Discovery BoxIsaiah 2:6 
Context2:6 Indeed, O Lord, 1 you have abandoned your people,
the descendants of Jacob.
For diviners from the east are everywhere; 2
they consult omen readers like the Philistines do. 3
Plenty of foreigners are around. 4
Isaiah 2:19
Context2:19 They 5 will go into caves in the rocky cliffs
and into holes in the ground, 6
trying to escape the dreadful judgment of the Lord 7
and his royal splendor,
when he rises up to terrify the earth. 8
Isaiah 2:21
Context2:21 so they themselves can go into the crevices of the rocky cliffs
and the openings under the rocky overhangs, 9
trying to escape the dreadful judgment of the Lord 10
and his royal splendor,
when he rises up to terrify the earth. 11
Isaiah 4:1
Context4:1 Seven women will grab hold of
one man at that time. 12
They will say, “We will provide 13 our own food,
we will provide 14 our own clothes;
but let us belong to you 15 –
take away our shame!” 16
Isaiah 5:19
Context5:19 They say, “Let him hurry, let him act quickly, 17
so we can see;
let the plan of the Holy One of Israel 18 take shape 19 and come to pass,
then we will know it!”
Isaiah 5:30
Context5:30 At that time 20 they will growl over their prey, 21
it will sound like sea waves crashing against rocks. 22
One will look out over the land and see the darkness of disaster,
clouds will turn the light into darkness. 23
Isaiah 7:2
Context7:2 It was reported to the family 24 of David, “Syria has allied with 25 Ephraim.” They and their people were emotionally shaken, just as the trees of the forest shake before the wind. 26
Isaiah 7:22
Context7:22 From the abundance of milk they produce, 27 he will have sour milk for his meals. Indeed, everyone left in the heart of the land will eat sour milk and honey.
Isaiah 9:12
Context9:12 Syria from the east,
and the Philistines from the west,
they gobbled up Israelite territory. 28
Despite all this, his anger does not subside,
and his hand is ready to strike again. 29
Isaiah 9:21
Context9:21 Manasseh fought against 30 Ephraim,
and Ephraim against Manasseh;
together they fought against Judah.
Despite all this, his anger does not subside,
and his hand is ready to strike again. 31
Isaiah 10:2
Context10:2 to keep the poor from getting fair treatment,
and to deprive 32 the oppressed among my people of justice,
so they can steal what widows own,
and loot what belongs to orphans. 33
Isaiah 10:20
Context10:20 At that time 34 those left in Israel, those who remain of the family 35 of Jacob, will no longer rely on a foreign leader that abuses them. 36 Instead they will truly 37 rely on the Lord, the Holy One of Israel. 38
Isaiah 11:9
Context11:9 They will no longer injure or destroy
on my entire royal mountain. 39
For there will be universal submission to the Lord’s sovereignty,
just as the waters completely cover the sea. 40
Isaiah 11:16
Context11:16 There will be a highway leading out of Assyria
for the remnant of his people, 41
just as there was for Israel,
when 42 they went up from the land of Egypt.
Isaiah 14:21
Context14:21 Prepare to execute 43 his sons
for the sins their ancestors have committed. 44
They must not rise up and take possession of the earth,
or fill the surface of the world with cities.” 45
Isaiah 15:2
Context15:2 They went up to the temple, 46
the people of Dibon went up to the high places to lament. 47
Because of what happened to Nebo and Medeba, 48 Moab wails.
Every head is shaved bare,
every beard is trimmed off. 49
Isaiah 17:14
Context17:14 In the evening there is sudden terror; 50
by morning they vanish. 51
This is the fate of those who try to plunder us,
the destiny of those who try to loot us! 52
Isaiah 18:6
Context18:6 They will all be left 53 for the birds of the hills
and the wild animals; 54
the birds will eat them during the summer,
and all the wild animals will eat them during the winter.
Isaiah 19:3
Context19:3 The Egyptians will panic, 55
and I will confuse their strategy. 56
They will seek guidance from the idols and from the spirits of the dead,
from the pits used to conjure up underworld spirits, and from the magicians. 57
Isaiah 19:20
Context19:20 It 58 will become a visual reminder in the land of Egypt of 59 the Lord who commands armies. When they cry out to the Lord because of oppressors, he will send them a deliverer and defender 60 who will rescue them.
Isaiah 20:4
Context20:4 so the king of Assyria will lead away the captives of Egypt and the exiles of Cush, both young and old. They will be in undergarments and barefoot, with the buttocks exposed; the Egyptians will be publicly humiliated. 61
Isaiah 22:2
Context22:2 The noisy city is full of raucous sounds;
the town is filled with revelry. 62
Your slain were not cut down by the sword;
they did not die in battle. 63
Isaiah 23:13
Context23:13 Look at the land of the Chaldeans,
these people who have lost their identity! 64
The Assyrians have made it a home for wild animals.
