Yesaya 1:27

1:27 ¹ Zion will be freed by justice, ² 

and her returnees by righteousness. ³ 

Yesaya 3:2

3:2 the mighty men and warriors,

judges and prophets,

omen readers and leaders, ⁴ 

Yesaya 3:4

3:4 The Lord says, ⁵  “I will make youths their officials;

malicious young men ⁶  will rule over them.

Yesaya 3:13

3:13 The Lord takes his position to judge;

he stands up to pass sentence on his people. ⁷ 

Yesaya 3:18

3:18 ⁸ At that time ⁹  the sovereign master will remove their beautiful ankle jewelry, ¹⁰  neck ornaments, crescent shaped ornaments,

Yesaya 3:25

3:25 Your ¹¹  men will fall by the sword,

your strong men will die in battle. ¹² 

Yesaya 6:4

6:4 The sound of their voices shook the door frames, ¹³  and the temple was filled with smoke.

Yesaya 7:21

7:21 At that time ¹⁴  a man will keep alive a young cow from the herd and a couple of goats.

Yesaya 12:5-6

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

let this be known ¹⁵  throughout the earth!

12:6 Cry out and shout for joy, O citizens of Zion,

for the Holy One of Israel ¹⁶  acts mightily ¹⁷  among you!”

Yesaya 14:11

14:11 Your splendor ¹⁸  has been brought down to Sheol,

as well as the sound of your stringed instruments. ¹⁹ 

You lie on a bed of maggots,

with a blanket of worms over you. ²⁰ 

Yesaya 14:18

14:18 ²¹ As for all the kings of the nations,

all of them ²²  lie down in splendor, ²³ 

each in his own tomb. ²⁴ 

Yesaya 19:9

19:9 Those who make clothes from combed flax will be embarrassed;

those who weave will turn pale. ²⁵ 

Yesaya 20:5

20:5 Those who put their hope in Cush and took pride in Egypt will be afraid and embarrassed. ²⁶ 

Yesaya 21:5

21:5 Arrange the table,

lay out ²⁷  the carpet,

eat and drink! ²⁸ 

Get up, you officers,

smear oil on the shields! ²⁹ 

Yesaya 21:13

The Lord Will Judge Arabia

21:13 Here is a message about Arabia:

In the thicket of Arabia you spend the night,

you Dedanite caravans.

Yesaya 22:6

22:6 The Elamites picked up the quiver,

and came with chariots and horsemen; ³⁰ 

the men of Kir ³¹  prepared ³²  the shield. ³³ 

Yesaya 22:17

22:17 Look, the Lord will throw you far away, ³⁴  you mere man! ³⁵ 

He will wrap you up tightly. ³⁶ 

Yesaya 25:3

25:3 So a strong nation will extol you;

the towns of ³⁷  powerful nations will fear you.

Yesaya 26:6

26:6 It is trampled underfoot

by the feet of the oppressed,

by the soles of the poor.”

Yesaya 27:3

27:3 I, the Lord, protect it; ³⁸ 

I water it regularly. ³⁹ 

I guard it night and day,

so no one can harm it. ⁴⁰ 

Yesaya 29:1

Ariel is Besieged

29:1 Ariel is as good as dead ⁴¹  –

Ariel, the town David besieged! ⁴² 

Keep observing your annual rituals,

celebrate your festivals on schedule. ⁴³ 

Yesaya 30:7

30:7 Egypt is totally incapable of helping. ⁴⁴ 

For this reason I call her

‘Proud one ⁴⁵  who is silenced.’” ⁴⁶ 

Yesaya 34:3

34:3 Their slain will be left unburied, ⁴⁷ 

their corpses will stink; ⁴⁸ 

the hills will soak up their blood. ⁴⁹ 

Yesaya 37:13

37:13 Where are the king of Hamath, the king of Arpad, and the kings of Lair, ⁵⁰  Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivvah?’”

Yesaya 37:18

37:18 It is true, Lord, that the kings of Assyria have destroyed all the nations ⁵¹  and their lands.

