Yesaya 56:1--66:24
Konteks56:1 This is what the Lord says,
“Promote 1 justice! Do what is right!
For I am ready to deliver you;
I am ready to vindicate you openly. 2
56:2 The people who do this will be blessed, 3
the people who commit themselves to obedience, 4
who observe the Sabbath and do not defile it,
who refrain from doing anything that is wrong. 5
56:3 No foreigner who becomes a follower of 6 the Lord should say,
‘The Lord will certainly 7 exclude me from his people.’
The eunuch should not say,
‘Look, I am like a dried-up tree.’”
56:4 For this is what the Lord says:
“For the eunuchs who observe my Sabbaths
and choose what pleases me
and are faithful to 8 my covenant,
56:5 I will set up within my temple and my walls a monument 9
that will be better than sons and daughters.
I will set up a permanent monument 10 for them that will remain.
56:6 As for foreigners who become followers of 11 the Lord and serve him,
who love the name of the Lord and want to be his servants –
all who observe the Sabbath and do not defile it,
and who are faithful to 12 my covenant –
56:7 I will bring them to my holy mountain;
I will make them happy in the temple where people pray to me. 13
Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on my altar,
for my temple will be known as a temple where all nations may pray.” 14
56:8 The sovereign Lord says this,
the one who gathers the dispersed of Israel:
“I will still gather them up.” 15
56:9 All you wild animals in the fields, come and devour,
all you wild animals in the forest!
56:10 All their watchmen 16 are blind,
they are unaware. 17
All of them are like mute dogs,
unable to bark.
They pant, 18 lie down,
and love to snooze.
56:11 The dogs have big appetites;
they are never full. 19
They are shepherds who have no understanding;
they all go their own way,
each one looking for monetary gain. 20
‘Come on, I’ll get some wine!
Let’s guzzle some beer!
Tomorrow will be just like today!
We’ll have everything we want!’ 22
but no one cares. 24
Honest people disappear, 25
that the godly 28 disappear 29 because of 30 evil. 31
57:2 Those who live uprightly enter a place of peace;
they rest on their beds. 32
57:3 But approach, you sons of omen readers,
you offspring of adulteresses and prostitutes! 33
57:4 At whom are you laughing?
At whom are you opening your mouth
and sticking out your tongue?
You are the children of rebels,
the offspring of liars, 34
57:5 you who practice ritual sex 35 under the oaks and every green tree,
who slaughter children near the streams under the rocky overhangs. 36
57:6 Among the smooth stones of the stream are the idols you love;
they, they are the object of your devotion. 37
You pour out liquid offerings to them,
you make an offering.
Because of these things I will seek vengeance. 38
57:7 On every high, elevated hill you prepare your bed;
you go up there to offer sacrifices.
57:8 Behind the door and doorpost you put your symbols. 39
Indeed, 40 you depart from me 41 and go up
and invite them into bed with you. 42
You purchase favors from them, 43
you love their bed,
and gaze longingly 44 on their genitals. 45
57:9 You take olive oil as tribute 46 to your king, 47
along with many perfumes. 48
You send your messengers to a distant place;
you go all the way to Sheol. 49
57:10 Because of the long distance you must travel, you get tired, 50
but you do not say, ‘I give up.’ 51
You get renewed energy, 52
so you don’t collapse. 53
57:11 Whom are you worried about?
Whom do you fear, that you would act so deceitfully
and not remember me
or think about me? 54
Because I have been silent for so long, 55
you are not afraid of me. 56
57:12 I will denounce your so-called righteousness and your deeds, 57
but they will not help you.
57:13 When you cry out for help, let your idols 58 help you!
The wind blows them all away, 59
a breeze carries them away. 60
But the one who looks to me for help 61 will inherit the land
and will have access to 62 my holy mountain.”
“Build it! Build it! Clear a way!
Remove all the obstacles out of the way of my people!”
57:15 For this is what the high and exalted one says,
the one who rules 64 forever, whose name is holy:
“I dwell in an exalted and holy place,
but also with the discouraged and humiliated, 65
in order to cheer up the humiliated
and to encourage the discouraged. 66
57:16 For I will not be hostile 67 forever
or perpetually angry,
for then man’s spirit would grow faint before me, 68
the life-giving breath I created.
57:17 I was angry because of their sinful greed;
I attacked them and angrily rejected them, 69
yet they remained disobedient and stubborn. 70
57:18 I have seen their behavior, 71
but I will heal them and give them rest,
and I will once again console those who mourn. 72
57:19 I am the one who gives them reason to celebrate. 73
Complete prosperity 74 is available both to those who are far away and those who are nearby,”
says the Lord, “and I will heal them.
57:20 But the wicked are like a surging sea
that is unable to be quiet;
its waves toss up mud and sand.
57:21 There will be no prosperity,” says my God, “for the wicked.”
58:1 “Shout loudly! Don’t be quiet!
Yell as loud as a trumpet!
Confront my people with their rebellious deeds; 75
confront Jacob’s family with their sin! 76
58:2 They seek me day after day;
they want to know my requirements, 77
like a nation that does what is right
and does not reject the law of their God.
They ask me for just decrees;
they want to be near God.
58:3 They lament, 78 ‘Why don’t you notice when we fast?
Why don’t you pay attention when we humble ourselves?’
Look, at the same time you fast, you satisfy your selfish desires, 79
you oppress your workers. 80
58:4 Look, your fasting is accompanied by 81 arguments, brawls,
and fistfights. 82
Do not fast as you do today,
trying to make your voice heard in heaven.
58:5 Is this really the kind of fasting I want? 83
Do I want a day when people merely humble themselves, 84
bowing their heads like a reed
and stretching out 85 on sackcloth and ashes?
Is this really what you call a fast,
a day that is pleasing to the Lord?
58:6 No, this is the kind of fast I want. 86
I want you 87 to remove the sinful chains,
to tear away the ropes of the burdensome yoke,
to set free the oppressed, 88
and to break every burdensome yoke.
58:7 I want you 89 to share your food with the hungry
and to provide shelter for homeless, oppressed people. 90
When you see someone naked, clothe him!
Don’t turn your back on your own flesh and blood! 91
58:8 Then your light will shine like the sunrise; 92
your restoration will quickly arrive; 93
your godly behavior 94 will go before you,
and the Lord’s splendor will be your rear guard. 95
58:9 Then you will call out, and the Lord will respond;
you will cry out, and he will reply, ‘Here I am.’
You must 96 remove the burdensome yoke from among you
and stop pointing fingers and speaking sinfully.
58:10 You must 97 actively help the hungry
and feed the oppressed. 98
Then your light will dispel the darkness, 99
and your darkness will be transformed into noonday. 100
58:11 The Lord will continually lead you;
he will feed you even in parched regions. 101
He will give you renewed strength, 102
and you will be like a well-watered garden,
like a spring that continually produces water.
58:12 Your perpetual ruins will be rebuilt; 103
you will reestablish the ancient foundations.
You will be called, ‘The one who repairs broken walls,
the one who makes the streets inhabitable again.’ 104
58:13 You must 105 observe the Sabbath 106
rather than doing anything you please on my holy day. 107
You must look forward to the Sabbath 108
and treat the Lord’s holy day with respect. 109
You must treat it with respect by refraining from your normal activities,
and by refraining from your selfish pursuits and from making business deals. 110
58:14 Then you will find joy in your relationship to the Lord, 111
and I will give you great prosperity, 112
and cause crops to grow on the land I gave to your ancestor Jacob.” 113
Know for certain that the Lord has spoken. 114
59:1 Look, the Lord’s hand is not too weak 115 to deliver you;
his ear is not too deaf to hear you. 116
59:2 But your sinful acts have alienated you from your God;
your sins have caused him to reject you and not listen to your prayers. 117
59:3 For your hands are stained with blood
and your fingers with sin;
your lips speak lies,
your tongue utters malicious words.
59:4 No one is concerned about justice; 118
no one sets forth his case truthfully.
They depend on false words 119 and tell lies;
they conceive of oppression 120
and give birth to sin.
59:5 They hatch the eggs of a poisonous snake
and spin a spider’s web.
Whoever eats their eggs will die,
a poisonous snake is hatched. 121
59:6 Their webs cannot be used for clothing;
they cannot cover themselves with what they make.
Their deeds are sinful;
they commit violent crimes. 122
59:7 They are eager to do evil, 123
quick to shed innocent blood. 124
Their thoughts are sinful;
they crush and destroy. 125
59:8 They are unfamiliar with peace;
their deeds are unjust. 126
They use deceitful methods,
and whoever deals with them is unfamiliar with peace. 127
59:9 For this reason deliverance 128 is far from us 129
and salvation does not reach us.
We wait for light, 130 but see only darkness; 131
we wait for 132 a bright light, 133 but live 134 in deep darkness. 135
59:10 We grope along the wall like the blind,
we grope like those who cannot see; 136
we stumble at noontime as if it were evening.
Though others are strong, we are like dead men. 137
59:11 We all growl like bears,
we coo mournfully like doves;
we wait for deliverance, 138 but there is none,
for salvation, but it is far from us.
59:12 For you are aware of our many rebellious deeds, 139
and our sins testify against us;
indeed, we are aware of our rebellious deeds;
we know our sins all too well. 140
59:13 We have rebelled and tried to deceive the Lord;
we turned back from following our God.
We stir up 141 oppression and rebellion;
we tell lies we concocted in our minds. 142
59:14 Justice is driven back;
godliness 143 stands far off.
Indeed, 144 honesty stumbles in the city square
and morality is not even able to enter.
59:15 Honesty has disappeared;
the one who tries to avoid evil is robbed.
The Lord watches and is displeased, 145
for there is no justice.
59:16 He sees there is no advocate; 146
he is shocked 147 that no one intervenes.
So he takes matters into his own hands; 148
his desire for justice drives him on. 149
59:17 He wears his desire for justice 150 like body armor, 151
and his desire to deliver is like a helmet on his head. 152
He puts on the garments of vengeance 153
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. 154
He repays the coastlands. 155
59:19 In the west, people respect 156 the Lord’s reputation; 157
in the east they recognize his splendor. 158
For he comes like a rushing 159 stream
driven on by wind sent from the Lord. 160
59:20 “A protector 161 comes to Zion,
to those in Jacob who repent of their rebellious deeds,” 162 says the Lord.
59:21 “As for me, this is my promise to 163 them,” says the Lord. “My spirit, who is upon you, and my words, which I have placed in your mouth, will not depart from your mouth or from the mouths of your children and descendants from this time forward,” 164 says the Lord.
60:1 “Arise! Shine! For your light arrives!
The splendor 165 of the Lord shines on you!
60:2 For, look, darkness covers the earth
and deep darkness covers 166 the nations,
but the Lord shines on you;
his splendor 167 appears over you.
60:3 Nations come to your light,
kings to your bright light.
They all gather and come to you –
your sons come from far away
and your daughters are escorted by guardians.
60:5 Then you will look and smile, 169
you will be excited and your heart will swell with pride. 170
For the riches of distant lands 171 will belong to you
and the wealth of nations will come to you.
60:6 Camel caravans will cover your roads, 172
young camels from Midian and Ephah.
All the merchants of Sheba 173 will come,
bringing gold and incense
and singing praises to the Lord. 174
60:7 All the sheep of Kedar will be gathered to you;
the rams of Nebaioth will be available to you as sacrifices. 175
They will go up on my altar acceptably, 176
and I will bestow honor on my majestic temple.
