Yesaya 1:1-3

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1:1 Here is the message about Judah and Jerusalem ¹  that was revealed to Isaiah son of Amoz during the time when Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah reigned over Judah. ² 

Obedience, not Sacrifice

1:2 Listen, O heavens,

pay attention, O earth! ³ 

For the Lord speaks:

“I raised children, ⁴  I brought them up, ⁵ 

but ⁶  they have rebelled ⁷  against me!

1:3 An ox recognizes its owner,

a donkey recognizes where its owner puts its food; ⁸ 

but Israel does not recognize me, ⁹ 

my people do not understand.”

Yesaya 1:12

1:12 When you enter my presence,

do you actually think I want this –

animals trampling on my courtyards? ¹⁰ 

Yesaya 1:15

1:15 When you spread out your hands in prayer,

I look the other way; ¹¹ 

when you offer your many prayers,

I do not listen,

because your hands are covered with blood. ¹² 

Yesaya 3:7

3:7 At that time ¹³  the brother will shout, ¹⁴ 

‘I am no doctor, ¹⁵ 

I have no food or coat in my house;

don’t make me a leader of the people!’”

Yesaya 5:9

5:9 The Lord who commands armies told me this: ¹⁶ 

“Many houses will certainly become desolate,

large, impressive houses will have no one living in them. ¹⁷ 

Yesaya 5:12

5:12 They have stringed instruments, ¹⁸  tambourines, flutes,

and wine at their parties.

So they do not recognize what the Lord is doing,

they do not perceive what he is bringing about. ¹⁹ 

Yesaya 5:16

5:16 The Lord who commands armies will be exalted ²⁰  when he punishes, ²¹ 

the sovereign God’s authority will be recognized when he judges. ²² 

Yesaya 5:19

5:19 They say, “Let him hurry, let him act quickly, ²³ 

so we can see;

let the plan of the Holy One of Israel ²⁴  take shape ²⁵  and come to pass,

then we will know it!”

Yesaya 6:9

6:9 He said, “Go and tell these people:

‘Listen continually, but don’t understand!

Look continually, but don’t perceive!’

Yesaya 7:11

7:11 “Ask for a confirming sign from the Lord your God. You can even ask for something miraculous.” ²⁶ 

Yesaya 9:20

9:20 They devoured ²⁷  on the right, but were still hungry,

they ate on the left, but were not satisfied.

People even ate ²⁸  the flesh of their own arm! ²⁹ 

Yesaya 10:4

10:4 You will have no place to go, except to kneel with the prisoners,

or to fall among those who have been killed. ³⁰ 

Despite all this, his anger does not subside,

and his hand is ready to strike again. ³¹ 

Yesaya 11:8

11:8 A baby ³²  will play

over the hole of a snake; ³³ 

over the nest ³⁴  of a serpent

an infant ³⁵  will put his hand. ³⁶ 

Yesaya 16:3

16:3 “Bring a plan, make a decision! ³⁷ 

Provide some shade in the middle of the day! ³⁸ 

Hide the fugitives! Do not betray ³⁹  the one who tries to escape!

Yesaya 17:10

17:10 For you ignore ⁴⁰  the God who rescues you;

you pay no attention to your strong protector. ⁴¹ 

So this is what happens:

You cultivate beautiful plants

and plant exotic vines. ⁴² 

Yesaya 20:3

20:3 Later the Lord explained, “In the same way that my servant Isaiah has walked around in undergarments and barefoot for the past three years, as an object lesson and omen pertaining to Egypt and Cush,

Yesaya 20:6

20:6 At that time ⁴³  those who live on this coast ⁴⁴  will say, ‘Look what has happened to our source of hope to whom we fled for help, expecting to be rescued from the king of Assyria! How can we escape now?’”

Yesaya 21:3

21:3 For this reason my stomach churns; ⁴⁵ 

cramps overwhelm me

like the contractions of a woman in labor.

I am disturbed ⁴⁶  by what I hear,

horrified by what I see.

