Yesaya 1:2

Obedience, not Sacrifice

1:2 Listen, O heavens,

pay attention, O earth! ¹ 

For the Lord speaks:

“I raised children, ²  I brought them up, ³ 

but ⁴  they have rebelled ⁵  against me!

Yesaya 2:2

2:2 In the future ⁶ 

the mountain of the Lord’s temple will endure ⁷ 

as the most important of mountains,

and will be the most prominent of hills. ⁸ 

All the nations will stream to it,

Yesaya 3:16

Washing Away Impurity

3:16 The Lord says,

“The women ⁹  of Zion are proud.

They walk with their heads high ¹⁰ 

and flirt with their eyes.

They skip along ¹¹ 

and the jewelry on their ankles jingles. ¹² 

Yesaya 4:2

The Branch of the Lord

4:2 At that time ¹³ 

the crops given by the Lord will bring admiration and honor; ¹⁴ 

the produce of the land will be a source of pride and delight

to those who remain in Israel. ¹⁵ 

Yesaya 7:3

7:3 So the Lord told Isaiah, “Go out with your son Shear-jashub ¹⁶  and meet Ahaz at the end of the conduit of the upper pool which is located on the road to the field where they wash and dry cloth. ¹⁷ 

Yesaya 7:11

7:11 “Ask for a confirming sign from the Lord your God. You can even ask for something miraculous.” ¹⁸ 

Yesaya 7:18

7:18 At that time ¹⁹  the Lord will whistle for flies from the distant streams of Egypt and for bees from the land of Assyria. ²⁰ 

Yesaya 8:1

A Sign-Child is Born

8:1 The Lord told me, “Take a large tablet ²¹  and inscribe these words ²²  on it with an ordinary stylus: ²³  ‘Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz.’ ²⁴ 

Yesaya 8:3

8:3 I then had sexual relations with the prophetess; she conceived and gave birth to a son. The Lord told me, “Name him Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz,

Yesaya 12:1-2

12:1 At that time ²⁵  you will say:

“I praise you, O Lord,

for even though you were angry with me,

your anger subsided, and you consoled me.

12:2 Look, God is my deliverer! ²⁶ 

I will trust in him ²⁷  and not fear.

For the Lord gives me strength and protects me; ²⁸ 

he has become my deliverer.” ²⁹ 

Yesaya 12:4

12:4 At that time ³⁰  you will say:

“Praise the Lord!

Ask him for help! ³¹ 

Publicize his mighty acts among the nations!

Make it known that he is unique! ³² 

Yesaya 13:13

13:13 So I will shake the heavens, ³³ 

and the earth will shake loose from its foundation, ³⁴ 

because of the fury of the Lord who commands armies,

in the day he vents his raging anger. ³⁵ 

Yesaya 14:32

14:32 How will they respond to the messengers of this nation? ³⁶ 

Indeed, the Lord has made Zion secure;

the oppressed among his people will find safety in her.

Yesaya 16:14

16:14 Now the Lord makes this announcement: “Within exactly three years ³⁷  Moab’s splendor will disappear, along with all her many people; there will be just a few, insignificant survivors left.” ³⁸ 

Yesaya 20:3

20:3 Later the Lord explained, “In the same way that my servant Isaiah has walked around in undergarments and barefoot for the past three years, as an object lesson and omen pertaining to Egypt and Cush,

Yesaya 23:17

23:17 At the end of seventy years ³⁹  the Lord will revive ⁴⁰  Tyre. She will start making money again by selling her services to all the earth’s kingdoms. ⁴¹ 

Yesaya 25:1

25:1 O Lord, you are my God! ⁴² 

I will exalt you in praise, I will extol your fame. ⁴³ 

For you have done extraordinary things,

and executed plans made long ago exactly as you decreed. ⁴⁴ 

Yesaya 26:17

26:17 As when a pregnant woman gets ready to deliver

and strains and cries out because of her labor pains,

so were we because of you, O Lord.

Yesaya 27:3

27:3 I, the Lord, protect it; ⁴⁵ 

I water it regularly. ⁴⁶ 

I guard it night and day,

so no one can harm it. ⁴⁷ 

Yesaya 29:22

29:22 So this is what the Lord, the one who delivered Abraham, says to the family of Jacob: ⁴⁸ 

“Jacob will no longer be ashamed;

their faces will no longer show their embarrassment. ⁴⁹ 

Yesaya 30:27

30:27 Look, the name ⁵⁰  of the Lord comes from a distant place

in raging anger and awesome splendor. ⁵¹ 

He speaks angrily

and his word is like destructive fire. ⁵² 

Yesaya 30:32-33

30:32 Every blow from his punishing cudgel, ⁵³ 

with which the Lord will beat them, ⁵⁴ 

will be accompanied by music from the ⁵⁵  tambourine and harp,

and he will attack them with his weapons. ⁵⁶ 

30:33 For ⁵⁷  the burial place is already prepared; ⁵⁸ 

it has been made deep and wide for the king. ⁵⁹ 

The firewood is piled high on it. ⁶⁰ 

The Lord’s breath, like a stream flowing with brimstone,

will ignite it.

Yesaya 33:21

33:21 Instead the Lord will rule there as our mighty king. ⁶¹ 

Rivers and wide streams will flow through it; ⁶² 

no war galley will enter; ⁶³ 

no large ships will sail through. ⁶⁴ 

Yesaya 34:2

34:2 For the Lord is angry at all the nations

and furious with all their armies.

He will annihilate them and slaughter them.