60:8 Who are these who float along 177 like a cloud,
who fly like doves to their shelters? 178
60:9 Indeed, the coastlands 179 look eagerly for me,
the large ships 180 are in the lead,
bringing your sons from far away,
along with their silver and gold,
to honor the Lord your God, 181
the Holy One of Israel, 182 for he has bestowed honor on you.
60:10 Foreigners will rebuild your walls;
their kings will serve you.
Even though I struck you down in my anger,
I will restore my favor and have compassion on you. 183
60:11 Your gates will remain open at all times;
they will not be shut during the day or at night,
so that the wealth of nations may be delivered,
with their kings leading the way. 184
60:12 Indeed, 185 nations or kingdoms that do not serve you will perish;
such nations will be totally destroyed. 186
60:13 The splendor of Lebanon will come to you,
its evergreens, firs, and cypresses together,
to beautify my palace; 187
I will bestow honor on my throne room. 188
60:14 The children of your oppressors will come bowing to you;
all who treated you with disrespect will bow down at your feet.
They will call you, ‘The City of the Lord,
Zion of the Holy One of Israel.’ 189
60:15 You were once abandoned
and despised, with no one passing through,
but I will make you 190 a permanent source of pride
and joy to coming generations.
60:16 You will drink the milk of nations;
you will nurse at the breasts of kings. 191
Then you will recognize that I, the Lord, am your deliverer,
your protector, 192 the powerful ruler of Jacob. 193
60:17 Instead of bronze, I will bring you gold,
instead of iron, I will bring you silver,
instead of wood, I will bring you 194 bronze,
instead of stones, I will bring you 195 iron.
I will make prosperity 196 your overseer,
and vindication your sovereign ruler. 197
60:18 Sounds of violence 198 will no longer be heard in your land,
or the sounds of 199 destruction and devastation within your borders.
You will name your walls, ‘Deliverance,’
and your gates, ‘Praise.’
60:19 The sun will no longer supply light for you by day,
nor will the moon’s brightness shine on you;
the Lord will be your permanent source of light –
the splendor of your God will shine upon you. 200
60:20 Your sun will no longer set;
your moon will not disappear; 201
the Lord will be your permanent source of light;
your time 202 of sorrow will be over.
60:21 All of your people will be godly; 203
they will possess the land permanently.
I will plant them like a shoot;
they will be the product of my labor,
through whom I reveal my splendor. 204
60:22 The least of you will multiply into 205 a thousand;
the smallest of you will become a large nation.
When the right time comes, I the Lord will quickly do this!” 206
61:1 The spirit of the sovereign Lord is upon me,
because the Lord has chosen 207 me. 208
He has commissioned 209 me to encourage 210 the poor,
to help 211 the brokenhearted,
to decree the release of captives,
and the freeing of prisoners,
61:2 to announce the year when the Lord will show his favor,
the day when our God will seek vengeance, 212
to console all who mourn,
61:3 to strengthen those who mourn in Zion,
by giving them a turban, instead of ashes,
oil symbolizing joy, 213 instead of mourning,
a garment symbolizing praise, 214 instead of discouragement. 215
They will be called oaks of righteousness, 216
trees planted by the Lord to reveal his splendor. 217
61:4 They will rebuild the perpetual ruins
and restore the places that were desolate; 218
they will reestablish the ruined cities,
the places that have been desolate since ancient times.
61:5 219 “Foreigners will take care of 220 your sheep;
foreigners will work in your fields and vineyards.
61:6 You will be called, ‘the Lord’s priests,
servants of our God.’ 221
You will enjoy 222 the wealth of nations
and boast about 223 the riches you receive from them. 224
61:7 Instead of shame, you will get a double portion; 225
instead of humiliation, they will rejoice over the land they receive. 226
Yes, 227 they will possess a double portion in their land
and experience lasting joy.
61:8 For I, the Lord, love justice
and hate robbery and sin.
I will repay them because of my faithfulness; 228
I will make a permanent covenant with them.
61:9 Their descendants will be known among the nations,
their offspring among the peoples.
All who see them will recognize that
the Lord has blessed them.” 229
61:10 I 230 will greatly rejoice 231 in the Lord;
I will be overjoyed because of my God. 232
For he clothes me in garments of deliverance;
he puts on me a robe symbolizing vindication. 233
I look like a bridegroom when he wears a turban as a priest would;
I look like a bride when she puts on her jewelry. 234
61:11 For just as the ground produces its crops
and a garden yields its produce,
so the sovereign Lord will cause deliverance 235 to grow,
and give his people reason to praise him in the sight of all the nations. 236
62:1 “For the sake of Zion I will not be silent;
for the sake of Jerusalem 237 I will not be quiet,
until her vindication shines brightly 238
and her deliverance burns like a torch.”
62:2 Nations will see your vindication,
and all kings your splendor.
You will be called by a new name
that the Lord himself will give you. 239
62:3 You will be a majestic crown in the hand of the Lord,
a royal turban in the hand of your God.
62:4 You will no longer be called, “Abandoned,”
and your land will no longer be called “Desolate.”
Indeed, 240 you will be called “My Delight is in Her,” 241
and your land “Married.” 242
For the Lord will take delight in you,
and your land will be married to him. 243
62:5 As a young man marries a young woman,
so your sons 244 will marry you.
As a bridegroom rejoices over a bride,
so your God will rejoice over you.
62:6 I 245 post watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem;
they should keep praying all day and all night. 246
You who pray to 247 the Lord, don’t be silent!
62:7 Don’t allow him to rest until he reestablishes Jerusalem, 248
until he makes Jerusalem the pride 249 of the earth.
62:8 The Lord swears an oath by his right hand,
by his strong arm: 250
“I will never again give your grain
to your enemies as food,
and foreigners will not drink your wine,
which you worked hard to produce.
62:9 But those who harvest the grain 251 will eat it,
and will praise the Lord.
Those who pick the grapes will drink the wine 252
in the courts of my holy sanctuary.”
62:10 Come through! Come through the gates!
Prepare the way for the people!
Build it! Build the roadway!
Remove the stones!
Lift a signal flag for the nations!
62:11 Look, the Lord announces to the entire earth: 253
“Say to Daughter Zion,
‘Look, your deliverer comes!
Look, his reward is with him
and his reward goes before him!’” 254
62:12 They will be called, “The Holy People,
the Ones Protected 255 by the Lord.”
You will be called, “Sought After,
City Not Abandoned.”
63:1 Who is this who comes from Edom, 256
dressed in bright red, coming from Bozrah? 257
Who 258 is this one wearing royal attire, 259
who marches confidently 260 because of his great strength?
“It is I, the one who announces vindication,
and who is able to deliver!” 261
63:2 Why are your clothes red?
Why do you look like someone who has stomped on grapes in a vat? 262
63:3 “I have stomped grapes in the winepress all by myself;
no one from the nations joined me.
I stomped on them 263 in my anger;
I trampled them down in my rage.
Their juice splashed on my garments,
and stained 264 all my clothes.
63:4 For I looked forward to the day of vengeance,
and then payback time arrived. 265
63:5 I looked, but there was no one to help;
I was shocked because there was no one offering support. 266
So my right arm accomplished deliverance;
my raging anger drove me on. 267
63:6 I trampled nations in my anger,
I made them drunk 268 in my rage,
I splashed their blood on the ground.” 269
63:7 I will tell of the faithful acts of the Lord,
of the Lord’s praiseworthy deeds.
I will tell about all 270 the Lord did for us,
the many good things he did for the family of Israel, 271
because of 272 his compassion and great faithfulness.
63:8 He said, “Certainly they will be my people,
children who are not disloyal.” 273
He became their deliverer.
63:9 Through all that they suffered, he suffered too. 274
The messenger sent from his very presence 275 delivered them.
In his love and mercy he protected 276 them;
he lifted them up and carried them throughout ancient times. 277
63:10 But they rebelled and offended 278 his holy Spirit, 279
so he turned into an enemy
and fought against them.
63:11 His people remembered the ancient times. 280
Where is the one who brought them up out of the sea,
along with the shepherd of 281 his flock?
Where is the one who placed his holy Spirit among them, 282
63:12 the one who made his majestic power available to Moses, 283
who divided the water before them,
gaining for himself a lasting reputation, 284
63:13 who led them through the deep water?
Like a horse running on flat land 285 they did not stumble.
63:14 Like an animal that goes down into a valley to graze, 286
so the Spirit of the Lord granted them rest.
In this way 287 you guided your people,
gaining for yourself an honored reputation. 288
63:15 Look down from heaven and take notice,
from your holy, majestic palace!
Where are your zeal 289 and power?
Do not hold back your tender compassion! 290
63:16 For you are our father,
though Abraham does not know us
and Israel does not recognize us.
You, Lord, are our father;
you have been called our protector from ancient times. 291
63:17 Why, Lord, do you make us stray 292 from your ways, 293
and make our minds stubborn so that we do not obey you? 294
Return for the sake of your servants,
the tribes of your inheritance!
63:18 For a short time your special 295 nation possessed a land, 296
but then our adversaries knocked down 297 your holy sanctuary.
63:19 We existed from ancient times, 298
but you did not rule over them,
they were not your subjects. 299
64:1 (63:19b) 300 If only you would tear apart the sky 301 and come down!
The mountains would tremble 302 before you!
64:2 (64:1) As when fire ignites dry wood,
or fire makes water boil,
let your adversaries know who you are, 303
and may the nations shake at your presence!
64:3 When you performed awesome deeds that took us by surprise, 304
you came down, and the mountains trembled 305 before you.
64:4 Since ancient times no one has heard or perceived, 306
no eye has seen any God besides you,
who intervenes for those who wait for him.
64:5 You assist 307 those who delight in doing what is right, 308
who observe your commandments. 309
Look, you were angry because we violated them continually.
How then can we be saved? 310
64:6 We are all like one who is unclean,
all our so-called righteous acts are like a menstrual rag in your sight. 311
We all wither like a leaf;
our sins carry us away like the wind.
64:7 No one invokes 312 your name,
or makes an effort 313 to take hold of you.
For you have rejected us 314
and handed us over to our own sins. 315
64:8 Yet, 316 Lord, you are our father.
We are the clay, and you are our potter;
we are all the product of your labor. 317
64:9 Lord, do not be too angry!
Do not hold our sins against us continually! 318
Take a good look at your people, at all of us! 319
64:10 Your chosen 320 cities have become a desert;
Zion has become a desert,
Jerusalem 321 is a desolate ruin.
64:11 Our holy temple, our pride and joy, 322
the place where our ancestors praised you,
has been burned with fire;
all our prized possessions have been destroyed. 323
64:12 In light of all this, 324 how can you still hold back, Lord?
How can you be silent and continue to humiliate us?
65:1 “I made myself available to those who did not ask for me; 325
I appeared to those who did not look for me. 326
I said, ‘Here I am! Here I am!’
to a nation that did not invoke 327 my name.
65:2 I spread out my hands all day long
to my rebellious people,
who lived in a way that is morally unacceptable,
and who did what they desired. 328
65:3 These people continually and blatantly offend me 329
as they sacrifice in their sacred orchards 330
and burn incense on brick altars. 331
65:4 They sit among the tombs 332
and keep watch all night long. 333
They eat pork, 334
and broth 335 from unclean sacrificial meat is in their pans.
65:5 They say, ‘Keep to yourself!
Don’t get near me, for I am holier than you!’
These people are like smoke in my nostrils,
like a fire that keeps burning all day long.
