Yesaya 14:28

The Lord Will Judge the Philistines

14:28 In the year King Ahaz died, ¹  this message was revealed: ² 

Yesaya 21:12

21:12 The watchman replies,

“Morning is coming, but then night. ³ 

If you want to ask, ask;

come back again.” ⁴ 

Yesaya 60:4

60:4 Look all around you! ⁵ 

They all gather and come to you –

your sons come from far away

and your daughters are escorted by guardians.

Yesaya 39:3

39:3 Isaiah the prophet visited King Hezekiah and asked him, “What did these men say? Where do they come from?” Hezekiah replied, “They come from the distant land of Babylon.”

Yesaya 7:17

7:17 The Lord will bring on you, your people, and your father’s family a time ⁶  unlike any since Ephraim departed from Judah – the king of Assyria!” ⁷ 

Yesaya 35:4

35:4 Tell those who panic, ⁸ 

“Be strong! Do not fear!

Look, your God comes to avenge!

With divine retribution he comes to deliver you.” ⁹ 

Yesaya 66:18

66:18 “I hate their deeds and thoughts! So I am coming ¹⁰  to gather all the nations and ethnic groups; ¹¹  they will come and witness my splendor.

Yesaya 13:6

13:6 Wail, for the Lord’s day of judgment ¹²  is near;

it comes with all the destructive power of the sovereign judge. ¹³ 

Yesaya 28:29

28:29 This also comes from the Lord who commands armies,

who gives supernatural guidance and imparts great wisdom. ¹⁴ 

Yesaya 34:8

34:8 For the Lord has planned a day of revenge, ¹⁵ 

a time when he will repay Edom for her hostility toward Zion. ¹⁶ 

Yesaya 38:20

38:20 The Lord is about to deliver me, ¹⁷ 

and we will celebrate with music ¹⁸ 

for the rest of our lives in the Lord’s temple.” ¹⁹ 

Yesaya 41:5

41:5 The coastlands ²⁰  see and are afraid;

the whole earth ²¹  trembles;

they approach and come.

Yesaya 49:17

49:17 Your children hurry back,

while those who destroyed and devastated you depart.

Yesaya 56:9

The Lord Denounces Israel’s Paganism

56:9 All you wild animals in the fields, come and devour,

all you wild animals in the forest!

Yesaya 60:1

Zion’s Future Splendor

60:1 “Arise! Shine! For your light arrives!

The splendor ²²  of the Lord shines on you!

Yesaya 60:3

60:3 Nations come to your light,

kings to your bright light.

Yesaya 63:4

63:4 For I looked forward to the day of vengeance,

and then payback time arrived. ²³ 

Yesaya 28:19

28:19 Whenever it sweeps by, it will overtake you;

indeed, ²⁴  every morning it will sweep by,

it will come through during the day and the night.” ²⁵ 

When this announcement is understood,

it will cause nothing but terror.

Yesaya 30:27

30:27 Look, the name ²⁶  of the Lord comes from a distant place

in raging anger and awesome splendor. ²⁷ 

He speaks angrily

and his word is like destructive fire. ²⁸ 

Yesaya 63:1

The Victorious Divine Warrior

63:1 Who is this who comes from Edom, ²⁹ 

dressed in bright red, coming from Bozrah? ³⁰ 

Who ³¹  is this one wearing royal attire, ³² 

who marches confidently ³³  because of his great strength?

“It is I, the one who announces vindication,

and who is able to deliver!” ³⁴ 

Yesaya 22:6

22:6 The Elamites picked up the quiver,

and came with chariots and horsemen; ³⁵ 

the men of Kir ³⁶  prepared ³⁷  the shield. ³⁸ 

Yesaya 27:6

27:6 The time is coming when Jacob will take root; ³⁹ 

Israel will blossom and grow branches.

The produce ⁴⁰  will fill the surface of the world. ⁴¹ 

Yesaya 37:34

37:34 He will go back the way he came –

he will not enter this city,’ says the Lord.

Yesaya 48:15

48:15 I, I have spoken –

yes, I have summoned him;

I lead him and he will succeed. ⁴² 

Yesaya 49:12

49:12 Look, they come from far away!

Look, some come from the north and west,

and others from the land of Sinim! ⁴³ 

Yesaya 59:20

59:20 “A protector ⁴⁴  comes to Zion,

to those in Jacob who repent of their rebellious deeds,” ⁴⁵  says the Lord.

Yesaya 66:6

66:6 The sound of battle comes from the city;

the sound comes from the temple!

It is the sound of the Lord paying back his enemies.

Yesaya 1:12

1:12 When you enter my presence,

do you actually think I want this –

animals trampling on my courtyards? ⁴⁶ 

Yesaya 3:9

3:9 The look on their faces ⁴⁷  testifies to their guilt; ⁴⁸ 

like the people of Sodom they openly boast of their sin. ⁴⁹ 

Too bad for them! ⁵⁰ 

For they bring disaster on themselves.

Yesaya 5:19

5:19 They say, “Let him hurry, let him act quickly, ⁵¹ 

so we can see;

let the plan of the Holy One of Israel ⁵²  take shape ⁵³  and come to pass,

then we will know it!”

