carry this meaning inherently. The word is simply the feminine form of the corresponding masculine noun עֶלֶם (’elem, “young man”; cf. 1 Sam 17:56; 20:22). The Aramaic and Ugaritic cognate terms are both used of women who are not virgins. The word seems to pertain to age, not sexual experience, and would normally be translated “young woman.” The LXX translator(s) who later translated the Book of Isaiah into Greek sometime between the second and first century b.c., however, rendered the Hebrew term by the more specific Greek word παρθένος (parqenos), which does mean “virgin” in a technical sense. This is the Greek term that also appears in the citation of Isa 7:14 in Matt 1:23. Therefore, regardless of the meaning of the term in the OT context, in the NT Matthew’s usage of the Greek term παρθένος clearly indicates that from his perspective a virgin birth has taken place.

²⁰ tn Elsewhere the adjective הָרָה (harah), when used predicatively, refers to a past pregnancy (from the narrator’s perspective, 1 Sam 4:19), to a present condition (Gen 16:11; 38:24; 2 Sam 11:5), and to a conception that is about to occur in the near future (Judg 13:5, 7). (There is some uncertainty about the interpretation of Judg 13:5, 7, however. See the notes to those verses.) In Isa 7:14 one could translate, “the young woman is pregnant.” In this case the woman is probably a member of the royal family. Another option, the one followed in the present translation, takes the adjective in an imminent future sense, “the young woman is about to conceive.” In this case the woman could be a member of the royal family, or, more likely, the prophetess with whom Isaiah has sexual relations shortly after this (see 8:3).

²¹ tn Heb “and you will call his name.” The words “young lady” are supplied in the translation to clarify the identity of the addressee. The verb is normally taken as an archaic third feminine singular form here, and translated, “she will call.” However the form (קָרָאת, qara’t) is more naturally understood as second feminine singular, in which case the words would be addressed to the young woman mentioned just before this. In the three other occurrences of the third feminine singular perfect of I קָרָא (qara’, “to call”), the form used is קָרְאָה (qar’ah; see Gen 29:35; 30:6; 1 Chr 4:9). A third feminine singular perfect קָרָאת does appear in Deut 31:29 and Jer 44:23, but the verb here is the homonym II קָרָא (“to meet, encounter”). The form קָרָאת (from I קָרָא, “to call”) appears in three other passages (Gen 16:11; Isa 60:18; Jer 3:4 [Qere]) and in each case is second feminine singular.

²² sn The name Immanuel means “God [is] with us.”

²³ tn The Hebrew term translated “sovereign master” here is אֲדֹנָי (’adonay).

²⁴ tn Heb “the mighty and abundant waters of the river.” The referent of “the river” here, the Euphrates River, has been specified in the translation for clarity. As the immediately following words indicate, these waters symbolize the Assyrian king and his armies which will, as it were, inundate the land.

²⁵ tn Heb “it will go up over all its stream beds and go over all its banks.”

²⁶ sn This refers to Shear-jashub (7:3) and Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz (8:1, 3).

²⁷ tn Or “signs and portents” (NAB, NRSV). The names of all three individuals has symbolic value. Isaiah’s name (which meant “the Lord delivers”) was a reminder that the Lord was the nation’s only source of protection; Shear-jashub’s name was meant, at least originally, to encourage Ahaz (see the note at 7:3), and Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz’s name was a guarantee that God would defeat Israel and Syria (see the note at 8:4). The word מוֹפֶת (mofet, “portent”) can often refer to some miraculous event, but in 20:3 it is used, along with its synonym אוֹת (’ot, “sign”) of Isaiah’s walking around half-naked as an object lesson of what would soon happen to the Egyptians.

²⁸ tc The Hebrew text reads “with terrifying power,” or “with a crash.” מַעֲרָצָה (ma’aratsah, “terrifying power” or “crash”) occurs only here. Several have suggested an emendation to מַעֲצָד (ma’atsad, “ax”) parallel to “ax” in v. 34; see HALOT 615 s.v. מַעֲצָד and H. Wildberger, Isaiah, 1:448.

sn As in vv. 12 (see the note there) and 18, the Assyrians are compared to a tree/forest in vv. 33-34.

²⁹ tn Heb “the exalted of the height.” This could refer to the highest branches (cf. TEV) or the tallest trees (cf. NIV, NRSV).

³⁰ tn Or “in that day” (KJV). The verb that introduces this verse serves as a discourse particle and is untranslated; see note on “in the future” in 2:2.

³¹ sn See the note at v. 1.

³² tn Heb “ a root from Jesse, which stands for a signal flag of the nations, of him nations will inquire” [or “seek”].

³³ tn Heb “their faces are faces of flames.” Their faces are flushed with fear and embarrassment.

