Yesaya 1:7

1:7 Your land is devastated,

your cities burned with fire.

Right before your eyes your crops

are being destroyed by foreign invaders. ¹ 

They leave behind devastation and destruction. ² 

Yesaya 1:12

1:12 When you enter my presence,

do you actually think I want this –

animals trampling on my courtyards? ³ 

Yesaya 3:12

3:12 Oppressors treat my ⁴  people cruelly;

creditors rule over them. ⁵ 

My people’s leaders mislead them;

they give you confusing directions. ⁶ 

Yesaya 5:16

5:16 The Lord who commands armies will be exalted ⁷  when he punishes, ⁸ 

the sovereign God’s authority will be recognized when he judges. ⁹ 

Yesaya 8:12

8:12 “Do not say, ‘Conspiracy,’ every time these people say the word. ¹⁰ 

Don’t be afraid of what scares them; don’t be terrified.

Yesaya 10:28

10:28 ¹¹ They ¹²  attacked ¹³  Aiath,

moved through Migron,

depositing their supplies at Micmash.

Yesaya 12:2

12:2 Look, God is my deliverer! ¹⁴ 

I will trust in him ¹⁵  and not fear.

For the Lord gives me strength and protects me; ¹⁶ 

he has become my deliverer.” ¹⁷ 

Yesaya 13:2

13:2 ¹⁸ On a bare hill raise a signal flag,

shout to them,

wave your hand,

so they might enter the gates of the princes!

Yesaya 13:9

13:9 Look, the Lord’s day of judgment ¹⁹  is coming;

it is a day of cruelty and savage, raging anger, ²⁰ 

destroying ²¹  the earth ²² 

and annihilating its sinners.

Yesaya 15:1

The Lord Will Judge Moab

15:1 Here is a message about Moab:

Indeed, in a night it is devastated,

Ar of Moab is destroyed!

Indeed, in a night it is devastated,

Kir of Moab is destroyed!

Yesaya 15:5

15:5 My heart cries out because of Moab’s plight, ²³ 

and for the fugitives ²⁴  stretched out ²⁵  as far as Zoar and Eglath Shelishiyah.

For they weep as they make their way up the ascent of Luhith;

they loudly lament their demise on the road to Horonaim. ²⁶ 

Yesaya 17:8

17:8 They will no longer trust in ²⁷  the altars their hands made,

or depend on the Asherah poles and incense altars their fingers made. ²⁸ 

Yesaya 19:16

19:16 At that time ²⁹  the Egyptians ³⁰  will be like women. ³¹  They will tremble and fear because the Lord who commands armies brandishes his fist against them. ³² 

Yesaya 23:1

The Lord Will Judge Tyre

23:1 Here is a message about Tyre:

Wail, you large ships, ³³ 

for the port is too devastated to enter! ³⁴ 

From the land of Cyprus ³⁵  this news is announced to them.

Yesaya 23:7

23:7 Is this really your boisterous city ³⁶ 

whose origins are in the distant past, ³⁷ 

and whose feet led her to a distant land to reside?

Yesaya 28:17

28:17 I will make justice the measuring line,

fairness the plumb line;

hail will sweep away the unreliable refuge, ³⁸ 

the floodwaters will overwhelm the hiding place.

Yesaya 31:9

31:9 They will surrender their stronghold ³⁹  because of fear; ⁴⁰ 

their officers will be afraid of the Lord’s battle flag.” ⁴¹ 

This is what the Lord says –

the one whose fire is in Zion,

whose firepot is in Jerusalem. ⁴² 

Yesaya 32:14

32:14 For the fortress is neglected;

the once-crowded ⁴³  city is abandoned.

Hill ⁴⁴  and watchtower

are permanently uninhabited. ⁴⁵ 

Wild donkeys love to go there,

and flocks graze there. ⁴⁶ 

Yesaya 37:16

37:16 “O Lord who commands armies, O God of Israel, who is enthroned on the cherubim! ⁴⁷  You alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth. You made the sky ⁴⁸  and the earth.

Yesaya 37:22

37:22 this is what the Lord says about him: ⁴⁹ 

“The virgin daughter Zion ⁵⁰ 

despises you – she makes fun of you;

daughter Jerusalem

shakes her head after you. ⁵¹ 

Yesaya 41:15

41:15 “Look, I am making you like ⁵²  a sharp threshing sledge,

new and double-edged. ⁵³ 

You will thresh the mountains and crush them;

you will make the hills like straw. ⁵⁴ 

Yesaya 46:1

The Lord Carries His People

46:1 Bel ⁵⁵  kneels down,

Nebo ⁵⁶  bends low.