Yesaya 5:26

5:26 He lifts a signal flag for a distant nation, ⁵⁴ 

he whistles for it to come from the far regions of the earth.

Look, they ⁵⁵  come quickly and swiftly.

Yesaya 7:19

7:19 All of them will come and make their home ⁵⁶  in the ravines between the cliffs, and in the crevices of the cliffs, in all the thorn bushes, and in all the watering holes. ⁵⁷ 

Yesaya 10:22

10:22 For though your people, Israel, are as numerous as ⁵⁸  the sand on the seashore, only a remnant will come back. ⁵⁹  Destruction has been decreed; ⁶⁰  just punishment ⁶¹  is about to engulf you. ⁶² 

Yesaya 10:28

10:28 ⁶³ They ⁶⁴  attacked ⁶⁵  Aiath,

moved through Migron,

depositing their supplies at Micmash.

Yesaya 13:5

13:5 They come from a distant land,

from the horizon. ⁶⁶ 

It is the Lord with his instruments of judgment, ⁶⁷ 

coming to destroy the whole earth. ⁶⁸ 

Yesaya 13:9

13:9 Look, the Lord’s day of judgment ⁶⁹  is coming;

it is a day of cruelty and savage, raging anger, ⁷⁰ 

destroying ⁷¹  the earth ⁷² 

and annihilating its sinners.

Yesaya 13:22

13:22 Wild dogs will yip in her ruined fortresses,

jackals will yelp in the once-splendid palaces. ⁷³ 

Her time is almost up, ⁷⁴ 

her days will not be prolonged. ⁷⁵ 

Yesaya 14:9

14:9 Sheol ⁷⁶  below is stirred up about you,

ready to meet you when you arrive.

It rouses ⁷⁷  the spirits of the dead for you,

all the former leaders of the earth; ⁷⁸ 

it makes all the former kings of the nations

rise from their thrones. ⁷⁹ 

Yesaya 21:1

The Lord Will Judge Babylon

21:1 Here is a message about the Desert by the Sea: ⁸⁰ 

Like strong winds blowing in the south, ⁸¹ 

one invades from the desert,

from a land that is feared.

Yesaya 21:9

21:9 Look what’s coming!

A charioteer,

a team of horses.” ⁸² 

When questioned, he replies, ⁸³ 

“Babylon has fallen, fallen!

All the idols of her gods lie shattered on the ground!”

Yesaya 29:6

29:6 Judgment will come from the Lord who commands armies, ⁸⁴ 

accompanied by thunder, earthquake, and a loud noise,

by a strong gale, a windstorm, and a consuming flame of fire.

Yesaya 30:13

30:13 So this sin will become your downfall.

You will be like a high wall

that bulges and cracks and is ready to collapse;

it crumbles suddenly, in a flash. ⁸⁵ 

Yesaya 31:2

31:2 Yet he too is wise ⁸⁶  and he will bring disaster;

he does not retract his decree. ⁸⁷ 

He will attack the wicked nation, ⁸⁸ 

and the nation that helps ⁸⁹  those who commit sin. ⁹⁰ 

Yesaya 36:17

36:17 until I come and take you to a land just like your own – a land of grain and new wine, a land of bread and vineyards.

Yesaya 37:3

37:3 “This is what Hezekiah says: ⁹¹  ‘This is a day of distress, insults, ⁹²  and humiliation, ⁹³  as when a baby is ready to leave the birth canal, but the mother lacks the strength to push it through. ⁹⁴ 

Yesaya 41:1

The Lord Challenges the Nations

41:1 “Listen to me in silence, you coastlands! ⁹⁵ 

Let the nations find renewed strength!

Let them approach and then speak;

let us come together for debate! ⁹⁶ 

Yesaya 41:23

41:23 Predict how future events will turn out, ⁹⁷ 

so we might know you are gods.

Yes, do something good or bad,

so we might be frightened and in awe. ⁹⁸ 

Yesaya 43:5

43:5 Don’t be afraid, for I am with you.

From the east I will bring your descendants;

from the west I will gather you.

Yesaya 45:24

45:24 they will say about me,

“Yes, the Lord is a powerful deliverer.”’” ⁹⁹ 

All who are angry at him will cower before him. ¹⁰⁰ 

Yesaya 47:12

47:12 Persist ¹⁰¹  in trusting ¹⁰²  your amulets

and your many incantations,

which you have faithfully recited ¹⁰³  since your youth!

Maybe you will be successful ¹⁰⁴  –

maybe you will scare away disaster. ¹⁰⁵ 

Yesaya 52:7

52:7 How delightful it is to see approaching over the mountains ¹⁰⁶ 

the feet of a messenger who announces peace,

a messenger who brings good news, who announces deliverance,

who says to Zion, “Your God reigns!” ¹⁰⁷ 

Yesaya 53:5

53:5 He was wounded because of ¹⁰⁸  our rebellious deeds,

crushed because of our sins;

he endured punishment that made us well; ¹⁰⁹ 

because of his wounds we have been healed. ¹¹⁰ 

Yesaya 55:3

55:3 Pay attention and come to me!

