Isaiah 7:8-9

7:8 For Syria’s leader is Damascus,

and the leader of Damascus is Rezin.

Within sixty-five years Ephraim will no longer exist as a nation. ¹ 

7:9 Ephraim’s leader is Samaria,

and Samaria’s leader is the son of Remaliah.

If your faith does not remain firm,

then you will not remain secure.” ² 

Isaiah 16:5

16:5 Then a trustworthy king will be established;

he will rule in a reliable manner,

this one from David’s family. ³ 

He will be sure to make just decisions

and will be experienced in executing justice. ⁴ 

Isaiah 22:22

22:22 I will place the key ⁵  to the house of David on his shoulder. When he opens the door, no one can close it; when he closes the door, no one can open it.

Isaiah 36:3

36:3 Eliakim son of Hilkiah, the palace supervisor, accompanied by Shebna the scribe and Joah son of Asaph, the secretary, went out to meet him.

Isaiah 37:3

37:3 “This is what Hezekiah says: ⁶  ‘This is a day of distress, insults, ⁷  and humiliation, ⁸  as when a baby is ready to leave the birth canal, but the mother lacks the strength to push it through. ⁹ 

¹ tn Heb “Ephraim will be too shattered to be a nation”; NIV “to be a people.”

² tn Heb “if you do not believe, you will not endure.” The verb forms are second plural; the Lord here addresses the entire Davidic family and court. (Verse 4 was addressed to the king.) There is a wordplay in the Hebrew text, designed to draw attention to the alternatives set before the king (cf. 1:20). “Believe” (תַאֳמִינוּ, ta’aminu) is a Hiphil form of the verb אָמָן (’aman); “endure” (תֵאָמֵנוּ, te’amenu) is a Niphal form of this same verb.

³ tn Heb “and a throne will be established in faithfulness, and he will sit on it in reliability, in the tent of David.”

⁴ tn Heb “one who judges and seeks justice, and one experienced in fairness.” Many understand מְהִר (mÿhir) to mean “quick, prompt” (see BDB 555 s.v. מָהִיר), but HALOT 552 s.v. מָהִיר offers the meaning “skillful, experienced,” and translates the phrase in v. 5 “zealous for what is right.”

⁴ sn This may refer to a literal insignia worn by the chief administrator. Even so, it would still symbolize the administrator’s authority to grant or exclude access to the king. See J. N. Oswalt, Isaiah (NICOT), 1:422.

⁵ tn In the Hebrew text this verse begins with “they said to him” (cf. NRSV).

⁶ tn Or “rebuke” (KJV, NAB, NIV, NRSV), or “correction.”

⁷ tn Or “contempt”; NAB, NIV, NRSV “disgrace.”

⁸ tn Heb “when sons come to the cervical opening and there is no strength to give birth.”