Their images weigh down animals and beasts. ⁵⁷ 

Your heavy images are burdensome to tired animals. ⁵⁸ 

Yesaya 50:9

50:9 Look, the sovereign Lord helps me.

Who dares to condemn me?

Look, all of them will wear out like clothes;

a moth will eat away at them.

Yesaya 59:2

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. ⁵⁹ 

Yesaya 60:21

60:21 All of your people will be godly; ⁶⁰ 

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. ⁶¹ 

Yesaya 65:18

65:18 But be happy and rejoice forevermore

over what I am about to create!

For look, I am ready to create Jerusalem ⁶²  to be a source of joy, ⁶³ 

and her people to be a source of happiness. ⁶⁴ 

[1:7]  ¹ tn Heb “As for your land, before you foreigners are devouring it.”

[1:7]  ² tn Heb “and [there is] devastation like an overthrow by foreigners.” The comparative preposition כְּ (kÿ, “like, as”) has here the rhetorical nuance, “in every way like.” The point is that the land has all the earmarks of a destructive foreign invasion because that is what has indeed happened. One could paraphrase, “it is desolate as it can only be when foreigners destroy.” On this use of the preposition in general, see GKC 376 §118.x. Many also prefer to emend “foreigners” here to “Sodom,” though there is no external attestation for such a reading in the mss or ancient versions. Such an emendation finds support from the following context (vv. 9-10) and usage of the preceding noun מַהְפֵּכָה (mahpekhah, “overthrow”). In its five other uses, this noun is associated with the destruction of Sodom. If one accepts the emendation, then one might translate, “the devastation resembles the destruction of Sodom.”

[1:12]  ³ 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.

[3:12]  ⁴ sn This may refer to the prophet or to the Lord.

[3:12]  ⁵ tc The Hebrew text appears to read literally, “My people, his oppressors, he deals severely, and women rule over them.” The correct text and precise meaning of the verse are debated. The translation above assumes (1) an emendation of נֹגְשָׂיו (nogÿsayv, “his oppressors”) to נֹגְשִׂים (nogÿshim, “oppressors”) by moving the mem (ם) on the following form to the end of the word and dropping the vav (ו) as virtually dittographic; (2) an emendation of מְעוֹלֵל (mÿ’olel, a singular participle that does not agree with the preceding plural subject) to עֹלְלוּ (’olÿlu), a third plural Poel perfect from עָלַל (’alal, “deal severely”; note that the following form begins with a vav [ו]; the text may be haplographic or misdivided); and (3) an emendation (with support from the LXX) of נָשִׁים (nashim, “women”) to נֹשִׁים (noshim, “creditors”; a participle from נָשַׁא, nasa’). Another option is to emend מְעוֹלֵל to עוֹלְלִים (’olÿlim, “children”) and read, “My people’s oppressors are children; women rule over them.” In this case the point is the same as in v. 4; the leadership void left by the judgment will be filled by those incompetent to lead the community – children and women. (The text reflects the ancient Israelite patriarchal mindset.)

[3:12]  ⁶ tn Heb “and the way of your paths they confuse.” The verb בָּלַע (bala’, “confuse”; HALOT 135 s.v. I בלע) is a homonym of the more common בָּלַע (“swallow”; see HALOT 134 s.v. בלע).

[5:16]  ⁷ tn Or “elevated”; TEV “the Lord Almighty shows his greatness.”

[5:16]  ⁸ 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]  ⁹ 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.

[8:12]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “Do not say, ‘Conspiracy,’ with respect to all which these people say, ‘Conspiracy.’” The verb translated “do not say” is second masculine plural, indicating that this exhortation is directed to Isaiah and other followers of the Lord (see v. 16).

[8:12]  sn The background of this command is uncertain. Perhaps the “conspiracy” in view is the alliance between Israel and Syria. Some of the people may even have thought that individuals in Judah were plotting with Israel and Syria to overthrow the king.

[10:28]  ¹¹ sn Verses 28-31 display a staccato style; the statements are short and disconnected (no conjunctions appear in the Hebrew text). The translation to follow strives for a choppy style that reflects the mood of the speech.

[10:28]  ¹² tn Heb “he,” that is, the Assyrians (as the preceding context suggests). Cf. NCV “The army of Assyria.”