65:6 Look, I have decreed: 336
I will not keep silent, but will pay them back;
I will pay them back exactly what they deserve, 337
65:7 for your sins and your ancestors’ sins,” 338 says the Lord.
“Because they burned incense on the mountains
and offended 339 me on the hills,
I will punish them in full measure.” 340
65:8 This is what the Lord says:
“When 341 juice is discovered in a cluster of grapes,
someone says, ‘Don’t destroy it, for it contains juice.’ 342
So I will do for the sake of my servants –
I will not destroy everyone. 343
65:9 I will bring forth descendants from Jacob,
and from Judah people to take possession of my mountains.
My chosen ones will take possession of the land; 344
my servants will live there.
65:10 Sharon 345 will become a pasture for sheep,
and the Valley of Achor 346 a place where cattle graze; 347
they will belong to my people, who seek me. 348
65:11 But as for you who abandon the Lord
and forget about worshiping at 349 my holy mountain,
who prepare a feast for the god called ‘Fortune,’ 350
and fill up wine jugs for the god called ‘Destiny’ 351 –
65:12 I predestine you to die by the sword, 352
all of you will kneel down at the slaughtering block, 353
because I called to you, and you did not respond,
I spoke and you did not listen.
You did evil before me; 354
you chose to do what displeases me.”
65:13 So this is what the sovereign Lord says:
“Look, my servants will eat, but you will be hungry!
Look, my servants will drink, but you will be thirsty!
Look, my servants will rejoice, but you will be humiliated!
65:14 Look, my servants will shout for joy as happiness fills their hearts! 355
But you will cry out as sorrow fills your hearts; 356
you will wail because your spirits will be crushed. 357
65:15 Your names will live on in the curse formulas of my chosen ones. 358
The sovereign Lord will kill you,
but he will give his servants another name.
65:16 Whoever pronounces a blessing in the earth 359
will do so in the name of the faithful God; 360
whoever makes an oath in the earth
will do so in the name of the faithful God. 361
For past problems will be forgotten;
I will no longer think about them. 362
65:17 For look, I am ready to create
new heavens and a new earth! 363
The former ones 364 will not be remembered;
no one will think about them anymore. 365
65:18 But be happy and rejoice forevermore
over what I am about to create!
For look, I am ready to create Jerusalem 366 to be a source of joy, 367
and her people to be a source of happiness. 368
65:19 Jerusalem will bring me joy,
and my people will bring me happiness. 369
The sound of weeping or cries of sorrow
will never be heard in her again.
65:20 Never again will one of her infants live just a few days 370
or an old man die before his time. 371
Indeed, no one will die before the age of a hundred, 372
anyone who fails to reach 373 the age of a hundred will be considered cursed.
65:21 They will build houses and live in them;
they will plant vineyards and eat their fruit.
65:22 No longer will they build a house only to have another live in it, 374
or plant a vineyard only to have another eat its fruit, 375
for my people will live as long as trees, 376
and my chosen ones will enjoy to the fullest what they have produced. 377
65:23 They will not work in vain,
or give birth to children that will experience disaster. 378
For the Lord will bless their children
and their descendants. 379
65:24 Before they even call out, 380 I will respond;
while they are still speaking, I will hear.
65:25 A wolf and a lamb will graze together; 381
a lion, like an ox, will eat straw, 382
and a snake’s food will be dirt. 383
They will no longer injure or destroy
on my entire royal mountain,” 384 says the Lord.
66:1 This is what the Lord says:
“The heavens are my throne
and the earth is my footstool.
Where then is the house you will build for me?
Where is the place where I will rest?
that is how they came to be,” 386 says the Lord.
I show special favor 387 to the humble and contrite,
who respect what I have to say. 388
66:3 The one who slaughters a bull also strikes down a man; 389
the one who sacrifices a lamb also breaks a dog’s neck; 390
the one who presents an offering includes pig’s blood with it; 391
the one who offers incense also praises an idol. 392
They have decided to behave this way; 393
they enjoy these disgusting practices. 394
66:4 So I will choose severe punishment 395 for them;
I will bring on them what they dread,
because I called, and no one responded,
I spoke and they did not listen.
They did evil before me; 396
they chose to do what displeases me.”
66:5 Hear the word of the Lord,
you who respect what he has to say! 397
Your countrymen, 398 who hate you
and exclude you, supposedly for the sake of my name,
say, “May the Lord be glorified,
then we will witness your joy.” 399
But they will be put to shame.
66:6 The sound of battle comes from the city;
the sound comes from the temple!
It is the sound of the Lord paying back his enemies.
66:7 Before she goes into labor, she gives birth!
Before her contractions begin, she delivers a boy!
66:8 Who has ever heard of such a thing?
Who has ever seen this?
Can a country 400 be brought forth in one day?
Can a nation be born in a single moment?
Yet as soon as Zion goes into labor she gives birth to sons!
66:9 “Do I bring a baby to the birth opening and then not deliver it?”
asks the Lord.
“Or do I bring a baby to the point of delivery and then hold it back?”
asks your God. 401
66:10 Be happy for Jerusalem
and rejoice with her, all you who love her!
Share in her great joy,
all you who have mourned over her!
66:11 For 402 you will nurse from her satisfying breasts and be nourished; 403
you will feed with joy from her milk-filled breasts. 404
66:12 For this is what the Lord says:
“Look, I am ready to extend to her prosperity that will flow like a river,
the riches of nations will flow into her like a stream that floods its banks. 405
You will nurse from her breast 406 and be carried at her side;
you will play on her knees.
66:13 As a mother consoles a child, 407
so I will console you,
and you will be consoled over Jerusalem.”
66:14 When you see this, you will be happy, 408
and you will be revived. 409
The Lord will reveal his power to his servants
and his anger to his enemies. 410
66:15 For look, the Lord comes with fire,
his chariots come like a windstorm, 411
to reveal his raging anger,
his battle cry, and his flaming arrows. 412
66:16 For the Lord judges all humanity 413
with fire and his sword;
the Lord will kill many. 414
66:17 “As for those who consecrate and ritually purify themselves so they can follow their leader and worship in the sacred orchards, 415 those who eat the flesh of pigs and other disgusting creatures, like mice 416 – they will all be destroyed together,” 417 says the Lord. 66:18 “I hate their deeds and thoughts! So I am coming 418 to gather all the nations and ethnic groups; 419 they will come and witness my splendor. 66:19 I will perform a mighty act among them 420 and then send some of those who remain to the nations – to Tarshish, Pul, 421 Lud 422 (known for its archers 423 ), Tubal, Javan, 424 and to the distant coastlands 425 that have not heard about me or seen my splendor. They will tell the nations of my splendor. 66:20 They will bring back all your countrymen 426 from all the nations as an offering to the Lord. They will bring them 427 on horses, in chariots, in wagons, on mules, and on camels 428 to my holy hill Jerusalem,” says the Lord, “just as the Israelites bring offerings to the Lord’s temple in ritually pure containers. 66:21 And I will choose some of them as priests and Levites,” says the Lord. 66:22 “For just as the new heavens and the new earth I am about to make will remain standing before me,” says the Lord, “so your descendants and your name will remain. 66:23 From one month 429 to the next and from one Sabbath to the next, all people 430 will come to worship me,” 431 says the Lord. 66:24 “They will go out and observe the corpses of those who rebelled against me, for the maggots that eat them will not die, 432 and the fire that consumes them will not die out. 433 All people will find the sight abhorrent.” 434
[56:1] 1 tn Heb “guard”; KJV “Keep”; NAB “Observe”; NASB “Preserve”; NIV, NRSV “Maintain.”
[56:1] 2 tn Heb “for near is my deliverance to enter, and my vindication [or “righteousness”] to be revealed.”
[56:2] 3 tn Heb “blessed is the man who does this.”
[56:2] 4 tn Heb “the son of mankind who takes hold of it.”
[56:2] 5 tn Heb and who keeps his hand from doing any evil.”
[56:3] 6 tn Heb “who attaches himself to.”
[56:3] 7 tn The infinitive absolute precedes the finite verb for emphasis.
[56:4] 8 tn Heb “and take hold of” (so KJV); NASB “hold fast.”
[56:5] 9 tn Heb “a hand and a name.” For other examples where יָד (yad) refers to a monument, see HALOT 388 s.v.
[56:5] 10 tn Heb “name” (so KJV, NIV, NRSV).
[56:6] 11 tn Heb “who attach themselves to.”
[56:6] 12 tn Heb “and take hold of”; NAB “hold to”; NIV, NRSV “hold fast.”
[56:7] 13 tn Heb “in the house of my prayer.”
[56:7] 14 tn Heb “for my house will be called a house of prayer for all the nations.”
[56:8] 15 tn The meaning of the statement is unclear. The text reads literally, “Still I will gather upon him to his gathered ones.” Perhaps the preposition -לְ (lamed) before “gathered ones” introduces the object of the verb, as in Jer 49:5. The third masculine singular suffix on both עָלָיו (’alayv) and נִקְבָּצָיו (niqbatsayv) probably refers to “Israel.” In this case one can translate literally, “Still I will gather to him his gathered ones.”
[56:10] 16 sn The “watchmen” are probably spiritual leaders, most likely prophets and priests, responsible for giving the people moral direction.
[56:10] 17 tn Heb “they do not know”; KJV “they are all ignorant”; NIV “they all lack knowledge.”
[56:10] 18 tn The Hebrew text has הֹזִים (hozim), which appears to be derived from an otherwise unattested verbal root הָזָה (hazah). On the basis of alleged cognates, BDB 223 s.v. הָזָה offers the definition “dream, rave” while HALOT 243 s.v. הזה lists “pant.” In this case the dog metaphor of the preceding lines continues. The reference to dogs at the beginning of v. 11 favors the extension of the metaphor. The Qumran scroll 1QIsaa has חזים (“seers”) here. In this case the “watchmen” are directly identified as prophets and depicted as lazy.
[56:11] 19 sn The phrase never full alludes to the greed of the leaders.
[56:11] 20 tn Heb “for his gain from his end.”
[56:12] 21 tn The words “each one says” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
[56:12] 22 tn Heb “great, [in] abundance, very much,” i.e., “very great indeed.” See HALOT 452 s.v. יֶתֶר.
[57:1] 23 tn Or “righteous” (KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT); NAB “the just man”; TEV “Good people.”
[57:1] 24 tn Or perhaps, “understands.” Heb “and there is no man who sets [it] upon [his] heart.”
[57:1] 25 tn Heb “Men of loyalty are taken away.” The Niphal of אָסַף (’asaf) here means “to die.”
[57:1] 26 tn The Hebrew term בְּאֵין (bÿ’en) often has the nuance “when there is no.” See Prov 8:24; 11;14; 14:4; 15:22; 26:20; 29:18.
[57:1] 27 tn Or “realizes”; Heb “understands” (so NASB, NIV, NRSV).
[57:1] 28 tn Or “righteous” (KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT); NAB “the just man.”
[57:1] 29 tn Heb “are taken away.” The Niphal of אָסַף (’asaf) here means “to die.”
[57:1] 30 tn The term מִפְּנֵי (mippÿne, “from the face of”) often has a causal nuance. It also appears with the Niphal of אָסַף (’asaph, “gather”) in 2 Chr 12:5: אֲשֶׁר־נֶאֶסְפוּ אֶל־יְרוּשָׁלַם מִפְּנֵי שִׁישָׁק (’asher-ne’esphu ’el-yÿrushalam mippÿney shishaq, “who had gathered at Jerusalem because of [i.e., due to fear of] Shishak”).