Yesaya 36:18

36:18 Hezekiah is misleading you when he says, “The Lord will rescue us.” Has any of the gods of the nations rescued his land from the power of the king of Assyria? ⁶⁵ 

Yesaya 37:6

37:6 Isaiah said to them, “Tell your master this: ‘This is what the Lord says: “Don’t be afraid because of the things you have heard – these insults the king of Assyria’s servants have hurled against me. ⁶⁶ 

Yesaya 37:21-22

37:21 Isaiah son of Amoz sent this message to Hezekiah: “This is what the Lord God of Israel says: ‘Because you prayed to me concerning King Sennacherib of Assyria, ⁶⁷  37:22 this is what the Lord says about him: ⁶⁸ 

“The virgin daughter Zion ⁶⁹ 

despises you – she makes fun of you;

daughter Jerusalem

shakes her head after you. ⁷⁰ 

Yesaya 37:36

37:36 The Lord’s messenger ⁷¹  went out and killed 185,000 troops ⁷²  in the Assyrian camp. When they ⁷³  got up early the next morning, there were all the corpses! ⁷⁴ 

Yesaya 38:3

38:3 “Please, Lord. Remember how I have served you ⁷⁵  faithfully and with wholehearted devotion, ⁷⁶  and how I have carried out your will.” ⁷⁷  Then Hezekiah wept bitterly. ⁷⁸ 

Yesaya 38:15

38:15 What can I say?

He has decreed and acted. ⁷⁹ 

I will walk slowly all my years because I am overcome with grief. ⁸⁰ 

Yesaya 40:1

The Lord Returns to Jerusalem

40:1 “Comfort, comfort my people,”

says your ⁸¹  God.

Yesaya 40:28

40:28 Do you not know?

Have you not heard?

The Lord is an eternal God,

the creator of the whole earth. ⁸² 

He does not get tired or weary;

there is no limit to his wisdom. ⁸³ 

Yesaya 40:31

40:31 But those who wait for the Lord’s help ⁸⁴  find renewed strength;

they rise up as if they had eagles’ wings, ⁸⁵ 

they run without growing weary,

they walk without getting tired.

Yesaya 41:4

41:4 Who acts and carries out decrees? ⁸⁶ 

Who ⁸⁷  summons the successive generations from the beginning?

I, the Lord, am present at the very beginning,

and at the very end – I am the one. ⁸⁸ 

Yesaya 41:16

41:16 You will winnow them and the wind will blow them away;

the wind will scatter them.

You will rejoice in the Lord;

you will boast in the Holy One of Israel.

Yesaya 42:6

42:6 “I, the Lord, officially commission you; ⁸⁹ 

I take hold of your hand.

I protect you ⁹⁰  and make you a covenant mediator for people, ⁹¹ 

and a light ⁹²  to the nations, ⁹³ 

Yesaya 42:10

42:10 Sing to the Lord a brand new song!

Praise him ⁹⁴  from the horizon of the earth,

you who go down to the sea, and everything that lives in it, ⁹⁵ 

you coastlands ⁹⁶  and those who live there!

Yesaya 42:13

42:13 The Lord emerges like a hero,

like a warrior he inspires himself for battle; ⁹⁷ 

he shouts, yes, he yells,

he shows his enemies his power. ⁹⁸ 

Yesaya 42:19

42:19 My servant is truly blind,

my messenger is truly deaf.

My covenant partner, ⁹⁹  the servant of the Lord, is truly blind. ¹⁰⁰ 

Yesaya 43:14

The Lord Will Do Something New

43:14 This is what the Lord says,

your protector, ¹⁰¹  the Holy One of Israel: ¹⁰² 

“For your sake I send to Babylon

and make them all fugitives, ¹⁰³ 

turning the Babylonians’ joyful shouts into mourning songs. ¹⁰⁴ 

Yesaya 44:2

44:2 This is what the Lord, the one who made you, says –

the one who formed you in the womb and helps you:

“Don’t be afraid, my servant Jacob,

Jeshurun, ¹⁰⁵  whom I have chosen!

Yesaya 45:6

45:6 I do this ¹⁰⁶  so people ¹⁰⁷  will recognize from east to west

that there is no God but me;

I am the Lord, I have no peer.

Yesaya 45:11

45:11 This is what the Lord says,

the Holy One of Israel, ¹⁰⁸  the one who formed him,

concerning things to come: ¹⁰⁹ 

“How dare you question me ¹¹⁰  about my children!

How dare you tell me what to do with ¹¹¹  the work of my own hands!

Yesaya 48:20

48:20 Leave Babylon!

Flee from the Babylonians!

Announce it with a shout of joy!

Make this known!

Proclaim it throughout the earth! ¹¹² 

Say, ‘The Lord protects ¹¹³  his servant Jacob.

Yesaya 49:1

Ideal Israel Delivers the Exiles

49:1 Listen to me, you coastlands! ¹¹⁴ 

Pay attention, you people who live far away!

The Lord summoned me from birth; ¹¹⁵ 

he commissioned me when my mother brought me into the world. ¹¹⁶ 

Yesaya 49:4

49:4 But I thought, ¹¹⁷  “I have worked in vain;

I have expended my energy for absolutely nothing.” ¹¹⁸ 

But the Lord will vindicate me;

my God will reward me. ¹¹⁹ 

Yesaya 49:13

49:13 Shout for joy, O sky! ¹²⁰ 

Rejoice, O earth!

Let the mountains give a joyful shout!

For the Lord consoles his people

and shows compassion to the ¹²¹  oppressed.

Yesaya 49:25

49:25 Indeed,” says the Lord,

“captives will be taken from a warrior;

spoils will be rescued from a conqueror.

I will oppose your adversary

and I will rescue your children.

Yesaya 50:9

50:9 Look, the sovereign Lord helps me.

Who dares to condemn me?

Look, all of them will wear out like clothes;

a moth will eat away at them.

Yesaya 51:1

There is Hope for the Future

51:1 “Listen to me, you who pursue godliness, ¹²² 

who seek the Lord!

Look at the rock from which you were chiseled,

at the quarry ¹²³  from which you were dug! ¹²⁴ 

Yesaya 51:9

51:9 Wake up! Wake up!

Clothe yourself with strength, O arm of the Lord! ¹²⁵ 

Wake up as in former times, as in antiquity!

Did you not smash ¹²⁶  the Proud One? ¹²⁷ 

Did you not ¹²⁸  wound the sea monster? ¹²⁹ 

Yesaya 51:17

51:17 Wake up! Wake up!

