Yesaya 25:1--28:29
Konteks25:1 O Lord, you are my God! 1
I will exalt you in praise, I will extol your fame. 2
For you have done extraordinary things,
and executed plans made long ago exactly as you decreed. 3
25:2 Indeed, 4 you have made the city 5 into a heap of rubble,
the fortified town into a heap of ruins;
the fortress of foreigners 6 is no longer a city,
it will never be rebuilt.
25:3 So a strong nation will extol you;
the towns of 7 powerful nations will fear you.
25:4 For you are a protector for the poor,
a protector for the needy in their distress,
a shelter from the rainstorm,
a shade from the heat.
Though the breath of tyrants 8 is like a winter rainstorm, 9
25:5 like heat 10 in a dry land,
you humble the boasting foreigners. 11
Just as the shadow of a cloud causes the heat to subside, 12
so he causes the song of tyrants to cease. 13
25:6 The Lord who commands armies will hold a banquet for all the nations on this mountain. 14
At this banquet there will be plenty of meat and aged wine –
tender meat and choicest wine. 15
25:7 On this mountain he will swallow up
the shroud that is over all the peoples, 16
the woven covering that is over all the nations; 17
25:8 he will swallow up death permanently. 18
The sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears from every face,
and remove his people’s disgrace from all the earth.
Indeed, the Lord has announced it! 19
25:9 At that time they will say, 20
“Look, here 21 is our God!
We waited for him and he delivered us.
Here 22 is the Lord! We waited for him.
Let’s rejoice and celebrate his deliverance!”
25:10 For the Lord’s power will make this mountain secure. 23
Moab will be trampled down where it stands, 24
as a heap of straw is trampled down in 25 a manure pile.
25:11 Moab 26 will spread out its hands in the middle of it, 27
just as a swimmer spreads his hands to swim;
the Lord 28 will bring down Moab’s 29 pride as it spreads its hands. 30
25:12 The fortified city (along with the very tops of your 31 walls) 32 he will knock down,
he will bring it down, he will throw it down to the dusty ground. 33
26:1 At that time 34 this song will be sung in the land of Judah:
“We have a strong city!
The Lord’s 35 deliverance, like walls and a rampart, makes it secure. 36
26:2 Open the gates so a righteous nation can enter –
one that remains trustworthy.
26:3 You keep completely safe the people who maintain their faith,
for they trust in you. 37
26:4 Trust in the Lord from this time forward, 38
even in Yah, the Lord, an enduring protector! 39
26:5 Indeed, 40 the Lord knocks down those who live in a high place,
he brings down an elevated town;
he brings it down to the ground, 41
he throws it down to the dust.
26:6 It is trampled underfoot
by the feet of the oppressed,
by the soles of the poor.”
26:7 42 The way of the righteous is level,
the path of the righteous that you make is straight. 43
26:8 Yes, as your judgments unfold, 44
O Lord, we wait for you.
We desire your fame and reputation to grow. 45
26:9 I 46 look for 47 you during the night,
my spirit within me seeks you at dawn,
for when your judgments come upon the earth,
those who live in the world learn about justice. 48
26:10 If the wicked are shown mercy,
they do not learn about justice. 49
Even in a land where right is rewarded, they act unjustly; 50
they do not see the Lord’s majesty revealed.
26:11 O Lord, you are ready to act, 51
but they don’t even notice.
They will see and be put to shame by your angry judgment against humankind, 52
yes, fire will consume your enemies. 53
26:12 O Lord, you make us secure, 54
for even all we have accomplished, you have done for us. 55
26:13 O Lord, our God,
masters other than you have ruled us,
but we praise your name alone.
26:14 The dead do not come back to life,
the spirits of the dead do not rise. 56
That is because 57 you came in judgment 58 and destroyed them,
you wiped out all memory of them.
26:15 You have made the nation larger, 59 O Lord,
you have made the nation larger and revealed your splendor, 60
you have extended all the borders of the land.
26:16 O Lord, in distress they looked for you;
they uttered incantations because of your discipline. 61
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.
26:18 We were pregnant, we strained,
we gave birth, as it were, to wind. 62
We cannot produce deliverance on the earth;
people to populate the world are not born. 63
26:19 64 Your dead will come back to life;
your corpses will rise up.
Wake up and shout joyfully, you who live in the ground! 65
For you will grow like plants drenched with the morning dew, 66
and the earth will bring forth its dead spirits. 67
26:20 Go, my people! Enter your inner rooms!
Close your doors behind you!
Hide for a little while,
until his angry judgment is over! 68
26:21 For look, the Lord is coming out of the place where he lives, 69
to punish the sin of those who live on the earth.
The earth will display the blood shed on it;
it will no longer cover up its slain. 70
27:1 At that time 71 the Lord will punish
with his destructive, 72 great, and powerful sword
Leviathan the fast-moving 73 serpent,
Leviathan the squirming serpent;
he will kill the sea monster. 74
sing about a delightful vineyard! 76
27:3 I, the Lord, protect it; 77
I water it regularly. 78
I guard it night and day,
so no one can harm it. 79
27:4 I am not angry.
I wish I could confront some thorns and briers!
Then I would march against them 80 for battle;
I would set them 81 all on fire,
27:5 unless they became my subjects 82
and made peace with me;
let them make peace with me. 83
27:6 The time is coming when Jacob will take root; 84
Israel will blossom and grow branches.
The produce 85 will fill the surface of the world. 86
27:7 Has the Lord struck down Israel like he did their oppressors? 87
Has Israel been killed like their enemies? 88
27:8 When you summon her for divorce, you prosecute her; 89
he drives her away 90 with his strong wind in the day of the east wind. 91
27:9 So in this way Jacob’s sin will be forgiven, 92
and this is how they will show they are finished sinning: 93
They will make all the stones of the altars 94
like crushed limestone,
and the Asherah poles and the incense altars will no longer stand. 95
27:10 For the fortified city 96 is left alone;
it is a deserted settlement
and abandoned like the desert.
