Discovery BoxIsaiah 9:1 
Context9:1 (8:23) 1 The gloom will be dispelled for those who were anxious. 2
In earlier times he 3 humiliated
the land of Zebulun,
and the land of Naphtali; 4
but now he brings honor 5
to the way of the sea,
the region beyond the Jordan,
and Galilee of the nations. 6
Isaiah 23:18
Context23:18 Her profits and earnings will be set apart for the Lord. They will not be stored up or accumulated, for her profits will be given to those who live in the Lord’s presence and will be used to purchase large quantities of food and beautiful clothes. 7
Isaiah 26:21
Context26:21 For look, the Lord is coming out of the place where he lives, 8
to punish the sin of those who live on the earth.
The earth will display the blood shed on it;
it will no longer cover up its slain. 9
Isaiah 38:1
Context38:1 In those days Hezekiah was stricken with a terminal illness. 10 The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz visited him and told him, “This is what the Lord says, ‘Give instructions to your household, for you are about to die; you will not get well.’”
Isaiah 42:5
Context42:5 This is what the true God, 11 the Lord, says –
the one who created the sky and stretched it out,
the one who fashioned the earth and everything that lives on it, 12
the one who gives breath to the people on it,
and life to those who live on it: 13
Isaiah 45:14
Context45:14 This is what the Lord says:
“The profit 14 of Egypt and the revenue 15 of Ethiopia,
along with the Sabeans, those tall men,
will be brought to you 16 and become yours.
They will walk behind you, coming along in chains. 17
They will bow down to you
and pray to you: 18
‘Truly God is with 19 you; he has no peer; 20
there is no other God!’”
Isaiah 49:23
Context49:23 Kings will be your children’s 21 guardians;
their princesses will nurse your children. 22
With their faces to the ground they will bow down to you
and they will lick the dirt on 23 your feet.
Then you will recognize that I am the Lord;
those who wait patiently for me are not put to shame.
Isaiah 61:3
Context61:3 to strengthen those who mourn in Zion,
by giving them a turban, instead of ashes,
oil symbolizing joy, 24 instead of mourning,
a garment symbolizing praise, 25 instead of discouragement. 26
They will be called oaks of righteousness, 27
trees planted by the Lord to reveal his splendor. 28
Isaiah 66:19
Context66:19 I will perform a mighty act among them 29 and then send some of those who remain to the nations – to Tarshish, Pul, 30 Lud 31 (known for its archers 32 ), Tubal, Javan, 33 and to the distant coastlands 34 that have not heard about me or seen my splendor. They will tell the nations of my splendor.
1 sn In the Hebrew text (BHS) the chapter division comes one verse later than in the English Bible; 9:1 (8:23 HT). Thus 9:2-21 in the English Bible = 9:1-20 in the Hebrew text. Beginning with 10:1 the verse numbers in the English Bible and the Hebrew Bible are again the same.
2 tn The Hebrew text reads, “Indeed there is no gloom for the one to whom there was anxiety for her.” The feminine singular pronominal suffix “her” must refer to the land (cf. vv. 22a, 23b). So one could translate, “Indeed there will be no gloom for the land which was anxious.” In this case the statement introduces the positive message to follow. Some assume an emendation of לֹא (lo’, “no”) to לוֹ (lo, “to him”) and of לָהּ (lah, “to her”) to לוֹ (lo, “to him”), yielding this literal reading: “indeed there is gloom for him, for the one to whom there was anxiety for him.” In this case the statement concludes the preceding description of judgment.
3 tn The Lord must be understood as the subject of the two verbs in this verse.
4 sn The statement probably alludes to the Assyrian conquest of Israel in ca. 734-733
5 tn Heb Just as in earlier times he humiliated…, [in] the latter times he has brought honor.” The main verbs in vv. 1b-4 are Hebrew perfects. The prophet takes his rhetorical stance in the future age of restoration and describes future events as if they have already occurred. To capture the dramatic effect of the original text, the translation uses the English present or present perfect.
6 sn These three geographical designations may refer to provinces established by the Assyrians in 734-733
7 tn Heb “for eating to fullness and for beautiful covering[s].”
sn The point of this verse, which in its blatant nationalism comes precariously close to comparing the Lord to one who controls or manages a prostitute, is that Tyre will become a subject of Israel and her God. Tyre’s commercial profits will be used to enrich the Lord’s people.
8 tn Heb “out of his place” (so KJV, ASV).
9 sn This implies that rampant bloodshed is one of the reasons for divine judgment. See the note at 24:5.
10 tn Heb “was sick to the point of dying”; NRSV “became sick and was at the point of death.”
11 tn Heb “the God.” The definite article here indicates distinctiveness or uniqueness.
12 tn Heb “and its offspring” (so NASB); NIV “all that comes out of it.”
13 tn Heb “and spirit [i.e., “breath”] to the ones walking in it” (NAB, NASB, and NRSV all similar).
14 tn Heb “labor,” which stands metonymically for the fruits of labor, either “monetary profit,” or “products.”
15 tn Or perhaps, “merchandise” (so KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV); NAB “the gain of Ethiopia”; CEV “the treasures of Ethiopia.”
16 tn Heb “they will pass over to you”; NASB, NIV “will come over to you”; CEV “will belong to you.”
17 sn Restored Israel is depicted here in typical ancient Near Eastern fashion as an imperial power that receives riches and slaves as tribute.
18 sn Israel’s vassals are portrayed as so intimidated and awed that they treat Israel as an intermediary to God or sub-deity.
19 tn Or perhaps, “among.” Cf. KJV, ASV “Surely God is in thee.”
20 tn Heb “there is no other” (so NIV, NRSV). The same phrase occurs at the end of v. 18, in v. 21, and at the end of v. 22.
21 tn Heb “your,” but Zion here stands by metonymy for her children (see v. 22b).
22 tn Heb “you.” See the preceding note.
23 tn Or “at your feet” (NAB, NIV); NLT “from your feet.”
24 tn Heb “oil of joy” (KJV, ASV); NASB, NIV, NRSV “the oil of gladness.”
25 tn Heb “garment of praise.”
26 tn Heb “a faint spirit” (so NRSV); KJV, ASV “the spirit of heaviness”; NASB “a spirit of fainting.”
27 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.”
28 tn Heb “a planting of the Lord to reveal splendor.”
29 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).
30 tn Some prefer to read “Put” (i.e., Libya).
31 sn That is, Lydia (in Asia Minor).
32 tn Heb “drawers of the bow” (KJV and ASV both similar).
33 sn Javan is generally identified today as Greece (so NIV, NCV, NLT).
34 tn Or “islands” (NIV).