Yesaya 22:2

22:2 The noisy city is full of raucous sounds;

the town is filled with revelry. ⁴⁷ 

Your slain were not cut down by the sword;

they did not die in battle. ⁴⁸ 

Yesaya 22:18

22:18 He will wind you up tightly into a ball

and throw you into a wide, open land. ⁴⁹ 

There you will die,

and there with you will be your impressive chariots, ⁵⁰ 

which bring disgrace to the house of your master. ⁵¹ 

Yesaya 22:22

22:22 I will place the key ⁵²  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.

Yesaya 24:22

24:22 They will be imprisoned in a pit, ⁵³ 

locked up in a prison,

and after staying there for a long time, ⁵⁴  they will be punished. ⁵⁵ 

Yesaya 27:9

27:9 So in this way Jacob’s sin will be forgiven, ⁵⁶ 

and this is how they will show they are finished sinning: ⁵⁷ 

They will make all the stones of the altars ⁵⁸ 

like crushed limestone,

and the Asherah poles and the incense altars will no longer stand. ⁵⁹ 

Yesaya 28:9

28:9 Who is the Lord ⁶⁰  trying to teach?

To whom is he explaining a message? ⁶¹ 

Those just weaned from milk!

Those just taken from their mother’s breast! ⁶² 

Yesaya 28:12

28:12 In the past he said to them, ⁶³ 

“This is where security can be found.

Provide security for the one who is exhausted!

This is where rest can be found.” ⁶⁴ 

But they refused to listen.

Yesaya 28:28

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.

Yesaya 31:2

31:2 Yet he too is wise ⁶⁵  and he will bring disaster;

he does not retract his decree. ⁶⁶ 

He will attack the wicked nation, ⁶⁷ 

and the nation that helps ⁶⁸  those who commit sin. ⁶⁹ 

Yesaya 36:10

36:10 Furthermore it was by the command of the Lord that I marched up against this land to destroy it. The Lord told me, ‘March up against this land and destroy it!’”’” ⁷⁰ 

Yesaya 37:12

37:12 Were the nations whom my predecessors ⁷¹  destroyed – the nations of Gozan, Haran, Rezeph, and the people of Eden in Telassar – rescued by their gods? ⁷² 

Yesaya 45:4

45:4 For the sake of my servant Jacob,

Israel, my chosen one,

I call you by name

and give you a title of respect, even though you do not recognize ⁷³  me.

Yesaya 48:5

48:5 I announced them to you beforehand;

before they happened, I predicted them for you,

so you could never say,

‘My image did these things,

my idol, my cast image, decreed them.’

Yesaya 48:14

48:14 All of you, gather together and listen!

Who among them ⁷⁴  announced these things?

The Lord’s ally ⁷⁵  will carry out his desire against Babylon;

he will exert his power against the Babylonians. ⁷⁶ 

Yesaya 51:1

There is Hope for the Future

51:1 “Listen to me, you who pursue godliness, ⁷⁷ 

who seek the Lord!

Look at the rock from which you were chiseled,

at the quarry ⁷⁸  from which you were dug! ⁷⁹ 

Yesaya 54:14

54:14 You will be reestablished when I vindicate you. ⁸⁰ 

You will not experience oppression; ⁸¹ 

indeed, you will not be afraid.

You will not be terrified, ⁸² 

for nothing frightening ⁸³  will come near you.

Yesaya 56:1-2

The Lord Invites Outsiders to Enter

56:1 This is what the Lord says,

“Promote ⁸⁴  justice! Do what is right!

For I am ready to deliver you;

I am ready to vindicate you openly. ⁸⁵ 

56:2 The people who do this will be blessed, ⁸⁶ 

the people who commit themselves to obedience, ⁸⁷ 

who observe the Sabbath and do not defile it,

who refrain from doing anything that is wrong. ⁸⁸ 

Yesaya 57:6

57:6 Among the smooth stones of the stream are the idols you love;

they, they are the object of your devotion. ⁸⁹ 

You pour out liquid offerings to them,

you make an offering.