Calves 97 graze there;
they lie down there
and eat its branches bare. 98
27:11 When its branches get brittle, 99 they break;
women come and use them for kindling. 100
For these people lack understanding, 101
therefore the one who made them has no compassion on them;
the one who formed them has no mercy on them.
27:12 At that time 102 the Lord will shake the tree, 103 from the Euphrates River 104 to the Stream of Egypt. Then you will be gathered up one by one, O Israelites. 105 27:13 At that time 106 a large 107 trumpet will be blown, and the ones lost 108 in the land of Assyria will come, as well as the refugees in 109 the land of Egypt. They will worship the Lord on the holy mountain in Jerusalem. 110
28:1 The splendid crown of Ephraim’s drunkards is doomed, 111
the withering flower, its beautiful splendor, 112
situated 113 at the head of a rich valley,
the crown of those overcome with wine. 114
28:2 Look, the sovereign master 115 sends a strong, powerful one. 116
With the force of a hailstorm or a destructive windstorm, 117
with the might of a driving, torrential rainstorm, 118
he will knock that crown 119 to the ground with his hand. 120
28:3 The splendid crown of Ephraim’s drunkards
will be trampled underfoot.
28:4 The withering flower, its beautiful splendor,
situated at the head of a rich valley,
will be like an early fig before harvest –
as soon as someone notices it,
he grabs it and swallows it. 121
28:5 At that time 122 the Lord who commands armies will become a beautiful crown
and a splendid diadem for the remnant of his people.
28:6 He will give discernment to the one who makes judicial decisions,
and strength to those who defend the city from attackers. 123
28:7 Even these men 124 stagger because of wine,
they stumble around because of beer –
priests and prophets stagger because of beer,
they are confused 125 because of wine,
they stumble around because of beer;
they stagger while seeing prophetic visions, 126
they totter while making legal decisions. 127
28:8 Indeed, all the tables are covered with vomit;
no place is untouched. 128
28:9 Who is the Lord 129 trying to teach?
To whom is he explaining a message? 130
Those just weaned from milk!
Those just taken from their mother’s breast! 131
28:10 Indeed, they will hear meaningless gibberish,
senseless babbling,
a syllable here, a syllable there. 132
28:11 For with mocking lips and a foreign tongue
he will speak to these people. 133
28:12 In the past he said to them, 134
“This is where security can be found.
Provide security for the one who is exhausted!
This is where rest can be found.” 135
But they refused to listen.
28:13 So the Lord’s word to them will sound like
meaningless gibberish,
senseless babbling,
a syllable here, a syllable there. 136
As a result, they will fall on their backsides when they try to walk, 137
and be injured, ensnared, and captured. 138
28:14 Therefore, listen to the Lord’s word,
you who mock,
you rulers of these people
who reside in Jerusalem! 139
28:15 For you say,
“We have made a treaty with death,
with Sheol 140 we have made an agreement. 141
When the overwhelming judgment sweeps by 142
it will not reach us.
For we have made a lie our refuge,
we have hidden ourselves in a deceitful word.” 143
28:16 Therefore, this is what the sovereign master, the Lord, says:
“Look, I am laying 144 a stone in Zion,
an approved 145 stone,
set in place as a precious cornerstone for the foundation. 146
The one who maintains his faith will not panic. 147
28:17 I will make justice the measuring line,
fairness the plumb line;
hail will sweep away the unreliable refuge, 148
the floodwaters will overwhelm the hiding place.
28:18 Your treaty with death will be dissolved; 149
your agreement 150 with Sheol will not last. 151
When the overwhelming judgment sweeps by, 152
you will be overrun by it. 153
28:19 Whenever it sweeps by, it will overtake you;
indeed, 154 every morning it will sweep by,
it will come through during the day and the night.” 155
When this announcement is understood,
it will cause nothing but terror.
28:20 For the bed is too short to stretch out on,
and the blanket is too narrow to wrap around oneself. 156
28:21 For the Lord will rise up, as he did at Mount Perazim, 157
he will rouse himself, as he did in the Valley of Gibeon, 158
to accomplish his work,
his peculiar work,
to perform his task,
his strange task. 159
28:22 So now, do not mock,
or your chains will become heavier!
For I have heard a message about decreed destruction,
from the sovereign master, the Lord who commands armies, against the entire land. 160
28:23 Pay attention and listen to my message! 161
Be attentive and listen to what I have to say! 162
28:24 Does a farmer just keep on plowing at planting time? 163
Does he keep breaking up and harrowing his ground?
28:25 Once he has leveled its surface,
does he not scatter the seed of the caraway plant,
sow the seed of the cumin plant,
and plant the wheat, barley, and grain in their designated places? 164
28:26 His God instructs him;
he teaches him the principles of agriculture. 165
28:27 Certainly 166 caraway seed is not threshed with a sledge,
nor is the wheel of a cart rolled over cumin seed. 167
Certainly caraway seed is beaten with a stick,
and cumin seed with a flail.
28:28 Grain is crushed,
though one certainly does not thresh it forever.
The wheel of one’s wagon rolls over it,
but his horses do not crush it.
28:29 This also comes from the Lord who commands armies,
who gives supernatural guidance and imparts great wisdom. 168
[25:1] 1 sn The prophet speaks here as one who has observed the coming judgment of the proud.
[25:1] 2 tn Heb “name.” See the note at 24:15.
[25:1] 3 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.
[25:2] 4 tn Or “For” (KJV, NAB, NASB, NRSV).
