Yesaya 44:23--47:15
Konteks44:23 Shout for joy, O sky, for the Lord intervenes; 1
shout out, you subterranean regions 2 of the earth.
O mountains, give a joyful shout;
you too, O forest and all your trees! 3
For the Lord protects 4 Jacob;
he reveals his splendor through Israel. 5
44:24 This is what the Lord, your protector, 6 says,
the one who formed you in the womb:
“I am the Lord, who made everything,
who alone stretched out the sky,
who fashioned the earth all by myself, 7
44:25 who frustrates the omens of the empty talkers 8
and humiliates 9 the omen readers,
who overturns the counsel of the wise men 10
and makes their advice 11 seem foolish,
44:26 who fulfills the oracles of his prophetic servants 12
and brings to pass the announcements 13 of his messengers,
who says about Jerusalem, 14 ‘She will be inhabited,’
and about the towns of Judah, ‘They will be rebuilt,
her ruins I will raise up,’
44:27 who says to the deep sea, ‘Be dry!
I will dry up your sea currents,’
44:28 who commissions 15 Cyrus, the one I appointed as shepherd 16
to carry out all my wishes 17
and to decree concerning Jerusalem, ‘She will be rebuilt,’
and concerning the temple, ‘It will be reconstructed.’” 18
45:1 This is what the Lord says to his chosen 19 one,
to Cyrus, whose right hand I hold 20
in order to subdue nations before him,
and disarm kings, 21
to open doors before him,
so gates remain unclosed:
45:2 “I will go before you
and level mountains. 22
Bronze doors I will shatter
and iron bars 23 I will hack through.
45:3 I will give you hidden treasures, 24
riches stashed away in secret places,
so you may recognize that I am the Lord,
the one who calls you by name, the God of Israel.
45:4 For the sake of my servant Jacob,
Israel, my chosen one,
I call you by name
and give you a title of respect, even though you do not recognize 25 me.
45:5 I am the Lord, I have no peer, 26
there is no God but me.
I arm you for battle, 27 even though you do not recognize 28 me.
45:6 I do this 29 so people 30 will recognize from east to west
that there is no God but me;
I am the Lord, I have no peer.
45:7 I am 31 the one who forms light
and creates darkness; 32
the one who brings about peace
and creates calamity. 33
I am the Lord, who accomplishes all these things.
45:8 O sky, rain down from above!
Let the clouds send down showers 34 of deliverance!
Let the earth absorb it 35 so salvation may grow, 36
and deliverance may sprout up 37 along with it.
I, the Lord, create it. 38
45:9 One who argues with his creator is in grave danger, 39
one who is like a mere 40 shard among the other shards on the ground!
The clay should not say to the potter, 41
“What in the world 42 are you doing?
Your work lacks skill!” 43
45:10 Danger awaits one who says 44 to his father,
“What in the world 45 are you fathering?”
and to his mother,
“What in the world are you bringing forth?” 46
45:11 This is what the Lord says,
the Holy One of Israel, 47 the one who formed him,
concerning things to come: 48
“How dare you question me 49 about my children!
How dare you tell me what to do with 50 the work of my own hands!
45:12 I made the earth,
I created the people who live 51 on it.
It was me – my hands 52 stretched out the sky, 53
I give orders to all the heavenly lights. 54
45:13 It is me – I stir him up and commission him; 55
I will make all his ways level.
He will rebuild my city;
he will send my exiled people home,
but not for a price or a bribe,”
says the Lord who commands armies.
45:14 This is what the Lord says:
“The profit 56 of Egypt and the revenue 57 of Ethiopia,
along with the Sabeans, those tall men,
will be brought to you 58 and become yours.
They will walk behind you, coming along in chains. 59
They will bow down to you
and pray to you: 60
‘Truly God is with 61 you; he has no peer; 62
there is no other God!’”
45:15 Yes, you are a God who keeps hidden,
O God of Israel, deliverer!
45:16 They will all be ashamed and embarrassed;
those who fashion idols will all be humiliated. 63
45:17 Israel will be delivered once and for all by the Lord; 64
you will never again be ashamed or humiliated. 65
45:18 For this is what the Lord says,
the one who created the sky –
he is the true God, 66
the one who formed the earth and made it;
he established it,
he did not create it without order, 67
he formed it to be inhabited –
“I am the Lord, I have no peer.
