Discovery BoxIsaiah 5:18 
Context5:18 Those who pull evil along using cords of emptiness are as good as dead, 1
who pull sin as with cart ropes. 2
Isaiah 19:7
Context19:7 along with the plants by the mouth of the river. 3
All the cultivated land near the river
will turn to dust and be blown away. 4
Isaiah 19:24
Context19:24 At that time Israel will be the third member of the group, along with Egypt and Assyria, and will be a recipient of blessing 5 in the earth. 6
Isaiah 34:7
Context34:7 Wild oxen will be slaughtered 7 along with them,
as well as strong bulls. 8
Their land is drenched with blood,
their soil is covered with fat.
Isaiah 40:11
Context40:11 Like a shepherd he tends his flock;
he gathers up the lambs with his arm;
he carries them close to his heart; 9
he leads the ewes along.
Isaiah 57:9
Context57:9 You take olive oil as tribute 10 to your king, 11
along with many perfumes. 12
You send your messengers to a distant place;
you go all the way to Sheol. 13
2 tc The Hebrew text reads literally, “Woe to those who pull evil with the ropes of emptiness, and, as [with] ropes of a cart, sin.” Though several textual details are unclear, the basic idea is apparent. The sinners are so attached to their sinful ways (compared here to a heavy load) that they strain to drag them along behind them. If שָׁוְא (shavÿ’, “emptiness”) is retained, it makes a further comment on their lifestyle, denouncing it as one that is devoid of what is right and destined to lead to nothing but destruction. Because “emptiness” does not form a very tight parallel with “cart” in the next line, some emend שָׁוְא to שֶׂה (she, “sheep”) and עֲגָלָה (’agalah, “cart”) to עֵגֶל (’egel, “calf”): “Those who pull evil along with a sheep halter are as good as dead who pull sin with a calf rope” (following the lead of the LXX and improving the internal parallelism of the verse). In this case, the verse pictures the sinners pulling sin along behind them as one pulls an animal with a halter. For a discussion of this view, see J. N. Oswalt, Isaiah (NICOT), 1:163, n. 1. Nevertheless, this emendation is unnecessary. The above translation emphasizes the folly of the Israelites who hold on to their sin (and its punishment) even while they hope for divine intervention.
3 tn Heb “the plants by the river, by the mouth of the river.”
4 tn Heb “will dry up, [being] scattered, and it will vanish.”
5 tn Heb “will be a blessing” (so NCV).
6 tn Or “land” (KJV, NAB).
7 tn Heb “will go down”; NAB “shall be struck down.”
8 tn Heb “and bulls along with strong ones.” Perhaps this refers to the leaders.
9 tn Heb “in his bosom” (so KJV, NAB, NASB, NRSV), an expression which reflects closeness and protective care.
10 tn Heb “you journey with oil.”
11 tn Heb “the king.” Since the context refers to idolatry and child sacrifice (see v. 5), some emend מֶלֶך (melekh, “king”) to “Molech.” Perhaps Israel’s devotion to her idols is likened here to a subject taking tribute to a ruler.
12 tn Heb “and you multiply your perfumes.”
13 sn Israel’s devotion to her idols is inordinate, irrational, and self-destructive.