Because of these things I will seek vengeance. ⁹⁰ 

Yesaya 57:17

57:17 I was angry because of their sinful greed;

I attacked them and angrily rejected them, ⁹¹ 

yet they remained disobedient and stubborn. ⁹² 

Yesaya 58:4

58:4 Look, your fasting is accompanied by ⁹³  arguments, brawls,

and fistfights. ⁹⁴ 

Do not fast as you do today,

trying to make your voice heard in heaven.

Yesaya 58:6

58:6 No, this is the kind of fast I want. ⁹⁵ 

I want you ⁹⁶  to remove the sinful chains,

to tear away the ropes of the burdensome yoke,

to set free the oppressed, ⁹⁷ 

and to break every burdensome yoke.

Yesaya 59:9

Israel Confesses its Sin

59:9 For this reason deliverance ⁹⁸  is far from us ⁹⁹ 

and salvation does not reach us.

We wait for light, ¹⁰⁰  but see only darkness; ¹⁰¹ 

we wait for ¹⁰²  a bright light, ¹⁰³  but live ¹⁰⁴  in deep darkness. ¹⁰⁵ 

Yesaya 63:16

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. ¹⁰⁶ 

Yesaya 66:18

66:18 “I hate their deeds and thoughts! So I am coming ¹⁰⁷  to gather all the nations and ethnic groups; ¹⁰⁸  they will come and witness my splendor.

[1:1]  ¹ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[1:1]  ² tn Heb “The vision of Isaiah son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, [and] Hezekiah, kings of Judah.”

[1:1]  sn Isaiah’s prophetic career probably began in the final year of Uzziah’s reign (ca. 740 b.c., see Isa 6:1) and extended into the later years of Hezekiah’s reign, which ended in 686 b.c.

[1:2]  ³ sn The personified heavens and earth are summoned to God’s courtroom as witnesses against God’s covenant people. Long before this Moses warned the people that the heavens and earth would be watching their actions (see Deut 4:26; 30:19; 31:28; 32:1).

[1:2]  ⁴ tn Or “sons” (NAB, NASB).

[1:2]  sn “Father” and “son” occur as common terms in ancient Near Eastern treaties and covenants, delineating the suzerain and vassal as participants in the covenant relationship. The prophet uses these terms, the reference to heavens and earth as witnesses, and allusions to deuteronomic covenant curses (1:7-9, 19-20) to set his prophecy firmly against the backdrop of Israel’s covenantal relationship with Yahweh.

[1:2]  ⁵ sn The normal word pair for giving birth to and raising children is יָלַד (yalad, “to give birth to”) and גָּדַל (gadal, “to grow, raise”). The pair גָּדַל and רוּם (rum, “to raise up”) probably occur here to highlight the fact that Yahweh made something important of Israel (cf. R. Mosis, TDOT 2:403).

[1:2]  ⁶ sn Against the backdrop of Yahweh’s care for his chosen people, Israel’s rebellion represents abhorrent treachery. The conjunction prefixed to a nonverbal element highlights the sad contrast between Yahweh’s compassionate care for His people and Israel’s thankless rebellion.

[1:2]  ⁷ sn To rebel carries the idea of “covenant treachery.” Although an act of פֶּשַׁע (pesha’, “rebellion”) often signifies a breach of the law, the legal offense also represents a violation of an existing covenantal relationship (E. Carpenter and M. Grisanti, NIDOTTE 3:707).

[1:3]  ⁸ tn Heb “and the donkey the feeding trough of its owner.” The verb in the first line does double duty in the parallelism.

[1:3]  ⁹ tn Although both verbs have no object, the parallelism suggests that Israel fails to recognize the Lord as the one who provides for their needs. In both clauses, the placement of “Israel” and “my people” at the head of the clause focuses the reader’s attention on the rebellious nation (C. van der Merwe, J. Naudé, J. Kroeze, A Biblical Hebrew Reference Grammar, 346-47).

