Yesaya 7:18

7:18 At that time ¹  the Lord will whistle for flies from the distant streams of Egypt and for bees from the land of Assyria. ² 

Yesaya 30:8

30:8 Now go, write it ³  down on a tablet in their presence, ⁴ 

inscribe it on a scroll,

so that it might be preserved for a future time

as an enduring witness. ⁵ 

Yesaya 38:14

38:14 Like a swallow or a thrush I chirp,

I coo ⁶  like a dove;

my eyes grow tired from looking up to the sky. ⁷ 

O sovereign master, ⁸  I am oppressed;

help me! ⁹ 

Yesaya 43:6

43:6 I will say to the north, ‘Hand them over!’

and to the south, ‘Don’t hold any back!’

Bring my sons from distant lands,

and my daughters from the remote regions of the earth,

Yesaya 47:12

47:12 Persist ¹⁰  in trusting ¹¹  your amulets

and your many incantations,

which you have faithfully recited ¹²  since your youth!

Maybe you will be successful ¹³  –

maybe you will scare away disaster. ¹⁴ 

[7:18]  ¹ 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]  ² 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.

[30:8]  ³ tn The referent of the third feminine singular pronominal suffix is uncertain. Perhaps it refers to the preceding message, which accuses the people of rejecting the Lord’s help in favor of an alliance with Egypt.

[30:8]  ⁴ tn Heb “with them.” On the use of the preposition here, see BDB 86 s.v. II אֵת.

[30:8]  ⁵ sn Recording the message will enable the prophet to use it in the future as evidence that God warned his people of impending judgment and clearly spelled out the nation’s guilt. An official record of the message will also serve as proof of the prophet’s authority as God’s spokesman.

[38:14]  ⁶ tn Or “moan” (ASV, NAB, NASB, NRSV); KJV, CEV “mourn.”

[38:14]  ⁷ tn Heb “my eyes become weak, toward the height.”

[38:14]  ⁸ tn The Hebrew term translated “sovereign master” here and in v. 16 is אֲדֹנָי (’adonay).

[38:14]  ⁹ tn Heb “stand surety for me.” Hezekiah seems to be picturing himself as a debtor who is being exploited; he asks that the Lord might relieve his debt and deliver him from the oppressive creditor.

[47:12]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “stand” (so KJV, ASV); NASB, NRSV “Stand fast.”

[47:12]  ¹¹ tn The word “trusting” is supplied in the translation for clarification. See v. 9.

[47:12]  ¹² tn Heb “in that which you have toiled.”

[47:12]  ¹³ tn Heb “maybe you will be able to profit.”

[47:12]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “maybe you will cause to tremble.” The object “disaster” is supplied in the translation for clarification. See the note at v. 9.