Discovery BoxIsaiah 57:14-16 
Context“Build it! Build it! Clear a way!
Remove all the obstacles out of the way of my people!”
57:15 For this is what the high and exalted one says,
the one who rules 2 forever, whose name is holy:
“I dwell in an exalted and holy place,
but also with the discouraged and humiliated, 3
in order to cheer up the humiliated
and to encourage the discouraged. 4
57:16 For I will not be hostile 5 forever
or perpetually angry,
for then man’s spirit would grow faint before me, 6
the life-giving breath I created.
1 tn Since God is speaking throughout this context, perhaps we should emend the text to “and I say.” However, divine speech is introduced in v. 15.
2 tn Heb “the one who dwells forever.” שֹׁכֵן עַד (shokhen ’ad) is sometimes translated “the one who lives forever,” and understood as a reference to God’s eternal existence. However, the immediately preceding and following descriptions (“high and exalted” and “holy”) emphasize his sovereign rule. In the next line, he declares, “I dwell in an exalted and holy [place],” which refers to the place from which he rules. Therefore it is more likely that שֹׁכֵן עַד (shokhen ’ad) means “I dwell [in my lofty palace] forever” and refers to God’s eternal kingship.
3 tn Heb “and also with the crushed and lowly of spirit.” This may refer to the repentant who have humbled themselves (see 66:2) or more generally to the exiles who have experienced discouragement and humiliation.
4 tn Heb “to restore the lowly of spirit and to restore the heart of the crushed.”
5 tn Or perhaps, “argue,” or “accuse” (so NAB, NIV, NRSV).
6 tn Heb “for a spirit from before me would be faint.”