[1:12]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “When you come to appear before me, who requires this from your hand, trampling of my courtyards?” The rhetorical question sarcastically makes the point that God does not require this parade of livestock. The verb “trample” probably refers to the eager worshipers and their sacrificial animals walking around in the temple area.

[1:15]  ¹¹ tn Heb “I close my eyes from you.”

[1:15]  ¹² sn This does not just refer to the blood of sacrificial animals, but also the blood, as it were, of their innocent victims. By depriving the poor and destitute of proper legal recourse and adequate access to the economic system, the oppressors have, for all intents and purposes, “killed” their victims.

[3:7]  ¹³ tn Or “in that day” (KJV).

[3:7]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “he will lift up [his voice].”

[3:7]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “wrapper [of wounds]”; KJV, ASV, NRSV “healer.”

[5:9]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “in my ears, the Lord who commands armies [traditionally, the Lord of hosts].”

[5:9]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “great and good [houses], without a resident.”

[5:12]  ¹⁸ tn Two types of stringed instruments are specifically mentioned in the Hebrew text, the כִּנּוֹר (kinnor, “zither”) and נֶבֶל (nevel, “harp”).

[5:12]  ¹⁹ tn Heb “the work of the Lord they do not look at, and the work of his hands they do not see.” God’s “work” can sometimes be his creative deeds, but in this context it is the judgment that he is planning to bring upon his people (cf. vv. 19, 26; 10:12; 28:21).

[5:16]  ²⁰ tn Or “elevated”; TEV “the Lord Almighty shows his greatness.”

[5:16]  ²¹ tn Heb “by judgment/justice.” When God justly punishes the evildoers denounced in the preceding verses, he will be recognized as a mighty warrior.

[5:16]  ²² tn Heb “The holy God will be set apart by fairness.” In this context God’s holiness is his sovereign royal authority, which implies a commitment to justice (see the note on the phrase “the sovereign king of Israel” in 1:4). When God judges evildoers as they deserve, his sovereignty will be acknowledged.

[5:16]  sn The appearance of מִשְׁפָט (mishpat, “justice”) and צְדָקָה (tsÿdaqah, “fairness”) here is rhetorically significant, when one recalls v. 7. There God denounces his people for failing to produce a society where “justice” and “fairness” are valued and maintained. God will judge his people for their failure, taking “justice” and “fairness” into his own hands.

[5:19]  ²³ tn Heb “let his work hurry, let it hasten.” The pronoun “his” refers to God, as the parallel line makes clear. The reference to his “work” alludes back to v. 12, which refers to his ‘work” of judgment. With these words the people challenged the prophet’s warning of approaching judgment. They were in essence saying that they saw no evidence that God was about to work in such a way.

[5:19]  ²⁴ sn See the note on the phrase “the Holy One of Israel” in 1:4.

[5:19]  ²⁵ tn Heb “draw near” (so NASB); NRSV “hasten to fulfillment.”

[7:11]  ²⁶ tn Heb “Make it as deep as Sheol or make it high upwards.” These words suggest that Ahaz can feel free to go beyond the bounds of ordinary human experience.

[9:20]  ²⁷ tn Or “cut.” The verb גָּזַר (gazar) means “to cut.” If it is understood here, then one might paraphrase, “They slice off meat on the right.” However, HALOT 187 s.v. I גזר, proposes here a rare homonym meaning “to devour.”

[9:20]  ²⁸ tn The prefixed verbal form is either a preterite without vav consecutive or an imperfect used in a customary sense, describing continual or repeated behavior in past time.

[9:20]  ²⁹ tn Some suggest that זְרֹעוֹ (zÿro’o, “his arm”) be repointed זַרְעוֹ (zar’o, “his offspring”). In either case, the metaphor is that of a desperately hungry man who resorts to an almost unthinkable act to satisfy his appetite. He eats everything he can find to his right, but still being unsatisfied, then turns to his left and eats everything he can find there. Still being desperate for food, he then resorts to eating his own flesh (or offspring, as this phrase is metaphorically understood by some English versions, e.g., NIV, NCV, TEV, NLT). The reality behind the metaphor is the political turmoil of the period, as the next verse explains. There was civil strife within the northern kingdom; even the descendants of Joseph were at each other’s throats. Then the northern kingdom turned on their southern brother, Judah.

