Yesaya 59:1--63:19
Konteks59:1 Look, the Lord’s hand is not too weak 1 to deliver you;
his ear is not too deaf to hear you. 2
59:2 But your sinful acts have alienated you from your God;
your sins have caused him to reject you and not listen to your prayers. 3
59:3 For your hands are stained with blood
and your fingers with sin;
your lips speak lies,
your tongue utters malicious words.
59:4 No one is concerned about justice; 4
no one sets forth his case truthfully.
They depend on false words 5 and tell lies;
they conceive of oppression 6
and give birth to sin.
59:5 They hatch the eggs of a poisonous snake
and spin a spider’s web.
Whoever eats their eggs will die,
a poisonous snake is hatched. 7
59:6 Their webs cannot be used for clothing;
they cannot cover themselves with what they make.
Their deeds are sinful;
they commit violent crimes. 8
59:7 They are eager to do evil, 9
quick to shed innocent blood. 10
Their thoughts are sinful;
they crush and destroy. 11
59:8 They are unfamiliar with peace;
their deeds are unjust. 12
They use deceitful methods,
and whoever deals with them is unfamiliar with peace. 13
59:9 For this reason deliverance 14 is far from us 15
and salvation does not reach us.
We wait for light, 16 but see only darkness; 17
we wait for 18 a bright light, 19 but live 20 in deep darkness. 21
59:10 We grope along the wall like the blind,
we grope like those who cannot see; 22
we stumble at noontime as if it were evening.
Though others are strong, we are like dead men. 23
59:11 We all growl like bears,
we coo mournfully like doves;
we wait for deliverance, 24 but there is none,
for salvation, but it is far from us.
59:12 For you are aware of our many rebellious deeds, 25
and our sins testify against us;
indeed, we are aware of our rebellious deeds;
we know our sins all too well. 26
59:13 We have rebelled and tried to deceive the Lord;
we turned back from following our God.
We stir up 27 oppression and rebellion;
we tell lies we concocted in our minds. 28
59:14 Justice is driven back;
godliness 29 stands far off.
Indeed, 30 honesty stumbles in the city square
and morality is not even able to enter.
59:15 Honesty has disappeared;
the one who tries to avoid evil is robbed.
The Lord watches and is displeased, 31
for there is no justice.
59:16 He sees there is no advocate; 32
he is shocked 33 that no one intervenes.
So he takes matters into his own hands; 34
his desire for justice drives him on. 35
59:17 He wears his desire for justice 36 like body armor, 37
and his desire to deliver is like a helmet on his head. 38
He puts on the garments of vengeance 39
and wears zeal like a robe.
59:18 He repays them for what they have done,
dispensing angry judgment to his adversaries
and punishing his enemies. 40
He repays the coastlands. 41
59:19 In the west, people respect 42 the Lord’s reputation; 43
in the east they recognize his splendor. 44
For he comes like a rushing 45 stream
driven on by wind sent from the Lord. 46
59:20 “A protector 47 comes to Zion,
to those in Jacob who repent of their rebellious deeds,” 48 says the Lord.
59:21 “As for me, this is my promise to 49 them,” says the Lord. “My spirit, who is upon you, and my words, which I have placed in your mouth, will not depart from your mouth or from the mouths of your children and descendants from this time forward,” 50 says the Lord.
60:1 “Arise! Shine! For your light arrives!
The splendor 51 of the Lord shines on you!
60:2 For, look, darkness covers the earth
and deep darkness covers 52 the nations,
but the Lord shines on you;
his splendor 53 appears over you.
60:3 Nations come to your light,
kings to your bright light.
They all gather and come to you –
your sons come from far away
and your daughters are escorted by guardians.
60:5 Then you will look and smile, 55
you will be excited and your heart will swell with pride. 56
For the riches of distant lands 57 will belong to you
and the wealth of nations will come to you.
60:6 Camel caravans will cover your roads, 58
young camels from Midian and Ephah.
All the merchants of Sheba 59 will come,
bringing gold and incense
and singing praises to the Lord. 60
60:7 All the sheep of Kedar will be gathered to you;
the rams of Nebaioth will be available to you as sacrifices. 61
They will go up on my altar acceptably, 62
and I will bestow honor on my majestic temple.
60:8 Who are these who float along 63 like a cloud,
who fly like doves to their shelters? 64
60:9 Indeed, the coastlands 65 look eagerly for me,
the large ships 66 are in the lead,
bringing your sons from far away,
along with their silver and gold,
to honor the Lord your God, 67
the Holy One of Israel, 68 for he has bestowed honor on you.
60:10 Foreigners will rebuild your walls;
their kings will serve you.