[25:2] 5 tn The Hebrew text has “you have made from the city.” The prefixed mem (מ) on עִיר (’ir, “city”) was probably originally an enclitic mem suffixed to the preceding verb. See J. N. Oswalt, Isaiah (NICOT), 1:456, n. 3.
[25:2] 6 tc Some with support from the LXX emend זָרִים (zarim, “foreigners”) to זֵדִים (zedim, “the insolent”).
[25:3] 7 tn The Hebrew text has a singular form, but it should be emended to a plural or eliminated altogether. The noun may have been accidentally copied from the preceding verse.
[25:4] 8 tn Or perhaps, “the violent”; NIV, NRSV “the ruthless.”
[25:4] 9 tc The Hebrew text has, “like a rainstorm of a wall,” which might be interpreted to mean, “like a rainstorm battering against a wall.” The translation assumes an emendation of קִיר (qir, “wall”) to קֹר (qor, “cold, winter”; cf. Gen 8:22). See J. N. Oswalt, Isaiah (NICOT), 1:457, n. 6, for discussion.
[25:5] 10 tn Or “drought” (TEV).
[25:5] 11 tn Heb “the tumult of foreigners.”
[25:5] 12 tn Heb “[like] heat in the shadow of a cloud.”
[25:5] 13 tn The translation assumes that the verb יַעֲנֶה (ya’aneh) is a Hiphil imperfect from עָנָה (’anah, “be afflicted, humiliated”). In this context with “song” as object it means to “quiet” (see HALOT 853-54 s.v. II ענה). Some prefer to emend the form to the second person singular, so that it will agree with the second person verb earlier in the verse. BDB 776 s.v. III עָנָה Qal.1 understands the form as Qal, with “song” as subject, in which case one might translate “the song of tyrants will be silent.” An emendation of the form to a Niphal (יֵעָנֶה, ye’aneh) would yield the same translation.
[25:6] 14 sn That is, Mount Zion (see 24:23); cf. TEV; NLT “In Jerusalem.”
[25:6] 15 tn Heb “And the Lord who commands armies [traditionally, the Lord of hosts] will make for all the nations on this mountain a banquet of meats, a banquet of wine dregs, meats filled with marrow, dregs that are filtered.”
[25:7] 16 tn The Hebrew text reads, “the face of the shroud, the shroud over all the nations.” Some emend the second הַלּוֹט (hallot) to a passive participle הַלּוּט (hallut, “that is wrapped”).
[25:7] 17 sn The point of the imagery is unclear. Perhaps the shroud/covering referred to was associated with death in some way (see v. 8).
[25:8] 18 sn The image of the Lord “swallowing” death would be especially powerful, for death was viewed in Canaanite mythology and culture as a hungry enemy that swallows its victims. See the note at 5:14.
[25:8] 19 tn Heb “has spoken” (so NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT).
[25:9] 20 tn Heb “and one will say in that day.”
[25:9] 21 tn Heb “this [one].”
[25:9] 22 tn Heb “this [one].”
[25:10] 23 tn Heb “for the hand of the Lord will rest on this mountain”; TEV “will protect Mount Zion”; NCV “will protect (rest on NLT) Jerusalem.”
[25:10] 24 tn Heb “under him,” i.e., “in his place.”
[25:10] 25 tc The marginal reading (Qere) is בְּמוֹ (bÿmo, “in”). The consonantal text (Kethib) has בְּמִי (bÿmi, “in the water of”).
[25:11] 26 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Moab) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[25:11] 27 tn The antecedent of the third masculine singular pronominal suffix is probably the masculine noun מַתְבֵּן (matben, “heap of straw”) in v. 10 rather than the feminine noun מַדְמֵנָה (madmenah, “manure pile”), also in v. 10.
[25:11] 28 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the Lord) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[25:11] 29 tn Heb “his”; the referent (Moab) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[25:11] 30 tn The Hebrew text has, “he will bring down his pride along with the [?] of his hands.” The meaning of אָרְבּוֹת (’arbot), which occurs only here in the OT, is unknown. Some (see BDB 70 s.v. אָרְבָּה) translate “artifice, cleverness,” relating the form to the verbal root אָרָב (’arav, “to lie in wait, ambush”), but this requires some convoluted semantic reasoning. HALOT 83 s.v. *אָרְבָּה suggests the meaning “[nimble] movements.” The translation above, which attempts to relate the form to the preceding context, is purely speculative.
[25:12] 31 sn Moab is addressed.
[25:12] 32 tn Heb “a fortification, the high point of your walls.”
[25:12] 33 tn Heb “he will bring [it] down, he will make [it] touch the ground, even to the dust.”
[26:1] 34 tn Heb “In that day” (so KJV).
[26:1] 35 tn Heb “his”; the referent (the Lord) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[26:1] 36 tn Heb “deliverance he makes walls and a rampart.”
[26:3] 37 tn Heb “[one of] firm purpose you will keep [in] peace, peace, for in you he possesses trust.” The Hebrew term יֵצֶר (yetser) refers to what one devises in the mind; סָמוּךְ (samukh) probably functions here like an attributive adjective and carries the nuance “firm.” So the phrase literally means, “a firm purpose,” but as the object of the verb “keep, guard,” it must stand by metonymy for the one(s) who possess a firm purpose. In this context the “righteous nation” (v. 2) is probably in view and the “firm purpose” refers to their unwavering faith in God’s vindication (see 25:9). In this context שָׁלוֹם (shalom, “peace”), which is repeated for emphasis, likely refers to national security, not emotional or psychological composure (see vv. 1-2). The passive participle בָּטוּחַ (batuakh) expresses a state that results from the subject’s action.
[26:4] 38 tn Or “forevermore.” For other uses of the phrase עֲדֵי־עַד (’ade-’ad) see Isa 65:18 and Pss 83:17; 92:7.