Listen, so you can live! ¹¹¹ 

Then I will make an unconditional covenantal promise to ¹¹²  you,

just like the reliable covenantal promises I made to David. ¹¹³ 

Yesaya 56:1

The Lord Invites Outsiders to Enter

56:1 This is what the Lord says,

“Promote ¹¹⁴  justice! Do what is right!

For I am ready to deliver you;

I am ready to vindicate you openly. ¹¹⁵ 

Yesaya 56:12

56:12 Each one says, ¹¹⁶ 

‘Come on, I’ll get some wine!

Let’s guzzle some beer!

Tomorrow will be just like today!

We’ll have everything we want!’ ¹¹⁷ 

Yesaya 57:9

57:9 You take olive oil as tribute ¹¹⁸  to your king, ¹¹⁹ 

along with many perfumes. ¹²⁰ 

You send your messengers to a distant place;

you go all the way to Sheol. ¹²¹ 

Yesaya 60:6

60:6 Camel caravans will cover your roads, ¹²² 

young camels from Midian and Ephah.

All the merchants of Sheba ¹²³  will come,

bringing gold and incense

and singing praises to the Lord. ¹²⁴ 

Yesaya 66:23

66:23 From one month ¹²⁵  to the next and from one Sabbath to the next, all people ¹²⁶  will come to worship me,” ¹²⁷  says the Lord.

Yesaya 10:3

10:3 What will you do on judgment day, ¹²⁸ 

when destruction arrives from a distant place?

To whom will you run for help?

Where will you leave your wealth?

Yesaya 19:1

The Lord Will Judge Egypt

19:1 Here is a message about Egypt:

Look, the Lord rides on a swift-moving cloud

and approaches Egypt.

The idols of Egypt tremble before him;

the Egyptians lose their courage. ¹²⁹ 

Yesaya 26:9

26:9 I ¹³⁰  look for ¹³¹  you during the night,

my spirit within me seeks you at dawn,

for when your judgments come upon the earth,

those who live in the world learn about justice. ¹³² 

Yesaya 27:11

27:11 When its branches get brittle, ¹³³  they break;

women come and use them for kindling. ¹³⁴ 

For these people lack understanding, ¹³⁵ 

therefore the one who made them has no compassion on them;

the one who formed them has no mercy on them.

Yesaya 27:13

27:13 At that time ¹³⁶  a large ¹³⁷  trumpet will be blown, and the ones lost ¹³⁸  in the land of Assyria will come, as well as the refugees in ¹³⁹  the land of Egypt. They will worship the Lord on the holy mountain in Jerusalem. ¹⁴⁰ 

Yesaya 28:22

28:22 So now, do not mock,

or your chains will become heavier!

For I have heard a message about decreed destruction,

from the sovereign master, the Lord who commands armies, against the entire land. ¹⁴¹ 

Yesaya 29:13

29:13 The sovereign master ¹⁴²  says,

“These people say they are loyal to me; ¹⁴³ 

they say wonderful things about me, ¹⁴⁴ 

but they are not really loyal to me. ¹⁴⁵ 

Their worship consists of

nothing but man-made ritual. ¹⁴⁶ 

Yesaya 30:28

30:28 His battle cry overwhelms like a flooding river ¹⁴⁷ 

that reaches one’s neck.

He shakes the nations in a sieve that isolates the chaff; ¹⁴⁸ 

he puts a bit into the mouth of the nations and leads them to destruction. ¹⁴⁹ 

Yesaya 36:16

36:16 Don’t listen to Hezekiah!’ For this is what the king of Assyria says, ‘Send me a token of your submission and surrender to me. ¹⁵⁰  Then each of you may eat from his own vine and fig tree and drink water from his own cistern,

Yesaya 37:33

37:33 So this is what the Lord says about the king of Assyria:

‘He will not enter this city,

nor will he shoot an arrow here. ¹⁵¹ 

He will not attack it with his shielded warriors, ¹⁵² 

nor will he build siege works against it.

Yesaya 38:1

The Lord Hears Hezekiah’s Prayer

38:1 In those days Hezekiah was stricken with a terminal illness. ¹⁵³  The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz visited him and told him, “This is what the Lord says, ‘Give instructions to your household, for you are about to die; you will not get well.’”

Yesaya 39:6

39:6 ‘Look, a time is coming when everything in your palace and the things your ancestors ¹⁵⁴  have accumulated to this day will be carried away to Babylon; nothing will be left,’ says the Lord.

Yesaya 40:10

40:10 Look, the sovereign Lord comes as a victorious warrior; ¹⁵⁵ 

his military power establishes his rule. ¹⁵⁶ 

Look, his reward is with him;

his prize goes before him. ¹⁵⁷ 

Yesaya 41:22

41:22 “Let them produce evidence! Let them tell us what will happen!

Tell us about your earlier predictive oracles, ¹⁵⁸ 

so we may examine them ¹⁵⁹  and see how they were fulfilled. ¹⁶⁰ 

Or decree for us some future events!

Yesaya 41:25

41:25 I have stirred up one out of the north ¹⁶¹  and he advances,

one from the eastern horizon who prays in my name. ¹⁶² 

He steps on ¹⁶³  rulers as if they were clay,

like a potter treading the clay.