Even though I struck you down in my anger,
I will restore my favor and have compassion on you. 69
60:11 Your gates will remain open at all times;
they will not be shut during the day or at night,
so that the wealth of nations may be delivered,
with their kings leading the way. 70
60:12 Indeed, 71 nations or kingdoms that do not serve you will perish;
such nations will be totally destroyed. 72
60:13 The splendor of Lebanon will come to you,
its evergreens, firs, and cypresses together,
to beautify my palace; 73
I will bestow honor on my throne room. 74
60:14 The children of your oppressors will come bowing to you;
all who treated you with disrespect will bow down at your feet.
They will call you, ‘The City of the Lord,
Zion of the Holy One of Israel.’ 75
60:15 You were once abandoned
and despised, with no one passing through,
but I will make you 76 a permanent source of pride
and joy to coming generations.
60:16 You will drink the milk of nations;
you will nurse at the breasts of kings. 77
Then you will recognize that I, the Lord, am your deliverer,
your protector, 78 the powerful ruler of Jacob. 79
60:17 Instead of bronze, I will bring you gold,
instead of iron, I will bring you silver,
instead of wood, I will bring you 80 bronze,
instead of stones, I will bring you 81 iron.
I will make prosperity 82 your overseer,
and vindication your sovereign ruler. 83
60:18 Sounds of violence 84 will no longer be heard in your land,
or the sounds of 85 destruction and devastation within your borders.
You will name your walls, ‘Deliverance,’
and your gates, ‘Praise.’
60:19 The sun will no longer supply light for you by day,
nor will the moon’s brightness shine on you;
the Lord will be your permanent source of light –
the splendor of your God will shine upon you. 86
60:20 Your sun will no longer set;
your moon will not disappear; 87
the Lord will be your permanent source of light;
your time 88 of sorrow will be over.
60:21 All of your people will be godly; 89
they will possess the land permanently.
I will plant them like a shoot;
they will be the product of my labor,
through whom I reveal my splendor. 90
60:22 The least of you will multiply into 91 a thousand;
the smallest of you will become a large nation.
When the right time comes, I the Lord will quickly do this!” 92
61:1 The spirit of the sovereign Lord is upon me,
because the Lord has chosen 93 me. 94
He has commissioned 95 me to encourage 96 the poor,
to help 97 the brokenhearted,
to decree the release of captives,
and the freeing of prisoners,
61:2 to announce the year when the Lord will show his favor,
the day when our God will seek vengeance, 98
to console all who mourn,
61:3 to strengthen those who mourn in Zion,
by giving them a turban, instead of ashes,
oil symbolizing joy, 99 instead of mourning,
a garment symbolizing praise, 100 instead of discouragement. 101
They will be called oaks of righteousness, 102
trees planted by the Lord to reveal his splendor. 103
61:4 They will rebuild the perpetual ruins
and restore the places that were desolate; 104
they will reestablish the ruined cities,
the places that have been desolate since ancient times.
61:5 105 “Foreigners will take care of 106 your sheep;
foreigners will work in your fields and vineyards.
61:6 You will be called, ‘the Lord’s priests,
servants of our God.’ 107
You will enjoy 108 the wealth of nations
and boast about 109 the riches you receive from them. 110
61:7 Instead of shame, you will get a double portion; 111
instead of humiliation, they will rejoice over the land they receive. 112
Yes, 113 they will possess a double portion in their land
and experience lasting joy.
61:8 For I, the Lord, love justice
and hate robbery and sin.
I will repay them because of my faithfulness; 114
I will make a permanent covenant with them.
61:9 Their descendants will be known among the nations,
their offspring among the peoples.
All who see them will recognize that
the Lord has blessed them.” 115
61:10 I 116 will greatly rejoice 117 in the Lord;
I will be overjoyed because of my God. 118
For he clothes me in garments of deliverance;
he puts on me a robe symbolizing vindication. 119
I look like a bridegroom when he wears a turban as a priest would;
I look like a bride when she puts on her jewelry. 120
61:11 For just as the ground produces its crops
and a garden yields its produce,
so the sovereign Lord will cause deliverance 121 to grow,
and give his people reason to praise him in the sight of all the nations. 122
62:1 “For the sake of Zion I will not be silent;
for the sake of Jerusalem 123 I will not be quiet,
until her vindication shines brightly 124
and her deliverance burns like a torch.”
62:2 Nations will see your vindication,
and all kings your splendor.
You will be called by a new name
that the Lord himself will give you. 125
62:3 You will be a majestic crown in the hand of the Lord,
a royal turban in the hand of your God.
62:4 You will no longer be called, “Abandoned,”
and your land will no longer be called “Desolate.”
Indeed, 126 you will be called “My Delight is in Her,” 127
and your land “Married.” 128
For the Lord will take delight in you,
and your land will be married to him. 129
62:5 As a young man marries a young woman,
so your sons 130 will marry you.