[26:4] 39 tc The Hebrew text has “for in Yah, the Lord, an everlasting rock.” Some have suggested that the phrase בְּיָהּ (beyah, “in Yah”) is the result of dittography. A scribe seeing כִּי יְהוָה (ki yÿhvah) in his original text would somehow have confused the letters and accidentally inserted בְּיָהּ between the words (bet and kaf [ב and כ] can be confused in later script phases). A number of English versions retain both divine names for emphasis (ESV, NIV, NKJV, NRSV, NLT). One of the Qumran texts (1QIsaa) confirms the MT reading as well.
[26:5] 40 tn Or “For” (KJV, ASV, NASB, NRSV).
[26:5] 41 tn The translation assumes that יַשְׁפִּילֶנָּה (yashpilennah) goes with the preceding words “an elevated town,” and that יַשְׁפִּילָהּ (yashpilah) belongs with the following words, “to the ground.” See J. N. Oswalt, Isaiah (NICOT), 1:469, n. 7.
[26:7] 42 sn The literary structure of chap. 26 is not entirely clear. The chapter begins with an eschatological song of praise and ends with a lament and prophetic response (vv. 16-21). It is not certain where the song of praise ends or how vv. 7-15 fit into the structure. Verses 10-11a seem to lament the presence of evil and v. 11b anticipates the arrival of judgment, so it is possible that vv. 7-15 are a prelude to the lament and announcement that conclude the chapter.
[26:7] 43 tc The Hebrew text has, “upright, the path of the righteous you make level.” There are three possible ways to translate this line. Some take יָשָׁר (yashar) as a divine title: “O Upright One” (cf. NASB, NIV, NKJV, NRSV, NLT). Others regard יָשָׁר as the result of dittography (מֵישָׁרִים יָשָׁר ַמעְגַּל, mesharim yashar ma’gal) and do not include it in the translation. Another possibility is to keep יָשָׁר and render the line as “the path of the righteous that you prepare is straight.”
[26:7] sn The metaphor of a level/smooth road/path may refer to their morally upright manner of life (see v. 8a), but verse 7b, which attributes the smooth path to the Lord, suggests that the Lord’s vindication and blessing may be the reality behind the metaphor here.
[26:8] 44 tn The Hebrew text has, “yes, the way of your judgments.” The translation assumes that “way” is related to the verb “we wait” as an adverbial accusative (“in the way of your judgments we wait”). מִשְׁפָּטֶיךָ (mishpatekha, “your judgments”) could refer to the Lord’s commandments, in which case one might translate, “as we obey your commands.” However, in verse 9 the same form refers to divine acts of judgment on evildoers.
[26:8] 45 tn Heb “your name and your remembrance [is] the desire of [our?] being.”
[26:9] 46 tn Heb “with my soul I.” This is a figure for the speaker himself (“I”).
[26:9] 47 tn Or “long for, desire.” The speaker acknowledges that he is eager to see God come in judgment (see vv. 8, 9b).
[26:9] 48 tn The translation understands צֶדֶק (tsedeq) in the sense of “justice,” but it is possible that it carries the nuance “righteousness,” in which case one might translate, “those who live in the world learn to live in a righteous manner” (cf. NCV).
[26:10] 49 tn As in verse 9b, the translation understands צֶדֶק (tsedeq) in the sense of “justice,” but it is possible that it carries the nuance “righteousness,” in which case one might translate, “they do not learn to live in a righteous manner.”
[26:10] 50 tn Heb “in a land of uprightness they act unjustly”; NRSV “they deal perversely.”
[26:11] 51 tn Heb “O Lord, your hand is lifted up.”
[26:11] 52 tn Heb “They will see and be ashamed of zeal of people.” Some take the prefixed verbs as jussives and translate the statement as a prayer, “Let them see and be put to shame.” The meaning of the phrase קִנְאַת־עָם (qin’at-’am, “zeal of people”) is unclear. The translation assumes that this refers to God’s angry judgment upon people. Another option is to understand the phrase as referring to God’s zealous, protective love of his covenant people. In this case one might translate, “by your zealous devotion to your people.”
[26:11] 53 tn Heb “yes, fire, your enemies, will consume them.” Many understand the prefixed verb form to be jussive and translate, “let [fire] consume” (cf. NAB, NIV, NRSV). The mem suffixed to the verb may be enclitic; if a pronominal suffix, it refers back to “your enemies.”
[26:12] 54 tn Heb “O Lord, you establish peace for us.”
[26:12] 55 tc Some suggest emending גַּם כָּל (gam kol, “even all”) to כִּגְמֻל (kigmul, “according to the deed[s] of”) One might then translate “for according to what our deeds deserve, you have acted on our behalf.” Nevertheless, accepting the MT as it stands, the prophet affirms that Yahweh deserved all the credit for anything Israel had accomplished.
[26:14] 56 sn In light of what is said in verse 14b, the “dead” here may be the “masters” mentioned in verse 13.
[26:14] 57 tn The Hebrew term לָכֵן (lakhen) normally indicates a cause-effect relationship between what precedes and follows and is translated, “therefore.” Here, however, it infers the cause from the effect and brings out what is implicit in the previous statement. See BDB 487 s.v.
[26:14] 58 tn Heb “visited [for harm]” (cf. KJV, ASV); NAB, NRSV “you have punished.”
[26:15] 59 tn Heb “you have added to the nation.” The last line of the verse suggests that geographical expansion is in view. “The nation” is Judah.
[26:15] 60 tn Or “brought honor to yourself.”