[57:1] 31 tn The translation assumes that this verse, in proverbial fashion, laments society’s apathy over the persecution of the godly. The second half of the verse observes that such apathy results in more widespread oppression. Since the next verse pictures the godly being taken to a place of rest, some interpret the second half of v. 1 in a more positive vein. According to proponents of this view, God removes the godly so that they might be spared suffering and calamity, a fact which the general populace fails to realize.
[57:2] 32 tn Heb “he enters peace, they rest on their beds, the one who walks straight ahead of himself.” The tomb is here viewed in a fairly positive way as a place where the dead are at peace and sleep undisturbed.
[57:3] 33 tc The Hebrew text reads literally, “offspring of an adulterer [masculine] and [one who] has committed adultery.” Perhaps the text has suffered from transposition of vav (ו) and tav (ת) and מְנָאֵף וַתִּזְנֶה (mÿna’ef vattizneh) should be emended to מְנָאֶפֶת וְזֹנָה (mÿna’efet vÿzonah, “an adulteress and a prostitute”). Both singular nouns would be understood in a collective sense. Most modern English versions render both forms as nouns.
[57:4] 34 tn Heb “Are you not children of rebellion, offspring of a lie?” The rhetorical question anticipates the answer, “Of course you are!”
[57:5] 35 tn Heb “inflame yourselves”; NRSV “burn with lust.” This verse alludes to the practice of ritual sex that accompanied pagan fertility rites.
[57:5] 36 sn This apparently alludes to the practice of child sacrifice (cf. TEV, CEV, NLT).
[57:6] 37 tn Heb “among the smooth stones of the stream [is] your portion, they, they [are] your lot.” The next line indicates idols are in view.
[57:6] 38 tn The text reads literally, “Because of these am I relenting?” If the prefixed interrogative particle is retained at the beginning of the sentence, then the question would be rhetorical, with the Niphal of נָחָם (nakham) probably being used in the sense of “relent, change one’s mind.” One could translate: “Because of these things, how can I relent?” However, the initial letter he may be dittographic (note the final he [ה] on the preceding word). In this case one may understand the verb in the sense of “console oneself, seek vengeance,” as in 1:24.
[57:8] 39 tn The precise referent of זִכָּרוֹן (zikkaron) in this context is uncertain. Elsewhere the word refers to a memorial or commemorative sign. Here it likely refers to some type of idolatrous symbol.
[57:8] 40 tn Or “for” (KJV, NRSV).
[57:8] 41 tc The Hebrew text reads literally, “from me you uncover.” The translation assumes an emendation of the Piel form גִּלִּית (gillit, “you uncover”), which has no object expressed here, to the Qal גָּלִית (galit, “you depart”).
[57:8] 42 tn Heb “you make wide your bed” (NASB similar).
[57:8] 43 tc Heb “and you [second masculine singular, unless the form be taken as third feminine singular] cut for yourself [feminine singular] from them.” Most English translations retain the MT reading in spite of at least three problems. This section makes significant use of feminine verbs and noun suffixes because of the sexual imagery. The verb in question is likely a 2nd person masculine singular verb. Nevertheless, this kind of fluctuation in gender appears elsewhere (GKC 127-28 §47.k and 462 §144.p; cf. Jer 3:5; Ezek 22:4; 23:32; cf. J. N. Oswalt, Isaiah [NICOT], 2:473, n. 13). Secondly, when this verbal root signifies establishing a covenant, it is normally accompanied by the noun for “covenant” (בְּרִית, bÿrit). Finally, this juxtaposition of the verb “to cut” and “covenant” normally is followed by the preposition “with,” while here it is “from.” The translation above assumes an emendation of וַתִּכְרָת (vatikhrah, “and you cut”) to וְכָרִית (vÿkharit, “and you purchase”) from the root כָּרָה (kharah); see HALOT 497 s.v. II כרה.
[57:8] 44 tn The Hebrew text has simply חָזָה (khazah, “gaze”). The adverb “longingly” is interpretive (see the context, where sexual lust is depicted).
[57:8] 45 tn Heb “[at] a hand you gaze.” The term יָד (yad, “hand”) probably has the sense of “power, manhood” here, where it is used, as in Ugaritic, as a euphemism for the genitals. See HALOT 387 s.v. I יָד.
[57:9] 46 tn Heb “you journey with oil.”
[57:9] 47 tn Heb “the king.” Since the context refers to idolatry and child sacrifice (see v. 5), some emend מֶלֶך (melekh, “king”) to “Molech.” Perhaps Israel’s devotion to her idols is likened here to a subject taking tribute to a ruler.
[57:9] 48 tn Heb “and you multiply your perfumes.”
[57:9] 49 sn Israel’s devotion to her idols is inordinate, irrational, and self-destructive.
[57:10] 50 tn Heb “by the greatness [i.e., “length,” see BDB 914 s.v. רֹב 2] of your way you get tired.”
[57:10] 51 tn Heb “it is hopeless” (so NAB, NASB, NIV); NRSV “It is useless.”
[57:10] 52 tn Heb “the life of your hand you find.” The term חַיָּה (khayyah, “life”) is here used in the sense of “renewal” (see BDB 312 s.v.) while יָד (yad) is used of “strength.”
[57:10] 53 tn Heb “you do not grow weak.”
[57:11] 54 tn Heb “you do not place [it] on your heart.”
[57:11] 55 tn Heb “Is it not [because] I have been silent, and from long ago?”
[57:11] 56 sn God’s patience with sinful Israel has caused them to think that they can sin with impunity and suffer no consequences.
[57:12] 57 tn Heb “I, I will declare your righteousness and your deeds.”
[57:13] 58 tn The Hebrew text has קִבּוּצַיִךְ (qibbutsayikh, “your gatherings”), an otherwise unattested noun from the verbal root קָבַץ (qavats, “gather”). Perhaps this alludes to their religious assemblies and by metonymy to their rituals. Since idolatry is a prominent theme in the context, some understand this as a reference to a collection of idols. The second half of the verse also favors this view.
[57:13] 59 tn Heb “all of them a wind lifts up.”
[57:13] 60 tn Heb “a breath takes [them] away.”
[57:13] 61 tn Or “seeks refuge in me.” “Seeking refuge” is a metonymy for “being loyal to.”
[57:13] 62 tn Heb “possess, own.” The point seems to be that he will have free access to God’s presence, as if God’s temple mount were his personal possession.
[57:14] 63 tn Since God is speaking throughout this context, perhaps we should emend the text to “and I say.” However, divine speech is introduced in v. 15.
[57:15] 64 tn Heb “the one who dwells forever.” שֹׁכֵן עַד (shokhen ’ad) is sometimes translated “the one who lives forever,” and understood as a reference to God’s eternal existence. However, the immediately preceding and following descriptions (“high and exalted” and “holy”) emphasize his sovereign rule. In the next line, he declares, “I dwell in an exalted and holy [place],” which refers to the place from which he rules. Therefore it is more likely that שֹׁכֵן עַד (shokhen ’ad) means “I dwell [in my lofty palace] forever” and refers to God’s eternal kingship.
[57:15] 65 tn Heb “and also with the crushed and lowly of spirit.” This may refer to the repentant who have humbled themselves (see 66:2) or more generally to the exiles who have experienced discouragement and humiliation.
[57:15] 66 tn Heb “to restore the lowly of spirit and to restore the heart of the crushed.”
[57:16] 67 tn Or perhaps, “argue,” or “accuse” (so NAB, NIV, NRSV).
[57:16] 68 tn Heb “for a spirit from before me would be faint.”
[57:17] 69 tn Heb “and I struck him, hiding, and I was angry.” פָּנַיִם (panayim, “face”) is the implied object of “hiding.”
[57:17] 70 tn Heb “and he walked [as an] apostate in the way of his heart.”
[57:18] 71 tn Heb “his ways” (so KJV, NASB, NIV); TEV “how they acted.”
[57:18] 72 tn Heb “and I will restore consolation to him, to his mourners.”
[57:19] 73 tc The Hebrew text has literally, “one who creates fruit of lips.” Perhaps the pronoun אֲנִי (’ani) should be inserted after the participle; it may have been accidentally omitted by haplography: נוּב שְׂפָתָיִם[אֲנִי] בּוֹרֵא (bore’ [’ani] nuv sÿfatayim). “Fruit of the lips” is often understood as a metonymy for praise; perhaps it refers more generally to joyful shouts (see v. 18).
[57:19] 74 tn Heb “Peace, peace.” The repetition of the noun emphasizes degree.
[58:1] 75 tn Heb “declare to my people their rebellion.”
[58:1] 76 tn Heb “and to the house of Jacob their sin.” The verb “declare” is understood by ellipsis (note the preceding line).
[58:2] 77 tn Heb “ways” (so KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV, TEV); NLT “my laws.”
[58:3] 78 tn The words “they lament” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
[58:3] 79 tn Heb “you find pleasure”; NASB “you find your desire.”
[58:3] 80 tn Or perhaps, “debtors.” See HALOT 865 s.v. * עָצֵב.
[58:4] 81 tn Heb “you fast for” (so NASB); NRSV “you fast only to quarrel.”
[58:4] 82 tn Heb “and for striking with a sinful fist.”
[58:5] 83 tn Heb “choose” (so NASB, NRSV); NAB “wish.”
[58:5] 84 tn Heb “a day when man humbles himself.” The words “Do I want” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[58:5] 85 tn Or “making [their] bed.”
[58:6] 86 tn Heb “Is this not a fast I choose?” “No” is supplied in the translation for clarification.
[58:6] 87 tn The words “I want you” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[58:7] 89 tn Heb “Is it not?” The rhetorical question here expects a positive answer, “It is!”
[58:7] 90 tn Heb “and afflicted [ones], homeless [ones] you should bring [into] a house.” On the meaning of מְרוּדִים (mÿrudim, “homeless”) see HALOT 633 s.v. *מָרוּד.
[58:7] 91 tn Heb “and from your flesh do not hide yourself.”
[58:8] 92 tn Heb “will burst out like the dawn.”
[58:8] sn Light here symbolizes God’s favor and restored blessing, as the immediately following context makes clear.
[58:8] 93 tn Heb “prosper”; KJV “spring forth speedily.”
[58:8] 94 tn Or “righteousness.” Their godly behavior will be on display for all to see.
[58:8] 95 sn The nation will experience God’s protective presence.
[58:9] 96 tn Heb “if you.” In the Hebrew text vv. 9b-10 are one long conditional sentence. The protasis (“if” clauses appear in vv. 9b-10a), with the apodosis (“then” clause) appearing in v. 10b.
[58:10] 97 tn Heb “if you.” See the note on “you must” in v. 9b.
[58:10] 98 tn Heb “If you furnish for the hungry [with] your being, and the appetite of the oppressed you satisfy.”
[58:10] 99 tn Heb “will rise in the darkness.”
[58:10] 100 tn Heb “and your darkness [will be] like noonday.”
[58:11] 101 tn Heb “he will satisfy in parched regions your appetite.”
[58:11] 102 tn Heb “and your bones he will strengthen.”
[58:12] 103 tn Heb “and they will build from you ancient ruins.”