As a bridegroom rejoices over a bride,
so your God will rejoice over you.
62:6 I 131 post watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem;
they should keep praying all day and all night. 132
You who pray to 133 the Lord, don’t be silent!
62:7 Don’t allow him to rest until he reestablishes Jerusalem, 134
until he makes Jerusalem the pride 135 of the earth.
62:8 The Lord swears an oath by his right hand,
by his strong arm: 136
“I will never again give your grain
to your enemies as food,
and foreigners will not drink your wine,
which you worked hard to produce.
62:9 But those who harvest the grain 137 will eat it,
and will praise the Lord.
Those who pick the grapes will drink the wine 138
in the courts of my holy sanctuary.”
62:10 Come through! Come through the gates!
Prepare the way for the people!
Build it! Build the roadway!
Remove the stones!
Lift a signal flag for the nations!
62:11 Look, the Lord announces to the entire earth: 139
“Say to Daughter Zion,
‘Look, your deliverer comes!
Look, his reward is with him
and his reward goes before him!’” 140
62:12 They will be called, “The Holy People,
the Ones Protected 141 by the Lord.”
You will be called, “Sought After,
City Not Abandoned.”
63:1 Who is this who comes from Edom, 142
dressed in bright red, coming from Bozrah? 143
Who 144 is this one wearing royal attire, 145
who marches confidently 146 because of his great strength?
“It is I, the one who announces vindication,
and who is able to deliver!” 147
63:2 Why are your clothes red?
Why do you look like someone who has stomped on grapes in a vat? 148
63:3 “I have stomped grapes in the winepress all by myself;
no one from the nations joined me.
I stomped on them 149 in my anger;
I trampled them down in my rage.
Their juice splashed on my garments,
and stained 150 all my clothes.
63:4 For I looked forward to the day of vengeance,
and then payback time arrived. 151
63:5 I looked, but there was no one to help;
I was shocked because there was no one offering support. 152
So my right arm accomplished deliverance;
my raging anger drove me on. 153
63:6 I trampled nations in my anger,
I made them drunk 154 in my rage,
I splashed their blood on the ground.” 155
63:7 I will tell of the faithful acts of the Lord,
of the Lord’s praiseworthy deeds.
I will tell about all 156 the Lord did for us,
the many good things he did for the family of Israel, 157
because of 158 his compassion and great faithfulness.
63:8 He said, “Certainly they will be my people,
children who are not disloyal.” 159
He became their deliverer.
63:9 Through all that they suffered, he suffered too. 160
The messenger sent from his very presence 161 delivered them.
In his love and mercy he protected 162 them;
he lifted them up and carried them throughout ancient times. 163
63:10 But they rebelled and offended 164 his holy Spirit, 165
so he turned into an enemy
and fought against them.
63:11 His people remembered the ancient times. 166
Where is the one who brought them up out of the sea,
along with the shepherd of 167 his flock?
Where is the one who placed his holy Spirit among them, 168
63:12 the one who made his majestic power available to Moses, 169
who divided the water before them,
gaining for himself a lasting reputation, 170
63:13 who led them through the deep water?
Like a horse running on flat land 171 they did not stumble.
63:14 Like an animal that goes down into a valley to graze, 172
so the Spirit of the Lord granted them rest.
In this way 173 you guided your people,
gaining for yourself an honored reputation. 174
63:15 Look down from heaven and take notice,
from your holy, majestic palace!
Where are your zeal 175 and power?
Do not hold back your tender compassion! 176
63:16 For you are our father,
though Abraham does not know us
and Israel does not recognize us.
You, Lord, are our father;
you have been called our protector from ancient times. 177
63:17 Why, Lord, do you make us stray 178 from your ways, 179
and make our minds stubborn so that we do not obey you? 180
Return for the sake of your servants,
the tribes of your inheritance!
63:18 For a short time your special 181 nation possessed a land, 182
but then our adversaries knocked down 183 your holy sanctuary.
63:19 We existed from ancient times, 184
but you did not rule over them,
they were not your subjects. 185
[59:1] 1 tn Heb “short” (so NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV).
[59:1] 2 tn Heb “or his ear too heavy [i.e., “dull”] to hear.”
[59:2] 3 tn Heb “and your sins have caused [his] face to be hidden from you so as not to hear.”
[59:4] 4 tn Heb “no one pleads with justice.”
[59:4] 5 tn Heb “nothing”; NAB “emptiness.”
[59:4] 6 tn Or “trouble” (NIV), or “harm.”
[59:5] 7 tn Heb “that which is pressed in hatches [as] a snake.”
[59:6] 8 tn Heb “their deeds are deeds of sin, and the work of violence [is] in their hands.”
[59:7] 9 tn Heb “their feet run to evil.”