³⁴ tn Heb “and the heart of Egypt melts within it.”

³⁵ tn Heb “in that day” (so KJV).

³⁶ sn This probably refers to the coastal region of Philistia (cf. TEV).

³⁷ tn Or “[with] teams of horses,” or perhaps, “with a pair of horsemen.”

³⁸ tn Heb “and he answered and said” (so KJV, ASV).

³⁹ tn Heb “this people [that] is not.”

⁴⁰ tn For the meaning of this word, see HALOT 118 s.v. *בַּחוּן.

⁴¹ tn Or “laid bare.” For the meaning of this word, see HALOT 889 s.v. ערר.

⁴² sn This verse probably refers to the Assyrian destruction of Babylon.

⁴³ tn Heb “and one will say in that day.”

⁴⁴ tn Heb “this [one].”

⁴⁵ tn Heb “this [one].”

⁴⁶ tn Heb “with my soul I.” This is a figure for the speaker himself (“I”).

⁴⁷ tn Or “long for, desire.” The speaker acknowledges that he is eager to see God come in judgment (see vv. 8, 9b).

⁴⁸ tn The translation understands צֶדֶק (tsedeq) in the sense of “justice,” but it is possible that it carries the nuance “righteousness,” in which case one might translate, “those who live in the world learn to live in a righteous manner” (cf. NCV).

⁴⁹ tn The Hebrew term translated “sovereign master” here and in vv. 16, 22 is אֲדֹנָי (’adonay).

⁵⁰ tn Heb “Look, a strong and powerful [one] belongs to the Lord.”

⁵¹ tn Heb “like a rainstorm of hail, a wind of destruction.”

⁵² tn Heb “like a rainstorm of mighty, overflowing waters.”

⁵³ tn The words “that crown” are supplied in the translation for clarification. The object of the verb is unexpressed in the Hebrew text.

⁵⁴ tn Or “by [his] power.”

⁵⁵ tc The Hebrew text has a third person verb form, which does not agree with the first person suffix that precedes. The form should be emended to יֹסֵד (yosed), a Qal active participle used in a present progressive or imminent future sense.

⁵⁶ tn Traditionally “tested,” but the implication is that it has passed the test and stands approved.

⁵⁷ sn The reality behind the metaphor is not entirely clear from the context. The stone appears to represent someone or something that gives Zion stability. Perhaps the ideal Davidic ruler is in view (see 32:1). Another option is that the image of beginning a building project by laying a precious cornerstone suggests that God is about to transform Zion through judgment and begin a new covenant community that will experience his protection (see 4:3-6; 31:5; 33:20-24; 35:10).

⁵⁸ tn Heb “will not hurry,” i.e., act in panic.

⁵⁹ tn Heb “your eyes” (so NASB, NIV, NRSV).

⁶⁰ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

⁶¹ tn Or “that does not travel”; NASB “which shall not be folded.”

⁶² tn Heb “I will put in him a spirit.” The precise sense of רוּחַ (ruakh, “spirit”) is uncertain in this context. It may refer to a spiritual being who will take control of his mind (see 1 Kgs 22:19), or it could refer to a disposition of concern and fear. In either case the Lord’s sovereignty over the king is apparent.

⁶³ tn Heb “cause him to fall” (so KJV, ASV, NAB), that is, “kill him.”

⁶⁴ tn Heb “father” (so KJV, NAB, NIV).

⁶⁵ tn Heb “fathers” (so KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV).

⁶⁶ tn Heb “Lift on high your eyes and see.”

⁶⁷ tn The words “heavenly lights” are supplied in the translation for clarification. See the following lines.

⁶⁸ tn Heb “the one who brings out by number their host.” The stars are here likened to a huge army that the Lord leads out. Perhaps the next line pictures God calling roll. If so, the final line may be indicating that none of them dares “go AWOL.” (“AWOL” is a military acronym for “absent without leave.”)

⁶⁹ tn Heb “into” (so NIV); ASV “have made thee to be.”

⁷⁰ tn Heb “owner of two-mouths,” i.e., double-edged.

⁷¹ sn The mountains and hills symbolize hostile nations that are obstacles to Israel’s restoration.

⁷² tn Heb “will answer them” (so ASV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT).

⁷³ tn Heb “sprouts up”; NASB “will spring forth.”

⁷⁴ tn Or “know” (KJV, ASV); NASB “be aware of”; NAB, NIV, NRSV “perceive.”

⁷⁵ tn The Hebrew texts has “streams,” probably under the influence of v. 20. The Qumran scroll 1QIsa^a has נתיבות (“paths”).

⁷⁶ tn The pronoun “his” probably refers to the one who forms/casts an idol (v. 10), in which case it refers to the craftsman’s associates in the idol-manufacturing guild.