[58:12] 104 tc The Hebrew text has “the one who restores paths for dwelling.” The idea of “paths to dwell in” is not a common notion. Some have proposed emending נְתִיבוֹת (nÿtivot, “paths”) to נְתִיצוֹת (nÿtitsot, “ruins”), a passive participle from נָתַץ (natats, “tear down”; see HALOT 732 s.v. *נְתִיצָה), because tighter parallelism with the preceding line is achieved. However, none of the textual sources support this emendation. The line may mean that paths must be repaired in order to dwell in the land.
[58:13] 105 tn Lit., “if you.” In the Hebrew text vv. 13-14 are one long conditional sentence. The protasis (“if” clauses appear in v. 13), with the apodosis (“then” clause) appearing in v. 14.
[58:13] 106 tn Heb “if you turn from the Sabbath your feet.”
[58:13] 107 tn Heb “[from] doing your desires on my holy day.” The Qumran scroll 1QIsaa supplies the preposition מִן (min) on “doing.”
[58:13] 108 tn Heb “and call the Sabbath a pleasure”; KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV “a delight.”
[58:13] 109 tn Heb “and [call] the holy [day] of the Lord honored.” On קָדוֹשׁ (qadosh, “holy”) as indicating a time period, see BDB 872 s.v. 2.e (cf. also Neh 8:9-11).
[58:13] 110 tn Heb “and you honor it [by refraining] from accomplishing your ways, from finding your desire and speaking a word.” It is unlikely that the last phrase (“speaking a word”) is a prohibition against talking on the Sabbath; instead it probably refers to making transactions or plans (see Hos 10:4). Some see here a reference to idle talk (cf. 2 Sam 19:30).
[58:14] 111 tn For a parallel use of the phrase “find joy in” (Hitpael of עָנַג [’anag] followed by the preposition עַל [’al]), see Ps 37:4.
[58:14] 112 tn Heb “and I will cause you to ride upon the heights of the land.” The statement seems to be an allusion to Deut 32:13, where it is associated, as here, with God’s abundant provision of food.
[58:14] 113 tn Heb “and I will cause you to eat the inheritance of Jacob your father.” The Hebrew term נַחֲלָה (nakhalah) likely stands by metonymy for the crops that grow on Jacob’s “inheritance” (i.e., the land he inherited as a result of God’s promise).
[58:14] 114 tn Heb “for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” The introductory כִּי (ki) may be asseverative (as reflected in the translation) or causal/explanatory, explaining why the preceding promise will become reality (because it is guaranteed by the divine word).
[59:1] 115 tn Heb “short” (so NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV).
[59:1] 116 tn Heb “or his ear too heavy [i.e., “dull”] to hear.”
[59:2] 117 tn Heb “and your sins have caused [his] face to be hidden from you so as not to hear.”
[59:4] 118 tn Heb “no one pleads with justice.”
[59:4] 119 tn Heb “nothing”; NAB “emptiness.”
[59:4] 120 tn Or “trouble” (NIV), or “harm.”
[59:5] 121 tn Heb “that which is pressed in hatches [as] a snake.”
[59:6] 122 tn Heb “their deeds are deeds of sin, and the work of violence [is] in their hands.”
[59:7] 123 tn Heb “their feet run to evil.”
[59:7] 124 tn Heb “they quickly pour out innocent blood.”
[59:7] 125 tn Heb “their thoughts are thoughts of sin, destruction and crushing [are] in their roadways.”
[59:8] 126 tn Heb “a way of peace they do not know, and there is no justice in their pathways.”
[59:8] 127 tn Heb “their paths they make crooked, everyone who walks in it does not know peace.”
[59:9] 128 tn מִשְׁפָּט (mishpat), which refers to “justice” in the earlier verses, here refers to “justice from God,” or “vindication.” Because the people are unjust, God refuses to vindicate them before their enemies. See v. 11.
[59:9] 129 sn The prophet speaks on behalf of the sinful nation and confesses its sins.
[59:9] 130 sn Light here symbolizes prosperity and blessing.
[59:9] 131 tn Heb “but, look, darkness”; NIV “but all is darkness.”
[59:9] 132 tn The words “we wait for” are supplied in the translation; the verb is understood by ellipsis (note the preceding line).
[59:9] 133 tn The plural noun form may indicate degree here.
[59:9] 134 tn Or “walk about”; NCV “all we have is darkness.”
[59:9] 135 tn The plural noun form may indicate degree here.
[59:10] 136 tn Heb “like there are no eyes.”
[59:10] 137 tn Heb among the strong, like dead men.”
[59:11] 138 tn See the note at v. 9.
[59:12] 139 tn Heb “for many are our rebellious deeds before you.”
[59:12] 140 tn Heb “indeed [or “for”] our rebellious deeds (are) with us, and our sins, we know them.”
[59:13] 141 tn Heb “speaking.” A new sentence was started here in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[59:13] 142 tn Heb “conceiving and uttering from the heart words of falsehood.”
[59:14] 143 tn Or “righteousness” (ASV, NASB, NIV, NRSV); KJV, NAB “justice.”
[59:14] 144 tn Or “for” (KJV, NRSV).
[59:15] 145 tn Heb “and it is displeasing in his eyes.”
[59:16] 146 tn Heb “man” (so KJV, ASV); TEV “no one to help.”
[59:16] 147 tn Or “appalled” (NAB, NIV, NRSV), or “disgusted.”
[59:16] 148 tn Heb “and his arm delivers for him.”
[59:16] 149 tn Heb “and his justice [or “righteousness”] supports him.”
[59:17] 150 tn Or “righteousness” (KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT); NCV “goodness.”
[59:17] 151 tn Or “a breastplate” (traditional; so many English versions); TEV “a coat of armour.”
[59:17] 152 tn Heb “and [as] a helmet deliverance on his head.”
[59:17] 153 tn Heb “and he puts on the clothes of vengeance [as] a garment.”
[59:18] 154 tn Heb “in accordance with deeds, so he repays, anger to his adversaries, repayment to his enemies.”
[59:18] 155 tn Or “islands” (KJV, NIV).
[59:19] 156 tc Heb “fear.” A few medieval Hebrew
[59:19] 157 tn Heb “and they fear from the west the name of the Lord.”
[59:19] 158 tn Heb “and from the rising of the sun his splendor.”
[59:19] 159 tn Heb “narrow”; NAB, NIV, NRSV “pent-up.”
[59:19] 160 tn Heb “the wind of the Lord drives it on.” The term רוּחַ (ruakh) could be translated “breath” here (see 30:28).
[59:20] 161 tn Or “redeemer.” See the note at 41:14.
[59:20] 162 tn Heb “and to those who turn from rebellion in Jacob.”
[59:21] 163 tn Or “my covenant with” (so many English versions); NCV “my agreement with.”
[59:21] sn The Lord promises the repentant (note “to them”) that they and their offspring will possess his spirit and function as his spokesmen. In this regard they follow in the footsteps of the Lord’s special servant. See 42:1; 49:2; 51:16.
[59:21] 164 tn Heb “from now and on into the future.”
[60:1] 165 tn Or “glory” (so most English versions).
[60:2] 166 tn The verb “covers” is understood by ellipsis (note the preceding line).
[60:2] 167 tn Or “glory” (so most English versions); TEV “the brightness of his presence.”
[60:4] 168 tn Heb “Lift up around your eyes and see!”
[60:5] 169 tn Or “shine,” or “be radiant” (NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV).
[60:5] 170 tn Heb “and it will tremble and be wide, your heart.”
[60:5] 171 tn Heb “the wealth of the sea,” i.e., wealth that is transported from distant lands via the sea.
[60:6] 172 tn Heb “an abundance of camels will cover you.”
[60:6] 173 tn Heb “all of them, from Sheba.”
[60:6] 174 tn Heb “and they will announce the praises of the Lord.”
[60:7] 175 tn Heb “will serve you,” i.e., be available as sacrifices (see the next line). Another option is to understood these “rams” as symbolic of leaders who will be subject to the people of Zion. See v. 10.
[60:7] 176 tc Heb “they will go up on acceptance [on] my altar.” Some have suggested that the preposition עַל (’al) is dittographic (note the preceding יַעֲלוּ [ya’alu]). Consequently, the form should be emended to לְרָצוֹן (lÿratson, “acceptably”; see BDB 953 s.v. רָצוֹן). However, the Qumran scroll 1QIsaa has both לרצון followed by the preposition על, which would argue against deleted the preposition. As the above translation seeks to demonstrate, the preposition עַל (’al) indicates a norm (“in accordance with acceptance” or “acceptably”; IBHS 218 §11.2.13e, n. 111) and the “altar” functions as an objective accusative with a verb of motion (cf. Gen 49:4; Lev 2:2; Num 13:17; J. N. Oswalt, Isaiah [NICOT], 2:534, n. 14).
[60:8] 177 tn Heb “fly” (so KJV, NASB, NRSV); NAB, NIV “fly along.”
[60:8] 178 tn Heb “to their windows,” i.e., to the openings in their coops. See HALOT 83 s.v. אֲרֻבָּה.
[60:9] 179 tn Or “islands” (NIV); CEV “distant islands”; TEV “distant lands.”
[60:9] 180 tn Heb “the ships of Tarshish.” See the note at 2:16.
[60:9] 181 tn Heb “to the name of the Lord your God.”
[60:9] 182 sn See the note on the phrase “the Holy One of Israel” in 1:4.
[60:10] 183 tn Heb “in my favor I will have compassion on you.”
[60:11] 184 tn Or “led in procession.” The participle is passive.
[60:12] 185 tn Or “For” (KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT); TEV “But.”
[60:12] 186 tn The infinitive absolute appears before the finite verb for emphasis.
[60:13] 187 tn Or “holy place, sanctuary.”
[60:13] 188 tn Heb “the place of my feet.” See Ezek 43:7, where the Lord’s throne is called the “place of the soles of my feet.”
[60:14] 189 sn See the note on the phrase “the Holy One of Israel” in 1:4.
[60:15] 190 tn Heb “Instead of your being abandoned and despised, with no one passing through, I will make you.”
[60:16] 191 sn The nations and kings are depicted as a mother nursing her children. Restored Zion will be nourished by them as she receives their wealth as tribute.
[60:16] 192 tn Or “redeemer.” See the note at 41:14.
[60:16] 193 sn See 1:24 and 49:26.
[60:17] 194 tn The words “I will bring you” are supplied in the translation; they are understood by ellipsis (see the preceding lines).
[60:17] 195 tn The words “I will bring you” are supplied in the translation; they are understood by ellipsis (see the first two lines of the verse).
[60:17] 196 tn Or “peace” (KJV and many other English versions).
[60:17] 197 tn The plural indicates degree. The language is ironic; in the past Zion was ruled by oppressive tyrants, but now personified prosperity and vindication will be the only things that will “dominate” the city.
[60:18] 198 tn The words “sounds of” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[60:18] 199 tn The words “sounds of” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[60:19] 200 tn Heb “and your God for your splendor.”
[60:20] 201 sn In this verse “sun” and “moon” refer to the Lord’s light, which will replace the sun and moon (see v. 19). Light here symbolizes the restoration of divine blessing and prosperity in conjunction with the Lord’s presence. See 30:26.
[60:20] 202 tn Heb “days” (so KJV, NAB, NIV, NRSV, NLT).
[60:21] 203 tn Or “righteous” (NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT); NAB “just.”
[60:21] 204 tn Heb “a shoot of his planting, the work of my hands, to reveal splendor.”
[60:22] 205 tn Heb “will become” (so NASB, NIV).
[60:22] 206 tn Heb “I, the Lord, in its time, I will quickly do it.”