45:19 I have not spoken in secret,
in some hidden place. 68
I did not tell Jacob’s descendants,
‘Seek me in vain!’ 69
I am the Lord,
the one who speaks honestly,
who makes reliable announcements. 70
45:20 Gather together and come!
Approach together, you refugees from the nations!
Those who carry wooden idols know nothing,
those who pray to a god that cannot deliver.
45:21 Tell me! Present the evidence! 71
Let them consult with one another!
Who predicted this in the past?
Who announced it beforehand?
Was it not I, the Lord?
I have no peer, there is no God but me,
a God who vindicates and delivers; 72
there is none but me.
45:22 Turn to me so you can be delivered, 73
all you who live in the earth’s remote regions!
For I am God, and I have no peer.
45:23 I solemnly make this oath 74 –
what I say is true and reliable: 75
‘Surely every knee will bow to me,
every tongue will solemnly affirm; 76
45:24 they will say about me,
“Yes, the Lord is a powerful deliverer.”’” 77
All who are angry at him will cower before him. 78
45:25 All the descendants of Israel will be vindicated by the Lord
and will boast in him. 79
Nebo 81 bends low.
Their images weigh down animals and beasts. 82
Your heavy images are burdensome to tired animals. 83
46:2 Together they bend low and kneel down;
they are unable to rescue the images; 84
they themselves 85 head off into captivity. 86
46:3 “Listen to me, O family of Jacob, 87
all you who are left from the family of Israel, 88
you who have been carried from birth, 89
you who have been supported from the time you left the womb. 90
46:4 Even when you are old, I will take care of you, 91
even when you have gray hair, I will carry you.
I made you and I will support you;
I will carry you and rescue you. 92
46:5 To whom can you compare and liken me?
Tell me whom you think I resemble, so we can be compared!
46:6 Those who empty out gold from a purse
and weigh out silver on the scale 93
hire a metalsmith, who makes it into a god.
They then bow down and worship it.
46:7 They put it on their shoulder and carry it;
they put it in its place and it just stands there;
it does not 94 move from its place.
Even when someone cries out to it, it does not reply;
it does not deliver him from his distress.
46:8 Remember this, so you can be brave! 95
Think about it, you rebels! 96
46:9 Remember what I accomplished in antiquity! 97
Truly I am God, I have no peer; 98
I am God, and there is none like me,
46:10 who announces the end from the beginning
and reveals beforehand 99 what has not yet occurred,
who says, ‘My plan will be realized,
I will accomplish what I desire,’
46:11 who summons an eagle 100 from the east,
from a distant land, one who carries out my plan.
Yes, I have decreed, 101
yes, I will bring it to pass;
I have formulated a plan,
yes, I will carry it out.
46:12 Listen to me, you stubborn people, 102
you who distance yourself from doing what is right. 103
46:13 I am bringing my deliverance near, it is not far away;
I am bringing my salvation near, 104 it does not wait.
I will save Zion; 105
I will adorn Israel with my splendor.” 106
47:1 “Fall down! Sit in the dirt,
O virgin 107 daughter Babylon!
Sit on the ground, not on a throne,
O daughter of the Babylonians!
Indeed, 108 you will no longer be called delicate and pampered.
47:2 Pick up millstones and grind flour!
Remove your veil,
strip off your skirt,
expose your legs,
cross the streams!
47:3 Let your private parts be exposed!
Your genitals will be on display! 109
I will get revenge;
I will not have pity on anyone,” 110
47:4 says our protector –
the Lord who commands armies is his name,
the Holy One of Israel. 111
47:5 “Sit silently! Go to a hiding place, 112
O daughter of the Babylonians!
Indeed, 113 you will no longer be called ‘Queen of kingdoms.’
47:6 I was angry at my people;
I defiled my special possession
and handed them over to you.
You showed them no mercy; 114
you even placed a very heavy burden on old people. 115
47:7 You said,
‘I will rule forever as permanent queen!’ 116
You did not think about these things; 117
you did not consider how it would turn out. 118
47:8 So now, listen to this,
O one who lives so lavishly, 119
who lives securely,
who says to herself, 120
‘I am unique! No one can compare to me! 121
I will never have to live as a widow;
I will never lose my children.’ 122
47:9 Both of these will come upon you
suddenly, in one day!