[26:16] 61 tn The meaning of this verse is unclear. It appears to read literally, “O Lord, in distress they visit you, they pour out [?] an incantation, your discipline to them.” פָּקַד (paqad) may here carry the sense of “seek with interest” (cf. Ezek 23:21 and BDB 823 s.v.) or “seek in vain” (cf. Isa 34:16), but it is peculiar for the Lord to be the object of this verb. צָקוּן (tsaqun) may be a Qal perfect third plural form from צוּק (tsuq, “pour out, melt”), though the verb is not used of pouring out words in its two other occurrences. Because of the appearance of צַר (tsar, “distress”) in the preceding line, it is tempting to emend the form to a noun and derive it from צוּק (“be in distress”) The term לַחַשׁ (lakhash) elsewhere refers to an incantation (Isa 3:3; Jer 8:17; Eccl 10:11) or amulet (Isa 3:20). Perhaps here it refers to ritualistic prayers or to magical incantations used to ward off evil.
[26:18] 62 tn On the use of כְּמוֹ (kÿmo, “like, as”) here, see BDB 455 s.v. Israel’s distress and suffering, likened here to the pains of childbirth, seemed to be for no purpose. A woman in labor endures pain with the hope that a child will be born; in Israel’s case no such positive outcome was apparent. The nation was like a woman who strains to bring forth a child, but can’t push the baby through to daylight. All her effort produces nothing.
[26:18] 63 tn Heb “and the inhabitants of the world do not fall.” The term נָפַל (nafal) apparently means here, “be born,” though the Qal form of the verb is not used with this nuance anywhere else in the OT. (The Hiphil appears to be used in the sense of “give birth” in v. 19, however.) The implication of verse 18b seems to be that Israel hoped its suffering would somehow end in deliverance and an increase in population. The phrase “inhabitants of the world” seems to refer to the human race in general, but the next verse, which focuses on Israel’s dead, suggests the referent may be more limited.
[26:19] 64 sn At this point the Lord (or prophet) gives the people an encouraging oracle.
[26:19] 65 tn Heb “dust” (so KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV).
[26:19] 66 tn Heb “for the dew of lights [is] your dew.” The pronominal suffix on “dew” is masculine singular, like the suffixes on “your dead” and “your corpses” in the first half of the verse. The statement, then, is addressed to collective Israel, the speaker in verse 18. The plural form אוֹרֹת (’orot) is probably a plural of respect or magnitude, meaning “bright light” (i.e., morning’s light). Dew is a symbol of fertility and life. Here Israel’s “dew,” as it were, will soak the dust of the ground and cause the corpses of the dead to spring up to new life, like plants sprouting up from well-watered soil.
[26:19] 67 sn It is not certain whether the resurrection envisioned here is intended to be literal or figurative. A comparison with 25:8 and Dan 12:2 suggests a literal interpretation, but Ezek 37:1-14 uses resurrection as a metaphor for deliverance from exile and the restoration of the nation (see Isa 27:12-13).
[26:20] 68 tn Heb “until anger passes by.”
[26:21] 69 tn Heb “out of his place” (so KJV, ASV).
[26:21] 70 sn This implies that rampant bloodshed is one of the reasons for divine judgment. See the note at 24:5.
[27:1] 71 tn Heb “in that day” (so KJV).
[27:1] 72 tn Heb “hard, severe”; cf. NAB, NRSV “cruel”; KJV “sore”; NLT “terrible.”
[27:1] 73 tn Heb “fleeing” (so NAB, NASB, NRSV). Some translate “slippery” or “slithering.”
[27:1] 74 tn The description of Leviathan should be compared with the following excerpts from Ugaritic mythological texts: (1) “Was not the dragon (Ugaritic tnn, cognate with Hebrew תַנִּין [tannin, translated “sea monster” here]) vanquished and captured? I did destroy the wriggling (Ugaritic ’qltn, cognate to Hebrew עֲקַלָּתוֹן [’aqallaton, translated “squirming” here]) serpent, the tyrant with seven heads (cf. Ps 74:14).” (See CTA 3 iii 38-39.) (2) “for all that you smote Leviathan the slippery (Ugaritic brh, cognate to Hebrew בָּרִחַ [bariakh, translated “fast-moving” here]) serpent, [and] made an end of the wriggling serpent, the tyrant with seven heads” (See CTA 5 i 1-3.)
[27:1] sn In the Ugaritic mythological texts Leviathan is a sea creature that symbolizes the destructive water of the sea and in turn the forces of chaos that threaten the established order. Isaiah here applies imagery from Canaanite mythology to Yahweh’s eschatological victory over his enemies. Elsewhere in the OT, the battle with the sea motif is applied to Yahweh’s victories over the forces of chaos at creation and in history (cf. Pss 74:13-14; 77:16-20; 89:9-10; Isa 51:9-10). Yahweh’s subjugation of the chaos waters is related to His kingship (cf. Pss 29:3, 10; 93:3-4). Apocalyptic literature employs the imagery as well. The beasts of Dan 7 emerge from the sea, while Rev 13 speaks of a seven-headed beast coming from the sea.
[27:2] 75 tn Heb “in that day” (so KJV).
[27:2] 76 tn Heb “vineyard of delight,” or “vineyard of beauty.” Many medieval
[27:3] 77 tn Heb “her.” Apparently “vineyard” is the antecedent, though normally this noun is understood as masculine (see Lev 25:3, however).
[27:3] 78 tn Or perhaps, “constantly.” Heb “by moments.”
[27:3] 79 tn Heb “lest [someone] visit [harm] upon it, night and day I guard it.”
[27:4] 80 tn Heb “it.” The feminine singular suffix apparently refers back to the expression “thorns and briers,” understood in a collective sense. For other examples of a cohortative expressing resolve after a hypothetical statement introduced by נָתַן with מִי (miwith natan), see Judg 9:29; Jer 9:1-2; Ps 55:6.