Yesaya 37:24

37:24 Through your messengers you taunted the sovereign master, ⁵² 

‘With my many chariots I climbed up

the high mountains,

the slopes of Lebanon.

I cut down its tall cedars

and its best evergreens.

I invaded its most remote regions, ⁵³ 

its thickest woods.

Yesaya 40:8

40:8 The grass dries up,

the flowers wither,

but the decree of our God is forever reliable.” ⁵⁴ 

Yesaya 40:23

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

he makes the earth’s leaders insignificant.

Yesaya 41:5-6

41:5 The coastlands ⁵⁵  see and are afraid;

the whole earth ⁵⁶  trembles;

they approach and come.

41:6 They help one another; ⁵⁷ 

one says to the other, ‘Be strong!’

Yesaya 43:18

43:18 “Don’t remember these earlier events; ⁵⁸ 

don’t recall these former events.

Yesaya 44:27

44:27 who says to the deep sea, ‘Be dry!

I will dry up your sea currents,’

Yesaya 45:16

45:16 They will all be ashamed and embarrassed;

those who fashion idols will all be humiliated. ⁵⁹ 

Yesaya 48:10

48:10 Look, I have refined you, but not as silver;

I have purified you ⁶⁰  in the furnace of misery.

Yesaya 48:18

48:18 If only you had obeyed my ⁶¹  commandments,

prosperity would have flowed to you like a river, ⁶² 

deliverance would have come to you like the waves of the sea. ⁶³ 

Yesaya 49:11

49:11 I will make all my mountains into a road;

I will construct my roadways.”

Yesaya 52:13

The Lord Will Vindicate His Servant

52:13 “Look, my servant will succeed! ⁶⁴ 

He will be elevated, lifted high, and greatly exalted ⁶⁵  –

Yesaya 57:3

57:3 But approach, you sons of omen readers,

you offspring of adulteresses and prostitutes! ⁶⁶ 

[1:27]  ¹ sn The third person reference to the Lord in v. 28 indicates that the prophet is again (see vv. 21-24a) speaking. Since v. 27 is connected to v. 28 by a conjunction, it is likely that the prophet’s words begin with v. 27.

[1:27]  ² tn Heb “Zion will be ransomed with justice.” Both cola in this verse end with similar terms: justice and righteousness (and both are preceded by a בְּ [bet] preposition). At issue is whether these virtues describe the means or result of the deliverance and whether they delineate God’s justice/righteousness or that of the covenant people. If the righteousness of Israelite returnees is in view, the point seems to be that the reestablishment of Zion as a center of justice (God’s people living in conformity with God’s demand for equity and justice) will deliver the city from its past humiliation and restore it to a place of prominence (see 2:2-4; cf. E. Kissane, Isaiah, 1:19). Most scholars conclude that “righteousness and “justice” refers to God alone (J. Ridderbos, Isaiah [BSC], 50; J. Watts, Isaiah [WBC], 1:25; E. J. Young, Isaiah [NICOT], 1:89; cf. NLT, TEV) or serves as a double reference to both divine and human justice and righteousness (J. A. Motyer, The Prophecy of Isaiah, 51; J. N. Oswalt, Isaiah [NICOT], 1:10; H. Wildberger, Isaiah, 1:72). If it refers to both sides of the coin, these terms highlight the objective divine work of redemption and the subjective human response of penitence (Motyer, 51).

[1:27]  ³ tc The Hebrew text has, “her repentant ones/returnees with righteousness.” The form שָׁבֶיהָ (shaveha, “her repentant ones”), as pointed in MT, is a masculine plural Qal participle from שׁוּב (shuv, “return”). Used substantivally, it refers to the “returning (i.e., repentant) ones.” It is possible that the parallel line (with its allusion to being freed by a ransom payment) suggests that the form be repointed to שִׁבְיָהּ (shivyah, “her captivity”), a reading that has support from the LXX. Some slightly emend the form to read וְשָׁבָה (vÿshavah, “and will return”). According to this view, the verb from the first line applies to the second line as well with the following translation as a result: “she will be released when fairness is restored.” Regardless, it makes best sense in the context to regard this as a reference to repentant Israelites returning to the land of promise. This understanding provides a better contrast with the rebels and sinners in 1:28.