You will lose your children and be widowed. 123
You will be overwhelmed by these tragedies, 124
despite 125 your many incantations
and your numerous amulets. 126
47:10 You were complacent in your evil deeds; 127
you thought, 128 ‘No one sees me.’
Your self-professed 129 wisdom and knowledge lead you astray,
when you say, ‘I am unique! No one can compare to me!’ 130
47:11 Disaster will overtake you;
you will not know how to charm it away. 131
Destruction will fall on you;
you will not be able to appease it.
Calamity will strike you suddenly,
before you recognize it. 132
47:12 Persist 133 in trusting 134 your amulets
and your many incantations,
which you have faithfully recited 135 since your youth!
Maybe you will be successful 136 –
maybe you will scare away disaster. 137
47:13 You are tired out from listening to so much advice. 138
Let them take their stand –
the ones who see omens in the sky,
who gaze at the stars,
who make monthly predictions –
let them rescue you from the disaster that is about to overtake you! 139
47:14 Look, they are like straw,
which the fire burns up;
they cannot rescue themselves
from the heat 140 of the flames.
There are no coals to warm them,
no firelight to enjoy. 141
47:15 They will disappoint you, 142
those you have so faithfully dealt with since your youth. 143
Each strays off in his own direction, 144
leaving no one to rescue you.”
[44:23] 1 tn Heb “acts”; NASB, NRSV “has done it”; NLT “has done this wondrous thing.”
[44:23] 2 tn Heb “lower regions.” This refers to Sheol and forms a merism with “sky” in the previous line. See Pss 63:9; 71:20.
[44:23] 3 tn Heb “O forest and all the trees in it”; NASB, NRSV “and every tree in it.”
[44:23] 4 tn Heb “redeems.” See the note at 41:14.
[44:23] 5 tn That is, by delivering Israel. Cf. NCV “showed his glory when he saved Israel”; TEV “has shown his greatness by saving his people Israel.”
[44:24] 6 tn Heb “your redeemer.” See the note at 41:14.
[44:24] 7 tn The consonantal text (Kethib) has “Who [was] with me?” The marginal reading (Qere) is “from with me,” i.e., “by myself.” See BDB 87 s.v. II אֵת 4.c.
[44:25] 8 tc The Hebrew text has בַּדִּים (baddim), perhaps meaning “empty talkers” (BDB 95 s.v. III בַּד). In the four other occurrences of this word (Job 11:3; Isa 16:6; Jer 48:30; 50:36) the context does not make the meaning of the term very clear. Its primary point appears to be that the words spoken are meaningless or false. In light of its parallelism with “omen readers,” some have proposed an emendation to בָּרִים (barim, “seers”). The Mesopotamian baru-priests were divination specialists who played an important role in court life. See R. Wilson, Prophecy and Society in Ancient Israel, 93-98. Rather than supporting an emendation, J. N. Oswalt (Isaiah [NICOT], 2:189, n. 79) suggests that Isaiah used בַּדִּים purposively as a derisive wordplay on the Akkadian word baru (in light of the close similarity of the d and r consonants).
[44:25] 9 tn Or “makes fools of” (NIV, NRSV); NAB and NASB both similar.
[44:25] 10 tn Heb “who turns back the wise” (so NRSV); NIV “overthrows the learning of the wise”; TEV “The words of the wise I refute.”
[44:25] 11 tn Heb “their knowledge” (so KJV, NAB, NASB, NRSV).
[44:26] 12 tn Heb “the word of his servant.” The following context indicates that the Lord’s prophets are in view.
[44:26] 13 tn Heb “counsel.” The Hebrew term עֵצָה (’etsah) probably refers here to the divine plan as announced by the prophets. See HALOT 867 s.v. I עֵצָה.
[44:26] 14 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[44:28] 15 tn Heb “says to.” It is possible that the sentence is not completed, as the description of Cyrus and his God-given role is developed in the rest of the verse. 45:1 picks up where 44:28a leaves off with the Lord’s actual words to Cyrus finally being quoted in 45:2.
[44:28] 16 tn Heb “my shepherd.” The shepherd motif is sometimes applied, as here, to a royal figure who is responsible for the well-being of the people whom he rules.
[44:28] 17 tn Heb “that he might bring to completion all my desire.”