[27:4] 81 tn Heb “it.” The feminine singular suffix apparently refers back to the expression “thorns and briers,” understood in a collective sense.
[27:5] 82 tn Heb “or let him take hold of my refuge.” The subject of the third masculine singular verb form is uncertain. Apparently the symbolic “thorns and briers” are in view, though in v. 4b a feminine singular pronoun was used to refer to them.
[27:5] 83 tc The Hebrew text has, “he makes peace with me, peace he makes with me.” Some contend that two alternative readings are preserved here and one should be deleted. The first has the object שָׁלוֹם (shalom, “peace”) preceding the verb עָשָׂה (’asah, “make”); the second reverses the order. Another option is to retain both statements, although repetitive, to emphasize the need to make peace with Yahweh.
[27:6] 84 tc The Hebrew text reads literally, “the coming ones, let Jacob take root.” הַבָּאִים (habba’im, “the coming ones”) should probably be emended to יָמִים בָאִים (yamim va’im, “days [are] coming”) or בְּיָמִים הַבָּאִים (biyamim habba’im, “in the coming days”).
[27:6] 85 tn Heb “fruit” (so KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT).
[27:6] 86 sn This apparently refers to a future population explosion. See 26:18.
[27:7] 87 tn The Hebrew text reads literally, “Like the striking down of the one striking him down does he strike him down?” The meaning of the text is unclear, but this may be a rhetorical question, suggesting that Israel has not experienced divine judgment to the same degree as her oppressors. In this case “the one striking down” refers to Israel’s oppressors, while the pronoun “him” refers to Israel. The subject of the final verb (“does he strike down”) would then be God, while the pronoun “him” would again refer to Israel.
[27:7] 88 tn The Hebrew text reads literally, “Or like the killing of his killed ones is he killed?” If one accepts the interpretation of the parallel line outlined in the previous note, then this line too would contain a rhetorical question suggesting that Israel has not experienced destruction to the same degree as its enemies. In this case “his killed ones” refers to the one who struck Israel down, and Israel would be the subject of the final verb (“is he killed”).
[27:8] 89 tn The Hebrew text reads literally, “in [?], in sending her away, you oppose her.” The meaning of this line is uncertain. The form בְּסַאסְּאָה (bÿsa’ssÿ’ah) is taken as an infinitive from סַאסְּאָה (sa’ssÿ’ah) with a prepositional prefix and a third feminine singular suffix. (The MT does not have a mappiq in the final he [ה], however). According to HALOT 738 s.v. סַאסְּאָה the verb is a Palpel form from an otherwise unattested root cognate with an Arabic verb meaning “to gather beasts with a call.” Perhaps it means “to call, summon” here, but this is a very tentative proposal. בְּשַׁלְחָהּ (bÿshalkhah, “in sending her away”) appears to be a Piel infinitive with a prepositional prefix and a third feminine singular suffix. Since the Piel of שָׁלָח (shalakh) can sometimes mean “divorce” (HALOT 1514-15 s.v.) and the following verb רִיב (riv, “oppose”) can be used in legal contexts, it is possible that divorce proceedings are alluded to here. This may explain why Israel is referred to as feminine in this verse, in contrast to the masculine forms used in vv. 6-7 and 9.
[27:8] 90 tn The Hebrew text has no object expressed, but one can understand a third feminine singular pronominal object and place a mappiq in the final he (ה) of the form to indicate the suffix.
[27:8] 91 sn The “east wind” here symbolizes violent divine judgment.
[27:9] 92 tn Or “be atoned for” (NIV); cf. NRSV “be expiated.”
[27:9] 93 tn Heb “and this [is] all the fruit of removing his sin.” The meaning of the statement is not entirely clear, though “removing his sin” certainly parallels “Jacob’s sin will be removed” in the preceding line. If original, “all the fruit” may refer to the result of the decision to remove sin, but the phrase may be a corruption of לְכַפֵּר (lekhaper, “to atone for”), which in turn might be a gloss on הָסִר (hasir, “removing”).
[27:9] 94 tn Heb “when he makes the stones of an altar.” The singular “altar” is collective here; pagan altars are in view, as the last line of the verse indicates. See also 17:8.
[27:9] 95 sn As interpreted and translated above, this verse says that Israel must totally repudiate its pagan religious practices in order to experience God’s forgiveness and restoration. Another option is to understand “in this way” and “this” in v. 9a as referring back to the judgment described in v. 8. In this case כָּפַר (kafar, “atone for”) is used in a sarcastic sense; Jacob’s sin is “atoned for” and removed through severe judgment. Following this line of interpretation, one might paraphrase the verse as follows: “So in this way (through judgment) Jacob’s sin will be “atoned for,” and this is the way his sin will be removed, when he (i.e., God) makes all the altar stones like crushed limestone….” This interpretation is more consistent with the tone of judgment in vv. 8 and 10-11.
[27:10] 96 sn The identity of this city is uncertain. The context suggests that an Israelite city, perhaps Samaria or Jerusalem, is in view. For discussions of interpretive options see J. N. Oswalt, Isaiah (NICOT), 1:496-97, and Paul L. Redditt, “Once Again, the City in Isaiah 24-27,” HAR 10 (1986), 332.
[27:10] 97 tn The singular form in the text is probably collective.
[27:10] 98 tn Heb “and destroy her branches.” The city is the antecedent of the third feminine singular pronominal suffix. Apparently the city is here compared to a tree. See also v. 11.
[27:11] 99 tn Heb “are dry” (so NASB, NIV, NRSV).
[27:11] 100 tn Heb “women come [and] light it.” The city is likened to a dead tree with dried up branches that is only good for firewood.
[27:11] 101 tn Heb “for not a people of understanding [is] he.”
[27:12] 102 tn Heb “and it will be in that day.” The verb that introduces this verse serves as a discourse particle and is untranslated; see note on “in the future” in 2:2.
