Discovery BoxIsaiah 5:26 
Context5:26 He lifts a signal flag for a distant nation, 1
he whistles for it to come from the far regions of the earth.
Look, they 2 come quickly and swiftly.
Isaiah 13:2
Context13:2 3 On a bare hill raise a signal flag,
shout to them,
wave your hand,
so they might enter the gates of the princes!
Isaiah 62:10
Context62:10 Come through! Come through the gates!
Prepare the way for the people!
Build it! Build the roadway!
Remove the stones!
Lift a signal flag for the nations!
Isaiah 11:10
Context11:10 At that time 4 a root from Jesse 5 will stand like a signal flag for the nations. Nations will look to him for guidance, 6 and his residence will be majestic.
Isaiah 11:12
Context11:12 He will lift a signal flag for the nations;
he will gather Israel’s dispersed people 7
and assemble Judah’s scattered people
from the four corners of the earth.
Isaiah 18:3
Context18:3 All you who live in the world,
who reside on the earth,
you will see a signal flag raised on the mountains;
you will hear a trumpet being blown.
Isaiah 31:9
Context31:9 They will surrender their stronghold 8 because of fear; 9
their officers will be afraid of the Lord’s battle flag.” 10
This is what the Lord says –
the one whose fire is in Zion,
whose firepot is in Jerusalem. 11
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.
1 tc The Hebrew text has literally, “for nations from a distance.” The following verses use singular forms to describe this nation, so the final mem (ם) on לְגּוֹיִם (lÿgoyim) may be enclitic or dittographic. In the latter case one could read לְגוֹי מֵרָחוֹק (lÿgoy merakhoq, “for a nation from a distance”; see Deut 28:49; Joel 3:8). Another possibility is to emend the text from לַגּוֹיִם מֵרָחוֹק (laggoyim merakhoq) to לְגוֹי מִמֶּרְחָק (lÿgoy mimmerkhaq, “for a nation from a distant place”) a phrase which occurs in Jer 5:15. In this case an error of misdivision has occurred in MT, the mem of the prefixed preposition being accidentally taken as a plural ending on the preceding word.
2 tn Heb “he.” Singular forms are used throughout vv. 26-30 to describe this nation, but for stylistic reasons the translation uses the plural for these collective singulars.
3 sn The Lord is speaking here (see v. 3).
4 tn Or “in that day” (KJV). The verb that introduces this verse serves as a discourse particle and is untranslated; see note on “in the future” in 2:2.
6 tn Heb “ a root from Jesse, which stands for a signal flag of the nations, of him nations will inquire” [or “seek”].
7 tn Or “the banished of Israel,” i.e., the exiles.
8 tn Heb “rocky cliff” (cf. ASV, NASB “rock”), viewed metaphorically as a place of defense and security.
9 tn Heb “His rocky cliff, because of fear, will pass away [i.e., “perish”].”
10 tn Heb “and they will be afraid of the flag, his officers.”
11 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.
