Yesaya 5:6

5:6 I will make it a wasteland;

no one will prune its vines or hoe its ground, ¹ 

and thorns and briers will grow there.

I will order the clouds

not to drop any rain on it.

Yesaya 11:16

11:16 There will be a highway leading out of Assyria

for the remnant of his people, ² 

just as there was for Israel,

when ³  they went up from the land of Egypt.

Yesaya 14:13

14:13 You said to yourself, ⁴ 

“I will climb up to the sky.

Above the stars of El ⁵ 

I will set up my throne.

I will rule on the mountain of assembly

on the remote slopes of Zaphon. ⁶ 

Yesaya 15:2

15:2 They went up to the temple, ⁷ 

the people of Dibon went up to the high places to lament. ⁸ 

Because of what happened to Nebo and Medeba, ⁹  Moab wails.

Every head is shaved bare,

every beard is trimmed off. ¹⁰ 

Yesaya 21:2

21:2 I have received a distressing message: ¹¹ 

“The deceiver deceives,

the destroyer destroys.

Attack, you Elamites!

Lay siege, you Medes!

I will put an end to all the groaning!” ¹² 

Yesaya 32:13

32:13 Mourn ¹³  over the land of my people,

which is overgrown with thorns and briers,

and over all the once-happy houses ¹⁴ 

in the city filled with revelry. ¹⁵ 

Yesaya 34:10

34:10 Night and day it will burn; ¹⁶ 

its smoke will ascend continually.

Generation after generation it will be a wasteland

and no one will ever pass through it again.

Yesaya 35:9

35:9 No lions will be there,

no ferocious wild animals will be on it ¹⁷  –

they will not be found there.

Those delivered from bondage will travel on it,

Yesaya 36:1

Sennacherib Invades Judah

36:1 In the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah’s reign, ¹⁸  King Sennacherib of Assyria marched up against all the fortified cities of Judah and captured them.

Yesaya 37:14

37:14 Hezekiah took the letter ¹⁹  from the messengers and read it. ²⁰  Then Hezekiah went up to the Lord’s temple and spread it out before the Lord.

Yesaya 37:29

37:29 Because you rage against me

and the uproar you create has reached my ears, ²¹ 

I will put my hook in your nose, ²² 

and my bridle between your lips,

and I will lead you back

the way you came.”

Yesaya 40:31

40:31 But those who wait for the Lord’s help ²³  find renewed strength;

they rise up as if they had eagles’ wings, ²⁴ 

they run without growing weary,

they walk without getting tired.

Yesaya 53:2

53:2 He sprouted up like a twig before God, ²⁵ 

like a root out of parched soil; ²⁶ 

he had no stately form or majesty that might catch our attention, ²⁷ 

no special appearance that we should want to follow him. ²⁸ 

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. ²⁹ 

You pour out liquid offerings to them,

you make an offering.

Because of these things I will seek vengeance. ³⁰ 

Yesaya 57:8

57:8 Behind the door and doorpost you put your symbols. ³¹ 

Indeed, ³²  you depart from me ³³  and go up

and invite them into bed with you. ³⁴ 

You purchase favors from them, ³⁵ 

you love their bed,

and gaze longingly ³⁶  on their genitals. ³⁷ 

Yesaya 60:7

60:7 All the sheep of Kedar will be gathered to you;

the rams of Nebaioth will be available to you as sacrifices. ³⁸ 

They will go up on my altar acceptably, ³⁹ 

and I will bestow honor on my majestic temple.

Yesaya 63:11

63:11 His people remembered the ancient times. ⁴⁰ 

Where is the one who brought them up out of the sea,

along with the shepherd of ⁴¹  his flock?

Where is the one who placed his holy Spirit among them, ⁴² 

Yesaya 65:17

65:17 For look, I am ready to create

new heavens and a new earth! ⁴³ 

The former ones ⁴⁴  will not be remembered;

no one will think about them anymore. ⁴⁵ 

[5:6]  ¹ tn Heb “it will not be pruned or hoed” (so NASB); ASV and NRSV both similar.

[11:16]  ² tn Heb “and there will be a highway for the remnant of his people who remain, from Assyria.”

[11:16]  ³ tn Heb “in the day” (so KJV).

[14:13]  ⁴ tn Heb “you, you said in your heart.”

[14:13]  ⁵ sn In Canaanite mythology the stars of El were astral deities under the authority of the high god El.

[14:13]  ⁶ sn Zaphon, the Canaanite version of Olympus, was the “mountain of assembly” where the gods met.

[15:2]  ⁷ tn Heb “house.”

[15:2]  ⁸ tn Heb “even Dibon [to] the high places to weep.” The verb “went up” does double duty in the parallel structure.

[15:2]  ⁹ tn Heb “over [or “for”] Nebo and over [or “for”] Medeba.”

[15:2]  ¹⁰ sn Shaving the head and beard were outward signs of mourning and grief.

[21:2]  ¹¹ tn Heb “a severe revelation has been related to me.”

[21:2]  ¹² sn This is often interpreted to mean “all the groaning” that Babylon has caused others.

[32:13]  ¹³ tn “Mourn” is supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons. In the Hebrew text vv. 12-13 are one long sentence.

[32:13]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “indeed, over all the houses of joy.” It is not certain if this refers to individual homes or to places where parties and celebrations were held.