They erected their siege towers, 65
demolished 66 its fortresses,
and turned it into a heap of ruins. 67
Isaiah 24:13
Context24:13 This is what will happen throughout 68 the earth,
among the nations.
It will be like when they beat an olive tree,
and just a few olives are left at the end of the harvest. 69
Isaiah 25:9
Context25:9 At that time they will say, 70
“Look, here 71 is our God!
We waited for him and he delivered us.
Here 72 is the Lord! We waited for him.
Let’s rejoice and celebrate his deliverance!”
Isaiah 27:10-11
Context27:10 For the fortified city 73 is left alone;
it is a deserted settlement
and abandoned like the desert.
Calves 74 graze there;
they lie down there
and eat its branches bare. 75
27:11 When its branches get brittle, 76 they break;
women come and use them for kindling. 77
For these people lack understanding, 78
therefore the one who made them has no compassion on them;
the one who formed them has no mercy on them.
Isaiah 28:12
Context28:12 In the past he said to them, 79
“This is where security can be found.
Provide security for the one who is exhausted!
This is where rest can be found.” 80
But they refused to listen.
Isaiah 29:11
Context29:11 To you this entire prophetic revelation 81 is like words in a sealed scroll. When they hand it to one who can read 82 and say, “Read this,” he responds, “I can’t, because it is sealed.”
Isaiah 30:10
Context30:10 They 83 say to the visionaries, “See no more visions!”
and to the seers, “Don’t relate messages to us about what is right! 84
Tell us nice things,
relate deceptive messages. 85
Isaiah 30:22
Context30:22 You will desecrate your silver-plated idols 86
and your gold-plated images. 87
You will throw them away as if they were a menstrual rag,
saying to them, “Get out!”
Isaiah 31:3
Context31:3 The Egyptians are mere humans, not God;
their horses are made of flesh, not spirit.
The Lord will strike with 88 his hand;
the one who helps will stumble
and the one being helped will fall.
Together they will perish. 89
Isaiah 31:8-9
Context31:8 Assyria will fall by a sword, but not one human-made; 90
a sword not made by humankind will destroy them. 91
They will run away from this sword 92
and their young men will be forced to do hard labor.
31:9 They will surrender their stronghold 93 because of fear; 94
their officers will be afraid of the Lord’s battle flag.” 95
This is what the Lord says –
the one whose fire is in Zion,
whose firepot is in Jerusalem. 96
Isaiah 35:2
Contextlet it rejoice and shout with delight! 98
It is given the grandeur 99 of Lebanon,
the splendor of Carmel and Sharon.
They will see the grandeur of the Lord,
the splendor of our God.
Isaiah 35:10
Context35:10 those whom the Lord has ransomed will return that way. 100
They will enter Zion with a happy shout.
Unending joy will crown them, 101
happiness and joy will overwhelm 102 them;
grief and suffering will disappear. 103
Isaiah 37:36
Context37:36 The Lord’s messenger 104 went out and killed 185,000 troops 105 in the Assyrian camp. When they 106 got up early the next morning, there were all the corpses! 107
Isaiah 37:38
Context37:38 One day, 108 as he was worshiping 109 in the temple of his god Nisroch, 110 his sons Adrammelech and Sharezer struck him down with the sword. 111 They ran away to the land of Ararat; his son Esarhaddon replaced him as king.
Isaiah 41:20
Context41:20 I will do this so 112 people 113 will observe and recognize,
so they will pay attention and understand
that the Lord’s power 114 has accomplished this,
and that the Holy One of Israel has brought it into being.” 115
Isaiah 41:22
Context41:22 “Let them produce evidence! Let them tell us what will happen!
Tell us about your earlier predictive oracles, 116
so we may examine them 117 and see how they were fulfilled. 118
Or decree for us some future events!
Isaiah 41:25
Context41:25 I have stirred up one out of the north 119 and he advances,
one from the eastern horizon who prays in my name. 120
He steps on 121 rulers as if they were clay,
like a potter treading the clay.
Isaiah 43:2
Context43:2 When you pass through the waters, I am with you;
when you pass 122 through the streams, they will not overwhelm you.
When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned;
the flames will not harm 123 you.
Isaiah 43:9
Context43:9 All nations gather together,
the peoples assemble.
Who among them announced this?
Who predicted earlier events for us? 124
Let them produce their witnesses to testify they were right;
let them listen and affirm, ‘It is true.’
Isaiah 44:11
Context44:11 Look, all his associates 125 will be put to shame;
the craftsmen are mere humans. 126
Let them all assemble and take their stand!
They will panic and be put to shame.
Isaiah 46:6
Context46:6 Those who empty out gold from a purse
and weigh out silver on the scale 127
hire a metalsmith, who makes it into a god.