[27:12] 103 tn Heb “the Lord will beat out.” The verb is used of beating seeds or grain to separate the husk from the kernel (see Judg 6:11; Ruth 2:17; Isa 28:27), and of beating the olives off the olive tree (Deut 24:20). The latter metaphor may be in view here, where a tree metaphor has been employed in the preceding verses. See also 17:6.
[27:12] 104 tn Heb “the river,” a frequent designation in the OT for the Euphrates. For clarity most modern English versions substitute the name “Euphrates” for “the river” here.
[27:12] 105 sn The Israelites will be freed from exile (likened to beating the olives off the tree) and then gathered (likened to collecting the olives).
[27:13] 106 tn Heb “and it will be in that day.” The verb that introduces this verse serves as a discourse particle and is untranslated; see note on “in the future” in 2:2.
[27:13] 107 tn Traditionally, “great” (KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NLT); CEV “loud.”
[27:13] 108 tn Or “the ones perishing.”
[27:13] 109 tn Or “the ones driven into.”
[27:13] 110 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[28:1] 111 tn Heb “Woe [to] the crown [or “wreath”] of the splendor [or “pride”] of the drunkards of Ephraim.” The “crown” is Samaria, the capital city of the northern kingdom (Ephraim). Priests and prophets are included among these drunkards in v. 7.
[28:1] 112 tn Heb “the beauty of his splendor.” In the translation the masculine pronoun (“his”) has been replaced by “its” because the referent (the “crown”) is the city of Samaria.
[28:1] 113 tn Heb “which [is].”
[28:1] 114 tn Heb “ones overcome with wine.” The words “the crown of” are supplied in the translation for clarification. The syntactical relationship of the final phrase to what precedes is uncertain. הֲלוּמֵי יָיִן (halume yayin, “ones overcome with wine”) seems to correspond to שִׁכֹּרֵי אֶפְרַיִם (shikkore ’efrayim, “drunkards of Ephraim”) in line 1. The translation assumes that the phrase “the splendid crown” is to be understood in the final line as well.
[28:2] 115 tn The Hebrew term translated “sovereign master” here and in vv. 16, 22 is אֲדֹנָי (’adonay).
[28:2] 116 tn Heb “Look, a strong and powerful [one] belongs to the Lord.”
[28:2] 117 tn Heb “like a rainstorm of hail, a wind of destruction.”
[28:2] 118 tn Heb “like a rainstorm of mighty, overflowing waters.”
[28:2] 119 tn The words “that crown” are supplied in the translation for clarification. The object of the verb is unexpressed in the Hebrew text.
[28:2] 120 tn Or “by [his] power.”
[28:4] 121 tn Heb “which the one seeing sees, while still it is in his hand he swallows it.”
[28:5] 122 tn Or “in that day” (KJV).
[28:6] 123 tn Heb “and [he will become] a spirit of justice for the one who sits [i.e., presides] over judgment, // and strength [for] the ones who turn back battle at the city gate.” The Lord will provide internal stability and national security.
[28:7] 124 tn Heb “these.” The demonstrative pronoun anticipates “priests and prophets” two lines later.
[28:7] 125 tn According to HALOT 135 s.v. III בלע, the verb form is derived from בָּלַע (bala’, “confuse”), not the more common בָּלַע (“swallow”). See earlier notes at 3:12 and 9:16.
[28:7] 126 tn Heb “in the seeing.”
[28:7] 127 tn Heb “[in] giving a decision.”
[28:8] 128 tn Heb “vomit, without a place.” For the meaning of the phrase בְּלִי מָקוֹם (bÿli maqom, “without a place”), see HALOT 133 s.v. בְּלִי.
[28:9] 129 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the Lord) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[28:9] 130 tn Heb “Who is he teaching knowledge? For whom is he explaining a message?” The translation assumes that the Lord is the subject of the verbs “teaching” and “explaining,” and that the prophet is asking the questions. See v. 12. According to some vv. 9-10 record the people’s sarcastic response to the Lord’s message through Isaiah.
[28:9] 131 tn Heb “from the breasts.” The words “their mother’s” are supplied in the translation for clarification. The translation assumes that this is the prophet’s answer to the questions asked in the first half of the verse. The Lord is trying to instruct people who are “infants” morally and ethically.
[28:10] 132 tn The meaning of this verse has been debated. The text has literally “indeed [or “for”] a little there, a little there” ( כִּי צַו לָצָו צַו לָצָו קַו לָקָו קַו, ki tsav latsav, tsav latsav, qav laqav, qav laqav). The present translation assumes that the repetitive syllables are gibberish that resembles baby talk (cf v. 9b) and mimics what the people will hear when foreign invaders conquer the land (v. 11). In this case זְעֵיר (zÿ’er, “a little”) refers to the short syllabic structure of the babbling (cf. CEV). Some take צַו (tsav) as a derivative of צָוָה (tsavah, “command”) and translate the first part of the statement as “command after command, command after command.” Proponents of this position (followed by many English versions) also take קַו (qav) as a noun meaning “measuring line” (see v. 17), understood here in the abstract sense of “standard” or “rule.”
[28:11] 133 sn This verse alludes to the coming Assyrian invasion, when the people will hear a foreign language that sounds like gibberish to them. The Lord is the subject of the verb “will speak,” as v. 12 makes clear. He once spoke in meaningful terms, but in the coming judgment he will speak to them, as it were, through the mouth of foreign oppressors. The apparent gibberish they hear will be an outward reminder that God has decreed their defeat.
[28:12] 134 tn Heb “who said to them.”
[28:12] 135 sn This message encapsulates the Lord’s invitation to his people to find security in his protection and blessing.