Get up, O Jerusalem!

You drank from the cup the Lord passed to you,

which was full of his anger! ¹³⁰ 

You drained dry

the goblet full of intoxicating wine. ¹³¹ 

Yesaya 51:20

51:20 Your children faint;

they lie at the head of every street

like an antelope in a snare.

They are left in a stupor by the Lord’s anger,

by the battle cry of your God. ¹³² 

Yesaya 52:5

52:5 And now, what do we have here?” ¹³³  says the Lord.

“Indeed my people have been carried away for nothing,

those who rule over them taunt,” ¹³⁴  says the Lord,

“and my name is constantly slandered ¹³⁵  all day long.

Yesaya 52:11

52:11 Leave! Leave! Get out of there!

Don’t touch anything unclean!

Get out of it!

Stay pure, you who carry the Lord’s holy items! ¹³⁶ 

Yesaya 54:6

54:6 “Indeed, the Lord will call you back

like a wife who has been abandoned and suffers from depression, ¹³⁷ 

like a young wife when she has been rejected,” says your God.

Yesaya 54:10

54:10 Even if the mountains are removed

and the hills displaced,

my devotion will not be removed from you,

nor will my covenant of friendship ¹³⁸  be displaced,”

says the Lord, the one who has compassion on you.

Yesaya 55:5

55:5 Look, you will summon nations ¹³⁹  you did not previously know;

nations ¹⁴⁰  that did not previously know you will run to you,

because of the Lord your God,

the Holy One of Israel, ¹⁴¹ 

for he bestows honor on you.

Yesaya 56:1

The Lord Invites Outsiders to Enter

56:1 This is what the Lord says,

“Promote ¹⁴²  justice! Do what is right!

For I am ready to deliver you;

I am ready to vindicate you openly. ¹⁴³ 

Yesaya 58:8

58:8 Then your light will shine like the sunrise; ¹⁴⁴ 

your restoration will quickly arrive; ¹⁴⁵ 

your godly behavior ¹⁴⁶  will go before you,

and the Lord’s splendor will be your rear guard. ¹⁴⁷ 

Yesaya 59:15

59:15 Honesty has disappeared;

the one who tries to avoid evil is robbed.

The Lord watches and is displeased, ¹⁴⁸ 

for there is no justice.

Yesaya 60:6

60:6 Camel caravans will cover your roads, ¹⁴⁹ 

young camels from Midian and Ephah.

All the merchants of Sheba ¹⁵⁰  will come,

bringing gold and incense

and singing praises to the Lord. ¹⁵¹ 

Yesaya 60:16

60:16 You will drink the milk of nations;

you will nurse at the breasts of kings. ¹⁵² 

Then you will recognize that I, the Lord, am your deliverer,

your protector, ¹⁵³  the powerful ruler of Jacob. ¹⁵⁴ 

Yesaya 60:19-20

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. ¹⁵⁵ 

60:20 Your sun will no longer set;

your moon will not disappear; ¹⁵⁶ 

the Lord will be your permanent source of light;

your time ¹⁵⁷  of sorrow will be over.

Yesaya 60:22

60:22 The least of you will multiply into ¹⁵⁸  a thousand;

the smallest of you will become a large nation.

When the right time comes, I the Lord will quickly do this!” ¹⁵⁹ 

Yesaya 61:8

61:8 For I, the Lord, love justice

and hate robbery and sin.

I will repay them because of my faithfulness; ¹⁶⁰ 

I will make a permanent covenant with them.

Yesaya 62:2

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. ¹⁶¹ 

Yesaya 62:6

62:6 I ¹⁶²  post watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem;

they should keep praying all day and all night. ¹⁶³ 

You who pray to ¹⁶⁴  the Lord, don’t be silent!

Yesaya 62:9

62:9 But those who harvest the grain ¹⁶⁵  will eat it,

and will praise the Lord.

Those who pick the grapes will drink the wine ¹⁶⁶ 

in the courts of my holy sanctuary.”

Yesaya 63:14

63:14 Like an animal that goes down into a valley to graze, ¹⁶⁷ 

so the Spirit of the Lord granted them rest.

In this way ¹⁶⁸  you guided your people,

gaining for yourself an honored reputation. ¹⁶⁹ 

Yesaya 64:9

64:9 Lord, do not be too angry!

Do not hold our sins against us continually! ¹⁷⁰ 

Take a good look at your people, at all of us! ¹⁷¹ 

Yesaya 66:1

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?

Yesaya 66:12

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. ¹⁷² 

You will nurse from her breast ¹⁷³  and be carried at her side;

you will play on her knees.

Yesaya 66:15

66:15 For look, the Lord comes with fire,

his chariots come like a windstorm, ¹⁷⁴ 

to reveal his raging anger,

his battle cry, and his flaming arrows. ¹⁷⁵ 

[1:2]  ¹ sn The personified heavens and earth are summoned to God’s courtroom as witnesses against God’s covenant people. Long before this Moses warned the people that the heavens and earth would be watching their actions (see Deut 4:26; 30:19; 31:28; 32:1).

[1:2]  ² tn Or “sons” (NAB, NASB).

[1:2]  sn “Father” and “son” occur as common terms in ancient Near Eastern treaties and covenants, delineating the suzerain and vassal as participants in the covenant relationship. The prophet uses these terms, the reference to heavens and earth as witnesses, and allusions to deuteronomic covenant curses (1:7-9, 19-20) to set his prophecy firmly against the backdrop of Israel’s covenantal relationship with Yahweh.

[1:2]  ³ sn The normal word pair for giving birth to and raising children is יָלַד (yalad, “to give birth to”) and גָּדַל (gadal, “to grow, raise”). The pair גָּדַל and רוּם (rum, “to raise up”) probably occur here to highlight the fact that Yahweh made something important of Israel (cf. R. Mosis, TDOT 2:403).

[1:2]  ⁴ sn Against the backdrop of Yahweh’s care for his chosen people, Israel’s rebellion represents abhorrent treachery. The conjunction prefixed to a nonverbal element highlights the sad contrast between Yahweh’s compassionate care for His people and Israel’s thankless rebellion.