They then bow down and worship it.
Isaiah 48:5
Context48:5 I announced them to you beforehand;
before they happened, I predicted them for you,
so you could never say,
‘My image did these things,
my idol, my cast image, decreed them.’
Isaiah 48:21
Context48:21 They do not thirst as he leads them through dry regions;
he makes water flow out of a rock for them;
he splits open a rock and water flows out.’ 128
Isaiah 49:10
Context49:10 They will not be hungry or thirsty;
the sun’s oppressive heat will not beat down on them, 129
for one who has compassion on them will guide them;
he will lead them to springs of water.
Isaiah 49:22
Context49:22 This is what the sovereign Lord says:
“Look I will raise my hand to the nations;
I will raise my signal flag to the peoples.
They will bring your sons in their arms
and carry your daughters on their shoulders.
Isaiah 51:5
Context51:5 I am ready to vindicate, 130
I am ready to deliver, 131
I will establish justice among the nations. 132
The coastlands 133 wait patiently for me;
they wait in anticipation for the revelation of my power. 134
Isaiah 51:11
Context51:11 Those whom the Lord has ransomed will return;
they will enter Zion with a happy shout.
Unending joy will crown them, 135
happiness and joy will overwhelm 136 them;
grief and suffering will disappear. 137
Isaiah 53:9
Context53:9 They intended to bury him with criminals, 138
but he ended up in a rich man’s tomb, 139
because 140 he had committed no violent deeds,
nor had he spoken deceitfully.
Isaiah 55:7
Context55:7 The wicked need to abandon their lifestyle 141
and sinful people their plans. 142
They should return 143 to the Lord, and he will show mercy to them, 144
and to their God, for he will freely forgive them. 145
Isaiah 55:13
Context55:13 Evergreens will grow in place of thorn bushes,
firs will grow in place of nettles;
they will be a monument to the Lord, 146
a permanent reminder that will remain. 147
Isaiah 58:3
Context58:3 They lament, 148 ‘Why don’t you notice when we fast?
Why don’t you pay attention when we humble ourselves?’
Look, at the same time you fast, you satisfy your selfish desires, 149
you oppress your workers. 150
Isaiah 59:19
Context59:19 In the west, people respect 151 the Lord’s reputation; 152
in the east they recognize his splendor. 153
For he comes like a rushing 154 stream
driven on by wind sent from the Lord. 155
Isaiah 60:7
Context60:7 All the sheep of Kedar will be gathered to you;
the rams of Nebaioth will be available to you as sacrifices. 156
They will go up on my altar acceptably, 157
and I will bestow honor on my majestic temple.
Isaiah 60:11
Context60:11 Your gates will remain open at all times;
they will not be shut during the day or at night,
so that the wealth of nations may be delivered,
with their kings leading the way. 158
Isaiah 60:14
Context60:14 The children of your oppressors will come bowing to you;
all who treated you with disrespect will bow down at your feet.
They will call you, ‘The City of the Lord,
Zion of the Holy One of Israel.’ 159
Isaiah 63:9
Context63:9 Through all that they suffered, he suffered too. 160
The messenger sent from his very presence 161 delivered them.
In his love and mercy he protected 162 them;
he lifted them up and carried them throughout ancient times. 163
Isaiah 65:5
Context65:5 They say, ‘Keep to yourself!
Don’t get near me, for I am holier than you!’
These people are like smoke in my nostrils,
like a fire that keeps burning all day long.
Isaiah 65:7
Context65:7 for your sins and your ancestors’ sins,” 164 says the Lord.
“Because they burned incense on the mountains
and offended 165 me on the hills,
I will punish them in full measure.” 166
Isaiah 65:25
Context65:25 A wolf and a lamb will graze together; 167
a lion, like an ox, will eat straw, 168
and a snake’s food will be dirt. 169
They will no longer injure or destroy
on my entire royal mountain,” 170 says the Lord.
Isaiah 66:2
Contextthat is how they came to be,” 172 says the Lord.
I show special favor 173 to the humble and contrite,
who respect what I have to say. 174
Isaiah 66:24
Context66:24 “They will go out and observe the corpses of those who rebelled against me, for the maggots that eat them will not die, 175 and the fire that consumes them will not die out. 176 All people will find the sight abhorrent.” 177
1 tn The words “O Lord” are supplied in the translation for clarification. Isaiah addresses the Lord in prayer.