Yesaya 44:7

44:7 Who is like me? Let him make his claim! ¹⁶⁴ 

Let him announce it and explain it to me –

since I established an ancient people – ¹⁶⁵ 

let them announce future events! ¹⁶⁶ 

Yesaya 45:20

45:20 Gather together and come!

Approach together, you refugees from the nations!

Those who carry wooden idols know nothing,

those who pray to a god that cannot deliver.

Yesaya 49:18

49:18 Look all around you! ¹⁶⁷ 

All of them gather to you.

As surely as I live,” says the Lord,

“you will certainly wear all of them like jewelry;

you will put them on as if you were a bride.

Yesaya 59:19

59:19 In the west, people respect ¹⁶⁸  the Lord’s reputation; ¹⁶⁹ 

in the east they recognize his splendor. ¹⁷⁰ 

For he comes like a rushing ¹⁷¹  stream

driven on by wind sent from the Lord. ¹⁷² 

Yesaya 60:5

60:5 Then you will look and smile, ¹⁷³ 

you will be excited and your heart will swell with pride. ¹⁷⁴ 

For the riches of distant lands ¹⁷⁵  will belong to you

and the wealth of nations will come to you.

Yesaya 60:14

60:14 The children of your oppressors will come bowing to you;

all who treated you with disrespect will bow down at your feet.

They will call you, ‘The City of the Lord,

Zion of the Holy One of Israel.’ ¹⁷⁶ 

Yesaya 62:11

62:11 Look, the Lord announces to the entire earth: ¹⁷⁷ 

“Say to Daughter Zion,

‘Look, your deliverer comes!

Look, his reward is with him

and his reward goes before him!’” ¹⁷⁸ 

Yesaya 66:15

66:15 For look, the Lord comes with fire,

his chariots come like a windstorm, ¹⁷⁹ 

to reveal his raging anger,

his battle cry, and his flaming arrows. ¹⁸⁰ 

Yesaya 37:29

37:29 Because you rage against me

and the uproar you create has reached my ears, ¹⁸¹ 

I will put my hook in your nose, ¹⁸² 

and my bridle between your lips,

and I will lead you back

the way you came.”

Yesaya 39:2

39:2 Hezekiah welcomed ¹⁸³  them and showed them his storehouse with its silver, gold, spices, and high-quality olive oil, as well as his whole armory and everything in his treasuries. Hezekiah showed them everything in his palace and in his whole kingdom. ¹⁸⁴ 

Yesaya 49:21

49:21 Then you will think to yourself, ¹⁸⁵ 

‘Who bore these children for me?

I was bereaved and barren,

dismissed and divorced. ¹⁸⁶ 

Who raised these children?

Look, I was left all alone;

where did these children come from?’”

Yesaya 50:2

50:2 Why does no one challenge me when I come?

Why does no one respond when I call? ¹⁸⁷ 

Is my hand too weak ¹⁸⁸  to deliver ¹⁸⁹  you?

Do I lack the power to rescue you?

Look, with a mere shout ¹⁹⁰  I can dry up the sea;

I can turn streams into a desert,

so the fish rot away and die

from lack of water. ¹⁹¹ 

Yesaya 66:4

66:4 So I will choose severe punishment ¹⁹²  for them;

I will bring on them what they dread,

because I called, and no one responded,

I spoke and they did not listen.

They did evil before me; ¹⁹³ 

they chose to do what displeases me.”

[14:28]  ¹ sn Perhaps 715 b.c., but the precise date is uncertain.

[14:28]  ² tn Heb “this oracle came.”

[21:12]  ³ sn Dumah will experience some relief, but it will be short-lived as night returns.

[21:12]  ⁴ sn The point of the watchman’s final instructions (“if you want to ask, ask; come again”) is unclear. Perhaps they are included to add realism to the dramatic portrayal. The watchman sends the questioner away with the words, “Feel free to come back and ask again.”

[60:4]  ⁵ tn Heb “Lift up around your eyes and see!”

[7:17]  ⁶ tn Heb “days” (so KJV, NAB); NASB, NRSV “such days.”

[7:17]  ⁷ sn Initially the prophecy appears to be a message of salvation. Immanuel seems to have a positive ring to it, sour milk and honey elsewhere symbolize prosperity and blessing (see Deut 32:13-14; Job 20:17), verse 16 announces the defeat of Judah’s enemies, and verse 17a could be taken as predicting a return to the glorious days of David and Solomon. However, the message turns sour in verses 17b-25. God will be with his people in judgment, as well as salvation. The curds and honey will be signs of deprivation, not prosperity, the relief announced in verse 16 will be short-lived, and the new era will be characterized by unprecedented humiliation, not a return to glory. Because of Ahaz’s refusal to trust the Lord, potential blessing would be transformed into a curse, just as Isaiah turns an apparent prophecy of salvation into a message of judgment. Because the words “the king of Assyria” are rather awkwardly tacked on to the end of the sentence, some regard them as a later addition. However, the very awkwardness facilitates the prophet’s rhetorical strategy here, as he suddenly turns what sounds like a positive message into a judgment speech. Actually, “the king of Assyria,” stands in apposition to the earlier object “days,” and specifies who the main character of these coming “days” will be.