[1:2]  ⁵ sn To rebel carries the idea of “covenant treachery.” Although an act of פֶּשַׁע (pesha’, “rebellion”) often signifies a breach of the law, the legal offense also represents a violation of an existing covenantal relationship (E. Carpenter and M. Grisanti, NIDOTTE 3:707).

[2:2]  ⁶ tn Heb “in the end of the days.” This phrase may refer generally to the future, or more technically to the final period of history. See BDB 31 s.v. ַאחֲרִית. The verse begins with a verb that functions as a “discourse particle” and is not translated. In numerous places throughout the OT, the “to be” verb with a prefixed conjunction (וְהָיָה [vÿhayah] and וַיְהִי [vayÿhi]) occurs in this fashion to introduce a circumstantial clause and does not require translation.

[2:2]  ⁷ tn Or “be established” (KJV, NIV, NRSV).

[2:2]  ⁸ tn Heb “as the chief of the mountains, and will be lifted up above the hills.” The image of Mount Zion being elevated above other mountains and hills pictures the prominence it will attain in the future.

[3:16]  ⁹ tn Heb “daughters” (so KJV, NAB, NRSV).

[3:16]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “with an outstretched neck.” They proudly hold their heads high so that others can see the jewelry around their necks.

[3:16]  ¹¹ tn Heb “walking and skipping, they walk.”

[3:16]  ¹² tn Heb “and with their feet they jingle.”

[4:2]  ¹³ tn Or “in that day” (KJV).

[4:2]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “and the vegetation of the Lord will become beauty and honor.” Many English versions understand the phrase צֶמַח יְהוָה (tsemakh yÿhvah) as a messianic reference and render it, “the Branch of the Lord” (so KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT, and others). Though צֶמַח (tsemakh) is used by later prophets of a royal descendant (Jer 23;5; 33:15; Zech 3:8; 6:12), those passages contain clear contextual indicators that a human ruler is in view and that the word is being used in a metaphorical way of offspring. However, in Isa 4:2 there are no such contextual indicators. To the contrary, in the parallel structure of the verse צֶמַח יְהוָה corresponds to “produce of the land,” a phrase that refers elsewhere exclusively to literal agricultural produce (see Num 13:20, 26; Deut 1:25). In the majority of its uses צֶמַח refers to literal crops or vegetation (in Ps 65:10 the Lord is the source of this vegetation). A reference to the Lord restoring crops would make excellent sense in Isa 4 and the prophets frequently included this theme in their visions of the future age (see Isa 30:23-24; 32:20; Jer 31:12; Ezek 34:26-29; and Amos 9:13-14).

[4:2]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “and the fruit of the land will become pride and beauty for the remnant of Israel.”

[7:3]  ¹⁶ tn The name means “a remnant will return.” Perhaps in this context, where the Lord is trying to encourage Ahaz, the name suggests that only a few of the enemy invaders will return home; the rest will be defeated.

[7:3]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “the field of the washer”; traditionally “the fuller’s field” (so KJV, NAB, NASB, NRSV); NIV “the Washerman’s Field.”

[7:11]  ¹⁸ tn Heb “Make it as deep as Sheol or make it high upwards.” These words suggest that Ahaz can feel free to go beyond the bounds of ordinary human experience.

[7:18]  ¹⁹ tn Heb “in that day” (so KJV). The verb that introduces this verse serves as a discourse particle and is untranslated; see note on “in the future” in 2:2.

[7:18]  ²⁰ sn Swarming flies are irritating; bees are irritating and especially dangerous because of the pain they inflict with their sting (see Deut 1:44; Ps 118:12). The metaphors are well chosen, for the Assyrians (symbolized by the bees) were much more powerful and dangerous than the Egyptians (symbolized by the flies). Nevertheless both would put pressure on Judah, for Egypt wanted Judah as a buffer state against Assyrian aggression, while Assyrian wanted it as a base for operations against Egypt. Following the reference to sour milk and honey, the metaphor is especially apt, for flies are attracted to dairy products and bees can be found in the vicinity of honey.

[8:1]  ²¹ sn Probably made of metal, wood, or leather. See HALOT 193 s.v. גִּלָּיוֹן.

[8:1]  ²² tn Heb “write” (so KJV, ASV, NIV, NRSV).

[8:1]  ²³ tn Heb “with the stylus of a man.” The significance of the qualifying genitive “a man” is uncertain. For various interpretations see J. N. Oswalt, Isaiah (NICOT), 1:219, n. 1.

[8:1]  ²⁴ tn Heb “quickly, [the] plunder; it hurries, [the] loot.” The first word (מַהֵר, maher) is either a Piel imperative (“hurry [to]”) or infinitive (“hurrying,” or “quickly”). The third word (חָשׁ, khash) is either a third masculine singular perfect or a masculine singular participle, in either case from the root חוּשׁ (khush, “hurry”). Perhaps it is best to translate, “One hastens to the plunder, one hurries to the loot.” In this case מַהֵר is understood as an infinitive functioning as a verb, the subject of חוּשׁ is taken as indefinite, and the two nouns are understood as adverbial accusatives. As we discover in v. 3, this is the name of the son to be born to Isaiah through the prophetess.

[12:1]  ²⁵ tn Or “in that day” (KJV).

[12:2]  ²⁶ tn Or “salvation” (KJV, NIV, NRSV).

[12:2]  ²⁷ tn The words “in him” are supplied in the translation for clarification.

[12:2]  ²⁸ tc The Hebrew text has, “for my strength and protection [is] the Lord, the Lord (Heb “Yah, Yahweh).” The word יְהוָה (yehvah) is probably dittographic or explanatory here (note that the short form of the name [יָהּ, yah] precedes, and that the graphically similar וַיְהִי [vayÿhi] follows). Exod 15:2, the passage from which the words of v. 2b are taken, has only יָהּ. The word זִמְרָת (zimrat) is traditionally understood as meaning “song,” in which case one might translate, “for the Lord gives me strength and joy” (i.e., a reason to sing); note that in v. 5 the verb זָמַר (zamar, “sing”) appears. Many recent commentators, however, have argued that the noun is here instead a homonym, meaning “protection” or “strength.” See HALOT 274 s.v. III *זמר.