2 tc Heb “they are full from the east.” Various scholars retain the BHS reading and suggest that the prophet makes a general statement concerning Israel’s reliance on foreign customs (J. Watts, Isaiah [WBC], 1:32; J. de Waard, Isaiah, 12-13). Nevertheless, it appears that a word is missing. Based on the parallelism (note “omen readers” in 5:6c), many suggest that קֹסְמִים (qosÿmim, “diviners”) or מִקְסָם (miqsam, “divination”) has been accidentally omitted. Homoioteleuton could account for the omission of an original קֹסְמִים (note how this word and the following מִקֶּדֶם [miqqedem, “from the east”] both end in mem); an original מִקְסָם could have fallen out by homoioarcton (note how this word and the following מִקֶּדֶם both begin with mem).
3 tn Heb “and omen readers like the Philistines.” Through this line and the preceding, the prophet contends that Israel has heavily borrowed the pagan practices of the east and west (in violation of Lev 19:26; Deut 18:9-14).
4 tn Heb “and with the children of foreigners they [?].” The precise meaning of the final word is uncertain. Some take this verb (I שָׂפַק, safaq) to mean “slap,” supply the object “hands,” and translate, “they slap [hands] with foreigners”; HALOT 1349 s.v. I שׂפק. This could be a reference to foreign alliances. This translation has two disadvantages: It requires the conjectural insertion of “hands” and the use of this verb with its object prefixed with a בְּ (bet) preposition with this meaning does not occur elsewhere. The other uses of this verb refer to clapping at someone, an indication of hostility. The translation above assumes the verb is derived from II שׂפק (“to suffice,” attested in the Qal in 1 Kgs 20:10; HALOT 1349 s.v. II שׂפק). In this case the point is that a sufficient number of foreigners (in this case, too many!) live in the land. The disadvantage of this option is that the preposition prefixed to “the children of foreigners” does not occur with this verb elsewhere. The chosen translation is preferred since it continues the idea of abundant foreign influence and does not require a conjectural insertion or emendation.
5 tn The identity of the grammatical subject is unclear. The “idols” could be the subject; they will “go” into the caves and holes when the idolaters throw them there in their haste to escape God’s judgment (see vv. 20-21). The picture of the idols, which represent the foreign deities worshiped by the people, fleeing from the Lord would be highly polemical and fit the overall mood of the chapter. However it seems more likely that the idolaters themselves are the subject, for v. 10 uses similar language in sarcastically urging them to run from judgment.
6 tn Heb “dust”; ASV “into the holes of the earth.”
7 tn Heb “from the dread of the Lord,” that is, from the dread that he produces in the objects of his judgment.” The words “trying to escape” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
8 tn Or “land.” It is not certain if these verses are describing the judgment of Judah (see vv. 6-9) or a more universal judgment on all proud men.
9 sn The precise point of vv. 20-21 is not entirely clear. Are they taking the idols into their hiding places with them, because they are so attached to their man-made images? Or are they discarding the idols along the way as they retreat into the darkest places they can find? In either case it is obvious that the gods are incapable of helping them.
10 tn Heb “from the dread of the Lord,” that is, from the dread that he produces in the objects of his judgment.” The words “trying to escape” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
11 tn Or “land.” It is not certain if these verses are describing the judgment of Judah (see vv. 6-9) or a more universal judgment on all proud men. Almost all English versions translate “earth,” taking this to refer to universal judgment.
12 tn Or “in that day” (ASV).
sn The seven to one ratio emphasizes the great disparity that will exist in the population due to the death of so many men in battle.
13 tn Heb “eat” (so NASB, NIV, NRSV); CEV “buy.”
14 tn Heb “wear” (so NASB, NRSV); NCV “make.”
15 tn Heb “only let your name be called over us.” The Hebrew idiom “call the name over” indicates ownership. See 2 Sam 12:28, and BDB 896 s.v. I ָקרָא Niph. 2.d.(4). The language reflects the cultural reality of ancient Israel, where women were legally the property of their husbands.
16 sn This refers to the humiliation of being unmarried and childless. The women’s words reflect the cultural standards of ancient Israel, where a woman’s primary duties were to be a wife and mother.
17 tn Heb “let his work hurry, let it hasten.” The pronoun “his” refers to God, as the parallel line makes clear. The reference to his “work” alludes back to v. 12, which refers to his ‘work” of judgment. With these words the people challenged the prophet’s warning of approaching judgment. They were in essence saying that they saw no evidence that God was about to work in such a way.
18 sn See the note on the phrase “the Holy One of Israel” in 1:4.
19 tn Heb “draw near” (so NASB); NRSV “hasten to fulfillment.”
20 tn Or “in that day” (KJV).
21 tn Heb “over it”; the referent (the prey) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
22 tn Heb “like the growling of the sea.”
23 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).
24 tn Heb “house.” In this context the “house of David” includes King Ahaz, his family, and the royal court. See also Jer 21:12; Zech 12:7-8, 10, 12, for a similar use of the phrase.
25 tn Heb “rests upon.” Most understand the verb as נוּחַ (nuakh, “rest”), but HALOT 685 s.v. II נחה proposes that this is a hapax legomenon which means “stand by.”