[44:28] 18 tn Heb “and [concerning the] temple, you will be founded.” The preposition -לְ (lÿ) is understood by ellipsis at the beginning of the second line. The verb תִּוָּסֵד (tivvased, “you will be founded”) is second masculine singular and is probably addressed to the personified temple (הֵיכָל [hekhal, “temple”] is masculine).
[45:1] 19 tn Heb “anointed” (so KJV, NAB, NIV, NRSV, NLT); NCV “his appointed king.”
[45:1] 20 sn The “right hand” is a symbol of activity and strength; the Lord directs Cyrus’ activities and assures his success.
[45:1] 21 tn Heb “and the belts of kings I will loosen”; NRSV “strip kings of their robes”; NIV “strip kings of their armor.”
[45:2] 22 tc The form הֲדוּרִים (hadurim) makes little, if any, sense here. It is probably a corruption of an original הָרָרִים (hararim, “mountains”), the reduplicated form of הָר (har, “mountain”).
[45:2] 23 tn That is, on the gates. Cf. CEV “break the iron bars on bronze gates.”
[45:3] 24 tn Heb “treasures of darkness” (KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV); TEV “treasures from dark, secret places.”
[45:4] 25 tn Or “know” (NCV, NRSV, TEV, NLT); NIV “acknowledge.”
[45:5] 26 tn Heb “and there is none besides.” On the use of עוֹד (’od) here, see BDB 729 s.v. 1.c.
[45:5] 27 tn Heb “gird you” (so NASB) or “strengthen you” (so NIV).
[45:5] 28 tn Or “know” (NAB, NCV, NRSV, TEV, CEV, NLT); NIV “have not acknowledged.”
[45:6] 29 tn The words “I do this” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[45:6] 30 tn Heb “they” (so KJV, ASV); TEV, CEV “everyone”; NLT “all the world.”
[45:7] 31 tn The words “I am” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons. In the Hebrew text the participle at the beginning of v. 7 stands in apposition to “the Lord” in v. 6.
[45:7] 32 tn On the surface v. 7a appears to describe God’s sovereign control over the cycle of day and night, but the following statement suggests that “light” and “darkness” symbolize “deliverance” and “judgment.”
[45:7] 33 sn This verses affirms that God is ultimately sovereign over his world, including mankind and nations. In accordance with his sovereign will, he can cause wars to cease and peace to predominate (as he was about to do for his exiled people through Cyrus), or he can bring disaster and judgment on nations (as he was about to do to Babylon through Cyrus).
[45:8] 34 tn Heb “let the clouds drip with”; KJV “let the skies pour down.”
[45:8] 35 tn Heb “open up” (so NASB); NIV, NLT “open wide.”
[45:8] 36 tc The plural verb should be emended to a singular form. The vav (ו) ending is probably virtually dittographic (note the yod at the beginning of the following word).
[45:8] 37 tc The Hiphil verb form (תַצְמִיחַ, tatsmiakh) should probably be emended to a Qal (תִצְמַח, titsmakh). The יח sequence at the end of the form is probably due to dittography (note the following יַחַד, yakhad).
[45:8] 38 tn The masculine singular pronominal suffix probably refers back to יָשַׁע (yasha’, “salvation”).
[45:9] 39 tn Heb “Woe [to] the one who argues with the one who formed him.”
[45:9] 40 tn The words “one who is like a mere” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons and clarification.
[45:9] 41 tn Heb “Should the clay say to the one who forms it?” The rhetorical question anticipates a reply, “Of course not!”
[45:9] 42 tn The words “in the world” are supplied in the translation to approximate in English idiom the force of the sarcastic question.
[45:9] 43 tn Heb “your work, there are no hands for it,” i.e., “your work looks like something made by a person who has no hands.”
[45:10] 44 tn Heb “Woe [to] one who says” (NASB and NIV both similar); NCV “How terrible it will be.”
[45:10] 45 tn See the note at v. 9. This phrase occurs a second time later in this verse.
[45:10] 46 sn Verses 9-10 may allude to the exiles’ criticism that the Lord does not appear to know what he is doing.
[45:11] 47 sn See the note on the phrase “the Holy One of Israel” in 1:4.