[12:2]  ²⁹ tn Or “salvation” (so many English versions, e.g., KJV, NIV, NRSV, NLT); NAB “my savior.”

[12:4]  ³⁰ tn Or “in that day” (KJV).

[12:4]  ³¹ tn Heb “call in his name,” i.e., “invoke his name.”

[12:4]  ³² tn Heb “bring to remembrance that his name is exalted.” The Lord’s “name” stands here for his character and reputation.

[13:13]  ³³ tn Or “the sky.” The Hebrew term שָׁמַיִם (shamayim) may be translated “heavens” or “sky” depending on the context.

[13:13]  ³⁴ tn Heb “from its place” (so NAB, NASB, NIV, NCV).

[13:13]  ³⁵ tn Heb “and in the day of the raging of his anger.”

[14:32]  ³⁶ sn The question forces the Philistines to consider the dilemma they will face – surrender and oppression, or battle and death.

[16:14]  ³⁷ tn Heb “in three years, like the years of a hired worker.” The three years must be reckoned exactly, just as a hired worker would carefully keep track of the time he had agreed to work for an employer in exchange for a predetermined wage.

[16:14]  ³⁸ tn Heb “and the splendor of Moab will be disgraced with all the great multitude, and a small little remnant will not be strong.”

[23:17]  ³⁹ tn The verb that introduces this verse serves as a discourse particle and is untranslated; see note on “in the future” in 2:2.

[23:17]  ⁴⁰ tn Heb “visit [with favor]” (cf. KJV, NAB, NASB, NRSV); NIV “will deal with.”

[23:17]  ⁴¹ tn Heb “and she will return to her [prostitute’s] wages and engage in prostitution with all the kingdoms of the earth on the face of the earth.”

[25:1]  ⁴² sn The prophet speaks here as one who has observed the coming judgment of the proud.

[25:1]  ⁴³ tn Heb “name.” See the note at 24:15.

[25:1]  ⁴⁴ tn Heb “plans from long ago [in] faithfulness, trustworthiness.” The feminine noun אֱמוּנָה (’emunah, “faithfulness”) and masculine noun אֹמֶן (’omen, “trustworthiness”), both of which are derived from the root אָמַן (’aman), are juxtaposed to emphasize the basic idea conveyed by the synonyms. Here they describe the absolute reliability of the divine plans.

[27:3]  ⁴⁵ tn Heb “her.” Apparently “vineyard” is the antecedent, though normally this noun is understood as masculine (see Lev 25:3, however).

[27:3]  ⁴⁶ tn Or perhaps, “constantly.” Heb “by moments.”

[27:3]  ⁴⁷ tn Heb “lest [someone] visit [harm] upon it, night and day I guard it.”

[29:22]  ⁴⁸ tn Heb “So this is what the Lord says to the house of Jacob, the one who ransomed Abraham.” The relative pronoun must refer back to “the Lord,” not to the immediately preceding “Jacob.” It is uncertain to what event in Abraham’s experience this refers. Perhaps the name “Abraham” stands here by metonymy for his descendants through Jacob. If so, the Exodus is in view.

[29:22]  ⁴⁹ tn Heb “and his face will no longer be pale.”

[30:27]  ⁵⁰ sn The “name” of the Lord sometimes stands by metonymy for the Lord himself, see Exod 23:21; Lev 24:11; Pss 54:1 (54:3 HT); 124:8. In Isa 30:27 the point is that he reveals that aspect of his character which his name suggests – he comes as Yahweh (“he is present”), the ever present helper of his people who annihilates their enemies and delivers them. The name “Yahweh” originated in a context where God assured a fearful Moses that he would be with him as he confronted Pharaoh and delivered Israel from slavery in Egypt. See Exod 3.

[30:27]  ⁵¹ tn Heb “his anger burns, and heaviness of elevation.” The meaning of the phrase “heaviness of elevation” is unclear, for מַשָּׂאָה (masa’ah, “elevation”) occurs only here. Some understand the term as referring to a cloud (elevated above the earth’s surface), in which case one might translate, “and in heavy clouds” (cf. NAB “with lowering clouds”). Others relate the noun to מָשָׂא (masa’, “burden”) and interpret it as a reference to judgment. In this case one might translate, “and with severe judgment.” The present translation assumes that the noun refers to his glory and that “heaviness” emphasizes its degree.

[30:27]  ⁵² tn Heb “his lips are full of anger, and his tongue is like consuming fire.” The Lord’s lips and tongue are used metonymically for his word (or perhaps his battle cry; see v. 31).

[30:32]  ⁵³ tc The Hebrew text has “every blow from a founded [i.e., “appointed”?] cudgel.” The translation above, with support from a few medieval Hebrew mss, assumes an emendation of מוּסָדָה (musadah, “founded”) to מוּסָרֹה (musaroh, “his discipline”).

[30:32]  ⁵⁴ tn Heb “which the Lord lays on him.”

[30:32]  ⁵⁵ tn Heb “will be with” (KJV similar).

[30:32]  ⁵⁶ tn The Hebrew text reads literally, “and with battles of brandishing [weapons?] he will fight against him.” Some prefer to emend וּבְמִלְחֲמוֹת (uvÿmilkhamot, “and with battles of”) to וּבִמְחֹלוֹת (uvimkholot, “and with dancing”). Note the immediately preceding references to musical instruments.

[30:33]  ⁵⁷ tn Or “indeed.”

[30:33]  ⁵⁸ tc The Hebrew text reads literally, “for arranged from before [or “yesterday”] is [?].” The meaning of תָּפְתֶּה (tafÿteh), which occurs only here, is unknown. The translation above (as with most English versions) assumes an emendation to תֹּפֶת (tofet, “Topheth”; cf. NASB, NIV, NLT) and places the final hey (ה) on the beginning of the next word as an interrogative particle. Topheth was a place near Jerusalem used as a burial ground (see Jer 7:32; 19:11).