26 tn Heb “and his heart shook and the heart of his people shook, like the shaking of the trees of the forest before the wind.” The singular pronoun “his” is collective, referring to the Davidic house/family. לֵבָב (levav, “heart”) here refers to the seat of the emotions.
27 tn The verb that introduces this verse serves as a discourse particle and is untranslated, see note on 2:2.
28 tn Heb “and they devoured Israel with all the mouth”; NIV “with open mouth”; NLT “With bared fangs.”
29 tn Heb “in all this his anger is not turned, and still his hand is outstretched.” One could translate in the past tense here (and in 9:17b and 21b), but the appearance of the refrain in 10:4b, where it follows a woe oracle prophesying a future judgment, suggests it is a dramatic portrait of the judge which did not change throughout this period of past judgment and will remain unchanged in the future. The English present tense is chosen to best reflect this dramatic mood. (See also 5:25b, where the refrain appears following a dramatic description of coming judgment.)
30 tn The words “fought against” are supplied in the translation both here and later in this verse for stylistic reasons.
31 tn Heb “in all this his anger is not turned, and still his hand is outstretched” (KJV and ASV both similar); NIV “his hand is still upraised.”
sn See the note at 9:12.
32 tn Or “rob” (ASV, NASB, NCV, NRSV); KJV “take away the right from the poor.”
33 tn Heb “so that widows are their plunder, and they can loot orphans.”
sn On the socio-economic background of vv. 1-2, see the note at 1:23.
34 tn Or “in that day.” The verb that introduces this verse serves as a discourse particle and is untranslated; see note on “in the future” in 2:2.
35 tn Heb “house” (so KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV).
36 tn Heb “on one who strikes him down.” This individual is the king (“foreign leader”) of the oppressing nation (which NLT specifies as “the Assyrians”).
37 tn Or “sincerely”; KJV, ASV, NAB, NRSV “in truth.”
38 sn See the note on the phrase “the Holy One of Israel” in 1:4.
39 tn Heb “in all my holy mountain.” In the most basic sense the Lord’s “holy mountain” is the mountain from which he rules over his kingdom (see Ezek 28:14, 16). More specifically it probably refers to Mount Zion/Jerusalem or to the entire land of Israel (see Pss 2:6; 15:1; 43:3; Isa 56:7; 57:13; Ezek 20:40; Ob 16; Zeph 3:11). If the Lord’s universal kingdom is in view in this context (see the note on “earth” at v. 4), then the phrase would probably be metonymic here, standing for God’s worldwide dominion (see the next line).
40 tn Heb “for the earth will be full of knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.” The translation assumes that a universal kingdom is depicted here, but אֶרֶץ (’erets) could be translated “land” (see the note at v. 4). “Knowledge of the Lord” refers here to a recognition of the Lord’s sovereignty which results in a willingness to submit to his authority. See the note at v. 2.
41 tn Heb “and there will be a highway for the remnant of his people who remain, from Assyria.”
42 tn Heb “in the day” (so KJV).
43 tn Or “the place of slaughter for.”
44 tn Heb “for the sin of their fathers.”
45 sn J. N. Oswalt (Isaiah [NICOT], 1:320, n. 10) suggests that the garrison cities of the mighty empire are in view here.
46 tn Heb “house.”
47 tn Heb “even Dibon [to] the high places to weep.” The verb “went up” does double duty in the parallel structure.
48 tn Heb “over [or “for”] Nebo and over [or “for”] Medeba.”
49 sn Shaving the head and beard were outward signs of mourning and grief.
50 tn Heb “at the time of evening, look, sudden terror.”
51 tn Heb “before morning he is not.”
52 tn Heb “this is the portion of those who plunder us, and the lot of those who loot us.”
53 tn Heb “they will be left together” (so NASB).
54 tn Heb “the beasts of the earth” (so KJV, NASB).
55 tn Heb “and the spirit of Egypt will be laid waste in its midst.”
56 tn The verb בָּלַע (bala’, “confuse”) is a homonym of the more common בָּלַע (bala’, “swallow”); see HALOT 135 s.v. I בלע.
57 tn Heb “they will inquire of the idols and of the spirits of the dead and of the ritual pits and of the magicians.” Hebrew אוֹב (’ov, “ritual pit”) refers to a pit used by a magician to conjure up underworld spirits. See the note on “incantations” in 8:19.
58 tn The masculine noun מִזְבֵּחַ (mizbbeakh, “altar”) in v. 19 is probably the subject of the masculine singular verb הָיָה (hayah) rather than the feminine noun מַצֵּבָה (matsevah, “sacred pillar”), also in v. 19.
59 tn Heb “a sign and a witness to the Lord who commands armies [traditionally, the Lord of hosts] in the land of Egypt.”