[3:2]  ⁴ tn Heb “elder” (so ASV, NAB, NIV, NRSV); NCV “older leaders.”

[3:4]  ⁵ tn The words “the Lord says” are supplied in the translation for clarification. The prophet speaks in vv. 1-3 (note the third person reference to the Lord in v. 1), but here the Lord himself announces that he will intervene in judgment. It is unclear where the Lord’s words end and the prophet’s pick up again. The prophet is apparently speaking again by v. 8, where the Lord is referred to in the third person. Since vv. 4-7 comprise a thematic unity, the quotation probably extends through v. 7.

[3:4]  ⁶ tn תַעֲלוּלִים (ta’alulim) is often understood as an abstract plural meaning “wantonness, cruelty” (cf. NLT). In this case the chief characteristic of these leaders is substituted for the leaders themselves. However, several translations make the parallelism tighter by emending the form to עוֹלְלִים (’olÿlim, “children”; cf. ESV, NASB, NCV, NIV, NKJV, NRSV). This emendation is unnecessary for at least two reasons. The word in the MT highlights the cruelty or malice of the “leaders” who are left behind in the wake of God’s judgment. The immediate context makes clear the fact that they are mere youths. The coming judgment will sweep away the leaders, leaving a vacuum which will be filled by incompetent, inexperienced youths.

[3:13]  ⁷ tc The Hebrew text has “nations,” but the preceding and following contexts make it clear that the Lord is judging his covenant people. עָמִים (’amim) should be changed (with support from the LXX) to עמו. The final mem (ם) on the form in the Hebrew is either dittographic or enclitic. When the mem was added or read as a plural ending, the vav (ו) was then misread as a yod (י).

[3:18]  ⁸ sn The translation assumes that the direct quotation ends with v. 17. The introductory formula “in that day” and the shift from a poetic to prosaic style indicate that a new speech unit begins in v. 18.

[3:18]  ⁹ tn Or “in that day” (KJV).

[3:18]  ¹⁰ tn Or “the beauty of [their] ankle jewelry.”

[3:25]  ¹¹ tn The pronoun is feminine singular, suggesting personified Zion, as representative of its women, is the addressee. The reference to “her gates’ in v. 26 makes this identification almost certain.

[3:25]  ¹² tn Heb “your strength in battle.” The verb in the first clause provides the verbal idea for the second clause.

[6:4]  ¹³ tn On the phrase אַמּוֹת הַסִּפִּים (’ammot hassippim, “pivots of the frames”) see HALOT 763 s.v. סַף.

[7:21]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “in that day.” The verb that introduces this verse serves as a discourse particle and is untranslated; see note on “in the future” in 2:2.

[12:5]  ¹⁵ tc The translation follows the marginal reading (Qere), which is a Hophal participle from יָדַע (yada’), understood here in a gerundive sense.

[12:6]  ¹⁶ sn See the note on the phrase “the Holy One of Israel” in 1:4.

[12:6]  ¹⁷ tn Or “is great” (TEV). However, the context emphasizes his mighty acts of deliverance (cf. NCV), not some general or vague character quality.

[14:11]  ¹⁸ tn Or “pride” (NCV, CEV); KJV, NIV, NRSV “pomp.”

[14:11]  ¹⁹ tn Or “harps” (NAB, NIV, NRSV).

[14:11]  ²⁰ tn Heb “under you maggots are spread out, and worms are your cover.”

[14:18]  ²¹ sn It is unclear where the quotation of the kings, begun in v. 10b, ends. However, the reference to the “kings of the nations” in v. 18 (see also v. 9) seems to indicate that the quotation has ended at this point and that Israel’s direct taunt (cf. vv. 4b-10a) has resumed. In fact the references to the “kings of the nations” may form a stylistic inclusio or frame around the quotation.

