Yesaya 12:5

12:5 Sing to the Lord, for he has done magnificent things,

let this be known ¹  throughout the earth!

Yesaya 35:5

35:5 Then blind eyes will open,

deaf ears will hear.

Yesaya 38:7

38:7 Isaiah replied, ²  “This is your sign from the Lord confirming that the Lord will do what he has said:

Yesaya 40:23

40:23 He is the one who reduces rulers to nothing;

he makes the earth’s leaders insignificant.

Yesaya 66:3

66:3 The one who slaughters a bull also strikes down a man; ³ 

the one who sacrifices a lamb also breaks a dog’s neck; ⁴ 

the one who presents an offering includes pig’s blood with it; ⁵ 

the one who offers incense also praises an idol. ⁶ 

They have decided to behave this way; ⁷ 

they enjoy these disgusting practices. ⁸ 

[12:5]  ¹ tc The translation follows the marginal reading (Qere), which is a Hophal participle from יָדַע (yada’), understood here in a gerundive sense.

[38:7]  ² tn The words “Isaiah replied” are supplied in the translation for clarification. In the present form of the Hebrew text v. 7 is joined directly to v. 6, but vv. 21-22, if original to Isaiah 38, must be inserted here. See 2 Kgs 20:7-8.

[66:3]  ³ tn Heb “one who slaughters a bull, one who strikes down a man.” Some understand a comparison here and in the following lines. In God’s sight the one who sacrifices is like (i.e., regarded as) a murderer or one whose worship is ritually defiled or idolatrous. The translation above assumes that the language is not metaphorical, but descriptive of the sinners’ hypocritical behavior. (Note the last two lines of the verse, which suggests they are guilty of abominable practices.) On the one hand, they act pious and offer sacrifices; but at the same time they commit violent crimes against men, defile their sacrifices, and worship other gods.

[66:3]  ⁴ tn Heb “one who sacrifices a lamb, one who breaks a dog’s neck.” Some understand a comparison, but see the previous note.

[66:3]  sn The significance of breaking a dog’s neck is uncertain, though the structure of the statement when compared to the preceding and following lines suggests the action is viewed in a negative light. According to Exod 13:13 and 34:20, one was to “redeem” a firstborn donkey by offering a lamb; if one did not “redeem” the firstborn donkey in this way, then its neck must be broken. According to Deut 21:1-9 a heifer’s neck was to be broken as part of the atonement ritual to purify the land from the guilt of bloodshed. It is not certain if these passages relate in any way to the action described in Isa 66:3.

[66:3]  ⁵ tn Heb “one who offers an offering, pig’s blood.” Some understand a comparison, but see the note at the end of the first line.

[66:3]  ⁶ tn Heb “one who offers incense as a memorial offering, one who blesses something false.” Some understand a comparison, but see the note at the end of the first line. אָוֶן (’aven), which has a wide variety of attested nuances, here refers metonymically to an idol. See HALOT 22 s.v. and BDB 20 s.v. 2.

[66:3]  ⁷ tn Heb “also they have chosen their ways.”

[66:3]  ⁸ tn Heb “their being [or “soul”] takes delight in their disgusting [things].”