Isaiah 50:2

Why does no one challenge me when I come? Why does no one respond when I call? ¹  Is my hand too weak ²  to deliver ³  you? Do I lack the power to rescue you? Look, with a mere shout ⁴  I can dry up the sea; I can turn streams into a desert, so the fish rot away and die from lack of water. ⁵ 

Ge 18:14; Ex 7:18,21; Ex 14:21,29; Nu 11:23; Jos 3:16; 2Ch 32:15; Ps 106:9; Ps 107:33; Ps 114:3-7; Pr 1:24; Isa 36:20; Isa 42:15; Isa 43:16; Isa 51:10; Isa 59:1; Isa 59:16; Isa 63:13; Isa 65:12; Isa 66:4; Jer 5:1; Jer 7:13; Jer 8:6; Jer 35:15; Da 3:15,29; Da 6:20,27; Ho 11:2,7; Na 1:4; Mr 4:39; Joh 1:11; Joh 3:19

¹ sn The present tense translation of the verbs assumes that the Lord is questioning why Israel does not attempt to counter his arguments. Another possibility is to take the verbs as referring to past events: “Why did no one meet me when I came? Why did no one answer when I called?” In this case the Lord might be asking why Israel rejected his calls to repent and his offer to deliver them.

² tn Heb “short” (so NAB, NASB, NIV).

³ tn Or “ransom” (NAB, NASB, NIV).

⁴ tn Heb “with my rebuke.”

⁵ tn Heb “the fish stink from lack of water and die from thirst.”