[45:11] 48 tc The Hebrew text reads “the one who formed him, the coming things.” Among various suggestions, some have proposed an emendation of יֹצְרוֹ (yotsÿro, “the one who formed him”) to יֹצֵר (yotser, “the one who forms”; the suffixed form in the Hebrew text may be influenced by vv. 9-10, where the same form appears twice) and takes “coming things” as the object of the participle (either objective genitive or accusative): “the one who brings the future into being.”
[45:11] 49 tn Heb “Ask me” The rhetorical command sarcastically expresses the Lord’s disgust with those who question his ways.
[45:11] 50 tn Heb “Do you command me about…?” The rhetorical question sarcastically expresses the Lord’s disgust with those who question his ways.
[45:12] 51 tn The words “who live” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[45:12] 52 tn Heb “I, even my hands”; NASB “I stretched out…with My hands”; NRSV “it was my hands that stretched out.” The same construction occurs at the beginning of v. 13.
[45:12] 53 tn Or “the heavens.” The Hebrew term שָׁמַיִם (shamayim) may be translated “heavens” or “sky” depending on the context.
[45:12] 54 tn Heb “and to all their host I commanded.” See the notes at 40:26.
[45:13] 55 tn Heb “I stir him up in righteousness”; NASB “I have aroused him.” See the note at 41:2. Cyrus (cf. 44:28) is in view here.
[45:14] 56 tn Heb “labor,” which stands metonymically for the fruits of labor, either “monetary profit,” or “products.”
[45:14] 57 tn Or perhaps, “merchandise” (so KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV); NAB “the gain of Ethiopia”; CEV “the treasures of Ethiopia.”
[45:14] 58 tn Heb “they will pass over to you”; NASB, NIV “will come over to you”; CEV “will belong to you.”
[45:14] 59 sn Restored Israel is depicted here in typical ancient Near Eastern fashion as an imperial power that receives riches and slaves as tribute.
[45:14] 60 sn Israel’s vassals are portrayed as so intimidated and awed that they treat Israel as an intermediary to God or sub-deity.
[45:14] 61 tn Or perhaps, “among.” Cf. KJV, ASV “Surely God is in thee.”
[45:14] 62 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.
[45:16] 63 tn “together they will walk in humiliation, the makers of images.”
[45:17] 64 tn Heb “Israel will be delivered by the Lord [with] a permanent deliverance.”
[45:17] 65 tn Heb “you will not be ashamed and you will not be humiliated for ages of future time.”
[45:18] 66 tn Heb “he [is] the God.” The article here indicates uniqueness.
[45:18] 67 tn Or “unformed.” Gen 1:2 describes the world as “unformed” (תֹהוּ, tohu) prior to God’s creative work, but God then formed the world and made it fit for habitation.
[45:19] 68 tn Heb “in a place of a land of darkness” (ASV similar); NASB “in some dark land.”
[45:19] 69 tn “In vain” translates תֹהוּ (tohu), used here as an adverbial accusative: “for nothing.”
[45:19] 70 tn The translation above assumes that צֶדֶק (tsedeq) and מֵישָׁרִים (mesharim) are adverbial accusatives (see 33:15). If they are taken as direct objects, indicating the content of what is spoken, one might translate, “who proclaims deliverance, who announces justice.”
[45:21] 71 tn Heb “Declare! Bring near!”; NASB “Declare and set forth your case.” See 41:21.
[45:21] 72 tn Or “a righteous God and deliverer”; NASB, NIV, NRSV “a righteous God and a Savior.”
[45:22] 73 tn The Niphal imperative with prefixed vav (ו) indicates purpose after the preceding imperative. The Niphal probably has a tolerative sense, “allow yourselves to be delivered, accept help.”
[45:23] 74 tn Heb “I swear by myself”; KJV, NASB “have sworn.”
[45:23] 75 tn Heb “a word goes out from my mouth [in] truth and will not return.”
[45:23] 76 tn Heb “swear” (so KJV, NAB, NIV, NRSV); NLT “confess allegiance.”
[45:24] 77 tn Heb “‘Yes, in the Lord,’ one says about me, ‘is deliverance and strength.’”
[45:24] 78 tn Heb “will come to him and be ashamed.”
[45:25] 79 tn Heb “In the Lord all the offspring of Israel will be vindicated and boast.”
[46:1] 80 sn Bel was the name of a Babylonian god. The name was originally associated with Enlil, but later was applied to Marduk. See HALOT 132 s.v. בֵּל.