[32:13]  ¹⁵ sn This same phrase is used in 22:2.

[34:10]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “it will not be extinguished.”

[35:9]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “will go up on it”; TEV “will pass that way.”

[36:1]  ¹⁸ tn The verb that introduces this verse serves as a discourse particle and is untranslated; see note on “in the future” in 2:2.

[37:14]  ¹⁹ tc The Hebrew text has the plural, “letters.” The final mem (ם) may be dittographic (note the initial mem on the form that immediately follows). Some Greek and Aramaic witnesses have the singular. If so, one still has to deal with the yod that is part of the plural ending. J. N. Oswalt refers to various commentators who have suggested ways to understand the plural form (Isaiah [NICOT], 1:652).

[37:14]  ²⁰ tn In the parallel text in 2 Kgs 19:14 the verb has the plural suffix, “them,” but this probably reflects a later harmonization to the preceding textual corruption (of “letter” to “letters”).

[37:29]  ²¹ tc Heb “and your complacency comes up into my ears.” The parallelism is improved if שַׁאֲנַנְךָ (sha’anankha, “your complacency”) is emended to שְׁאוֹנְךָ (shÿ’onÿkha, “your uproar”). See M. Cogan and H. Tadmor, II Kings (AB), 237-38. However, the LXX seems to support the MT and Sennacherib’s cavalier dismissal of Yahweh depicts an arrogant complacency (J. N. Oswalt, Isaiah [NICOT], 1:658, n. 10).

[37:29]  ²² sn The word-picture has a parallel in Assyrian sculpture. See M. Cogan and H. Tadmor, II Kings (AB), 238.

[40:31]  ²³ tn The words “for the Lord’s help” are supplied in the translation for clarification.

[40:31]  ²⁴ tn Heb “they rise up [on] wings like eagles” (TEV similar).

[53:2]  ²⁵ tn Heb “before him.” Some suggest an emendation to “before us.” If the third singular suffix of the Hebrew text is retained, it probably refers to the Lord (see v. 1b). For a defense of this reading, see R. Whybray, Isaiah 40-66 (NCBC), 173-74.

[53:2]  ²⁶ sn The metaphor in this verse suggests insignificance.

[53:2]  ²⁷ tn Heb “that we might see him.” The vav conjunctive prefixed to the imperfect introduces a result clause here. See GKC 504-5 §166.a.

[53:2]  ²⁸ tn Heb “that we should desire him.” The vav conjunctive prefixed to the imperfect introduces a result clause here. See GKC 504-5 §166.a.

[57:6]  ²⁹ 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]  ³⁰ 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.

[57:8]  ³¹ tn The precise referent of זִכָּרוֹן (zikkaron) in this context is uncertain. Elsewhere the word refers to a memorial or commemorative sign. Here it likely refers to some type of idolatrous symbol.

[57:8]  ³² tn Or “for” (KJV, NRSV).

[57:8]  ³³ tc The Hebrew text reads literally, “from me you uncover.” The translation assumes an emendation of the Piel form גִּלִּית (gillit, “you uncover”), which has no object expressed here, to the Qal גָּלִית (galit, “you depart”).

[57:8]  ³⁴ tn Heb “you make wide your bed” (NASB similar).

[57:8]  ³⁵ tc Heb “and you [second masculine singular, unless the form be taken as third feminine singular] cut for yourself [feminine singular] from them.” Most English translations retain the MT reading in spite of at least three problems. This section makes significant use of feminine verbs and noun suffixes because of the sexual imagery. The verb in question is likely a 2nd person masculine singular verb. Nevertheless, this kind of fluctuation in gender appears elsewhere (GKC 127-28 §47.k and 462 §144.p; cf. Jer 3:5; Ezek 22:4; 23:32; cf. J. N. Oswalt, Isaiah [NICOT], 2:473, n. 13). Secondly, when this verbal root signifies establishing a covenant, it is normally accompanied by the noun for “covenant” (בְּרִית, bÿrit). Finally, this juxtaposition of the verb “to cut” and “covenant” normally is followed by the preposition “with,” while here it is “from.” The translation above assumes an emendation of וַתִּכְרָת (vatikhrah, “and you cut”) to וְכָרִית (vÿkharit, “and you purchase”) from the root כָּרָה (kharah); see HALOT 497 s.v. II כרה.

[57:8]  ³⁶ tn The Hebrew text has simply חָזָה (khazah, “gaze”). The adverb “longingly” is interpretive (see the context, where sexual lust is depicted).

[57:8]  ³⁷ tn Heb “[at] a hand you gaze.” The term יָד (yad, “hand”) probably has the sense of “power, manhood” here, where it is used, as in Ugaritic, as a euphemism for the genitals. See HALOT 387 s.v. I יָד.

[60:7]  ³⁸ 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]  ³⁹ 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 1QIsa^a 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).

[63:11]  ⁴⁰ 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]  ⁴¹ 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]  ⁴² sn See the note at v. 10.

[65:17]  ⁴³ sn This hyperbolic statement likens the coming transformation of Jerusalem (see vv. 18-19) to a new creation of the cosmos.

[65:17]  ⁴⁴ tn Or perhaps, “the former things” (so ASV, NASB, NIV, NRSV); TEV “The events of the past.”

[65:17]  ⁴⁵ tn Heb “and they will not come up on the mind.”