[10:4]  ³⁰ tn Heb “except one kneels in the place of the prisoner, and in the place of the slain [who] fall.” On the force of בִּלְתִּי (bilti, “except”) and its logical connection to what precedes, see BDB 116 s.v. בֵלֶת. On the force of תַּחַת (takhat, “in the place of”) here, see J. N. Oswalt, Isaiah (NICOT), 1:258, n. 6.

[10:4]  ³¹ tn Heb “in all this his anger was not turned, and still his hand was outstretched”; KJV, ASV, NRSV “his had is stretched out still.”

[10:4]  sn See the note at 9:12.

[11:8]  ³² tn Heb “one sucking,” i.e., still being nursed by his mother.

[11:8]  ³³ tn Or perhaps, “cobra” (cf. NAB, NASB, NIV, NCV); KJV, ASV, NRSV “asp.”

[11:8]  ³⁴ tc The Hebrew text has the otherwise unattested מְאוּרַת (mÿ’urat, “place of light”), i.e., opening of a hole. Some prefer to emend to מְעָרַת (mÿ’arat, “cave, den”).

[11:8]  ³⁵ tn Heb “one who is weaned” (cf. KJV, ASV, NASB, NRSV).

[11:8]  ³⁶ sn The transformation of the animal kingdom depicted here typifies what will occur in human society under the just rule of the ideal king (see vv. 3-5). The categories “predator-prey” (i.e., oppressor-oppressed) will no longer exist.

[16:3]  ³⁷ sn It is unclear who is being addressed in this verse. Perhaps the prophet, playing the role of a panic stricken Moabite refugee, requests the leaders of Judah (the imperatives are plural) to take pity on the fugitives.

[16:3]  ³⁸ tn Heb “Make your shade like night in the midst of noonday.” “Shade” here symbolizes shelter, while the heat of noonday represents the intense suffering of the Moabites. By comparing the desired shade to night, the speaker visualizes a huge dark shadow cast by a large tree that would provide relief from the sun’s heat.

[16:3]  ³⁹ tn Heb “disclose, uncover.”

[17:10]  ⁴⁰ tn Heb “you have forgotten” (so NAB, NIV, NRSV).

[17:10]  ⁴¹ tn Heb “and the rocky cliff of your strength you do not remember.”

[17:10]  ⁴² tn Heb “a vine, a strange one.” The substantival adjective זָר (zar) functions here as an appositional genitive. It could refer to a cultic plant of some type, associated with a pagan rite. But it is more likely that it refers to an exotic, or imported, type of vine, one that is foreign (i.e., “strange”) to Israel.

[20:6]  ⁴³ tn Heb “in that day” (so KJV).

[20:6]  ⁴⁴ sn This probably refers to the coastal region of Philistia (cf. TEV).

[21:3]  ⁴⁵ tn Heb “my waist is filled with shaking [or “anguish”].”

[21:3]  ⁴⁶ tn Or perhaps, “bent over [in pain]”; cf. NRSV “I am bowed down.”

[22:2]  ⁴⁷ tn Heb “the boisterous town.” The phrase is parallel to “the noisy city” in the preceding line.

[22:2]  ⁴⁸ sn Apparently they died from starvation during the siege that preceded the final conquest of the city. See J. N. Oswalt, Isaiah (NICOT), 1:409.

[22:18]  ⁴⁹ tn Heb “and he will tightly [or “surely”] wind you [with] winding like a ball, to a land broad of hands [i.e., “sides”].”

[22:18]  ⁵⁰ tn Heb “and there the chariots of your splendor.”

