Discovery BoxIsaiah 4:2 
Contextthe crops given by the Lord will bring admiration and honor; 2
the produce of the land will be a source of pride and delight
to those who remain in Israel. 3
Isaiah 10:20
Context10:20 At that time 4 those left in Israel, those who remain of the family 5 of Jacob, will no longer rely on a foreign leader that abuses them. 6 Instead they will truly 7 rely on the Lord, the Holy One of Israel. 8
Isaiah 17:6
Context17:6 There will be some left behind,
like when an olive tree is beaten –
two or three ripe olives remain toward the very top,
four or five on its fruitful branches,”
says the Lord God of Israel.
Isaiah 45:1
Context45:1 This is what the Lord says to his chosen 9 one,
to Cyrus, whose right hand I hold 10
in order to subdue nations before him,
and disarm kings, 11
to open doors before him,
so gates remain unclosed:
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, 12
a permanent reminder that will remain. 13
Isaiah 56:5
Context56:5 I will set up within my temple and my walls a monument 14
that will be better than sons and daughters.
I will set up a permanent monument 15 for them that will remain.
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. 16
1 tn Or “in that day” (KJV).
2 tn Heb “and the vegetation of the Lord will become beauty and honor.” Many English versions understand the phrase צֶמַח יְהוָה (tsemakh yÿhvah) as a messianic reference and render it, “the Branch of the Lord” (so KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT, and others). Though צֶמַח (tsemakh) is used by later prophets of a royal descendant (Jer 23;5; 33:15; Zech 3:8; 6:12), those passages contain clear contextual indicators that a human ruler is in view and that the word is being used in a metaphorical way of offspring. However, in Isa 4:2 there are no such contextual indicators. To the contrary, in the parallel structure of the verse צֶמַח יְהוָה corresponds to “produce of the land,” a phrase that refers elsewhere exclusively to literal agricultural produce (see Num 13:20, 26; Deut 1:25). In the majority of its uses צֶמַח refers to literal crops or vegetation (in Ps 65:10 the Lord is the source of this vegetation). A reference to the Lord restoring crops would make excellent sense in Isa 4 and the prophets frequently included this theme in their visions of the future age (see Isa 30:23-24; 32:20; Jer 31:12; Ezek 34:26-29; and Amos 9:13-14).
3 tn Heb “and the fruit of the land will become pride and beauty for the remnant of Israel.”
4 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.
5 tn Heb “house” (so KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV).
6 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”).
7 tn Or “sincerely”; KJV, ASV, NAB, NRSV “in truth.”
8 sn See the note on the phrase “the Holy One of Israel” in 1:4.
9 tn Heb “anointed” (so KJV, NAB, NIV, NRSV, NLT); NCV “his appointed king.”
10 sn The “right hand” is a symbol of activity and strength; the Lord directs Cyrus’ activities and assures his success.
11 tn Heb “and the belts of kings I will loosen”; NRSV “strip kings of their robes”; NIV “strip kings of their armor.”
12 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).
13 tn Or, more literally, “a permanent sign that will not be cut off.”
14 tn Heb “a hand and a name.” For other examples where יָד (yad) refers to a monument, see HALOT 388 s.v.
15 tn Heb “name” (so KJV, NIV, NRSV).
16 tn Or “led in procession.” The participle is passive.