[10:28]  sn Verses 28-32 describe an invasion of Judah from the north. There is no scholarly consensus on when this particular invasion took place, if at all. J. H. Hayes and S. A. Irvine (Isaiah, 209-10) suggest the text describes the Israelite-Syrian invasion of Judah (ca. 735 b.c.), but this proposal disregards the preceding context, which prophesies the destruction of Assyria. Some suggest that this invasion occurred in conjunction with Sargon’s western campaign of 713-711 b.c., but there is no historical evidence of such an invasion at that time. Many others identify the invasion as Sennacherib’s in 701 b.c., but historical records indicate Sennacherib approached Jerusalem from the southwest. J. N. Oswalt (Isaiah [NICOT], 1:274-75) prefers to see the description as rhetorical and as not corresponding to any particular historical event, but Hayes and Irvine argue that the precise geographical details militate against such a proposal. Perhaps it is best to label the account as rhetorical-prophetic. The prophecy of the invasion was not necessarily intended to be a literal itinerary of the Assyrians’ movements; rather its primary purpose was to create a foreboding mood. Geographical references contribute to this purpose, but they merely reflect how one would expect an Assyrian invasion to proceed, not necessarily how the actual invasion would progress. Despite its rhetorical nature, the prophecy does point to the invasion of 701 b.c., as the announcement of the invaders’ downfall in vv. 33-34 makes clear; it was essentially fulfilled at that time. For further discussion of the problem, see R. E. Clements, Isaiah (NCBC), 117-19. On the geographical details of the account, see Y. Aharoni, Land of the Bible, 393.

[10:28]  ¹³ tn Heb “came against,” or “came to.”

[12:2]  ¹⁴ tn Or “salvation” (KJV, NIV, NRSV).

[12:2]  ¹⁵ tn The words “in him” are supplied in the translation for clarification.

[12:2]  ¹⁶ tc The Hebrew text has, “for my strength and protection [is] the Lord, the Lord (Heb “Yah, Yahweh).” The word יְהוָה (yehvah) is probably dittographic or explanatory here (note that the short form of the name [יָהּ, yah] precedes, and that the graphically similar וַיְהִי [vayÿhi] follows). Exod 15:2, the passage from which the words of v. 2b are taken, has only יָהּ. The word זִמְרָת (zimrat) is traditionally understood as meaning “song,” in which case one might translate, “for the Lord gives me strength and joy” (i.e., a reason to sing); note that in v. 5 the verb זָמַר (zamar, “sing”) appears. Many recent commentators, however, have argued that the noun is here instead a homonym, meaning “protection” or “strength.” See HALOT 274 s.v. III *זמר.

[12:2]  ¹⁷ tn Or “salvation” (so many English versions, e.g., KJV, NIV, NRSV, NLT); NAB “my savior.”

[13:2]  ¹⁸ sn The Lord is speaking here (see v. 3).

[13:9]  ¹⁹ tn Heb “the day of the Lord.”

[13:9]  ²⁰ tn Heb “[with] cruelty, and fury, and rage of anger.” Three synonyms for “anger” are piled up at the end of the line to emphasize the extraordinary degree of divine anger that will be exhibited in this judgment.

[13:9]  ²¹ tn Heb “making desolate.”

[13:9]  ²² tn Or “land” (KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NLT).

[15:5]  ²³ tn Heb “for Moab.” For rhetorical purposes the speaker (the Lord?, see v. 9) plays the role of a mourner.

[15:5]  ²⁴ tn The vocalization of the Hebrew text suggests “the bars of her gates,” but the form should be repointed to yield, “her fugitives.” See HALOT 156-57 s.v. בָּרִחַ, and BDB 138 s.v. בָּרִיהַ.

[15:5]  ²⁵ tn The words “are stretched out” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[15:5]  ²⁶ tn Heb “For the ascent of Luhith, with weeping they go up it; for [on] the road to Horonaim an outcry over shattering they raise up.”

[17:8]  ²⁷ tn Heb “he will not gaze toward.”

[17:8]  ²⁸ tn Heb “and that which his fingers made he will not see, the Asherah poles and the incense altars.”

[19:16]  ²⁹ tn Heb “in that day” (so KJV), likewise at the beginning of vv. 18 and 19.

[19:16]  ³⁰ tn Heb “Egypt,” which stands by metonymy for the country’s inhabitants.

[19:16]  ³¹ sn As the rest of the verse indicates, the point of the simile is that the Egyptians will be relatively weak physically and will wilt in fear before the Lord’s onslaught.

[19:16]  ³² tn Heb “and he will tremble and be afraid because of the brandishing of the hand of the Lord who commands armies [traditionally, the Lord of hosts], which he brandishes against him.” Since according to the imagery here the Lord’s “hand” is raised as a weapon against the Egyptians, the term “fist” has been used in the translation.

[23:1]  ³³ tn Heb “ships of Tarshish.” This probably refers to large ships either made in or capable of traveling to the distant western port of Tarshish.