[30:33]  ⁵⁹ tn The Hebrew text reads literally, “Also it is made ready for the king, one makes it deep and wide.” If one takes the final hey (ה) on תָּפְתֶּה (tafÿteh) and prefixes it to גָּם (gam) as an interrogative particle (see the preceding note), one can translate, “Is it also made ready for the king?” In this case the question is rhetorical and expects an emphatic affirmative answer, “Of course it is!”

[30:33]  ⁶⁰ tn Heb “its pile of wood, fire and wood one makes abundant.”

[30:33]  sn Apparently this alludes to some type of funeral rite.

[33:21]  ⁶¹ tn Heb “But there [as] a mighty one [will be] the Lord for us.”

[33:21]  ⁶² tn Heb “a place of rivers, streams wide of hands [i.e., on both sides].”

[33:21]  ⁶³ tn Heb “a ship of rowing will not go into it.”

[33:21]  ⁶⁴ tn Heb “and a mighty ship will not pass through it.”

[36:18]  ⁶⁵ tn Heb “Have the gods of the nations rescued, each his land, from the hand of the king of Assyria?” The rhetorical question expects the answer, “Of course not!”

[37:6]  ⁶⁶ tn Heb “by which the servants of the king of Assyria have insulted me.”

[37:21]  ⁶⁷ tn The parallel text in 2 Kgs 19:20 reads, “That which you prayed to me concerning Sennacherib king of Assyria I have heard.” The verb “I have heard” does not appear in Isa 37:21, where אֲשֶׁר (’asher) probably has a causal sense: “because.”

[37:22]  ⁶⁸ tn Heb “this is the word which the Lord has spoken about him.”

[37:22]  ⁶⁹ sn Zion (Jerusalem) is pictured here as a young, vulnerable daughter whose purity is being threatened by the would-be Assyrian rapist. The personification hints at the reality which the young girls of the city would face if the Assyrians conquer it.

[37:22]  ⁷⁰ sn Shaking the head was a mocking gesture of derision.

[37:36]  ⁷¹ tn Traditionally, “the angel of the Lord” (so NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT).

[37:36]  ⁷² tn The word “troops” is supplied in the translation for smoothness and clarity.

[37:36]  ⁷³ tn This refers to the Israelites and/or the rest of the Assyrian army.

[37:36]  ⁷⁴ tn Heb “look, all of them were dead bodies”; NLT “they found corpses everywhere.”

[38:3]  ⁷⁵ tn Heb “walked before you.” For a helpful discussion of the background and meaning of this Hebrew idiom, see M. Cogan and H. Tadmor, II Kings (AB), 254.

[38:3]  ⁷⁶ tn Heb “and with a complete heart”; KJV, ASV “with a perfect heart.”

[38:3]  ⁷⁷ tn Heb “and that which is good in your eyes I have done.”

[38:3]  ⁷⁸ tn Heb “wept with great weeping”; NCV “cried loudly”; TEV “began to cry bitterly.”

[38:15]  ⁷⁹ tn Heb “and he has spoken and he has acted.”

[38:15]  ⁸⁰ tn Heb “because of the bitterness of my soul.”

[40:1]  ⁸¹ tn The pronominal suffix is second masculine plural. The identity of the addressee is uncertain: (1) God’s people may be addressed, or (2) the unidentified heralds commanded to comfort Jerusalem.

[40:28]  ⁸² tn Heb “the ends of the earth,” but this is a merism, where the earth’s extremities stand for its entirety, i.e., the extremities and everything in between them.

[40:28]  ⁸³ sn Exiled Israel’s complaint (v. 27) implies that God might be limited in some way. Perhaps he, like so many of the pagan gods, has died. Or perhaps his jurisdiction is limited to Judah and does not include Babylon. Maybe he is unable to devise an adequate plan to rescue his people, or is unable to execute it. But v. 28 affirms that he is not limited temporally or spatially nor is his power and wisdom restricted in any way. He can and will deliver his people, if they respond in hopeful faith (v. 31a).

[40:31]  ⁸⁴ tn The words “for the Lord’s help” are supplied in the translation for clarification.

[40:31]  ⁸⁵ tn Heb “they rise up [on] wings like eagles” (TEV similar).

[41:4]  ⁸⁶ tn Heb “Who acts and accomplishes?”; NASB “Who has performed and accomplished it.”

[41:4]  ⁸⁷ tn The interrogative particle is understood by ellipsis (note the preceding line).

[41:4]  ⁸⁸ tn Heb “I, the Lord, [am with] the first, and with the last ones I [am] he.”

[42:6]  ⁸⁹ tn Heb “call you in righteousness.” The pronoun “you” is masculine singular, referring to the servant. See the note at 41:2.

[42:6]  ⁹⁰ tn The translation assumes the verb is derived from the root נָצַר (natsar, “protect”). Some prefer to derive it from the root יָצַר (yatsar, “form”).

[42:6]  ⁹¹ tn Heb “a covenant of people.” A person cannot literally be a covenant; בְּרִית (bÿrit) is probably metonymic here, indicating a covenant mediator. The precise identity of עָם (’am, “people”) is uncertain. In v. 5 עָם refers to mankind, and the following reference to “nations” also favors this. But in 49:8, where the phrase בְּרִית עָם occurs again, Israel seems to be in view.

[42:6]  ⁹² sn Light here symbolizes deliverance from bondage and oppression; note the parallelism in 49:6b and in 51:4-6.

[42:6]  ⁹³ tn Or “the Gentiles” (so KJV, ASV, NIV); the same Hebrew word can be translated “nations” or “Gentiles” depending on the context.

[42:10]  ⁹⁴ tn Heb “his praise.” The phrase stands parallel to “new song” in the previous line.

[42:10]  ⁹⁵ tn Heb “and its fullness”; NASB, NIV “and all that is in it.”

