Discovery BoxIsaiah 48:1 
Context48:1 Listen to this, O family of Jacob, 1
you who are called by the name ‘Israel,’
and are descended from Judah, 2
who take oaths in the name of the Lord,
and invoke 3 the God of Israel –
but not in an honest and just manner. 4
Isaiah 61:3
Context61:3 to strengthen those who mourn in Zion,
by giving them a turban, instead of ashes,
oil symbolizing joy, 5 instead of mourning,
a garment symbolizing praise, 6 instead of discouragement. 7
They will be called oaks of righteousness, 8
trees planted by the Lord to reveal his splendor. 9
Isaiah 65:12
Context65:12 I predestine you to die by the sword, 10
all of you will kneel down at the slaughtering block, 11
because I called to you, and you did not respond,
I spoke and you did not listen.
You did evil before me; 12
you chose to do what displeases me.”
Isaiah 66:4
Context66:4 So I will choose severe punishment 13 for them;
I will bring on them what they dread,
because I called, and no one responded,
I spoke and they did not listen.
They did evil before me; 14
they chose to do what displeases me.”
1 tn Heb “house of Jacob”; TEV, CEV “people of Israel.”
2 tc The Hebrew text reads literally “and from the waters of Judah came out.” מִמֵּי (mimme) could be a corruption of מִמְּעֵי (mimmÿ’e, “from the inner parts of”; cf. NASB, NIV, NLT, NRSV) as suggested in the above translation. Some translations (ESV, NKJV) retain the MT reading because the Qumran scroll 1QIsaa, which corrects a similar form to “from inner parts of” in 39:7, does not do it here.
3 tn Heb “cause to remember”; KJV, ASV “make mention of.”
4 tn Heb “not in truth and not in righteousness.”
5 tn Heb “oil of joy” (KJV, ASV); NASB, NIV, NRSV “the oil of gladness.”
6 tn Heb “garment of praise.”
7 tn Heb “a faint spirit” (so NRSV); KJV, ASV “the spirit of heaviness”; NASB “a spirit of fainting.”
8 tn Rather than referring to the character of the people, צֶדֶק (tsedeq) may carry the nuance “vindication” here, suggesting that God’s restored people are a testimony to his justice. See v. 2, which alludes to the fact that God will take vengeance against the enemies of his people. Cf. NAB “oaks of justice.”
9 tn Heb “a planting of the Lord to reveal splendor.”
10 tn Heb “I assign you to the sword.” Some emend the Qal verb form מָנִיתִי (maniti, “I assign”) to the Piel מִנִּיתִי (minniti, “ I ordain”). The verb sounds like the name of the god Meni (מְנִי, mÿni, “Destiny, Fate”). The sound play draws attention to the irony of the statement. The sinners among God’s people worship the god Meni, apparently in an effort to ensure a bright destiny for themselves. But the Lord is the one who really determines their destiny and he has decreed their demise.
11 tn Or “at the slaughter”; NIV “for the slaughter”; NLT “before the executioner.”
12 tn Heb “that which is evil in my eyes.”
13 tn The precise meaning of the noun is uncertain. It occurs only here and in 3:4 (but see the note there). It appears to be derived from the verbal root עָלַל (’alal), which can carry the nuance “deal severely.”
14 tn Heb “that which is evil in my eyes.”