[22:18]  ⁵¹ sn Apparently the reference to chariots alludes to Shebna’s excessive pride, which in turn brings disgrace to the royal family.

[22:22]  ⁵² 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.

[24:22]  ⁵³ tn Heb “they will be gathered [in] a gathering [as] a prisoner in a cistern.” It is tempting to eliminate אֲסֵפָה (’asefah, “a gathering”) as dittographic or as a gloss, but sound repetition is one of the main characteristics of the style of this section of the chapter.

[24:22]  ⁵⁴ tn Heb “and after a multitude of days.”

[24:22]  ⁵⁵ tn Heb “visited” (so KJV, ASV). This verse can mean to visit for good or for evil. The translation assumes the latter, based on v. 21a. However, BDB 823 s.v. פָּקַד B.Niph.2 suggests the meaning “visit graciously” here, in which case one might translate “they will be released.”

[27:9]  ⁵⁶ tn Or “be atoned for” (NIV); cf. NRSV “be expiated.”

[27:9]  ⁵⁷ 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]  ⁵⁸ 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]  ⁵⁹ 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.

[28:9]  ⁶⁰ tn Heb “he”; the referent (the Lord) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[28:9]  ⁶¹ 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]  ⁶² 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.

[28:12]  ⁶³ tn Heb “who said to them.”

[28:12]  ⁶⁴ sn This message encapsulates the Lord’s invitation to his people to find security in his protection and blessing.

[31:2]  ⁶⁵ sn This statement appears to have a sarcastic tone. The royal advisers who are advocating an alliance with Egypt think they are wise, but the Lord possesses wisdom as well and will thwart their efforts.

[31:2]  ⁶⁶ tn Heb “and he does not turn aside [i.e., “retract”] his words”; NIV “does not take back his words.”

[31:2]  ⁶⁷ tn Heb “and he will arise against the house of the wicked.”

[31:2]  ⁶⁸ sn That is, Egypt.

[31:2]  ⁶⁹ tn Heb “and against the help of the doers of sin.”

[36:10]  ⁷⁰ sn In v. 10 the chief adviser develops further the argument begun in v. 7. He claims that Hezekiah has offended the Lord and that the Lord has commissioned Assyria as his instrument of discipline and judgment.

[37:12]  ⁷¹ tn Heb “fathers” (so KJV, NAB, NASB); NIV “forefathers”; NCV “ancestors.”

[37:12]  ⁷² tn Heb “Did the gods of the nations whom my fathers destroyed rescue them – Gozan and Haran, and Rezeph and the sons of Eden who are in Telassar?”

[45:4]  ⁷³ tn Or “know” (NCV, NRSV, TEV, NLT); NIV “acknowledge.”

[48:14]  ⁷⁴ sn This probably refers to the idol gods (see v. 5).

[48:14]  ⁷⁵ tn Or “friend,” or “covenant partner.”

[48:14]  sn The Lord’s ally is a reference to Cyrus.

[48:14]  ⁷⁶ tn Heb “and his arm [against] the Babylonians.”

[51:1]  ⁷⁷ tn Or “righteousness” (KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV); NAB “justice”; NLT “hope for deliverance.”

[51:1]  ⁷⁸ tn Heb “the excavation of the hole.”

[51:1]  ⁷⁹ sn The “rock” and “quarry” refer here to Abraham and Sarah, the progenitors of the nation.

[54:14]  ⁸⁰ tn Heb “in righteousness [or “vindication”] you will be established.” The precise meaning of צְדָקָה (tsÿdaqah) here is uncertain. It could mean “righteousness, justice,” indicating that the city will be a center for justice. But the context focuses on deliverance, suggesting that the term means “deliverance, vindication” here.

[54:14]  ⁸¹ tn Heb “Be far from oppression!” The imperative is used here in a rhetorical manner to express certainty and assurance. See GKC 324 §110.c.

[54:14]  ⁸² tn Heb “from terror.” The rhetorical command, “be far” is understood by ellipsis here. Note the preceding context.