[59:7] 10 tn Heb “they quickly pour out innocent blood.”
[59:7] 11 tn Heb “their thoughts are thoughts of sin, destruction and crushing [are] in their roadways.”
[59:8] 12 tn Heb “a way of peace they do not know, and there is no justice in their pathways.”
[59:8] 13 tn Heb “their paths they make crooked, everyone who walks in it does not know peace.”
[59:9] 14 tn מִשְׁפָּט (mishpat), which refers to “justice” in the earlier verses, here refers to “justice from God,” or “vindication.” Because the people are unjust, God refuses to vindicate them before their enemies. See v. 11.
[59:9] 15 sn The prophet speaks on behalf of the sinful nation and confesses its sins.
[59:9] 16 sn Light here symbolizes prosperity and blessing.
[59:9] 17 tn Heb “but, look, darkness”; NIV “but all is darkness.”
[59:9] 18 tn The words “we wait for” are supplied in the translation; the verb is understood by ellipsis (note the preceding line).
[59:9] 19 tn The plural noun form may indicate degree here.
[59:9] 20 tn Or “walk about”; NCV “all we have is darkness.”
[59:9] 21 tn The plural noun form may indicate degree here.
[59:10] 22 tn Heb “like there are no eyes.”
[59:10] 23 tn Heb among the strong, like dead men.”
[59:11] 24 tn See the note at v. 9.
[59:12] 25 tn Heb “for many are our rebellious deeds before you.”
[59:12] 26 tn Heb “indeed [or “for”] our rebellious deeds (are) with us, and our sins, we know them.”
[59:13] 27 tn Heb “speaking.” A new sentence was started here in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[59:13] 28 tn Heb “conceiving and uttering from the heart words of falsehood.”
[59:14] 29 tn Or “righteousness” (ASV, NASB, NIV, NRSV); KJV, NAB “justice.”
[59:14] 30 tn Or “for” (KJV, NRSV).
[59:15] 31 tn Heb “and it is displeasing in his eyes.”
[59:16] 32 tn Heb “man” (so KJV, ASV); TEV “no one to help.”
[59:16] 33 tn Or “appalled” (NAB, NIV, NRSV), or “disgusted.”
[59:16] 34 tn Heb “and his arm delivers for him.”
[59:16] 35 tn Heb “and his justice [or “righteousness”] supports him.”
[59:17] 36 tn Or “righteousness” (KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT); NCV “goodness.”
[59:17] 37 tn Or “a breastplate” (traditional; so many English versions); TEV “a coat of armour.”
[59:17] 38 tn Heb “and [as] a helmet deliverance on his head.”
[59:17] 39 tn Heb “and he puts on the clothes of vengeance [as] a garment.”
[59:18] 40 tn Heb “in accordance with deeds, so he repays, anger to his adversaries, repayment to his enemies.”
[59:18] 41 tn Or “islands” (KJV, NIV).
[59:19] 42 tc Heb “fear.” A few medieval Hebrew
[59:19] 43 tn Heb “and they fear from the west the name of the Lord.”
[59:19] 44 tn Heb “and from the rising of the sun his splendor.”
[59:19] 45 tn Heb “narrow”; NAB, NIV, NRSV “pent-up.”
[59:19] 46 tn Heb “the wind of the Lord drives it on.” The term רוּחַ (ruakh) could be translated “breath” here (see 30:28).
[59:20] 47 tn Or “redeemer.” See the note at 41:14.
[59:20] 48 tn Heb “and to those who turn from rebellion in Jacob.”
[59:21] 49 tn Or “my covenant with” (so many English versions); NCV “my agreement with.”
[59:21] sn The Lord promises the repentant (note “to them”) that they and their offspring will possess his spirit and function as his spokesmen. In this regard they follow in the footsteps of the Lord’s special servant. See 42:1; 49:2; 51:16.
[59:21] 50 tn Heb “from now and on into the future.”
[60:1] 51 tn Or “glory” (so most English versions).
[60:2] 52 tn The verb “covers” is understood by ellipsis (note the preceding line).
[60:2] 53 tn Or “glory” (so most English versions); TEV “the brightness of his presence.”
[60:4] 54 tn Heb “Lift up around your eyes and see!”
[60:5] 55 tn Or “shine,” or “be radiant” (NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV).
[60:5] 56 tn Heb “and it will tremble and be wide, your heart.”
[60:5] 57 tn Heb “the wealth of the sea,” i.e., wealth that is transported from distant lands via the sea.
[60:6] 58 tn Heb “an abundance of camels will cover you.”
[60:6] 59 tn Heb “all of them, from Sheba.”
[60:6] 60 tn Heb “and they will announce the praises of the Lord.”
