Discovery BoxIsaiah 10:22 
Context10:22 For though your people, Israel, are as numerous as 1 the sand on the seashore, only a remnant will come back. 2 Destruction has been decreed; 3 just punishment 4 is about to engulf you. 5
Isaiah 47:9
Context47:9 Both of these will come upon you
suddenly, in one day!
You will lose your children and be widowed. 6
You will be overwhelmed by these tragedies, 7
despite 8 your many incantations
and your numerous amulets. 9
Isaiah 51:2
Context51:2 Look at Abraham, your father,
and Sarah, who gave you birth. 10
When I summoned him, he was a lone individual, 11
1 tn Heb “are like.”
2 sn The twofold appearance of the statement “a remnant will come back” (שְׁאָר יָשׁוּב, she’ar yashuv) in vv. 21-22 echoes and probably plays off the name of Isaiah’s son Shear-jashub (see 7:3). In its original context the name was meant to encourage Ahaz (see the note at 7:3), but here it has taken on new dimensions. In light of Ahaz’s failure and the judgment it brings down on the land, the name Shear-jashub now foreshadows the destiny of the nation. According to vv. 21-22, there is good news and bad news. The good news is that a remnant of God’s people will return; the bad news is that only a remnant will be preserved and come back. Like the name Immanuel, this name foreshadows both judgment (see the notes at 7:25 and 8:8) and ultimate restoration (see the note at 8:10).
3 tn Or “predetermined”; cf. ASV, NASB “is determined”; TEV “is in store.”
4 tn צְדָקָה (tsÿdaqah) often means “righteousness,” but here it refers to God’s just judgment.
5 tn Or “is about to overflow.”
6 tn Heb “loss of children and widowhood.” In the Hebrew text the phrase is in apposition to “both of these” in line 1.
7 tn Heb “according to their fullness, they will come upon you.”
8 tn For other examples of the preposition bet (בְּ) having the sense of “although, despite,” see BDB 90 s.v. III.7.
9 sn Reference is made to incantations and amulets, both of which were important in Mesopotamian religion. They were used to ward off danger and demons.
10 sn Although Abraham and Sarah are distant ancestors of the people the prophet is addressing, they are spoken of as the immediate parents.
11 tn Heb “one”; NLT “was alone”; TEV “was childless.”
12 tn “Bless” may here carry the sense of “endue with potency, reproductive power.” See Gen 1:28.
13 tn Heb “and I made him numerous.”