[42:10]  ⁹⁶ tn Or “islands” (NASB, NIV); NLT “distant coastlands.”

[42:13]  ⁹⁷ tn Heb “like a man of war he stirs up zeal” (NIV similar).

[42:13]  ⁹⁸ tn Or perhaps, “he triumphs over his enemies” (cf. NIV); NLT “will crush all his enemies.”

[42:19]  ⁹⁹ tc The precise meaning of מְשֻׁלָּם (mÿshullam) in this context is uncertain. In later biblical Hebrew the form (which appears to be a Pual participle from the root שָׁלַם, shalam) occurs as a proper name, Meshullam. The Pual of שָׁלַם (“be complete”) is attested with the meaning “repaid, requited,” but that makes little sense here. BDB 1023 s.v. שָׁלַם relates the form to the denominative verb שָׁלַם (“be at peace”) and paraphrases “one in a covenant of peace” (J. N. Oswalt suggests “the covenanted one”; Isaiah [NICOT], 2:128, n. 59) Some emend the form to מֹשְׁלָם (moshÿlam, “their ruler”) or to מְשֻׁלָּחִי (mÿshullakhi, “my sent [or “commissioned”] one”), which fits nicely in the parallelism (note “my messenger” in the previous line). The translation above assumes an emendation to כְּמוֹ שֹׁלְמִי (kÿmo sholÿmi, “like my ally”). Isaiah uses כְּמוֹ in 30:22 and perhaps 51:5; for שֹׁלְמי (“my ally”) see Ps 7:5 HT (7:4 ET).

[42:19]  ¹⁰⁰ tn Heb “Who is blind but my servant, and deaf like my messenger I send? Who is blind like my commissioned one, blind like the servant of the Lord?” The point of the rhetorical questions is that no one is as blind/deaf as this servant. In this context the Lord’s “servant” is exiled Israel (cf. 41:8-9), which is spiritually blind and deaf and has failed to fulfill God’s purpose for it. This servant stands in contrast to the ideal “Israel” of the servant songs.

[43:14]  ¹⁰¹ tn Or “kinsman redeemer.” See the note at 41:14.

[43:14]  ¹⁰² sn See the note on the phrase “the Holy One of Israel” in 1:4.

[43:14]  ¹⁰³ tn Heb “and I bring down [as] fugitives all of them.”

[43:14]  ¹⁰⁴ tn The Hebrew text reads literally, “as for the Babylonians, in ships their joyful shout.” This might be paraphrased, “even the Babylonians in the ships [over which] they joyfully shouted.” The point would be that the Lord caused the Babylonians to flee for safety in the ships in which they took such great pride. A slight change in vocalization yields the reading “into mourning songs,” which provides a good contrast with “joyful shout.” The prefixed bet (בְּ) would indicate identity.

[44:2]  ¹⁰⁵ sn Jeshurun is a poetic name for Israel; it occurs here and in Deut 32:15; 33:5, 26.

[45:6]  ¹⁰⁶ tn The words “I do this” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[45:6]  ¹⁰⁷ tn Heb “they” (so KJV, ASV); TEV, CEV “everyone”; NLT “all the world.”

[45:11]  ¹⁰⁸ sn See the note on the phrase “the Holy One of Israel” in 1:4.

[45:11]  ¹⁰⁹ tc The Hebrew text reads “the one who formed him, the coming things.” Among various suggestions, some have proposed an emendation of יֹצְרוֹ (yotsÿro, “the one who formed him”) to יֹצֵר (yotser, “the one who forms”; the suffixed form in the Hebrew text may be influenced by vv. 9-10, where the same form appears twice) and takes “coming things” as the object of the participle (either objective genitive or accusative): “the one who brings the future into being.”

[45:11]  ¹¹⁰ tn Heb “Ask me” The rhetorical command sarcastically expresses the Lord’s disgust with those who question his ways.

[45:11]  ¹¹¹ tn Heb “Do you command me about…?” The rhetorical question sarcastically expresses the Lord’s disgust with those who question his ways.

[48:20]  ¹¹² tn Heb “to the end of the earth” (so KJV, NASB, NRSV).

[48:20]  ¹¹³ tn Heb “redeems.” See the note at 41:14.

[49:1]  ¹¹⁴ tn Or “islands” (NASB, NIV); NLT “in far-off lands.”

[49:1]  sn The Lord’s special servant, introduced in chap. 42, speaks here of his commission.

[49:1]  ¹¹⁵ tn Heb “called me from the womb.”

[49:1]  ¹¹⁶ tn Heb “from the inner parts of my mother he mentioned my name.”

[49:4]  ¹¹⁷ tn Or “said” (KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV); NLT “I replied.”

[49:4]  ¹¹⁸ tn Heb “for nothing and emptiness.” Synonyms are combined to emphasize the common idea.

[49:4]  ¹¹⁹ tn Heb “But my justice is with the Lord, and my reward [or “wage”] with my God.”

[49:13]  ¹²⁰ tn Or “O heavens.” The Hebrew term שָׁמַיִם (shamayim) may be translated “heavens” or “sky” depending on the context.

[49:13]  ¹²¹ tn Heb “his” (so KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV).

[51:1]  ¹²² tn Or “righteousness” (KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV); NAB “justice”; NLT “hope for deliverance.”

[51:1]  ¹²³ tn Heb “the excavation of the hole.”

[51:1]  ¹²⁴ sn The “rock” and “quarry” refer here to Abraham and Sarah, the progenitors of the nation.

[51:9]  ¹²⁵ tn The arm of the Lord is a symbol of divine military power. Here it is personified and told to arouse itself from sleep and prepare for action.

[51:9]  ¹²⁶ tn Heb “Are you not the one who smashed?” The feminine singular forms agree grammatically with the feminine noun “arm.” The Hebrew text has ַהמַּחְצֶבֶת (hammakhtsevet), from the verbal root חָצַב (khatsav, “hew, chop”). The Qumran scroll 1QIsa^a has, probably correctly, המחצת, from the verbal root מָחַץ (makhats, “smash”) which is used in Job 26:12 to describe God’s victory over “the Proud One.”