[60:7] 61 tn Heb “will serve you,” i.e., be available as sacrifices (see the next line). Another option is to understood these “rams” as symbolic of leaders who will be subject to the people of Zion. See v. 10.
[60:7] 62 tc Heb “they will go up on acceptance [on] my altar.” Some have suggested that the preposition עַל (’al) is dittographic (note the preceding יַעֲלוּ [ya’alu]). Consequently, the form should be emended to לְרָצוֹן (lÿratson, “acceptably”; see BDB 953 s.v. רָצוֹן). However, the Qumran scroll 1QIsaa has both לרצון followed by the preposition על, which would argue against deleted the preposition. As the above translation seeks to demonstrate, the preposition עַל (’al) indicates a norm (“in accordance with acceptance” or “acceptably”; IBHS 218 §11.2.13e, n. 111) and the “altar” functions as an objective accusative with a verb of motion (cf. Gen 49:4; Lev 2:2; Num 13:17; J. N. Oswalt, Isaiah [NICOT], 2:534, n. 14).
[60:8] 63 tn Heb “fly” (so KJV, NASB, NRSV); NAB, NIV “fly along.”
[60:8] 64 tn Heb “to their windows,” i.e., to the openings in their coops. See HALOT 83 s.v. אֲרֻבָּה.
[60:9] 65 tn Or “islands” (NIV); CEV “distant islands”; TEV “distant lands.”
[60:9] 66 tn Heb “the ships of Tarshish.” See the note at 2:16.
[60:9] 67 tn Heb “to the name of the Lord your God.”
[60:9] 68 sn See the note on the phrase “the Holy One of Israel” in 1:4.
[60:10] 69 tn Heb “in my favor I will have compassion on you.”
[60:11] 70 tn Or “led in procession.” The participle is passive.
[60:12] 71 tn Or “For” (KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT); TEV “But.”
[60:12] 72 tn The infinitive absolute appears before the finite verb for emphasis.
[60:13] 73 tn Or “holy place, sanctuary.”
[60:13] 74 tn Heb “the place of my feet.” See Ezek 43:7, where the Lord’s throne is called the “place of the soles of my feet.”
[60:14] 75 sn See the note on the phrase “the Holy One of Israel” in 1:4.
[60:15] 76 tn Heb “Instead of your being abandoned and despised, with no one passing through, I will make you.”
[60:16] 77 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] 78 tn Or “redeemer.” See the note at 41:14.
[60:16] 79 sn See 1:24 and 49:26.
[60:17] 80 tn The words “I will bring you” are supplied in the translation; they are understood by ellipsis (see the preceding lines).
[60:17] 81 tn The words “I will bring you” are supplied in the translation; they are understood by ellipsis (see the first two lines of the verse).
[60:17] 82 tn Or “peace” (KJV and many other English versions).
[60:17] 83 tn The plural indicates degree. The language is ironic; in the past Zion was ruled by oppressive tyrants, but now personified prosperity and vindication will be the only things that will “dominate” the city.
[60:18] 84 tn The words “sounds of” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[60:18] 85 tn The words “sounds of” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[60:19] 86 tn Heb “and your God for your splendor.”
[60:20] 87 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] 88 tn Heb “days” (so KJV, NAB, NIV, NRSV, NLT).
[60:21] 89 tn Or “righteous” (NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT); NAB “just.”
[60:21] 90 tn Heb “a shoot of his planting, the work of my hands, to reveal splendor.”
[60:22] 91 tn Heb “will become” (so NASB, NIV).
[60:22] 92 tn Heb “I, the Lord, in its time, I will quickly do it.”
[61:1] 93 tn Heb “anointed,” i.e., designated to carry out an assigned task.
[61:1] 94 sn The speaker is not identified, but he is distinct from the Lord and from Zion’s suffering people. He possesses the divine spirit, is God’s spokesman, and is sent to release prisoners from bondage. The evidence suggests he is the Lord’s special servant, described earlier in the servant songs (see 42:1-4, 7; 49:2, 9; 50:4; see also 51:16).
[61:1] 95 tn Or “sent” (NAB); NCV “has appointed me.”
[61:1] 96 tn Or “proclaim good news to.”
[61:1] 97 tn Heb “to bind up [the wounds of].”
[61:2] 98 tn Heb “to announce the year of the Lord’s favor, and the day of our God’s vengeance.
[61:3] 99 tn Heb “oil of joy” (KJV, ASV); NASB, NIV, NRSV “the oil of gladness.”
[61:3] 100 tn Heb “garment of praise.”
[61:3] 101 tn Heb “a faint spirit” (so NRSV); KJV, ASV “the spirit of heaviness”; NASB “a spirit of fainting.”
[61:3] 102 tn Rather than referring to the character of the people, צֶדֶק (tsedeq) may carry the nuance “vindication” here, suggesting that God’s restored people are a testimony to his justice. See v. 2, which alludes to the fact that God will take vengeance against the enemies of his people. Cf. NAB “oaks of justice.”
