Discovery BoxIsaiah 3:11 
Context3:11 Too bad for the wicked sinners!
For they will get exactly what they deserve. 1
Isaiah 5:23
Context5:23 They pronounce the guilty innocent for a payoff,
they ignore the just cause of the innocent. 2
Isaiah 26:16
Context26:16 O Lord, in distress they looked for you;
they uttered incantations because of your discipline. 3
Isaiah 65:21
Context65:21 They will build houses and live in them;
they will plant vineyards and eat their fruit.
Isaiah 65:24
Context65:24 Before they even call out, 4 I will respond;
while they are still speaking, I will hear.
1 tn Heb “for the work of his hands will be done to him.”
2 tn Heb “and the just cause of the innocent ones they turn aside from him.”
sn In vv. 22-23 the prophet returns to themes with which he opened his speech. The accusatory elements of vv. 8, 11-12, 18-23 are arranged in a chiastic manner: (A) social injustice (8), (B) carousing (11-12a), (C) spiritual insensitivity (12b) // (C') spiritual insensitivity (18-21), (B') carousing (22), (A') social injustice (23).
3 tn The meaning of this verse is unclear. It appears to read literally, “O Lord, in distress they visit you, they pour out [?] an incantation, your discipline to them.” פָּקַד (paqad) may here carry the sense of “seek with interest” (cf. Ezek 23:21 and BDB 823 s.v.) or “seek in vain” (cf. Isa 34:16), but it is peculiar for the Lord to be the object of this verb. צָקוּן (tsaqun) may be a Qal perfect third plural form from צוּק (tsuq, “pour out, melt”), though the verb is not used of pouring out words in its two other occurrences. Because of the appearance of צַר (tsar, “distress”) in the preceding line, it is tempting to emend the form to a noun and derive it from צוּק (“be in distress”) The term לַחַשׁ (lakhash) elsewhere refers to an incantation (Isa 3:3; Jer 8:17; Eccl 10:11) or amulet (Isa 3:20). Perhaps here it refers to ritualistic prayers or to magical incantations used to ward off evil.
4 tn The verb that introduces this verse serves as a discourse particle and is untranslated; see note on “in the future” in 2:2.