[23:1]  ³⁴ tc The Hebrew text reads literally, “for it is destroyed, from a house, from entering.” The translation assumes that the mem (מ) on בַּיִת (bayit) was originally an enclitic mem suffixed to the preceding verb. This assumption allows one to take בַּיִת as the subject of the preceding verb. It is used in a metaphorical sense for the port city of Tyre. The preposition min (מִן) prefixed to בּוֹא (bo’) indicates negative consequence: “so that no one can enter.” See BDB 583 s.v. מִן 7.b.

[23:1]  ³⁵ tn Heb “the Kittim,” a designation for the people of Cyprus. See HALOT 504-05 s.v. כִּתִּיִּים.

[23:7]  ³⁶ tn Heb “Is this to you, boisterous one?” The pronoun “you” is masculine plural, like the imperatives in v. 6, so it is likely addressed to the Egyptians and residents of the coast. “Boisterous one” is a feminine singular form, probably referring to the personified city of Tyre.

[23:7]  ³⁷ tn Heb “in the days of antiquity [is] her beginning.”

[28:17]  ³⁸ tn Heb “[the] refuge, [the] lie.” See v. 15.

[31:9]  ³⁹ tn Heb “rocky cliff” (cf. ASV, NASB “rock”), viewed metaphorically as a place of defense and security.

[31:9]  ⁴⁰ tn Heb “His rocky cliff, because of fear, will pass away [i.e., “perish”].”

[31:9]  ⁴¹ tn Heb “and they will be afraid of the flag, his officers.”

[31:9]  ⁴² sn The “fire” and “firepot” here symbolize divine judgment, which is heating up like a fire in Jerusalem, waiting to be used against the Assyrians when they attack the city.

[32:14]  ⁴³ tn Or “noisy” (NAB, NIV, NCV).

[32:14]  ⁴⁴ tn Hebrew עֹפֶל (’ofel), probably refers here to a specific area within the city of Jerusalem. See HALOT 861 s.v. II עֹפֶל.

[32:14]  ⁴⁵ tn The Hebrew text has בְעַד מְעָרוֹת (vÿ’ad mÿ’arot). The force of בְעַד, which usually means “behind, through, round about,” or “for the benefit of,” is uncertain here. HALOT 616 s.v. *מְעָרָה takes מְעָרוֹת (mÿ’arot) as a homonym of “cave” and define it here as “cleared field.” Despite these lexical problems, the general point of the statement seems clear – the city will be uninhabited.

[32:14]  ⁴⁶ tn Heb “the joy of wild donkeys, a pasture for flocks.”

[37:16]  ⁴⁷ sn Cherubim (singular “cherub”) refers to the images of winged angelic creatures that were above the ark of the covenant.

[37:16]  ⁴⁸ tn Or “the heavens.” The Hebrew term שָׁמַיִם (shamayim) may be translated “heavens” or “sky” depending on the context.

[37:22]  ⁴⁹ tn Heb “this is the word which the Lord has spoken about him.”

[37:22]  ⁵⁰ sn Zion (Jerusalem) is pictured here as a young, vulnerable daughter whose purity is being threatened by the would-be Assyrian rapist. The personification hints at the reality which the young girls of the city would face if the Assyrians conquer it.

[37:22]  ⁵¹ sn Shaking the head was a mocking gesture of derision.

[41:15]  ⁵² tn Heb “into” (so NIV); ASV “have made thee to be.”

[41:15]  ⁵³ tn Heb “owner of two-mouths,” i.e., double-edged.

[41:15]  ⁵⁴ sn The mountains and hills symbolize hostile nations that are obstacles to Israel’s restoration.

[46:1]  ⁵⁵ sn Bel was the name of a Babylonian god. The name was originally associated with Enlil, but later was applied to Marduk. See HALOT 132 s.v. בֵּל.

[46:1]  ⁵⁶ sn Nebo is a variation of the name of the Babylonian god Nabu.

[46:1]  ⁵⁷ tn Heb “their images belong to animals and beasts”; NIV “their idols are borne by beasts of burden”; NLT “are being hauled away.”

[46:1]  ⁵⁸ tn Heb “your loads are carried [as] a burden by a weary [animal].”

[59:2]  ⁵⁹ tn Heb “and your sins have caused [his] face to be hidden from you so as not to hear.”

[60:21]  ⁶⁰ tn Or “righteous” (NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT); NAB “just.”

[60:21]  ⁶¹ tn Heb “a shoot of his planting, the work of my hands, to reveal splendor.”

[65:18]  ⁶² map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[65:18]  ⁶³ tn Heb “Jerusalem, joy.” The next verse suggests the meaning: The Lord will create Jerusalem to be a source of joy to himself.

[65:18]  ⁶⁴ tn Heb “her people, happiness.” See the preceding note.