[61:1] 207 tn Heb “anointed,” i.e., designated to carry out an assigned task.
[61:1] 208 sn The speaker is not identified, but he is distinct from the Lord and from Zion’s suffering people. He possesses the divine spirit, is God’s spokesman, and is sent to release prisoners from bondage. The evidence suggests he is the Lord’s special servant, described earlier in the servant songs (see 42:1-4, 7; 49:2, 9; 50:4; see also 51:16).
[61:1] 209 tn Or “sent” (NAB); NCV “has appointed me.”
[61:1] 210 tn Or “proclaim good news to.”
[61:1] 211 tn Heb “to bind up [the wounds of].”
[61:2] 212 tn Heb “to announce the year of the Lord’s favor, and the day of our God’s vengeance.
[61:3] 213 tn Heb “oil of joy” (KJV, ASV); NASB, NIV, NRSV “the oil of gladness.”
[61:3] 214 tn Heb “garment of praise.”
[61:3] 215 tn Heb “a faint spirit” (so NRSV); KJV, ASV “the spirit of heaviness”; NASB “a spirit of fainting.”
[61:3] 216 tn Rather than referring to the character of the people, צֶדֶק (tsedeq) may carry the nuance “vindication” here, suggesting that God’s restored people are a testimony to his justice. See v. 2, which alludes to the fact that God will take vengeance against the enemies of his people. Cf. NAB “oaks of justice.”
[61:3] 217 tn Heb “a planting of the Lord to reveal splendor.”
[61:4] 218 tn Heb “and the formerly desolate places they will raise up.”
[61:5] 219 sn The Lord speaks in vv. 7-8 (and possibly v. 9). It is not clear where the servant’s speech (see vv. 1-3a) ends and the Lord’s begins. Perhaps the direct address to the people signals the beginning of the Lord’s speech.
[61:5] 220 tn Heb “will stand [in position] and shepherd.”
[61:6] 221 tn The Hebrew text adds, “it will be said concerning you.”
[61:6] 222 tn Heb “eat” (KJV, NAB, NASB); NIV “feed on”; NLT “be fed with.”
[61:6] 223 tc The form in the Hebrew text is probably a corruption of יִתְאַמְּרוּ (yit’ammÿru), a Hitpael from אָמַר (’amar), meaning “boast about” (see HALOT 67 s.v. II אמר, HALOT 416 s.v. ימר, and BDB 56 s.v. אָמַר).
[61:6] 224 tn Heb “their glory” (i.e., riches).
[61:7] 225 tn Heb “instead of your shame, a double portion.”
[61:7] 226 tn Heb “and [instead of] humiliation they will rejoice [over] their portion.” The term תָחָת (takhat, “instead of”) is understood by ellipsis (note the preceding line).
[61:7] 227 tn Heb “therefore” (so KJV, NASB); NIV “and so.”
[61:8] 228 tn Heb “in faithfulness”; NASB, NRSV, NLT “faithfully.”
[61:9] 229 tn Heb “all who see them will recognize them, that they [are] descendants [whom] the Lord has blessed.”
[61:10] 230 sn The speaker in vv. 10-11 is not identified, but it is likely that the personified nation (or perhaps Zion) responds here to the Lord’s promise of restoration.
[61:10] 231 tn The infinitive absolute appears before the finite verb for emphasis.
[61:10] 232 tn Heb “my being is happy in my God”; NAB “in my God is the joy of my soul.”
[61:10] 233 tn Heb “robe of vindication”; KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV “robe of righteousness.”
[61:10] 234 tn Heb “like a bridegroom [who] acts like a priest [by wearing] a turban, and like a bride [who] wears her jewelry.” The words “I look” are supplied for stylistic reasons and clarification.
[61:11] 235 tn Or perhaps, “righteousness,” but the context seems to emphasize deliverance and restoration (see v. 10 and 62:1).
[61:11] 236 tn Heb “and praise before all the nations.”
[62:1] 237 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[62:1] 238 tn Heb “goes forth like brightness.”
[62:2] 239 tn Heb “which the mouth of the Lord will designate.”
[62:4] 240 tn Or “for”; KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV “but.”
[62:4] 241 tn Hebrew חֶפְצִי־בָהּ (kheftsi-vah), traditionally transliterated “Hephzibah” (so KJV, ASV, NIV).
[62:4] 242 tn Hebrew בְּעוּלָה (bÿ’ulah), traditionally transliterated “Beulah” (so KJV, ASV, NIV).
[62:4] 243 tn That is, the land will be restored to the Lord’s favor and once again enjoy his blessing and protection. To indicate the land’s relationship to the Lord, the words “to him” have been supplied at the end of the clause.
[62:5] 244 tc The Hebrew text has “your sons,” but this produces an odd metaphor and is somewhat incongruous with the parallelism. In the context (v. 4b, see also 54:5-7) the Lord is the one who “marries” Zion. Therefore several prefer to emend “your sons” to בֹּנָיִךְ (bonayikh, “your builder”; e.g., NRSV). In Ps 147:2 the Lord is called the “builder of Jerusalem.” However, this emendation is not the best option for at least four reasons. First, although the Lord is never called the “builder” of Jerusalem in Isaiah, the idea of Zion’s children possessing the land does occur (Isa 49:20; 54:3; cf. also 14:1; 60:21). Secondly, all the ancient versions support the MT reading. Thirdly, although the verb בָּעַל (ba’al) can mean “to marry,” its basic idea is “to possess.” Consequently, the verb stresses a relationship more than a state. All the ancient versions render this verb “to dwell in” or “to dwell with.” The point is not just that the land will be reinhabited, but that it will be in a relationship of “belonging” to the Israelites. Hence a relational verb like בָּעַל is used (J. N. Oswalt, Isaiah [NICOT], 2:581). Finally, “sons” is a well-known metaphor for “inhabitants” (J. de Waard, Isaiah, 208).
[62:6] 245 sn The speaker here is probably the prophet.
[62:6] 246 tn Heb “all day and all night continually they do not keep silent.” The following lines suggest that they pray for the Lord’s intervention and restoration of the city.
[62:6] 247 tn Or “invoke”; NIV “call on”; NASB, NRSV “remind.”
[62:7] 248 tn “Jerusalem” is supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons; note the following line.
[62:7] 249 tn Heb “[the object of] praise.”
[62:8] 250 tn The Lord’s right hand and strong arm here symbolize his power and remind the audience that his might guarantees the fulfillment of the following promise.
[62:9] 251 tn Heb “it,” the grain mentioned in v. 8a.
[62:9] 252 tn Heb “and those who gather it will drink it.” The masculine singular pronominal suffixes attached to “gather” and “drink” refer back to the masculine noun תִּירוֹשׁ (tirosh, “wine”) in v. 8b.
[62:11] 253 tn Heb “to the end of the earth” (so NASB, NRSV).
[62:11] 254 sn As v. 12 indicates, the returning exiles are the Lord’s reward/prize. See also 40:10 and the note there.
[62:12] 255 tn Or “the redeemed of the Lord” (KJV, NAB).
[63:1] 256 sn Edom is here an archetype for the Lord’s enemies. See 34:5.
[63:1] 257 tn Heb “[in] bright red garments, from Bozrah.”
[63:1] 258 tn The interrogative particle is understood by ellipsis; note the first line of the verse.
[63:1] 259 tn Heb “honored in his clothing”; KJV, ASV “glorious in his apparel.”
[63:1] 260 tc The Hebrew text has צָעָה (tsa’ah), which means “stoop, bend” (51:14). The translation assumes an emendation to צָעַד (tsa’ad, “march”; see BDB 858 s.v. צָעָה).
[63:1] 261 tn Heb “I, [the one] speaking in vindication [or “righteousness”], great to deliver.”
[63:2] 262 tn Heb “and your garments like one who treads in a vat?”
[63:3] 263 sn Nations, headed by Edom, are the object of the Lord’s anger (see v. 6). He compares military slaughter to stomping on grapes in a vat.
[63:3] 264 tn Heb “and I stained.” For discussion of the difficult verb form, see HALOT 170 s.v. II גאל. Perhaps the form is mixed, combining the first person forms of the imperfect (note the alef prefix) and perfect (note the תי- ending).
[63:4] 265 tn Heb “for the day of vengeance was in my heart, and the year of my revenge came.” The term גְּאוּלַי (gÿ’ulai) is sometimes translated here “my redemption,” for the verbal root גאל often means “deliver, buy back.” A גֹּאֵל (go’el, “kinsman-redeemer”) was responsible for protecting the extended family’s interests, often by redeeming property that had been sold outside the family. However, the responsibilities of a גֹּאֵל extended beyond financial concerns. He was also responsible for avenging the shed blood of a family member (see Num 35:19-27; Deut 19:6-12). In Isa 63:4, where vengeance is a prominent theme (note the previous line), it is probably this function of the family protector that is in view. The Lord pictures himself as a blood avenger who waits for the day of vengeance to arrive and then springs into action.
[63:5] 266 sn See Isa 59:16 for similar language.
[63:5] 267 tn Heb “and my anger, it supported me”; NIV “my own wrath sustained me.”
[63:6] 268 sn See Isa 49:26 and 51:23 for similar imagery.
[63:6] 269 tn Heb “and I brought down to the ground their juice.” “Juice” refers to their blood (see v. 3).
[63:7] 270 tn Heb “according to all which.”
[63:7] 271 tn Heb “greatness of goodness to the house of Israel which he did for them.”
[63:7] 272 tn Heb “according to.”
[63:8] 273 tn Heb “children [who] do not act deceitfully.” Here the verb refers to covenantal loyalty.
[63:9] 274 tn Heb “in all their distress, there was distress to him” (reading לוֹ [lo] with the margin/Qere).
[63:9] 275 tn Heb “the messenger [or “angel”] of his face”; NIV “the angel of his presence.”
[63:9] sn This may refer to the “angel of God” mentioned in Exod 14:19, who in turn may be identical to the divine “presence” (literally, “face”) referred to in Exod 33:14-15 and Deut 4:37. Here in Isa 63 this messenger may be equated with God’s “holy Spirit” (see vv. 10-11) and “the Spirit of the Lord” (v. 14). See also Ps 139:7, where God’s “Spirit” seems to be equated with his “presence” (literally, “face”) in the synonymous parallelistic structure.
[63:9] 276 tn Or “redeemed” (KJV, NAB, NIV), or “delivered.”
[63:9] 277 tn Heb “all the days of antiquity”; KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV “days of old.”
[63:10] 278 tn Or “grieved, hurt the feelings of.”
[63:10] 279 sn The phrase “holy Spirit” occurs in the OT only here (in v. 11 as well) and in Ps 51:11 (51:13 HT), where it is associated with the divine presence.
[63:11] 280 tn Heb “and he remembered the days of antiquity, Moses, his people.” The syntax of the statement is unclear. The translation assumes that “his people” is the subject of the verb “remembered.” If original, “Moses” is in apposition to “the days of antiquity,” more precisely identifying the time period referred to. However, the syntactical awkwardness suggests that “Moses” may have been an early marginal note (perhaps identifying “the shepherd of his flock” two lines later) that has worked its way into the text.
[63:11] 281 tn The Hebrew text has a plural form, which if retained and taken as a numerical plural, would probably refer to Moses, Aaron, and the Israelite tribal leaders at the time of the Exodus. Most prefer to emend the form to the singular (רָעָה, ra’ah) and understand this as a reference just to Moses.