[35:4]  ⁸ tn Heb “Say to the hasty of heart,” i.e., those whose hearts beat quickly from fear.

[35:4]  ⁹ tn The jussive form וְיֹשַׁעֲכֶם (vÿyosha’akhem), which is subordinated to the preceding imperfect with vav conjunctive, indicates purpose.

[66:18]  ¹⁰ 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]  ¹¹ tn Heb “and the tongues”; KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV “and tongues.”

[13:6]  ¹² tn Heb “the day of the Lord” (so KJV, NAB).

[13:6]  ¹³ tn Heb “like destruction from the sovereign judge it comes.” The comparative preposition (כְּ, kÿ) has here the rhetorical nuance, “in every way like.” The point is that the destruction unleashed will have all the earmarks of divine judgment. One could paraphrase, “it comes as only destructive divine judgment can.” On this use of the preposition in general, see GKC 376 §118.x.

[13:6]  sn The divine name used here is שַׁדַּי (shaddai, “Shaddai”). Shaddai (or El Shaddai) is the sovereign king/judge of the world who grants life/blesses and kills/judges. In Genesis he blesses the patriarchs with fertility and promises numerous descendants. Outside Genesis he both blesses/protects and takes away life/happiness. The patriarchs knew God primarily as El Shaddai (Exod 6:3). While the origin and meaning of this name is uncertain (see discussion below) its significance is clear. The name is used in contexts where God appears as the source of fertility and life. In Gen 17:1-8 he appears to Abram, introduces himself as El Shaddai, and announces his intention to make the patriarch fruitful. In the role of El Shaddai God repeats these words (now elevated to the status of a decree) to Jacob (35:11). Earlier Isaac had pronounced a blessing upon Jacob in which he asked El Shaddai to make Jacob fruitful (28:3). Jacob later prays that his sons will be treated with mercy when they return to Egypt with Benjamin (43:14). The fertility theme is not as apparent here, though one must remember that Jacob viewed Benjamin as the sole remaining son of the favored and once-barren Rachel (cf. 29:31; 30:22-24; 35:16-18). It is quite natural that he would appeal to El Shaddai to preserve Benjamin’s life, for it was El Shaddai’s miraculous power which made it possible for Rachel to give him sons in the first place. In 48:3 Jacob, prior to blessing Joseph’s sons, tells him how El Shaddai appeared to him at Bethel (cf. chapter 28) and promised to make him fruitful. When blessing Joseph on his deathbed Jacob refers to Shaddai (we should probably read “El Shaddai,” along with a few Hebrew mss, the Samaritan Pentateuch, LXX, and Syriac) as the one who provides abundant blessings, including “blessings of the breast and womb” (49:25). (The direct association of the name with שָׁדַיִם [shadayim, “breasts”] suggests the name might mean “the one of the breast” [i.e., the one who gives fertility], but the juxtaposition is probably better explained as wordplay. Note the wordplay involving the name and the root שָׁדַד [shadad, “destroy”] here in Isa 13:6 and in Joel 1:15.) Outside Genesis the name Shaddai (minus El, “God”) is normally used when God is viewed as the sovereign king who blesses/protects or curses/brings judgment. The name appears in the introduction to two of Balaam’s oracles (Num 24:4, 16) of blessing upon Israel. Naomi employs the name when accusing the Lord of treating her bitterly by taking the lives of her husband and sons (Ruth 1:20-21). In Ps 68:14; Isa 13:6; and Joel 1:15 Shaddai judges his enemies through warfare, while Ps 91:1 depicts him as the protector of his people. (In Ezek 1:24 and 10:5 the sound of the cherubs’ wings is compared to Shaddai’s powerful voice. The reference may be to the mighty divine warrior’s battle cry which accompanies his angry judgment.) Last but not least, the name occurs 31 times in the Book of Job. Job and his “friends” assume that Shaddai is the sovereign king of the world (11:7; 37:23a) who is the source of life (33:4b) and is responsible for maintaining justice (8:3; 34:10-12; 37:23b). He provides abundant blessings, including children (22:17-18; 29:4-6), but can also discipline, punish, and destroy (5:17; 6:4; 21:20; 23:16). It is not surprising to see the name so often in this book, where the theme of God’s justice is primary and even called into question (24:1; 27:2). The most likely proposal is that the name means “God, the one of the mountain” (an Akkadian cognate means “mountain,” to which Heb. שַׁד [shad, “breast”] is probably related). For a discussion of proposed derivations see T. N. D. Mettinger, In Search of God, 70-71. The name may originally depict God as the sovereign judge who, in Canaanite style, rules from a sacred mountain. Isa 14:13 and Ezek 28:14, 16 associate such a mountain with God, while Ps 48:2 refers to Zion as “Zaphon,” the Canaanite Olympus from which the high god El ruled. (In Isa 14 the Canaanite god El may be in view. Note that Isaiah pictures pagan kings as taunting the king of Babylon, suggesting that pagan mythology may provide the background for the language and imagery.)

