Discovery BoxIsaiah 59:16-18 
Context59:16 He sees there is no advocate; 1
he is shocked 2 that no one intervenes.
So he takes matters into his own hands; 3
his desire for justice drives him on. 4
59:17 He wears his desire for justice 5 like body armor, 6
and his desire to deliver is like a helmet on his head. 7
He puts on the garments of vengeance 8
and wears zeal like a robe.
59:18 He repays them for what they have done,
dispensing angry judgment to his adversaries
and punishing his enemies. 9
He repays the coastlands. 10
1 tn Heb “man” (so KJV, ASV); TEV “no one to help.”
2 tn Or “appalled” (NAB, NIV, NRSV), or “disgusted.”
3 tn Heb “and his arm delivers for him.”
4 tn Heb “and his justice [or “righteousness”] supports him.”
5 tn Or “righteousness” (KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT); NCV “goodness.”
6 tn Or “a breastplate” (traditional; so many English versions); TEV “a coat of armour.”
7 tn Heb “and [as] a helmet deliverance on his head.”
8 tn Heb “and he puts on the clothes of vengeance [as] a garment.”
9 tn Heb “in accordance with deeds, so he repays, anger to his adversaries, repayment to his enemies.”
10 tn Or “islands” (KJV, NIV).