[63:11] 282 sn See the note at v. 10.
[63:12] 283 tn Heb “who caused to go at the right hand of Moses the arm of his splendor.”
[63:12] 284 tn Heb “making for himself a lasting name.”
[63:13] 285 tn Heb “in the desert [or “steppe”].”
[63:14] 286 tn The words “to graze” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
[63:14] 287 tn Or “so” (KJV, ASV), or “thus” (NAB, NRSV).
[63:14] 288 tn Heb “making for yourself a majestic name.”
[63:15] 289 tn This probably refers to his zeal for his people, which motivates him to angrily strike out against their enemies.
[63:15] 290 tn The Hebrew text reads literally, “the agitation of your intestines and your compassion to me they are held back.” The phrase “agitation of your intestines” is metonymic, referring to the way in which one’s nervous system reacts when one feels pity and compassion toward another. אֵלַי (’elay, “to me”) is awkward in this context, where the speaker represents the nation and, following the introduction (see v. 7), utilizes first person plural forms. The translation assumes an emendation to the negative particle אַל (’al). This also necessitates emending the following verb form (which is a plural perfect) to a singular jussive (תִתְאַפָּק, tit’appaq). The Hitpael of אָפַק (’afaq) also occurs in 42:14.
[63:16] 291 tn Heb “our protector [or “redeemer”] from antiquity [is] your name.”
[63:17] 292 tn Some suggest a tolerative use of the Hiphil here, “[why do] you allow us to stray?” (cf. NLT). Though the Hiphil of תָעָה (ta’ah) appears to be tolerative in Jer 50:6, elsewhere it is preferable or necessary to take it as causative. See Isa 3:12; 9:15; and 30:28, as well as Gen 20:13; 2 Kgs 21:9; Job 12:24-25; Prov 12:26; Jer 23:13, 32; Hos 4:12; Amos 2:4; Mic 3:5.
[63:17] 293 tn This probably refers to God’s commands.
[63:17] 294 tn Heb “[Why do] you harden our heart[s] so as not to fear you.” The interrogative particle is understood by ellipsis (note the preceding line).
[63:17] sn How direct this hardening is, one cannot be sure. The speaker may envision direct involvement on the Lord’s part. The Lord has brought the exile as judgment for the nation’s sin and now he continues to keep them at arm’s length by blinding them spiritually. The second half of 64:7 might support this, though the precise reading of the final verb is uncertain. On the other hand, the idiom of lament is sometimes ironic and hyperbolically deterministic. For example, Naomi lamented that Shaddai was directly opposing her and bringing her calamity (Ruth 1:20-21), while the author of Ps 88 directly attributes his horrible suffering and loneliness to God (see especially vv. 6-8, 16-18). Both individuals make little, if any, room for intermediate causes or the principle of sin and death which ravages the human race. In the same way, the speaker in Isa 63:17 (who evidences great spiritual sensitivity and is anything but “hardened”) may be referring to the hardships of exile, which discouraged and even embittered the people, causing many of them to retreat from their Yahwistic faith. In this case, the “hardening” in view is more indirect and can be lifted by the Lord’s intervention. Whether the hardening here is indirect or direct, it is important to recognize that the speaker sees it as one of the effects of rebellion against the Lord (note especially 64:5-6).
[63:18] 295 tn Or “holy” (ASV, NASB, NRSV, TEV, NLT).
[63:18] 296 tn Heb “for a short time they had a possession, the people of your holiness.”
[63:18] 297 tn Heb “your adversaries trampled on.”
[63:19] 298 tn Heb “we were from antiquity” (see v. 16). The collocation עוֹלָם + מִן + הָיָה (hayah + min + ’olam) occurs only here.
[63:19] 299 tn Heb “you did not rule them, your name was not called over them.” The expression “the name is called over” indicates ownership; see the note at 4:1. As these two lines stand they are very difficult to interpret. They appear to be stating that the adversaries just mentioned in v. 18 have not been subject to the Lord’s rule in the past, perhaps explaining why they could commit the atrocity described in v. 18b.
[64:1] 300 sn In BHS the chapter division occurs in a different place from the English Bible: 64:1 ET (63:19b HT) and 64:2-12 (64:1-11 HT). Beginning with 65:1 the verse numbers in the English Bible and the Hebrew Bible are again the same.
[64:1] 301 tn Or “the heavens.” The Hebrew term שָׁמַיִם (shamayim) may be translated “heavens” or “sky” depending on the context.
[64:1] 302 tn Or “quake.” נָזֹלּוּ (nazollu) is from the verbal root זָלַל (zalal, “quake”; see HALOT 272 s.v. II זלל). Perhaps there is a verbal allusion to Judg 5:5, the only other passage where this verb occurs. In that passage the poet tells how the Lord’s appearance to do battle caused the mountains to shake.
[64:2] 303 tn Heb “to make known your name to your adversaries.” Perhaps the infinitive construct with preposition -לְ (lamed) should be construed with “come down” in v. 1a, or subordinated to the following line: “To make known your name to your adversaries, let the nations shake from before you.”
[64:3] 304 tn Heb “[for which] we were not waiting.”
[64:3] 305 tn See the note at v. 1.
[64:4] 306 tn Heb “from ancient times they have not heard, they have not listened.”
[64:5] 307 tn Heb “meet [with kindness].”
[64:5] 308 tn Heb “the one who rejoices and does righteousness.”
[64:5] 309 tn Heb “in your ways they remember you.”
[64:5] 310 tc The Hebrew text reads literally, “look, you were angry and we sinned against them continually [or perhaps, “in ancient times”] and we were delivered.” The statement makes little sense as it stands. The first vav [ו] consecutive (“and we sinned”) must introduce an explanatory clause here (see Num 1:48 and Isa 39:1 for other examples of this relatively rare use of the vav [ו] consecutive). The final verb (if rendered positively) makes no sense in this context – God’s anger at their sin resulted in judgment, not deliverance. One of the alternatives involves an emendation to וַנִּרְשָׁע (vannirsha’, “and we were evil”; LXX, NRSV, TEV). The Vulgate and the Qumran scroll 1QIsaa support the MT reading. One can either accept an emendation or cast the statement as a question (as above).
[64:6] 311 tn Heb “and like a garment of menstruation [are] all our righteous acts”; KJV, NIV “filthy rags”; ASV “a polluted garment.”
[64:7] 312 tn Or “calls out in”; NASB, NIV, NRSV “calls on.”
[64:7] 313 tn Or “rouses himself”; NASB “arouses himself.”
[64:7] 314 tn Heb “for you have hidden your face from us.”
[64:7] 315 tc The Hebrew text reads literally, “and you caused us to melt in the hand of our sin.” The verb וַתְּמוּגֵנוּ (vattÿmugenu) is a Qal preterite 2nd person masculine singular with a 1st person common plural suffix from the root מוּג (mug, “melt”). However, elsewhere the Qal of this verb is intransitive. If the verbal root מוּג (mug) is retained here, the form should be emended to a Polel pattern (וַתְּמֹגְגֵנוּ, vattÿmogÿgenu). The translation assumes an emendation to וַתְּמַגְּנֵנוּ (vattÿmaggÿnenu, “and you handed us over”). This form is a Piel preterite 2nd person masculine singular with a 1st person common plural suffix from the verbal root מִגֵּן (miggen, “hand over, surrender”; see HALOT 545 s.v. מגן and BDB 171 s.v. מָגָן). The point is that God has abandoned them to their sinful ways and no longer seeks reconciliation.
[64:8] 316 tn On the force of וְעַתָּה (vÿ’attah) here, see HALOT 902 s.v. עַתָּה.
[64:8] 317 tn Heb “the work of your hand.”
[64:9] 318 tn Heb “do not remember sin continually.”
[64:9] 319 tn Heb “Look, gaze at your people, all of us.” Another option is to translate, “Take a good look! We are all your people.”
[64:10] 320 tn Heb “holy” (so KJV, NASB, NRSV, NLT); NIV “sacred.”
[64:10] 321 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[64:11] 322 tn Heb “our source of pride.”
[64:11] 323 tn Or “all that we valued has become a ruin.”
[64:12] 324 tn Heb “because of these”; KJV, ASV “for these things.”
[65:1] 325 tn Heb “I allowed myself to be sought by those who did not ask.”
[65:1] 326 tn Heb “I allowed myself to be found by those who did not seek.”
[65:1] 327 tn Heb “call out in”; NASB, NIV, NRSV “call on.”
[65:2] 328 tn Heb “who walked [in] the way that is not good, after their thoughts.”
[65:3] 329 tn Heb “the people who provoke me to anger to my face continually.”
[65:3] 330 tn Or “gardens” (KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT).
[65:3] 331 tn Or perhaps, “on tiles.”
[65:4] 332 sn Perhaps the worship of underworld deities or dead spirits is in view.
[65:4] 333 tn The Hebrew text reads literally, “and in the watches they spend the night.” Some understand נְּצוּרִים (nÿtsurim) as referring to “secret places” or “caves,” while others emend the text to וּבֵין צוּרִים (uven tsurim, “between the rocky cliffs”).
[65:4] 334 tn Heb “the flesh of the pig”; KJV, NAB, NASB “swine’s flesh.”
[65:4] 335 tc The marginal reading (Qere), supported by the Qumran scroll 1QIsaa, reads מְרַק (mÿraq, “broth”), while the consonantal text (Kethib) has פְרַק (feraq, “fragment”).
[65:6] 336 tn Heb “Look, it is written before me.”
[65:6] 337 tn Heb “I will pay back into their lap.”
[65:7] 338 tn Heb “the iniquities of your fathers.”
[65:7] 339 tn Or perhaps, “taunted”; KJV “blasphemed”; NAB “disgraced”; NASB “scorned”; NIV “defied”; NRSV “reviled.”
[65:7] 340 tn Heb “I will measure out their pay [from the] beginning into their lap,” i.e., he will give them everything they have earned.
[65:8] 341 tn Heb “just as.” In the Hebrew text the statement is one long sentence, “Just as…, so I will do….”
[65:8] 342 tn Heb “for a blessing is in it.”
[65:8] 343 tn Heb “by not destroying everyone.”
[65:9] 344 tn Heb “it.” The third feminine singular pronominal suffix probably refers to the land which contains the aforementioned mountains.
[65:10] 345 sn Sharon was a plain located to the west, along the Mediterranean coast north of Joppa and south of Carmel.
[65:10] 346 sn The Valley of Achor (“Achor” means “trouble” in Hebrew) was the site of Achan’s execution. It was located to the east, near Jericho.
[65:10] 347 tn Heb “a resting place for cattle”; NASB, NIV “for herds.”
[65:10] 348 tn Heb “for my people who seek me.”
[65:11] 349 tn The Hebrew text has simply, “forget.” The words “about worshiping at” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
[65:11] 350 tn The Hebrew has לַגַּד (laggad, “for Gad”), the name of a pagan deity. See HALOT 176 s.v. II גַּד 2.
[65:11] 351 tn The Hebrew has לַמְנִי (lamni, “for Meni”), the name of a pagan deity. See HALOT 602 s.v. מְגִי.
[65:12] 352 tn Heb “I assign you to the sword.” Some emend the Qal verb form מָנִיתִי (maniti, “I assign”) to the Piel מִנִּיתִי (minniti, “ I ordain”). The verb sounds like the name of the god Meni (מְנִי, mÿni, “Destiny, Fate”). The sound play draws attention to the irony of the statement. The sinners among God’s people worship the god Meni, apparently in an effort to ensure a bright destiny for themselves. But the Lord is the one who really determines their destiny and he has decreed their demise.