[28:29]  ¹⁴ sn Verses 23-29 emphasize that God possesses great wisdom and has established a natural order. Evidence of this can be seen in the way farmers utilize divinely imparted wisdom to grow and harvest crops. God’s dealings with his people will exhibit this same kind of wisdom and order. Judgment will be accomplished according to a divinely ordered timetable and, while severe enough, will not be excessive. Judgment must come, just as planting inevitably follows plowing. God will, as it were, thresh his people, but he will not crush them to the point where they will be of no use to him.

[34:8]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “for a day of vengeance [is] for the Lord.”

[34:8]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “a year of repayment for the strife of Zion.” The translation assumes that רִיב (riv) refers to Edom’s hostility toward Zion. Another option is to understand רִיב (riv) as referring to the Lord’s taking up Zion’s cause. In this case one might translate, “a time when he will repay Edom and vindicate Zion.”

[38:20]  ¹⁷ tn The infinitive construct is used here to indicate that an action is imminent. See GKC 348-49 §114.i, and IBHS 610 §36.2.3g.

[38:20]  ¹⁸ tn Heb “and music [or perhaps, “stringed instruments”] we will play.”

[38:20]  ¹⁹ tn Heb “all the days of our lives in the house of the Lord.”

[38:20]  sn Note that vv. 21-22 have been placed between vv. 6-7, where they logically belong. See 2 Kgs 20:7-8.

[41:5]  ²⁰ tn Or “islands” (NIV, CEV); NCV “faraway places”; NLT “lands beyond the sea.”

[41:5]  ²¹ 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.

[60:1]  ²² tn Or “glory” (so most English versions).

[63:4]  ²³ tn Heb “for the day of vengeance was in my heart, and the year of my revenge came.” The term גְּאוּלַי (gÿ’ulai) is sometimes translated here “my redemption,” for the verbal root גאל often means “deliver, buy back.” A גֹּאֵל (go’el, “kinsman-redeemer”) was responsible for protecting the extended family’s interests, often by redeeming property that had been sold outside the family. However, the responsibilities of a גֹּאֵל extended beyond financial concerns. He was also responsible for avenging the shed blood of a family member (see Num 35:19-27; Deut 19:6-12). In Isa 63:4, where vengeance is a prominent theme (note the previous line), it is probably this function of the family protector that is in view. The Lord pictures himself as a blood avenger who waits for the day of vengeance to arrive and then springs into action.

[28:19]  ²⁴ tn Or “for” (KJV, ASV, NASB, NRSV).

[28:19]  ²⁵ tn The words “it will come through” are supplied in the translation. The verb “will sweep by” does double duty in the parallel structure.

[30:27]  ²⁶ sn The “name” of the Lord sometimes stands by metonymy for the Lord himself, see Exod 23:21; Lev 24:11; Pss 54:1 (54:3 HT); 124:8. In Isa 30:27 the point is that he reveals that aspect of his character which his name suggests – he comes as Yahweh (“he is present”), the ever present helper of his people who annihilates their enemies and delivers them. The name “Yahweh” originated in a context where God assured a fearful Moses that he would be with him as he confronted Pharaoh and delivered Israel from slavery in Egypt. See Exod 3.

[30:27]  ²⁷ tn Heb “his anger burns, and heaviness of elevation.” The meaning of the phrase “heaviness of elevation” is unclear, for מַשָּׂאָה (masa’ah, “elevation”) occurs only here. Some understand the term as referring to a cloud (elevated above the earth’s surface), in which case one might translate, “and in heavy clouds” (cf. NAB “with lowering clouds”). Others relate the noun to מָשָׂא (masa’, “burden”) and interpret it as a reference to judgment. In this case one might translate, “and with severe judgment.” The present translation assumes that the noun refers to his glory and that “heaviness” emphasizes its degree.

[30:27]  ²⁸ tn Heb “his lips are full of anger, and his tongue is like consuming fire.” The Lord’s lips and tongue are used metonymically for his word (or perhaps his battle cry; see v. 31).

[63:1]  ²⁹ sn Edom is here an archetype for the Lord’s enemies. See 34:5.

[63:1]  ³⁰ tn Heb “[in] bright red garments, from Bozrah.”

[63:1]  ³¹ tn The interrogative particle is understood by ellipsis; note the first line of the verse.

[63:1]  ³² tn Heb “honored in his clothing”; KJV, ASV “glorious in his apparel.”

[63:1]  ³³ tc The Hebrew text has צָעָה (tsa’ah), which means “stoop, bend” (51:14). The translation assumes an emendation to צָעַד (tsa’ad, “march”; see BDB 858 s.v. צָעָה).

[63:1]  ³⁴ tn Heb “I, [the one] speaking in vindication [or “righteousness”], great to deliver.”

[22:6]  ³⁵ tn Heb “[with] the chariots of men, horsemen.”

[22:6]  ³⁶ sn A distant region in the direction of Mesopotamia; see Amos 1:5; 9:7.

[22:6]  ³⁷ tn Heb “Kir uncovers” (so NAB, NIV).

[22:6]  ³⁸ 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.

[27:6]  ³⁹ tc The Hebrew text reads literally, “the coming ones, let Jacob take root.” הַבָּאִים (habba’im, “the coming ones”) should probably be emended to יָמִים בָאִים (yamim va’im, “days [are] coming”) or בְּיָמִים הַבָּאִים (biyamim habba’im, “in the coming days”).