[51:9]  ¹²⁷ tn This title (רַהַב, rahav, “proud one”) is sometimes translated as a proper name: “Rahab” (cf. NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV). It is used here of a symbolic sea monster, known elsewhere in the Bible and in Ugaritic myth as Leviathan. This sea creature symbolizes the forces of chaos that seek to destroy the created order. In the Bible “the Proud One” opposes God’s creative work, but is defeated (see Job 26:12; Ps 89:10). Here the title refers to Pharaoh’s Egyptian army that opposed Israel at the Red Sea (see v. 10, and note also Isa 30:7 and Ps 87:4, where the title is used of Egypt).

[51:9]  ¹²⁸ tn The words “did you not” are understood by ellipsis (note the preceding line). The rhetorical questions here and in v. 10 expect the answer, “Yes, you certainly did!”

[51:9]  ¹²⁹ tn Hebrew תַּנִּין (tannin) is another name for the symbolic sea monster. See the note at 27:1. In this context the sea creature represents Egypt. See the note on the title “Proud One” earlier in this verse.

[51:17]  ¹³⁰ tn Heb “[you] who have drunk from the hand of the Lord the cup of his anger.”

[51:17]  ¹³¹ tn Heb “the goblet, the cup [that causes] staggering, you drank, you drained.”

[51:20]  ¹³² tn Heb “those who are full of the anger of the Lord, the shout [or “rebuke”] of your God.”

[52:5]  ¹³³ tn Heb “and now what [following the marginal reading (Qere)] to me here?”

[52:5]  ¹³⁴ tn The verb appears to be a Hiphil form from the root יָלַל (yalal, “howl”), perhaps here in the sense of “mock.” Some emend the form to יְהוֹלָּלוֹ (yÿhollalo) and understand a Polel form of the root הָלַל meaning here “mock, taunt.”

[52:5]  ¹³⁵ tn The verb is apparently a Hitpolal form (with assimilated tav, ת) from the root נָאַץ (na’ats), but GKC 151-52 §55.b explains it as a mixed form, combining Pual and Hitpolel readings.

[52:11]  ¹³⁶ tn Heb “the vessels of the Lord” (so KJV, NAB).

[54:6]  ¹³⁷ tn Heb “like a woman abandoned and grieved in spirit.”

[54:10]  ¹³⁸ tn Heb “peace” (so many English versions); NLT “of blessing.”

[55:5]  ¹³⁹ tn Heb “a nation,” but the singular is collective here, as the plural verbs in the next line indicate (note that both “know” and “run” are third plural forms).

[55:5]  ¹⁴⁰ tn Heb “a nation,” but the singular is collective here, as the plural verbs that follow indicate.

[55:5]  ¹⁴¹ sn See the note on the phrase “the Holy One of Israel” in 1:4.

[56:1]  ¹⁴² tn Heb “guard”; KJV “Keep”; NAB “Observe”; NASB “Preserve”; NIV, NRSV “Maintain.”

[56:1]  ¹⁴³ tn Heb “for near is my deliverance to enter, and my vindication [or “righteousness”] to be revealed.”

[58:8]  ¹⁴⁴ 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]  ¹⁴⁵ tn Heb “prosper”; KJV “spring forth speedily.”

[58:8]  ¹⁴⁶ tn Or “righteousness.” Their godly behavior will be on display for all to see.

[58:8]  ¹⁴⁷ sn The nation will experience God’s protective presence.

[59:15]  ¹⁴⁸ tn Heb “and it is displeasing in his eyes.”

[60:6]  ¹⁴⁹ tn Heb “an abundance of camels will cover you.”

[60:6]  ¹⁵⁰ tn Heb “all of them, from Sheba.”

[60:6]  ¹⁵¹ tn Heb “and they will announce the praises of the Lord.”

[60:16]  ¹⁵² 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]  ¹⁵³ tn Or “redeemer.” See the note at 41:14.

[60:16]  ¹⁵⁴ sn See 1:24 and 49:26.

[60:19]  ¹⁵⁵ tn Heb “and your God for your splendor.”

[60:20]  ¹⁵⁶ 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]  ¹⁵⁷ tn Heb “days” (so KJV, NAB, NIV, NRSV, NLT).

[60:22]  ¹⁵⁸ tn Heb “will become” (so NASB, NIV).

[60:22]  ¹⁵⁹ tn Heb “I, the Lord, in its time, I will quickly do it.”

[61:8]  ¹⁶⁰ tn Heb “in faithfulness”; NASB, NRSV, NLT “faithfully.”

[62:2]  ¹⁶¹ tn Heb “which the mouth of the Lord will designate.”

[62:6]  ¹⁶² sn The speaker here is probably the prophet.

[62:6]  ¹⁶³ 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]  ¹⁶⁴ tn Or “invoke”; NIV “call on”; NASB, NRSV “remind.”

[62:9]  ¹⁶⁵ tn Heb “it,” the grain mentioned in v. 8a.

[62:9]  ¹⁶⁶ 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.

[63:14]  ¹⁶⁷ tn The words “to graze” are supplied in the translation for clarification.

[63:14]  ¹⁶⁸ tn Or “so” (KJV, ASV), or “thus” (NAB, NRSV).

[63:14]  ¹⁶⁹ tn Heb “making for yourself a majestic name.”

[64:9]  ¹⁷⁰ tn Heb “do not remember sin continually.”

[64:9]  ¹⁷¹ tn Heb “Look, gaze at your people, all of us.” Another option is to translate, “Take a good look! We are all your people.”

[66:12]  ¹⁷² 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]  ¹⁷³ tn The words “from her breast” are supplied in the translation for clarification (see v. 11).

[66:15]  ¹⁷⁴ sn Chariots are like a windstorm in their swift movement and in the way that they kick up dust.

[66:15]  ¹⁷⁵ tn Heb “to cause to return with the rage of his anger, and his battle cry [or “rebuke”] with flames of fire.”