[46:1] 81 sn Nebo is a variation of the name of the Babylonian god Nabu.
[46:1] 82 tn Heb “their images belong to animals and beasts”; NIV “their idols are borne by beasts of burden”; NLT “are being hauled away.”
[46:1] 83 tn Heb “your loads are carried [as] a burden by a weary [animal].”
[46:2] 84 tn Heb “[the] burden,” i.e., their images, the heavy burden carried by the animals.
[46:2] 85 tn נַפְשָׁם (nafsham, “their souls/lives”) is equivalent here to a third masculine plural suffix, but the third feminine singular verb הָלָכָה (halakhah, “they go”) agrees with the feminine noun נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh, “soul, life”).
[46:2] 86 sn The downfall of Babylon is depicted here. The idols are carried off by the victorious enemy; the gods are likened to defeated captives who cower before the enemy and are taken into exile.
[46:3] 87 tn Heb “house of Jacob”; TEV “descendants of Jacob.”
[46:3] 88 tn Heb “and all the remnant of the house of Israel.”
[46:3] 89 tn Heb “from the womb” (so NRSV); KJV “from the belly”; NAB “from your infancy.”
[46:3] 90 tn Heb “who have been lifted up from the womb.”
[46:4] 91 tn Heb “until old age, I am he” (NRSV similar); NLT “I will be your God throughout your lifetime.”
[46:4] 92 sn Unlike the weary idol gods, whose images must be carried by animals, the Lord carries his weary people.
[46:6] 93 tn Heb “the reed,” probably referring to the beam of a scales. See BDB 889 s.v. קָנֶה 4.c.
[46:7] 94 tn Or perhaps, “cannot,” here and in the following two lines. The imperfect forms can indicate capability.
[46:8] 95 tn The meaning of the verb אָשַׁשׁ (’ashash, which appears here in the Hitpolel stem) is uncertain. BDB 84 s.v. אשׁשׁ relates it to a root meaning “found, establish” in Arabic; HALOT 100 s.v. II אשׁשׁ gives the meaning “pluck up courage.” The imperative with vav (ו) may indicate purpose following the preceding imperative.
[46:8] 96 tn Heb “return [it], rebels, to heart”; NRSV “recall it to mind, you transgressors.”
[46:9] 97 tn Heb “remember the former things, from antiquity”; KJV, ASV “the former things of old.”
[46:9] 98 tn Heb “and there is no other” (so NASB, NIV, NRSV).
[46:10] 99 tn Or “from long ago”; KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV “from ancient times.”
[46:11] 100 tn Or, more generally, “a bird of prey” (so NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV; see 18:6).
[46:11] 101 tn Heb “spoken”; KJV “I have spoken it.”
[46:12] 102 tn Heb “strong of heart [or, mind]”; KJV “stouthearted”; NAB “fainthearted”; NIV “stubborn-hearted.”
[46:12] 103 tn Heb “who are far from righteousness [or perhaps, “deliverance”].”
[46:13] 104 tn Heb “my salvation.” The verb “I am bringing near” is understood by ellipsis (note the previous line).
[46:13] 105 tn Heb “I will place in Zion salvation”; NASB “I will grant salvation in Zion.”
[46:13] 106 tn Heb “to Israel my splendor”; KJV, ASV “for Israel my glory.”
[47:1] 107 tn בְּתוּלַה (bÿtulah) often refers to a virgin, but the phrase “virgin daughter” is apparently stylized (see also 23:12; 37:22). In the extended metaphor of this chapter, where Babylon is personified as a queen (vv. 5, 7), she is depicted as being both a wife and mother (vv. 8-9).
[47:1] 108 tn Or “For” (NASB, NRSV).
[47:3] 109 tn Heb “Your shame will be seen.” In this context “shame” is a euphemism referring to the genitals.
[47:3] 110 tn Heb “I will not meet a man.” The verb פָּגַע (pagah) apparently carries the nuance “meet with kindness” here (cf. 64:5, and see BDB 803 s.v. Qal.2).
[47:4] 111 tc The Hebrew text reads, “Our redeemer – the Lord who commands armies [traditionally, the Lord of hosts] is his name, the Holy One of Israel.” The ancient Greek version adds “says” before “our redeemer.” אָמַר (’amar) may have accidentally dropped from the text by virtual haplography. Note that the preceding word אָדָם (’adam) is graphically similar.