⁷⁷ sn The point seems to be this: If the idols are the mere products of human hands, then those who trust in them will be disappointed, for man-made gods are incapable of helping their “creators.”

⁷⁸ tn Heb “eats” (so NASB); NAB, NRSV “roasts.”

⁷⁹ tn Heb “hand,” here a metaphor for the strength or power of the flames.

⁸⁰ tn The Hebrew text reads literally, “there is no coal [for?] their food, light to sit before it.” Some emend לַחְמָם (lakhmam, “their food”) to לְחֻמָּם (lÿkhummam, “to warm them”; see HALOT 328 s.v. חמם). This statement may allude to Isa 44:16, where idolaters are depicted warming themselves over a fire made from wood, part of which was used to form idols. The fire of divine judgment will be no such campfire; its flames will devour and destroy.

⁸¹ tn Heb “gaze [at] all of it”; KJV “see all this.”

⁸² tn Heb “[as for] you, will you not declare?”

⁸³ tn Heb “and hidden things, and you do not know them.”

⁸⁴ tn Heb “Lift up around your eyes and see.”

⁸⁵ tn Heb “and you will say in your heart.”

⁸⁶ tn Or “exiled and thrust away”; NIV “exiled and rejected.”

⁸⁷ sn Although Abraham and Sarah are distant ancestors of the people the prophet is addressing, they are spoken of as the immediate parents.

⁸⁸ tn Heb “one”; NLT “was alone”; TEV “was childless.”

⁸⁹ tn “Bless” may here carry the sense of “endue with potency, reproductive power.” See Gen 1:28.

⁹⁰ tn Heb “and I made him numerous.”

⁹¹ tn The Hebrew term translated “sovereign master” here is אֲדֹנָי (’adonay).

⁹² tn Heb “the cup of [= that causes] staggering” (so ASV, NAB, NRSV); NASB “the cup of reeling.”

⁹³ tn Heb “the goblet of the cup of my anger.”

⁹⁴ tn Heb “a nation,” but the singular is collective here, as the plural verbs in the next line indicate (note that both “know” and “run” are third plural forms).

⁹⁵ tn Heb “a nation,” but the singular is collective here, as the plural verbs that follow indicate.

⁹⁶ sn See the note on the phrase “the Holy One of Israel” in 1:4.

⁹⁷ tn Heb “who attaches himself to.”

⁹⁸ tn The infinitive absolute precedes the finite verb for emphasis.

⁹⁹ tn The words “they lament” are supplied in the translation for clarification.

¹⁰⁰ tn Heb “you find pleasure”; NASB “you find your desire.”

¹⁰¹ tn Or perhaps, “debtors.” See HALOT 865 s.v. * עָצֵב.

¹⁰² tn Or “shine,” or “be radiant” (NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV).

¹⁰³ tn Heb “and it will tremble and be wide, your heart.”

¹⁰⁴ tn Heb “the wealth of the sea,” i.e., wealth that is transported from distant lands via the sea.

¹⁰⁵ tn Heb “meet [with kindness].”

¹⁰⁶ tn Heb “the one who rejoices and does righteousness.”

¹⁰⁷ tn Heb “in your ways they remember you.”

¹⁰⁸ tc The Hebrew text reads literally, “look, you were angry and we sinned against them continually [or perhaps, “in ancient times”] and we were delivered.” The statement makes little sense as it stands. The first vav [ו] consecutive (“and we sinned”) must introduce an explanatory clause here (see Num 1:48 and Isa 39:1 for other examples of this relatively rare use of the vav [ו] consecutive). The final verb (if rendered positively) makes no sense in this context – God’s anger at their sin resulted in judgment, not deliverance. One of the alternatives involves an emendation to וַנִּרְשָׁע (vannirsha’, “and we were evil”; LXX, NRSV, TEV). The Vulgate and the Qumran scroll 1QIsa^a support the MT reading. One can either accept an emendation or cast the statement as a question (as above).

¹⁰⁹ tn Heb “I allowed myself to be sought by those who did not ask.”

¹¹⁰ tn Heb “I allowed myself to be found by those who did not seek.”

¹¹¹ tn Heb “call out in”; NASB, NIV, NRSV “call on.”

¹¹² tn Heb “from the good of the heart.”

¹¹³ tn Heb “from the pain of the heart.”

¹¹⁴ tn Heb “from the breaking of the spirit.”

¹¹⁵ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

¹¹⁶ tn Heb “Jerusalem, joy.” The next verse suggests the meaning: The Lord will create Jerusalem to be a source of joy to himself.

¹¹⁷ tn Heb “her people, happiness.” See the preceding note.