[65:12] 353 tn Or “at the slaughter”; NIV “for the slaughter”; NLT “before the executioner.”
[65:12] 354 tn Heb “that which is evil in my eyes.”
[65:14] 355 tn Heb “from the good of the heart.”
[65:14] 356 tn Heb “from the pain of the heart.”
[65:14] 357 tn Heb “from the breaking of the spirit.”
[65:15] 358 tn Heb “you will leave your name for an oath to my chosen ones.”
[65:15] sn For an example of such a curse formula see Jer 29:22.
[65:16] 359 tn Or “in the land” (NIV, NCV, NRSV). The same phrase occurs again later in this verse, with the same options.
[65:16] 360 tn Heb “will pronounce a blessing by the God of truth.”
[65:16] 361 tn Heb “will take an oath by the God of truth.”
[65:16] 362 tn Heb “for the former distresses will be forgotten, and they will be hidden from my eyes.”
[65:17] 363 sn This hyperbolic statement likens the coming transformation of Jerusalem (see vv. 18-19) to a new creation of the cosmos.
[65:17] 364 tn Or perhaps, “the former things” (so ASV, NASB, NIV, NRSV); TEV “The events of the past.”
[65:17] 365 tn Heb “and they will not come up on the mind.”
[65:18] 366 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[65:18] 367 tn Heb “Jerusalem, joy.” The next verse suggests the meaning: The Lord will create Jerusalem to be a source of joy to himself.
[65:18] 368 tn Heb “her people, happiness.” See the preceding note.
[65:19] 369 tn Heb “and I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and be happy in my people.”
[65:20] 370 tn Heb “and there will not be from there again a nursing infant of days,” i.e., one that lives just a few days.
[65:20] 371 tn Heb “or an old [man] who does not fill out his days.”
[65:20] 372 tn Heb “for the child as a son of one hundred years will die.” The point seems to be that those who die at the age of a hundred will be considered children, for the average life span will be much longer than that. The category “child” will be redefined in light of the expanded life spans that will characterize this new era.
[65:20] 373 tn Heb “the one who misses.” חָטָא (khata’) is used here in its basic sense of “miss the mark.” See HALOT 305 s.v. חטא. Another option is to translate, “and the sinner who reaches the age of a hundred will be cursed.”
[65:22] 374 tn Heb “they will not build, and another live [in it].”
[65:22] 375 tn Heb “they will not plant, and another eat.”
[65:22] 376 tn Heb “for like the days of the tree [will be] the days of my people.”
[65:22] 377 tn Heb “the work of their hands” (so KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV); NLT “their hard-won gains.”
[65:23] 378 tn Heb “and they will not give birth to horror.”
[65:23] 379 tn Heb “for offspring blessed by the Lord they [will be], and their descendants along with them.”
[65:24] 380 tn The verb that introduces this verse serves as a discourse particle and is untranslated; see note on “in the future” in 2:2.
[65:25] 381 sn A similar statement appears in 11:6.
[65:25] 382 sn These words also appear in 11:7.
[65:25] 383 sn Some see an allusion to Gen 3:14 (note “you will eat dirt”). The point would be that even in this new era the snake (often taken as a symbol of Satan) remains under God’s curse. However, it is unlikely that such an allusion exists. Even if there is an echo of Gen 3:14, the primary allusion is to 11:8, where snakes are pictured as no longer dangerous. They will no longer attack other living creatures, but will be content to crawl along the ground. (The statement “you will eat dirt” in Gen 3:14 means “you will crawl on the ground.” In the same way the statement “dirt will be its food” in Isa 65:25 means “it will crawl on the ground.”)
[65:25] 384 tn Heb “in all my holy mountain.” These same words appear in 11:9. See the note there.
[65:25] sn As in 11:1-9 the prophet anticipates a time when the categories predator-prey no longer exist. See the note at the end of 11:8.
[66:2] 385 tn Heb “all these.” The phrase refers to the heavens and earth, mentioned in the previous verse.
[66:2] 386 tn Heb “and all these were.” Some prefer to emend וַיִּהְיוּ (vayyihyu, “and they were”) to וְלִי הָיוּ (vÿli hayu, “and to me they were”), i.e., “and they belong to me.”
[66:2] 387 tn Heb “and to this one I look” (KJV and NASB both similar).
[66:2] 388 tn Heb “to the humble and the lowly in spirit and the one who trembles at my words.”
[66:3] 389 tn Heb “one who slaughters a bull, one who strikes down a man.” Some understand a comparison here and in the following lines. In God’s sight the one who sacrifices is like (i.e., regarded as) a murderer or one whose worship is ritually defiled or idolatrous. The translation above assumes that the language is not metaphorical, but descriptive of the sinners’ hypocritical behavior. (Note the last two lines of the verse, which suggests they are guilty of abominable practices.) On the one hand, they act pious and offer sacrifices; but at the same time they commit violent crimes against men, defile their sacrifices, and worship other gods.
[66:3] 390 tn Heb “one who sacrifices a lamb, one who breaks a dog’s neck.” Some understand a comparison, but see the previous note.
[66:3] sn The significance of breaking a dog’s neck is uncertain, though the structure of the statement when compared to the preceding and following lines suggests the action is viewed in a negative light. According to Exod 13:13 and 34:20, one was to “redeem” a firstborn donkey by offering a lamb; if one did not “redeem” the firstborn donkey in this way, then its neck must be broken. According to Deut 21:1-9 a heifer’s neck was to be broken as part of the atonement ritual to purify the land from the guilt of bloodshed. It is not certain if these passages relate in any way to the action described in Isa 66:3.
[66:3] 391 tn Heb “one who offers an offering, pig’s blood.” Some understand a comparison, but see the note at the end of the first line.
[66:3] 392 tn Heb “one who offers incense as a memorial offering, one who blesses something false.” Some understand a comparison, but see the note at the end of the first line. אָוֶן (’aven), which has a wide variety of attested nuances, here refers metonymically to an idol. See HALOT 22 s.v. and BDB 20 s.v. 2.
[66:3] 393 tn Heb “also they have chosen their ways.”
[66:3] 394 tn Heb “their being [or “soul”] takes delight in their disgusting [things].”
[66:4] 395 tn The precise meaning of the noun is uncertain. It occurs only here and in 3:4 (but see the note there). It appears to be derived from the verbal root עָלַל (’alal), which can carry the nuance “deal severely.”
[66:4] 396 tn Heb “that which is evil in my eyes.”
[66:5] 397 tn Heb “who tremble at his word.”
[66:5] 398 tn Heb “brothers” (so NASB, NIV); NRSV “Your own people”; NLT “Your close relatives.”
[66:5] 399 tn Or “so that we might witness your joy.” The point of this statement is unclear.
[66:8] 400 tn Heb “land,” but here אֶרֶץ (’erets) stands metonymically for an organized nation (see the following line).
[66:9] 401 sn The rhetorical questions expect the answer, “Of course not!”
[66:11] 402 tn Or “in order that”; ASV, NRSV “that.”
[66:11] 403 tn Heb “you will suck and be satisfied, from her comforting breast.”
[66:11] 404 tn Heb “you will slurp and refresh yourselves from her heavy breast.”
[66:11] sn Zion’s residents will benefit from and enjoy her great material prosperity. See v. 12.
[66:12] 405 tn Heb “Look, I am ready to extend to her like a river prosperity [or “peace”], and like an overflowing stream, the riches of nations.”
[66:12] 406 tn The words “from her breast” are supplied in the translation for clarification (see v. 11).
[66:13] 407 tn Heb “like a man whose mother comforts him.”
[66:14] 408 tn “and you will see and your heart will be happy.”
[66:14] 409 tn Heb “and your bones like grass will sprout.”
[66:14] 410 tn Heb “and the hand of the Lord will be made known to his servants, and anger to his enemies.”
[66:15] 411 sn Chariots are like a windstorm in their swift movement and in the way that they kick up dust.
[66:15] 412 tn Heb “to cause to return with the rage of his anger, and his battle cry [or “rebuke”] with flames of fire.”
[66:16] 413 tn Heb “flesh” (so KJV, NASB, NRSV); NIV “upon all men”; TEV “all the people of the world.”
[66:16] 414 tn Heb “many are the slain of the Lord.”
[66:17] 415 tn Heb “the ones who consecrate themselves and the ones who purify themselves toward the orchards [or “gardens”] after the one in the midst.” The precise meaning of the statement is unclear, though it is obvious that some form of idolatry is in view.
[66:17] 416 tn Heb “ones who eat the flesh of the pig and the disgusting thing and the mouse.”
[66:17] 417 tn Heb “together they will come to an end.”
[66:18] 418 tc The Hebrew text reads literally “and I, their deeds and their thoughts, am coming.” The syntax here is very problematic, suggesting that the text may have suffered corruption. Some suggest that the words “their deeds and their thoughts” have been displaced from v. 17. This line presents two primary challenges. In the first place, the personal pronoun “I” has no verb after it. Most translations insert “know” for the sake of clarity (NASB, NRSV, NLT, ESV). The NIV has “I, because of their actions and their imaginations…” Since God’s “knowledge” of Israel’s sin occasions judgment, the verb “hate” is an option as well (see above translation). The feminine form of the next verb (בָּאָה, ba’ah) could be understood in one of two ways. One could provide an implied noun “time” (עֵת, ’et) and render the next line “the time is coming/has come” (NASB, ESV). One could also emend the feminine verb to the masculine בָּא (ba’) and have the “I” at the beginning of the line govern this verb as well (for the Lord is speaking here): “I am coming” (cf. NIV, NCV, NRSV, TEV, NLT).
[66:18] 419 tn Heb “and the tongues”; KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV “and tongues.”
[66:19] 420 tn Heb “and I will set a sign among them.” The precise meaning of this statement is unclear. Elsewhere “to set a sign” means “perform a mighty act” (Ps 78:43; Jer 32:20), “make [someone] an object lesson” (Ezek 14:8), and “erect a [literal] standard” (Ps 74:4).
[66:19] 421 tn Some prefer to read “Put” (i.e., Libya).
[66:19] 422 sn That is, Lydia (in Asia Minor).
[66:19] 423 tn Heb “drawers of the bow” (KJV and ASV both similar).
[66:19] 424 sn Javan is generally identified today as Greece (so NIV, NCV, NLT).
[66:19] 425 tn Or “islands” (NIV).
[66:20] 426 tn Heb “brothers” (so NIV); NCV “fellow Israelites.”
[66:20] 427 tn The words “they will bring them” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[66:20] 428 tn The precise meaning of this word is uncertain. Some suggest it refers to “chariots.” See HALOT 498 s.v. *כִּרְכָּרָה.
[66:23] 429 tn Heb “new moon.” The verb that introduces this verse serves as a discourse particle and is untranslated; see note on “in the future” in 2:2.
[66:23] 430 tn Heb “all flesh” (so KJV, ASV, NRSV); NAB, NASB, NIV “all mankind”; NLT “All humanity.”
[66:23] 431 tn Or “bow down before” (NASB).
[66:24] 432 tn Heb “for their worm will not die.”
[66:24] 433 tn Heb “and their fire will not be extinguished.”
[66:24] 434 tn Heb “and they will be an abhorrence to all flesh.”
[66:24] sn This verse depicts a huge mass burial site where the seemingly endless pile of maggot-infested corpses are being burned.