[61:3] 103 tn Heb “a planting of the Lord to reveal splendor.”
[61:4] 104 tn Heb “and the formerly desolate places they will raise up.”
[61:5] 105 sn The Lord speaks in vv. 7-8 (and possibly v. 9). It is not clear where the servant’s speech (see vv. 1-3a) ends and the Lord’s begins. Perhaps the direct address to the people signals the beginning of the Lord’s speech.
[61:5] 106 tn Heb “will stand [in position] and shepherd.”
[61:6] 107 tn The Hebrew text adds, “it will be said concerning you.”
[61:6] 108 tn Heb “eat” (KJV, NAB, NASB); NIV “feed on”; NLT “be fed with.”
[61:6] 109 tc The form in the Hebrew text is probably a corruption of יִתְאַמְּרוּ (yit’ammÿru), a Hitpael from אָמַר (’amar), meaning “boast about” (see HALOT 67 s.v. II אמר, HALOT 416 s.v. ימר, and BDB 56 s.v. אָמַר).
[61:6] 110 tn Heb “their glory” (i.e., riches).
[61:7] 111 tn Heb “instead of your shame, a double portion.”
[61:7] 112 tn Heb “and [instead of] humiliation they will rejoice [over] their portion.” The term תָחָת (takhat, “instead of”) is understood by ellipsis (note the preceding line).
[61:7] 113 tn Heb “therefore” (so KJV, NASB); NIV “and so.”
[61:8] 114 tn Heb “in faithfulness”; NASB, NRSV, NLT “faithfully.”
[61:9] 115 tn Heb “all who see them will recognize them, that they [are] descendants [whom] the Lord has blessed.”
[61:10] 116 sn The speaker in vv. 10-11 is not identified, but it is likely that the personified nation (or perhaps Zion) responds here to the Lord’s promise of restoration.
[61:10] 117 tn The infinitive absolute appears before the finite verb for emphasis.
[61:10] 118 tn Heb “my being is happy in my God”; NAB “in my God is the joy of my soul.”
[61:10] 119 tn Heb “robe of vindication”; KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV “robe of righteousness.”
[61:10] 120 tn Heb “like a bridegroom [who] acts like a priest [by wearing] a turban, and like a bride [who] wears her jewelry.” The words “I look” are supplied for stylistic reasons and clarification.
[61:11] 121 tn Or perhaps, “righteousness,” but the context seems to emphasize deliverance and restoration (see v. 10 and 62:1).
[61:11] 122 tn Heb “and praise before all the nations.”
[62:1] 123 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[62:1] 124 tn Heb “goes forth like brightness.”
[62:2] 125 tn Heb “which the mouth of the Lord will designate.”
[62:4] 126 tn Or “for”; KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV “but.”
[62:4] 127 tn Hebrew חֶפְצִי־בָהּ (kheftsi-vah), traditionally transliterated “Hephzibah” (so KJV, ASV, NIV).
[62:4] 128 tn Hebrew בְּעוּלָה (bÿ’ulah), traditionally transliterated “Beulah” (so KJV, ASV, NIV).
[62:4] 129 tn That is, the land will be restored to the Lord’s favor and once again enjoy his blessing and protection. To indicate the land’s relationship to the Lord, the words “to him” have been supplied at the end of the clause.
[62:5] 130 tc The Hebrew text has “your sons,” but this produces an odd metaphor and is somewhat incongruous with the parallelism. In the context (v. 4b, see also 54:5-7) the Lord is the one who “marries” Zion. Therefore several prefer to emend “your sons” to בֹּנָיִךְ (bonayikh, “your builder”; e.g., NRSV). In Ps 147:2 the Lord is called the “builder of Jerusalem.” However, this emendation is not the best option for at least four reasons. First, although the Lord is never called the “builder” of Jerusalem in Isaiah, the idea of Zion’s children possessing the land does occur (Isa 49:20; 54:3; cf. also 14:1; 60:21). Secondly, all the ancient versions support the MT reading. Thirdly, although the verb בָּעַל (ba’al) can mean “to marry,” its basic idea is “to possess.” Consequently, the verb stresses a relationship more than a state. All the ancient versions render this verb “to dwell in” or “to dwell with.” The point is not just that the land will be reinhabited, but that it will be in a relationship of “belonging” to the Israelites. Hence a relational verb like בָּעַל is used (J. N. Oswalt, Isaiah [NICOT], 2:581). Finally, “sons” is a well-known metaphor for “inhabitants” (J. de Waard, Isaiah, 208).
[62:6] 131 sn The speaker here is probably the prophet.
