Yesaya 28:16

28:16 Therefore, this is what the sovereign master, the Lord, says:

“Look, I am laying ¹  a stone in Zion,

an approved ²  stone,

set in place as a precious cornerstone for the foundation. ³ 

The one who maintains his faith will not panic. ⁴ 

Yesaya 49:23

49:23 Kings will be your children’s ⁵  guardians;

their princesses will nurse your children. ⁶ 

With their faces to the ground they will bow down to you

and they will lick the dirt on ⁷  your feet.

Then you will recognize that I am the Lord;

those who wait patiently for me are not put to shame.

[28:16]  ¹ tc The Hebrew text has a third person verb form, which does not agree with the first person suffix that precedes. The form should be emended to יֹסֵד (yosed), a Qal active participle used in a present progressive or imminent future sense.

[28:16]  ² tn Traditionally “tested,” but the implication is that it has passed the test and stands approved.

[28:16]  ³ sn The reality behind the metaphor is not entirely clear from the context. The stone appears to represent someone or something that gives Zion stability. Perhaps the ideal Davidic ruler is in view (see 32:1). Another option is that the image of beginning a building project by laying a precious cornerstone suggests that God is about to transform Zion through judgment and begin a new covenant community that will experience his protection (see 4:3-6; 31:5; 33:20-24; 35:10).

[28:16]  ⁴ tn Heb “will not hurry,” i.e., act in panic.

[49:23]  ⁵ tn Heb “your,” but Zion here stands by metonymy for her children (see v. 22b).

[49:23]  ⁶ tn Heb “you.” See the preceding note.

[49:23]  ⁷ tn Or “at your feet” (NAB, NIV); NLT “from your feet.”