60 tn רָב (rav) is a substantival participle (from רִיב, riv) meaning “one who strives, contends.”
61 tn Heb “lightly dressed and barefoot, and bare with respect to the buttocks, the nakedness of Egypt.”
62 tn Heb “the boisterous town.” The phrase is parallel to “the noisy city” in the preceding line.
63 sn Apparently they died from starvation during the siege that preceded the final conquest of the city. See J. N. Oswalt, Isaiah (NICOT), 1:409.
64 tn Heb “this people [that] is not.”
65 tn For the meaning of this word, see HALOT 118 s.v. *בַּחוּן.
66 tn Or “laid bare.” For the meaning of this word, see HALOT 889 s.v. ערר.
67 sn This verse probably refers to the Assyrian destruction of Babylon.
68 tn Heb “in the midst of” (so KJV, ASV, NASB).
69 sn The judgment will severely reduce the earth’s population. See v. 6.
70 tn Heb “and one will say in that day.”
71 tn Heb “this [one].”
72 tn Heb “this [one].”
73 sn The identity of this city is uncertain. The context suggests that an Israelite city, perhaps Samaria or Jerusalem, is in view. For discussions of interpretive options see J. N. Oswalt, Isaiah (NICOT), 1:496-97, and Paul L. Redditt, “Once Again, the City in Isaiah 24-27,” HAR 10 (1986), 332.
74 tn The singular form in the text is probably collective.
75 tn Heb “and destroy her branches.” The city is the antecedent of the third feminine singular pronominal suffix. Apparently the city is here compared to a tree. See also v. 11.
76 tn Heb “are dry” (so NASB, NIV, NRSV).
77 tn Heb “women come [and] light it.” The city is likened to a dead tree with dried up branches that is only good for firewood.
78 tn Heb “for not a people of understanding [is] he.”
79 tn Heb “who said to them.”
80 sn This message encapsulates the Lord’s invitation to his people to find security in his protection and blessing.
81 tn Heb “vision” (so NASB, NIV, NRSV).
82 tn Heb “one who knows a/the scroll.”
83 tn Heb “who” (so NASB, NRSV). A new sentence was started here in the translation for stylistic reasons.
84 tn Heb “Do not see for us right things.”
85 tn Heb “Tell us smooth things, see deceptive things.”
86 tn Heb “the platings of your silver idols.”
87 tn Heb “the covering of your gold image.”
88 tn Heb “will extend”; KJV, ASV, NASB, NCV “stretch out.”
89 tn Heb “together all of them will come to an end.”
90 tn Heb “Assyria will fall by a sword, not of a man.”
91 tn Heb “and a sword not of humankind will devour him.”
92 tn Heb “he will flee for himself from before a sword.”
93 tn Heb “rocky cliff” (cf. ASV, NASB “rock”), viewed metaphorically as a place of defense and security.
94 tn Heb “His rocky cliff, because of fear, will pass away [i.e., “perish”].”
95 tn Heb “and they will be afraid of the flag, his officers.”
96 sn The “fire” and “firepot” here symbolize divine judgment, which is heating up like a fire in Jerusalem, waiting to be used against the Assyrians when they attack the city.
97 tn The ambiguous verb form תִּפְרַח (tifrakh) is translated as a jussive because it is parallel to the jussive form תָגֵל (tagel).
98 tn Heb “and let it rejoice, yes [with] rejoicing and shouting.” גִּילַת (gilat) may be an archaic feminine nominal form (see GKC 421 §130.b).
99 tn Or “glory” (KJV, NIV, NRSV); also a second time later in this verse.
100 tn Heb “and the redeemed will walk, the ransomed of the Lord will return.”
101 tn Heb “[will be] on their head[s].” “Joy” may be likened here to a crown (cf. 2 Sam 1:10). The statement may also be an ironic twist on the idiom “earth/dust on the head” (cf. 2 Sam 1:2; 13:19; 15:32; Job 2:12), referring to a mourning practice.
102 tn Heb “will overtake” (NIV); NLT “they will be overcome with.”
103 tn Heb “grief and groaning will flee”; KJV “sorrow and sighing shall flee away.”
104 tn Traditionally, “the angel of the Lord” (so NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT).
105 tn The word “troops” is supplied in the translation for smoothness and clarity.
106 tn This refers to the Israelites and/or the rest of the Assyrian army.
107 tn Heb “look, all of them were dead bodies”; NLT “they found corpses everywhere.”
108 sn The assassination of King Sennacherib probably took place in 681
109 tn The verb that introduces this verse serves as a discourse particle and is untranslated; see note on “in the future” in 2:2.
110 sn No such Mesopotamian god is presently known. Perhaps the name Nisroch is a corruption of Nusku.
111 sn Extra-biblical sources also mention the assassination of Sennacherib, though they refer to only one assassin. See M. Cogan and H. Tadmor, II Kings (AB), 239-40.