[62:6] 132 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] 133 tn Or “invoke”; NIV “call on”; NASB, NRSV “remind.”
[62:7] 134 tn “Jerusalem” is supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons; note the following line.
[62:7] 135 tn Heb “[the object of] praise.”
[62:8] 136 tn The Lord’s right hand and strong arm here symbolize his power and remind the audience that his might guarantees the fulfillment of the following promise.
[62:9] 137 tn Heb “it,” the grain mentioned in v. 8a.
[62:9] 138 tn Heb “and those who gather it will drink it.” The masculine singular pronominal suffixes attached to “gather” and “drink” refer back to the masculine noun תִּירוֹשׁ (tirosh, “wine”) in v. 8b.
[62:11] 139 tn Heb “to the end of the earth” (so NASB, NRSV).
[62:11] 140 sn As v. 12 indicates, the returning exiles are the Lord’s reward/prize. See also 40:10 and the note there.
[62:12] 141 tn Or “the redeemed of the Lord” (KJV, NAB).
[63:1] 142 sn Edom is here an archetype for the Lord’s enemies. See 34:5.
[63:1] 143 tn Heb “[in] bright red garments, from Bozrah.”
[63:1] 144 tn The interrogative particle is understood by ellipsis; note the first line of the verse.
[63:1] 145 tn Heb “honored in his clothing”; KJV, ASV “glorious in his apparel.”
[63:1] 146 tc The Hebrew text has צָעָה (tsa’ah), which means “stoop, bend” (51:14). The translation assumes an emendation to צָעַד (tsa’ad, “march”; see BDB 858 s.v. צָעָה).
[63:1] 147 tn Heb “I, [the one] speaking in vindication [or “righteousness”], great to deliver.”
[63:2] 148 tn Heb “and your garments like one who treads in a vat?”
[63:3] 149 sn Nations, headed by Edom, are the object of the Lord’s anger (see v. 6). He compares military slaughter to stomping on grapes in a vat.
[63:3] 150 tn Heb “and I stained.” For discussion of the difficult verb form, see HALOT 170 s.v. II גאל. Perhaps the form is mixed, combining the first person forms of the imperfect (note the alef prefix) and perfect (note the תי- ending).
[63:4] 151 tn Heb “for the day of vengeance was in my heart, and the year of my revenge came.” The term גְּאוּלַי (gÿ’ulai) is sometimes translated here “my redemption,” for the verbal root גאל often means “deliver, buy back.” A גֹּאֵל (go’el, “kinsman-redeemer”) was responsible for protecting the extended family’s interests, often by redeeming property that had been sold outside the family. However, the responsibilities of a גֹּאֵל extended beyond financial concerns. He was also responsible for avenging the shed blood of a family member (see Num 35:19-27; Deut 19:6-12). In Isa 63:4, where vengeance is a prominent theme (note the previous line), it is probably this function of the family protector that is in view. The Lord pictures himself as a blood avenger who waits for the day of vengeance to arrive and then springs into action.
[63:5] 152 sn See Isa 59:16 for similar language.
[63:5] 153 tn Heb “and my anger, it supported me”; NIV “my own wrath sustained me.”
[63:6] 154 sn See Isa 49:26 and 51:23 for similar imagery.
[63:6] 155 tn Heb “and I brought down to the ground their juice.” “Juice” refers to their blood (see v. 3).
[63:7] 156 tn Heb “according to all which.”
[63:7] 157 tn Heb “greatness of goodness to the house of Israel which he did for them.”
[63:7] 158 tn Heb “according to.”
[63:8] 159 tn Heb “children [who] do not act deceitfully.” Here the verb refers to covenantal loyalty.
[63:9] 160 tn Heb “in all their distress, there was distress to him” (reading לוֹ [lo] with the margin/Qere).
[63:9] 161 tn Heb “the messenger [or “angel”] of his face”; NIV “the angel of his presence.”
[63:9] sn This may refer to the “angel of God” mentioned in Exod 14:19, who in turn may be identical to the divine “presence” (literally, “face”) referred to in Exod 33:14-15 and Deut 4:37. Here in Isa 63 this messenger may be equated with God’s “holy Spirit” (see vv. 10-11) and “the Spirit of the Lord” (v. 14). See also Ps 139:7, where God’s “Spirit” seems to be equated with his “presence” (literally, “face”) in the synonymous parallelistic structure.
[63:9] 162 tn Or “redeemed” (KJV, NAB, NIV), or “delivered.”
[63:9] 163 tn Heb “all the days of antiquity”; KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV “days of old.”
[63:10] 164 tn Or “grieved, hurt the feelings of.”
[63:10] 165 sn The phrase “holy Spirit” occurs in the OT only here (in v. 11 as well) and in Ps 51:11 (51:13 HT), where it is associated with the divine presence.