[14:18]  ²² tc The phrase “all of them” does not appear in the Qumran scroll 1QIsa^a.

[14:18]  ²³ sn This refers to the typically extravagant burial of kings.

[14:18]  ²⁴ tn Heb “house” (so KJV, ASV), but in this context a tomb is in view. Note the verb “lie down” in the preceding line and the reference to a “grave” in the next line.

[19:9]  ²⁵ tn BDB 301 s.v. חוֹרִי suggests the meaning “white stuff” for חוֹרִי (khori); the Qumran scroll 1QIsa^a has חָוֵרוּ (khaveru), probably a Qal perfect, third plural form of חוּר, (khur, “be white, pale”). See HALOT 299 s.v. I חור. The latter reading is assumed in the translation above.

[20:5]  ²⁶ tn Heb “and they will be afraid and embarrassed because of Cush their hope and Egypt their beauty.”

[21:5]  ²⁷ tn The precise meaning of the verb in this line is debated. Some prefer to derive the form from the homonymic צָפֹה (tsafoh, “keep watch”) and translate “post a guard” (cf. KJV “watch in the watchtower”; ASV “set the watch”).

[21:5]  ²⁸ tn The verbal forms in the first three lines are infinitives absolute, which are functioning here as finite verbs. It is uncertain if the forms should have an imperatival or indicative/descriptive force here.

[21:5]  ²⁹ sn Smearing the shields with oil would make them more flexible and effective in battle. See J. N. Oswalt, Isaiah (NICOT), 1:394.

[22:6]  ³⁰ tn Heb “[with] the chariots of men, horsemen.”

[22:6]  ³¹ sn A distant region in the direction of Mesopotamia; see Amos 1:5; 9:7.

[22:6]  ³² tn Heb “Kir uncovers” (so NAB, NIV).

[22:6]  ³³ sn The Elamites and men of Kir may here symbolize a fierce army from a distant land. If this oracle anticipates a Babylonian conquest of the city (see 39:5-7), then the Elamites and men of Kir are perhaps viewed here as mercenaries in the Babylonian army. See J. N. Oswalt, Isaiah (NICOT), 1:410.

[22:17]  ³⁴ tn Heb “will throw you with a throwing.”

[22:17]  ³⁵ tn Heb “O man” (so NASB); NAB “mortal man”; NRSV “my fellow.”

[22:17]  ³⁶ tn Heb “and the one who wraps you [will] wrap.”

[25:3]  ³⁷ tn The Hebrew text has a singular form, but it should be emended to a plural or eliminated altogether. The noun may have been accidentally copied from the preceding verse.

[27:3]  ³⁸ tn Heb “her.” Apparently “vineyard” is the antecedent, though normally this noun is understood as masculine (see Lev 25:3, however).

[27:3]  ³⁹ tn Or perhaps, “constantly.” Heb “by moments.”

[27:3]  ⁴⁰ tn Heb “lest [someone] visit [harm] upon it, night and day I guard it.”

[29:1]  ⁴¹ tn Heb “Woe [to] Ariel.” The meaning of the name “Ariel” is uncertain. The name may mean “altar hearth” (see v. 2) or, if compound, “lion of God.” The name is used here as a title for Mount Zion/Jerusalem (see v. 8).

[29:1]  ⁴² tn Heb “the town where David camped.” The verb חָנָה (khanah, “camp”) probably has the nuance “lay siege to” here. See v. 3. Another option is to take the verb in the sense of “lived, settled.”

[29:1]  ⁴³ tn Heb “Add year to year, let your festivals occur in cycles.” This is probably a sarcastic exhortation to the people to keep up their religious rituals, which will not prevent the coming judgment. See J. N. Oswalt, Isaiah (NICOT), 1:527.

[30:7]  ⁴⁴ tn Heb “As for Egypt, with vanity and emptiness they help.”

