Discovery BoxIsaiah 66:8 
Context66:8 Who has ever heard of such a thing?
Who has ever seen this?
Can a country 1 be brought forth in one day?
Can a nation be born in a single moment?
Yet as soon as Zion goes into labor she gives birth to sons!
Isaiah 66:19
Context66:19 I will perform a mighty act among them 2 and then send some of those who remain to the nations – to Tarshish, Pul, 3 Lud 4 (known for its archers 5 ), Tubal, Javan, 6 and to the distant coastlands 7 that have not heard about me or seen my splendor. They will tell the nations of my splendor.
1 tn Heb “land,” but here אֶרֶץ (’erets) stands metonymically for an organized nation (see the following line).
2 tn Heb “and I will set a sign among them.” The precise meaning of this statement is unclear. Elsewhere “to set a sign” means “perform a mighty act” (Ps 78:43; Jer 32:20), “make [someone] an object lesson” (Ezek 14:8), and “erect a [literal] standard” (Ps 74:4).
3 tn Some prefer to read “Put” (i.e., Libya).
4 sn That is, Lydia (in Asia Minor).
5 tn Heb “drawers of the bow” (KJV and ASV both similar).
6 sn Javan is generally identified today as Greece (so NIV, NCV, NLT).
7 tn Or “islands” (NIV).
