⁴ tn The precise meaning of the verb בָּזָא (bazaʾ), which occurs only in this oracle (see also v. 7) in the OT, is uncertain. BDB 102 s.v. suggests “divide” on the basis of alleged Aramaic and Arabic cognates; HALOT 117 s.v., citing an alleged Arabic cognate, suggests “wash away.”

⁵ tn Heb “with the [?] of his wind” [or “breath”]. The Hebrew term עַיָם (ʿayam) occurs only here. Some attempt to relate the word to an Arabic root and translate, “scorching [or “hot”] wind.” This interpretation fits especially well if one reads “dry up” in the previous line. Others prefer to emend the form to עֹצֶם (ʿotsem, “strong”). See HALOT 817 s.v. עֲצַם.

⁵ sn The transformation of the animal kingdom depicted here typifies what will occur in human society under the just rule of the ideal king (see vv. 3-5). The categories “predator-prey” (i.e., oppressor-oppressed) will no longer exist.

² tn Heb “a spirit of wisdom and understanding.” The synonyms are joined here to emphasize the degree of wisdom he will possess. His wisdom will enable him to make just legal decisions (v. 3). A very similar phrase occurs in Eph 1:17.

¹ tc The Hebrew text reads “with terrifying power,” or “with a crash.” מַעֲרָצָה (maʿaratsah, “terrifying power” or “crash”) occurs only here. Several have suggested an emendation to מַעֲצָד (maʿatsad, “ax”) parallel to “ax” in v. 34; see HALOT 615 s.v. מַעֲצָד and H. Wildberger, Isaiah, 1:448.

⁴ tn The noun מַצֶּבֶת (matsevet) occurs only 4 times, twice in 2 Sam 18:18 and twice here. Most translations render it as “stump” (NASB, NIV, NRSV, ESV). HALOT identifies it as a memorial stone in 2 Sam 18:18 and says for Isa 6:13 that “the earlier translation ‘root-stock’ is questionable” (HALOT 621 s.v.).

¹ tn Isaiah uses the suffixed (perfect) form of the verb for rhetorical purposes. In this way his destruction is described as occurring or as already completed. Rather than understanding the verb as derived from דָּמַה (damah, “be destroyed”), some take it from a proposed homonymic root דמה, which would mean “be silent.” In this case, one might translate, “I must be silent.”

⁴ tn Heb “but, look, disobedience.” The precise meaning of מִשְׂפָּח (mispakh), which occurs only here in the OT, is uncertain. Some have suggested a meaning “bloodshed.” The term is obviously chosen for its wordplay value; it sounds very much like מִשְׁפָּט (mishpat, “justice”). The sound play draws attention to the point being made; the people have not met the Lord’s expectations.

¹ tn The verse begins with a verb that functions as a “discourse particle” and is not translated. In numerous places throughout the OT, the “to be” verb with a prefixed conjunction (וְהָיָה [v^ehayah] and וַיְהִי [vay^ehi]) occurs in this fashion to introduce a circumstantial clause and does not require translation.

³ sn The normal word pair for giving birth to and raising children is יָלַד (yalad, “to give birth to”) and גָּדַל (gadal, “to grow, raise”). The pair גָּדַל and רוּם (rum, “to raise up”) probably occur here to highlight the fact that Yahweh made something important of Israel (cf. R. Mosis, TDOT 2:403).

¹ tn The word חֵן (khen) refers to “charm, gracefulness, graciousness, favor.” It frequently occurs in the phrase to “find favor in the eyes” of someone. So it appears to have a broad meaning that includes whatever may have the effect of eliciting a favorable response from someone else, something that they find charming (“pleasant, agreeable qualities” HALOT, 322).

² tn The verb פָּרַע (paraʿ) means “to let go; to let alone.” It occurs here in the Niphal with the meaning of “[the people] are let loose,” meaning, they cast off restraint (e.g., Exod 32:25). Cf. NLT “run wild.”

³ tn The active participle רֹעֶה (roʿeh) is from the second root רָעָה (raʿah), meaning “to associate with.” The verb occurs only a few times, and mostly in the book of Proverbs. It is related to רֵעֶה (reʿeh, “friend; companion; fellow”). To describe someone as a “companion” or “friend” of prostitutes is somewhat euphemistic; it surely means someone who is frequently engaging the services of prostitutes.

² tn The word כָּפָה (kafah) occurs only here; it means “to subdue,” but in New Hebrew it means “to overturn; to compel.” The BHS editors suggest a change to כָּבָה (kavah), “to be quenched,” based on Symmachus and Tg. Prov 21:14, but there is no substantial improvement in the text’s meaning with such a change.

¹ tn The form נָאוֶה (naʾveh) is an adjective meaning “seemly; comely” in the older English versions like KJV, ASV, “fitting” in more recent ones (e.g., NASB, NIV, NRSV). The verbal root נוֹה (noh) only occurs in the Pilel stem, but it also has the basic meaning of “being fitting; being comely.” In this sentence the form is a predicate adjective.

³ tn Or “Forsake [it] before strife breaks out.” The Masoretic tradition takes “strife” as the object of the imperative verb, but it could also be a subjective genitive following the infinitive “to break out.” The verb גָּלַע (galaʿ) occurs only in the Hitpael, meaning “to quarrel; to break out.”

³ sn The “fool” proper, described by the term נָבָל (naval), occurs only here, in v. 21, and in 30:22 in the book. It describes someone who is godless and immoral in an overbearing way (e.g., 1 Sam 25:25; Ps 14:1). A fool should restrain his words lest his foolishness spew out.

⁴ tn This verb, אָכַף (ʾakaf), occurs only here in the Hebrew Bible. Cognate languages associate it with saddling an animal or pressing. A similar English idiom might be “to spur on.” The verbs in the proverb are past time, noting a pattern which has been observed and is prototypical.

² tn The pual imperfect verb ‏יְאֻנֶּה (y^eʾunneh) is from a rare root occurring only 4 times in the Bible. In the only piel case, Exod 21:13, God makes something happen for someone. This implies that the pual is not simply “to happen to” but “made to happen to.” Some propose “be allowed to happen to.”

² tn The verb רָזַן (razan) means “to be weighty; to be judicious; to be commanding.” It only occurs in the Qal active participle in the plural as a substantive, meaning “potentates; rulers” (e.g., Ps 1:1-3). Cf. KJV, ASV “princes”; NAB “lawgivers.”