[27:6]  ⁴⁰ tn Heb “fruit” (so KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT).

[27:6]  ⁴¹ sn This apparently refers to a future population explosion. See 26:18.

[48:15]  ⁴² tn Heb “and his way will be prosperous.”

[49:12]  ⁴³ tc The MT reads “Sinim” here; the Dead Sea Scrolls read “Syene,” a location in Egypt associated with modern Aswan. A number of recent translations adopt this reading: “Syene” (NAB, NRSV); “Aswan” (NIV); “Egypt” (NLT).

[49:12]  sn The precise location of the land of Sinim is uncertain, but since the north and west are mentioned in the previous line, it was a probably located in the distant east or south.

[59:20]  ⁴⁴ tn Or “redeemer.” See the note at 41:14.

[59:20]  ⁴⁵ tn Heb “and to those who turn from rebellion in Jacob.”

[1:12]  ⁴⁶ 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.

[3:9]  ⁴⁷ sn This refers to their proud, arrogant demeanor.

[3:9]  ⁴⁸ tn Heb “answers against them”; NRSV “bears witness against them.”

[3:9]  ⁴⁹ tn Heb “their sin, like Sodom, they declare, they do not conceal [it].”

[3:9]  ⁵⁰ tn Heb “woe to their soul.”

[5:19]  ⁵¹ 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]  ⁵² sn See the note on the phrase “the Holy One of Israel” in 1:4.

[5:19]  ⁵³ tn Heb “draw near” (so NASB); NRSV “hasten to fulfillment.”

[5:26]  ⁵⁴ tc The Hebrew text has literally, “for nations from a distance.” The following verses use singular forms to describe this nation, so the final mem (ם) on לְגּוֹיִם (lÿgoyim) may be enclitic or dittographic. In the latter case one could read לְגוֹי מֵרָחוֹק (lÿgoy merakhoq, “for a nation from a distance”; see Deut 28:49; Joel 3:8). Another possibility is to emend the text from לַגּוֹיִם מֵרָחוֹק (laggoyim merakhoq) to לְגוֹי מִמֶּרְחָק (lÿgoy mimmerkhaq, “for a nation from a distant place”) a phrase which occurs in Jer 5:15. In this case an error of misdivision has occurred in MT, the mem of the prefixed preposition being accidentally taken as a plural ending on the preceding word.

[5:26]  ⁵⁵ tn Heb “he.” Singular forms are used throughout vv. 26-30 to describe this nation, but for stylistic reasons the translation uses the plural for these collective singulars.

[7:19]  ⁵⁶ tn Heb “and shall rest” (so KJV, ASV); NASB, NIV, NRSV “and settle.”

[7:19]  ⁵⁷ tn The meaning of this word (נַהֲלֹל, nahalol) is uncertain; some understand this as referring to another type of thorn bush. For bibliography, see HALOT 676 s.v. I *נַהֲלֹל.

[10:22]  ⁵⁸ tn Heb “are like.”

[10:22]  ⁵⁹ sn The twofold appearance of the statement “a remnant will come back” (שְׁאָר יָשׁוּב, she’ar yashuv) in vv. 21-22 echoes and probably plays off the name of Isaiah’s son Shear-jashub (see 7:3). In its original context the name was meant to encourage Ahaz (see the note at 7:3), but here it has taken on new dimensions. In light of Ahaz’s failure and the judgment it brings down on the land, the name Shear-jashub now foreshadows the destiny of the nation. According to vv. 21-22, there is good news and bad news. The good news is that a remnant of God’s people will return; the bad news is that only a remnant will be preserved and come back. Like the name Immanuel, this name foreshadows both judgment (see the notes at 7:25 and 8:8) and ultimate restoration (see the note at 8:10).

[10:22]  ⁶⁰ tn Or “predetermined”; cf. ASV, NASB “is determined”; TEV “is in store.”

[10:22]  ⁶¹ tn צְדָקָה (tsÿdaqah) often means “righteousness,” but here it refers to God’s just judgment.

[10:22]  ⁶² tn Or “is about to overflow.”

[10:28]  ⁶³ 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]  ⁶⁴ 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]  ⁶⁵ tn Heb “came against,” or “came to.”

[13:5]  ⁶⁶ tn Heb “from the end of the sky.”

[13:5]  ⁶⁷ tn Or “anger”; cf. KJV, ASV “the weapons of his indignation.”

[13:5]  ⁶⁸ tn Or perhaps, “land” (so KJV, NAB, NASB, NLT). Even though the heading and subsequent context (see v. 17) indicate Babylon’s judgment is in view, the chapter has a cosmic flavor that suggests that the coming judgment is universal in scope. Perhaps Babylon’s downfall occurs in conjunction with a wider judgment, or the cosmic style is poetic hyperbole used to emphasize the magnitude and importance of the coming event.

[13:9]  ⁶⁹ tn Heb “the day of the Lord.”

[13:9]  ⁷⁰ 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]  ⁷¹ tn Heb “making desolate.”

[13:9]  ⁷² tn Or “land” (KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NLT).