[30:7]  ⁴⁵ tn Heb “Rahab” (רַהַב, rahav), which also appears as a name for Egypt in Ps 87:4. The epithet is also used in the OT for a mythical sea monster symbolic of chaos. See the note at 51:9. A number of English versions use the name “Rahab” (e.g., ASV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV) while others attempt some sort of translation (cf. CEV “a helpless monster”; TEV, NLT “the Harmless Dragon”).

[30:7]  ⁴⁶ tn The MT reads “Rahab, they, sitting.” The translation above assumes an emendation of הֵם שָׁבֶת (hem shavet) to הַמָּשְׁבָּת (hammashbat), a Hophal participle with prefixed definite article, meaning “the one who is made to cease,” i.e., “destroyed,” or “silenced.” See HALOT 444-45 s.v. ישׁב.

[34:3]  ⁴⁷ tn Heb “will be cast aside”; NASB, NIV “thrown out.”

[34:3]  ⁴⁸ tn Heb “[as for] their corpses, their stench will arise.”

[34:3]  ⁴⁹ tn Heb “hills will dissolve from their blood.”

[37:13]  ⁵⁰ sn Lair was a city located in northeastern Babylon. See M. Cogan and H. Tadmor, II Kings (AB), 235.

[37:18]  ⁵¹ tn The Hebrew text here has “all the lands,” but the parallel text in 2 Kgs 19:17 has “the nations.”

[37:24]  ⁵² tn The Hebrew term translated “sovereign master” here is אֲדֹנָי (’adonay).

[37:24]  ⁵³ tn Heb “the height of its extremity”; ASV “its farthest height.”

[40:8]  ⁵⁴ tn Heb “but the word of our God stands forever.” In this context the divine “word” specifically refers to his decreed promise assuring Jerusalem that her suffering is over and his glorious return imminent (vv. 1-5).

[41:5]  ⁵⁵ tn Or “islands” (NIV, CEV); NCV “faraway places”; NLT “lands beyond the sea.”

[41:5]  ⁵⁶ tn Heb “the ends of the earth,” but this is a merism, where the earth’s extremities stand for its entirety, i.e., the extremities and everything in between them.

[41:6]  ⁵⁷ tn Heb “each his neighbor helps”; NCV “The workers help each other.”

[43:18]  ⁵⁸ tn Heb “the former things” (so KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV); NLT “forget all that.”

[45:16]  ⁵⁹ tn “together they will walk in humiliation, the makers of images.”

[48:10]  ⁶⁰ tc The Hebrew text has בְּחַרְתִּיךָ (bÿkhartikha, “I have chosen you”), but the Qumran scroll 1QIsa^a reads correctly בחנתיכה (“I have tested you”). The metallurgical background of the imagery suggests that purification through testing is the idea.

[48:18]  ⁶¹ tn Heb “paid attention to” (so NASB, NIV, NRSV); TEV “had listened to.”

[48:18]  ⁶² tn Heb “like a river your peace would have been.” שָׁלוֹם (shalom) probably refers here to the peace and prosperity which God promised in return for obedience to the covenant.

[48:18]  ⁶³ tn Heb “and your righteousness like the waves of the sea.” צְדָקָה (tsÿdaqah) probably refers here to divine deliverance from enemies. See v. 19.

[52:13]  ⁶⁴ tn Heb “act wisely,” which by metonymy means “succeed.”

[52:13]  ⁶⁵ tn This piling up of synonyms emphasizes the degree of the servant’s coming exaltation.

[57:3]  ⁶⁶ tc The Hebrew text reads literally, “offspring of an adulterer [masculine] and [one who] has committed adultery.” Perhaps the text has suffered from transposition of vav (ו) and tav (ת) and מְנָאֵף וַתִּזְנֶה (mÿna’ef vattizneh) should be emended to מְנָאֶפֶת וְזֹנָה (mÿna’efet vÿzonah, “an adulteress and a prostitute”). Both singular nouns would be understood in a collective sense. Most modern English versions render both forms as nouns.