[28:13] 136 tn Heb “And the word of the Lord will be to them, ‘tsahv latsahv,’ etc.” See the note at v. 10. In this case the “Lord’s word” is not the foreigner’s strange sounding words (as in v. 10), but the Lord’s repeated appeals to them (like the one quoted in v. 12). As time goes on, the Lord’s appeals through the prophets will have no impact on the people; they will regard prophetic preaching as gibberish.
[28:13] 137 tn Heb “as a result they will go and stumble backward.” Perhaps an infant falling as it attempts to learn to walk is the background image here (cf. v. 9b). The Hebrew term לְמַעַן (lÿma’an) could be taken as indicating purpose (“in order that”), rather than simple result. In this case the people’s insensitivity to the message is caused by the Lord as a means of expediting their downfall.
[28:13] 138 sn When divine warnings and appeals become gibberish to the spiritually insensitive, they have no guidance and are doomed to destruction.
[28:14] 139 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[28:15] 140 sn Sheol is the underworld, land of the dead, according to the OT world view.
[28:15] 141 tn Elsewhere the noun חֹזֶה (khozeh) refers to a prophet who sees visions. In v. 18 the related term חָזוּת (khazut, “vision”) is used. The parallelism in both verses (note “treaty”) seems to demand a meaning “agreement” for both nouns. Perhaps חֹזֶה and חזוּת are used in a metonymic sense in vv. 15 and 18. Another option is to propose a homonymic root. See J. N. Oswalt, Isaiah (NICOT), 1:514, and HALOT 301 s.v. II חֹזֶה.
[28:15] 142 tn Heb “the overwhelming scourge, when it passes by” (NRSV similar).
[28:15] 143 sn “Lie” and “deceitful word” would not be the terms used by the people. They would likely use the words “promise” and “reliable word,” but the prophet substitutes “lie” and “deceitful word” to emphasize that this treaty with death will really prove to be disappointing.
[28:16] 144 tc The Hebrew text has a third person verb form, which does not agree with the first person suffix that precedes. The form should be emended to יֹסֵד (yosed), a Qal active participle used in a present progressive or imminent future sense.
[28:16] 145 tn Traditionally “tested,” but the implication is that it has passed the test and stands approved.
[28:16] 146 sn The reality behind the metaphor is not entirely clear from the context. The stone appears to represent someone or something that gives Zion stability. Perhaps the ideal Davidic ruler is in view (see 32:1). Another option is that the image of beginning a building project by laying a precious cornerstone suggests that God is about to transform Zion through judgment and begin a new covenant community that will experience his protection (see 4:3-6; 31:5; 33:20-24; 35:10).
[28:16] 147 tn Heb “will not hurry,” i.e., act in panic.
[28:17] 148 tn Heb “[the] refuge, [the] lie.” See v. 15.
[28:18] 149 tn On the meaning of כָּפַר (kafar) in this context, see HALOT 494 s.v. I כפר and J. N. Oswalt, Isaiah (NICOT), 1:515, n. 9.
[28:18] 150 tn Normally the noun חָזוּת (khazut) means “vision.” See the note at v. 15.
[28:18] 151 tn Or “will not stand” (NIV, NRSV).
[28:18] 152 tn See the note at v. 15.
[28:18] 153 tn Heb “you will become a trampling place for it.”
[28:19] 154 tn Or “for” (KJV, ASV, NASB, NRSV).
[28:19] 155 tn The words “it will come through” are supplied in the translation. The verb “will sweep by” does double duty in the parallel structure.
[28:20] 156 sn The bed and blanket probably symbolize their false sense of security. A bed that is too short and a blanket that is too narrow may promise rest and protection from the cold, but in the end they are useless and disappointing. In the same way, their supposed treaty with death will prove useless and disappointing.
[28:21] 157 sn This probably alludes to David’s victory over the Philistines at Baal Perazim. See 2 Sam 5:20.
[28:21] 158 sn This probably alludes to the Lord’s victory over the Canaanites at Gibeon, during the days of Joshua. See Josh 10:10-11.
[28:21] 159 sn God’s judgment of his own people is called “his peculiar work” and “his strange task,” because he must deal with them the way he treated their enemies in the past.
[28:22] 160 tn Or “the whole earth” (KJV, ASV, NAB, NCV).
[28:23] 161 tn Heb “to my voice.”
[28:23] 162 tn Heb “to my word”; cf. KJV, ASV, NRSV “hear my speech.”
[28:24] 163 tn Heb “All the day does the plowman plow in order to plant?” The phrase “all the day” here has the sense of “continually, always.” See BDB 400 s.v. יוֹם.
[28:25] 164 tc The Hebrew text reads literally, “place wheat [?], and barley [?], and grain in its territory.” The term שׂוֹרָה (shorah) is sometimes translated “[in] its place,” but the word is unattested elsewhere. It is probably due to dittography of the immediately following שְׂעֹרָה (sÿo’rah, “barley”). The meaning of נִסְמָן (nisman) is also uncertain. It may be due to dittography of the immediately following כֻסֶּמֶת (kussemet, “grain”).
[28:26] 165 tn Heb “he teaches him the proper way, his God instructs him.”
[28:27] 166 tn Or “For” (KJV, ASV, NASB).
[28:27] 167 sn Both of these seeds are too small to use the ordinary threshing techniques.
[28:29] 168 sn Verses 23-29 emphasize that God possesses great wisdom and has established a natural order. Evidence of this can be seen in the way farmers utilize divinely imparted wisdom to grow and harvest crops. God’s dealings with his people will exhibit this same kind of wisdom and order. Judgment will be accomplished according to a divinely ordered timetable and, while severe enough, will not be excessive. Judgment must come, just as planting inevitably follows plowing. God will, as it were, thresh his people, but he will not crush them to the point where they will be of no use to him.