[54:14]  ⁸³ tn Heb “it,” i.e., the “terror” just mentioned.

[56:1]  ⁸⁴ tn Heb “guard”; KJV “Keep”; NAB “Observe”; NASB “Preserve”; NIV, NRSV “Maintain.”

[56:1]  ⁸⁵ tn Heb “for near is my deliverance to enter, and my vindication [or “righteousness”] to be revealed.”

[56:2]  ⁸⁶ tn Heb “blessed is the man who does this.”

[56:2]  ⁸⁷ tn Heb “the son of mankind who takes hold of it.”

[56:2]  ⁸⁸ tn Heb and who keeps his hand from doing any evil.”

[57:6]  ⁸⁹ tn Heb “among the smooth stones of the stream [is] your portion, they, they [are] your lot.” The next line indicates idols are in view.

[57:6]  ⁹⁰ tn The text reads literally, “Because of these am I relenting?” If the prefixed interrogative particle is retained at the beginning of the sentence, then the question would be rhetorical, with the Niphal of נָחָם (nakham) probably being used in the sense of “relent, change one’s mind.” One could translate: “Because of these things, how can I relent?” However, the initial letter he may be dittographic (note the final he [ה] on the preceding word). In this case one may understand the verb in the sense of “console oneself, seek vengeance,” as in 1:24.

[57:17]  ⁹¹ tn Heb “and I struck him, hiding, and I was angry.” פָּנַיִם (panayim, “face”) is the implied object of “hiding.”

[57:17]  ⁹² tn Heb “and he walked [as an] apostate in the way of his heart.”

[58:4]  ⁹³ tn Heb “you fast for” (so NASB); NRSV “you fast only to quarrel.”

[58:4]  ⁹⁴ tn Heb “and for striking with a sinful fist.”

[58:6]  ⁹⁵ tn Heb “Is this not a fast I choose?” “No” is supplied in the translation for clarification.

[58:6]  ⁹⁶ tn The words “I want you” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[58:6]  ⁹⁷ tn Heb “crushed.”

[59:9]  ⁹⁸ 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]  ⁹⁹ sn The prophet speaks on behalf of the sinful nation and confesses its sins.

[59:9]  ¹⁰⁰ sn Light here symbolizes prosperity and blessing.

[59:9]  ¹⁰¹ tn Heb “but, look, darkness”; NIV “but all is darkness.”

[59:9]  ¹⁰² tn The words “we wait for” are supplied in the translation; the verb is understood by ellipsis (note the preceding line).

[59:9]  ¹⁰³ tn The plural noun form may indicate degree here.

[59:9]  ¹⁰⁴ tn Or “walk about”; NCV “all we have is darkness.”

[59:9]  ¹⁰⁵ tn The plural noun form may indicate degree here.

[63:16]  ¹⁰⁶ tn Heb “our protector [or “redeemer”] from antiquity [is] your name.”

[66:18]  ¹⁰⁷ tc The Hebrew text reads literally “and I, their deeds and their thoughts, am coming.” The syntax here is very problematic, suggesting that the text may have suffered corruption. Some suggest that the words “their deeds and their thoughts” have been displaced from v. 17. This line presents two primary challenges. In the first place, the personal pronoun “I” has no verb after it. Most translations insert “know” for the sake of clarity (NASB, NRSV, NLT, ESV). The NIV has “I, because of their actions and their imaginations…” Since God’s “knowledge” of Israel’s sin occasions judgment, the verb “hate” is an option as well (see above translation). The feminine form of the next verb (בָּאָה, ba’ah) could be understood in one of two ways. One could provide an implied noun “time” (עֵת, ’et) and render the next line “the time is coming/has come” (NASB, ESV). One could also emend the feminine verb to the masculine בָּא (ba’) and have the “I” at the beginning of the line govern this verb as well (for the Lord is speaking here): “I am coming” (cf. NIV, NCV, NRSV, TEV, NLT).

[66:18]  ¹⁰⁸ tn Heb “and the tongues”; KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV “and tongues.”