[63:11] 166 tn Heb “and he remembered the days of antiquity, Moses, his people.” The syntax of the statement is unclear. The translation assumes that “his people” is the subject of the verb “remembered.” If original, “Moses” is in apposition to “the days of antiquity,” more precisely identifying the time period referred to. However, the syntactical awkwardness suggests that “Moses” may have been an early marginal note (perhaps identifying “the shepherd of his flock” two lines later) that has worked its way into the text.
[63:11] 167 tn The Hebrew text has a plural form, which if retained and taken as a numerical plural, would probably refer to Moses, Aaron, and the Israelite tribal leaders at the time of the Exodus. Most prefer to emend the form to the singular (רָעָה, ra’ah) and understand this as a reference just to Moses.
[63:11] 168 sn See the note at v. 10.
[63:12] 169 tn Heb “who caused to go at the right hand of Moses the arm of his splendor.”
[63:12] 170 tn Heb “making for himself a lasting name.”
[63:13] 171 tn Heb “in the desert [or “steppe”].”
[63:14] 172 tn The words “to graze” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
[63:14] 173 tn Or “so” (KJV, ASV), or “thus” (NAB, NRSV).
[63:14] 174 tn Heb “making for yourself a majestic name.”
[63:15] 175 tn This probably refers to his zeal for his people, which motivates him to angrily strike out against their enemies.
[63:15] 176 tn The Hebrew text reads literally, “the agitation of your intestines and your compassion to me they are held back.” The phrase “agitation of your intestines” is metonymic, referring to the way in which one’s nervous system reacts when one feels pity and compassion toward another. אֵלַי (’elay, “to me”) is awkward in this context, where the speaker represents the nation and, following the introduction (see v. 7), utilizes first person plural forms. The translation assumes an emendation to the negative particle אַל (’al). This also necessitates emending the following verb form (which is a plural perfect) to a singular jussive (תִתְאַפָּק, tit’appaq). The Hitpael of אָפַק (’afaq) also occurs in 42:14.
[63:16] 177 tn Heb “our protector [or “redeemer”] from antiquity [is] your name.”
[63:17] 178 tn Some suggest a tolerative use of the Hiphil here, “[why do] you allow us to stray?” (cf. NLT). Though the Hiphil of תָעָה (ta’ah) appears to be tolerative in Jer 50:6, elsewhere it is preferable or necessary to take it as causative. See Isa 3:12; 9:15; and 30:28, as well as Gen 20:13; 2 Kgs 21:9; Job 12:24-25; Prov 12:26; Jer 23:13, 32; Hos 4:12; Amos 2:4; Mic 3:5.
[63:17] 179 tn This probably refers to God’s commands.
[63:17] 180 tn Heb “[Why do] you harden our heart[s] so as not to fear you.” The interrogative particle is understood by ellipsis (note the preceding line).
[63:17] sn How direct this hardening is, one cannot be sure. The speaker may envision direct involvement on the Lord’s part. The Lord has brought the exile as judgment for the nation’s sin and now he continues to keep them at arm’s length by blinding them spiritually. The second half of 64:7 might support this, though the precise reading of the final verb is uncertain. On the other hand, the idiom of lament is sometimes ironic and hyperbolically deterministic. For example, Naomi lamented that Shaddai was directly opposing her and bringing her calamity (Ruth 1:20-21), while the author of Ps 88 directly attributes his horrible suffering and loneliness to God (see especially vv. 6-8, 16-18). Both individuals make little, if any, room for intermediate causes or the principle of sin and death which ravages the human race. In the same way, the speaker in Isa 63:17 (who evidences great spiritual sensitivity and is anything but “hardened”) may be referring to the hardships of exile, which discouraged and even embittered the people, causing many of them to retreat from their Yahwistic faith. In this case, the “hardening” in view is more indirect and can be lifted by the Lord’s intervention. Whether the hardening here is indirect or direct, it is important to recognize that the speaker sees it as one of the effects of rebellion against the Lord (note especially 64:5-6).
[63:18] 181 tn Or “holy” (ASV, NASB, NRSV, TEV, NLT).
[63:18] 182 tn Heb “for a short time they had a possession, the people of your holiness.”
[63:18] 183 tn Heb “your adversaries trampled on.”
[63:19] 184 tn Heb “we were from antiquity” (see v. 16). The collocation עוֹלָם + מִן + הָיָה (hayah + min + ’olam) occurs only here.
[63:19] 185 tn Heb “you did not rule them, your name was not called over them.” The expression “the name is called over” indicates ownership; see the note at 4:1. As these two lines stand they are very difficult to interpret. They appear to be stating that the adversaries just mentioned in v. 18 have not been subject to the Lord’s rule in the past, perhaps explaining why they could commit the atrocity described in v. 18b.