[47:4] sn See the note on the phrase “the Holy One of Israel” in 1:4.
[47:5] 112 tn Heb “darkness,” which may indicate a place of hiding where a fugitive would seek shelter and protection.
[47:5] 113 tn Or “For” (NASB, NRSV).
[47:6] 114 tn Or “compassion.”
[47:6] 115 tn Heb “on the old you made very heavy your yoke.”
[47:7] 116 tn Heb “Forever I [will be] permanent queen”; NIV “the eternal queen”; CEV “queen forever.”
[47:7] 117 tn Heb “you did not set these things upon your heart [or “mind”].”
[47:7] 118 tn Heb “you did not remember its outcome”; NAB “you disregarded their outcome.”
[47:8] 119 tn Or perhaps, “voluptuous one” (NAB); NAB “you sensual one”; NLT “You are a pleasure-crazy kingdom.”
[47:8] 120 tn Heb “the one who says in her heart.”
[47:8] 121 tn Heb “I [am], and besides me there is no other.” See Zeph 2:15.
[47:8] 122 tn Heb “I will not live [as] a widow, and I will not know loss of children.”
[47:9] 123 tn Heb “loss of children and widowhood.” In the Hebrew text the phrase is in apposition to “both of these” in line 1.
[47:9] 124 tn Heb “according to their fullness, they will come upon you.”
[47:9] 125 tn For other examples of the preposition bet (בְּ) having the sense of “although, despite,” see BDB 90 s.v. III.7.
[47:9] 126 sn Reference is made to incantations and amulets, both of which were important in Mesopotamian religion. They were used to ward off danger and demons.
[47:10] 127 tn Heb “you trusted in your evil”; KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV “wickedness.”
[47:10] 128 tn Or “said”; NAB “said to yourself”’ NASB “said in your heart.”
[47:10] 129 tn The words “self-professed” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
[47:10] 130 tn See the note at v. 8.
[47:11] 131 tc The Hebrew text has שַׁחְרָהּ (shakhrah), which is either a suffixed noun (“its dawning,” i.e., origin) or infinitive (“to look early for it”). Some have suggested an emendation to שַׁחֲדָהּ (shakhadah), a suffixed infinitive from שָׁחַד (shakhad, “[how] to buy it off”; see BDB 1005 s.v. שָׁחַד). This forms a nice parallel with the following couplet. The above translation is based on a different etymology of the verb in question. HALOT 1466 s.v. III שׁחר references a verbal root with these letters (שׁחד) that refers to magical activity.
[47:11] 132 tn Heb “you will not know”; NIV “you cannot foresee.”
[47:12] 133 tn Heb “stand” (so KJV, ASV); NASB, NRSV “Stand fast.”
[47:12] 134 tn The word “trusting” is supplied in the translation for clarification. See v. 9.
[47:12] 135 tn Heb “in that which you have toiled.”
[47:12] 136 tn Heb “maybe you will be able to profit.”
[47:12] 137 tn Heb “maybe you will cause to tremble.” The object “disaster” is supplied in the translation for clarification. See the note at v. 9.
[47:13] 138 tn Heb “you are tired because of the abundance of your advice.”
[47:13] 139 tn Heb “let them stand and rescue you – the ones who see omens in the sky, who gaze at the stars, who make known by months – from those things which are coming upon you.”
[47:14] 140 tn Heb “hand,” here a metaphor for the strength or power of the flames.
[47:14] 141 tn The Hebrew text reads literally, “there is no coal [for?] their food, light to sit before it.” Some emend לַחְמָם (lakhmam, “their food”) to לְחֻמָּם (lÿkhummam, “to warm them”; see HALOT 328 s.v. חמם). This statement may allude to Isa 44:16, where idolaters are depicted warming themselves over a fire made from wood, part of which was used to form idols. The fire of divine judgment will be no such campfire; its flames will devour and destroy.
[47:15] 142 tn Heb “So they will be to you”; NIV “That is all they can do for you.”
[47:15] 143 tn Heb “that for which you toiled, your traders from your youth.” The omen readers and star gazers are likened to merchants with whom Babylon has had an ongoing economic relationship.