112 tn The words “I will do this” are supplied in the translation for clarification. The Hebrew text has here simply, “in order that.”
113 tn Heb “they”; NAB, NRSV “that all may see”; CEV, NLT “Everyone will see.”
114 tn Heb “hand” (so KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV).
115 tn Or “created it” (KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV); TEV “has made it happen.”
116 tn Heb “As for the former things, tell us what they are!”
117 tn Heb “so we might set [them to] our heart.”
118 tn Heb “and might know their outcome.”
119 sn That is, Cyrus the Persian. See the note at v. 2.
120 tn Heb “[one] from the rising of the sun [who] calls in my name.”
121 tn The Hebrew text has וְיָבֹא (vÿyavo’, “and he comes”), but this is likely a corruption of an original וַיָּבָס (vayyavas), from בּוּס (bus, “step on”).
122 tn The verb is understood by ellipsis (note the preceding line).
123 tn Heb “burn” (so NASB); NAB, NRSV, NLT “consume”; NIV “set you ablaze.”
124 tn Heb “and the former things was causing us to hear?”
125 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.
126 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.”
127 tn Heb “the reed,” probably referring to the beam of a scales. See BDB 889 s.v. קָנֶה 4.c.
128 sn The translation above (present tense) assumes that this verse describes God’s provision for returning Babylonian exiles (see v. 20; 35:6; 49:10) in terms reminiscent of the Exodus from Egypt (see Exod 17:6).
129 tn Heb “and the heat and the sun will not strike them.” In Isa 35:7, its only other occurrence in the OT, שָׁרָב (sharav) stands parallel to “parched ground” and in contrast to “pool.” In later Hebrew and Aramaic it refers to “dry heat, heat of the sun” (Jastrow 1627 s.v.). Here it likely has this nuance and forms a hendiadys with “sun.”
130 tn Heb “my righteousness [or “vindication”] is near.”
131 tn Heb “my deliverance goes forth.”
132 tn Heb “and my arms will judge [on behalf of] nations.”
133 tn Or “islands” (NIV); TEV “Distant lands.”
134 tn Heb “for my arm” (so NIV, NRSV).
135 tn Heb “[will be] on their head[s].” “Joy” may be likened here to a crown (cf. 2 Sam 1:10). The statement may also be an ironic twist on the idiom “earth/dust on the head” (cf. 2 Sam 1:2; 13:19; 15:32; Job 2:12), referring to a mourning practice.
136 tn Heb “overtake” (so NIV); NASB “they will obtain.”
137 tn Heb “grief and groaning will flee.”
138 tn Heb “one assigned his grave with criminals.” The subject of the singular is impersonal; English typically uses “they” in such constructions.
139 tn This line reads literally, “and with the rich in his death.” בְּמֹתָיו (bÿmotayv) combines a preposition, a plural form of the noun מוֹת (mot), and a third masculine singular suffix. The plural of the noun is problematic and the יו may be the result of virtual dittography. The form should probably be emended to בָּמָתוֹ (bamato, singular noun). The relationship between this line and the preceding one is uncertain. The parallelism appears to be synonymous (note “his grave” and “in his death”), but “criminals” and “the rich” hardly make a compatible pair in this context, for they would not be buried in the same kind of tomb. Some emend עָשִׁיר (’ashir, “rich”) to עָשֵׂי רָע (’ase ra’, “doers of evil”) but the absence of the ayin (ע) is not readily explained in this graphic environment. Others suggest an emendation to שְׂעִירִים (sÿ’irim, “he-goats, demons”), but the meaning in this case is not entirely transparent and the proposal assumes that the form suffered from both transposition and the inexplicable loss of a final mem. Still others relate עָשִׁיר (’ashir) to an alleged Arabic cognate meaning “mob.” See HALOT 896 s.v. עָשִׁיר. Perhaps the parallelism is antithetical, rather than synonymous. In this case, the point is made that the servant’s burial in a rich man’s tomb, in contrast to a criminal’s burial, was appropriate, for he had done nothing wrong.
140 tn If the second line is antithetical, then עַל (’al) is probably causal here, explaining why the servant was buried in a rich man’s tomb, rather than that of criminal. If the first two lines are synonymous, then עַל is probably concessive: “even though….”
141 tn Heb “Let the wicked one abandon his way.” The singular is collective.
142 tn Heb “and the man of evil his thoughts.” The singular is collective.
143 tn Heb “let him return.” The singular is collective, meaning “let them.”
144 tn The imperfect with vav (ו) conjunctive after the jussive indicates purpose/result.
145 sn The appeal and promise of vv. 6-7 echoes the language of Deut 4:25-31; 30:1-10; and 1 Kgs 8:46-53, all of which anticipate the exile and speak of the prerequisites for restoration.
146 tn Heb “to the Lord for a name.” For שֵׁם (shem) used in the sense of “monument,” see also 56:5, where it stands parallel to יָד (yad).
147 tn Or, more literally, “a permanent sign that will not be cut off.”
148 tn The words “they lament” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
149 tn Heb “you find pleasure”; NASB “you find your desire.”
150 tn Or perhaps, “debtors.” See HALOT 865 s.v. * עָצֵב.
151 tc Heb “fear.” A few medieval Hebrew
152 tn Heb “and they fear from the west the name of the Lord.”
153 tn Heb “and from the rising of the sun his splendor.”
154 tn Heb “narrow”; NAB, NIV, NRSV “pent-up.”
155 tn Heb “the wind of the Lord drives it on.” The term רוּחַ (ruakh) could be translated “breath” here (see 30:28).
156 tn Heb “will serve you,” i.e., be available as sacrifices (see the next line). Another option is to understood these “rams” as symbolic of leaders who will be subject to the people of Zion. See v. 10.
157 tc Heb “they will go up on acceptance [on] my altar.” Some have suggested that the preposition עַל (’al) is dittographic (note the preceding יַעֲלוּ [ya’alu]). Consequently, the form should be emended to לְרָצוֹן (lÿratson, “acceptably”; see BDB 953 s.v. רָצוֹן). However, the Qumran scroll 1QIsaa has both לרצון followed by the preposition על, which would argue against deleted the preposition. As the above translation seeks to demonstrate, the preposition עַל (’al) indicates a norm (“in accordance with acceptance” or “acceptably”; IBHS 218 §11.2.13e, n. 111) and the “altar” functions as an objective accusative with a verb of motion (cf. Gen 49:4; Lev 2:2; Num 13:17; J. N. Oswalt, Isaiah [NICOT], 2:534, n. 14).
158 tn Or “led in procession.” The participle is passive.
159 sn See the note on the phrase “the Holy One of Israel” in 1:4.
160 tn Heb “in all their distress, there was distress to him” (reading לוֹ [lo] with the margin/Qere).
161 tn Heb “the messenger [or “angel”] of his face”; NIV “the angel of his presence.”
sn This may refer to the “angel of God” mentioned in Exod 14:19, who in turn may be identical to the divine “presence” (literally, “face”) referred to in Exod 33:14-15 and Deut 4:37. Here in Isa 63 this messenger may be equated with God’s “holy Spirit” (see vv. 10-11) and “the Spirit of the Lord” (v. 14). See also Ps 139:7, where God’s “Spirit” seems to be equated with his “presence” (literally, “face”) in the synonymous parallelistic structure.
162 tn Or “redeemed” (KJV, NAB, NIV), or “delivered.”
163 tn Heb “all the days of antiquity”; KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV “days of old.”
164 tn Heb “the iniquities of your fathers.”
165 tn Or perhaps, “taunted”; KJV “blasphemed”; NAB “disgraced”; NASB “scorned”; NIV “defied”; NRSV “reviled.”
166 tn Heb “I will measure out their pay [from the] beginning into their lap,” i.e., he will give them everything they have earned.
167 sn A similar statement appears in 11:6.
168 sn These words also appear in 11:7.
169 sn Some see an allusion to Gen 3:14 (note “you will eat dirt”). The point would be that even in this new era the snake (often taken as a symbol of Satan) remains under God’s curse. However, it is unlikely that such an allusion exists. Even if there is an echo of Gen 3:14, the primary allusion is to 11:8, where snakes are pictured as no longer dangerous. They will no longer attack other living creatures, but will be content to crawl along the ground. (The statement “you will eat dirt” in Gen 3:14 means “you will crawl on the ground.” In the same way the statement “dirt will be its food” in Isa 65:25 means “it will crawl on the ground.”)
170 tn Heb “in all my holy mountain.” These same words appear in 11:9. See the note there.
sn As in 11:1-9 the prophet anticipates a time when the categories predator-prey no longer exist. See the note at the end of 11:8.
171 tn Heb “all these.” The phrase refers to the heavens and earth, mentioned in the previous verse.
172 tn Heb “and all these were.” Some prefer to emend וַיִּהְיוּ (vayyihyu, “and they were”) to וְלִי הָיוּ (vÿli hayu, “and to me they were”), i.e., “and they belong to me.”
173 tn Heb “and to this one I look” (KJV and NASB both similar).
174 tn Heb “to the humble and the lowly in spirit and the one who trembles at my words.”
175 tn Heb “for their worm will not die.”
176 tn Heb “and their fire will not be extinguished.”
177 tn Heb “and they will be an abhorrence to all flesh.”
sn This verse depicts a huge mass burial site where the seemingly endless pile of maggot-infested corpses are being burned.