[13:22]  ⁷³ tc The Hebrew text reads literally, “wild dogs will yip among his widows, and jackals in the palaces of pleasure.” The verb “yip” is supplied in the second line; it does double duty in the parallel structure. “His widows” makes little sense in this context; many emend the form (אַלְמנוֹתָיו, ’almnotayv) to the graphically similar אַרְמְנוֹתֶיהָ (’armÿnoteha, “her fortresses”), a reading that is assumed in the present translation. The use of “widows” may represent an intentional wordplay on “fortresses,” indicating that the fortresses are like dejected widows (J. N. Oswalt, Isaiah [NICOT], 1:308, n. 1).

[13:22]  ⁷⁴ tn Heb “near to come is her time.”

[13:22]  ⁷⁵ sn When was the prophecy of Babylon’s fall fulfilled? Some argue that the prophecy was fulfilled in 689 b.c. when the Assyrians under Sennacherib sacked and desecrated the city (this event is alluded to in 23:13). This may have been an initial phase in the fulfillment of the prophecy, but the reference to the involvement of the Medes (v. 17) and the suggestion that Babylon’s demise will bring about the restoration of Israel (14:1-2) indicate that the fall of Babylon to the Medes and Persians in 538 b.c. is the primary focus of the prophecy. (After all, the Lord did reveal to Isaiah that the Chaldeans [not the Assyrians] would someday conquer Jerusalem and take the people into exile [see 39:5-7].) However, the vivid picture of destruction in vv. 15-22 raises a problem. The Medes and Persians did not destroy the city; in fact Cyrus’ takeover of Babylon, though preceded by a military campaign, was relatively peaceful and even welcomed by some Babylonian religious officials. How then does one explain the prophecy’s description of the city’s violent fall? As noted above, the events of 689 b.c. and 538 b.c. may have been merged in the prophecy. However, it is more likely that the language is stylized and exaggerated for rhetorical effect. See Isa 34:11-15; Jer 50:39-40 (describing Babylon’s fall in 538 b.c.); 51:36-37 (describing Babylon’s fall in 538 b.c.); Zeph 2:13-15; the extra-biblical Sefire treaty curses; and Ashurbanipal’s description of the destruction of Elam in his royal annals. In other words, the events of 538 b.c. essentially, though not necessarily literally, fulfill the prophecy.

[14:9]  ⁷⁶ sn Sheol is the proper name of the subterranean world which was regarded as the land of the dead.

[14:9]  ⁷⁷ tn Heb “arousing.” The form is probably a Polel infinitive absolute, rather than a third masculine singular perfect, for Sheol is grammatically feminine (note “stirred up”). See GKC 466 §145.t.

[14:9]  ⁷⁸ tn Heb “all the rams of the earth.” The animal epithet is used metaphorically here for leaders. See HALOT 903 s.v. *עַתּוּד.

[14:9]  ⁷⁹ tn Heb “lifting from their thrones all the kings of the nations.” הֵקִים (heqim, a Hiphil perfect third masculine singular) should be emended to an infinitive absolute (הָקֵים, haqem). See the note on “rouses” earlier in the verse.

[21:1]  ⁸⁰ sn The phrase is quite cryptic, at least to the modern reader. Verse 9 seems to indicate that this message pertains to Babylon. Southern Mesopotamia was known as the Sealand in ancient times, because of its proximity to the Persian Gulf. Perhaps the reference to Babylon as a “desert” foreshadows the destruction that would overtake the city, making it like a desolate desert.

[21:1]  ⁸¹ tn Or “in the Negev” (NASB).

[21:9]  ⁸² tn Or “[with] teams of horses,” or perhaps, “with a pair of horsemen.”

[21:9]  ⁸³ tn Heb “and he answered and said” (so KJV, ASV).

[29:6]  ⁸⁴ tn Heb “from the Lord who commands armies [traditionally, the Lord of hosts] there will be visitation.” The third feminine singular passive verb form תִּפָּקֵד (tippaqed, “she/it will be visited”) is used here in an impersonal sense. See GKC 459 §144.b.

[30:13]  ⁸⁵ tn The verse reads literally, “So this sin will become for you like a breach ready to fall, bulging on a high wall, the breaking of which comes suddenly, in a flash.” Their sin produces guilt and will result in judgment. Like a wall that collapses their fall will be swift and sudden.

[31:2]  ⁸⁶ 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]  ⁸⁷ tn Heb “and he does not turn aside [i.e., “retract”] his words”; NIV “does not take back his words.”

[31:2]  ⁸⁸ tn Heb “and he will arise against the house of the wicked.”

[31:2]  ⁸⁹ sn That is, Egypt.

[31:2]  ⁹⁰ tn Heb “and against the help of the doers of sin.”

[37:3]  ⁹¹ tn In the Hebrew text this verse begins with “they said to him” (cf. NRSV).

[37:3]  ⁹² tn Or “rebuke” (KJV, NAB, NIV, NRSV), or “correction.”

[37:3]  ⁹³ tn Or “contempt”; NAB, NIV, NRSV “disgrace.”

[37:3]  ⁹⁴ tn Heb “when sons come to the cervical opening and there is no strength to give birth.”

[41:1]  ⁹⁵ tn Or “islands” (KJV, NIV, CEV); TEV “distant lands”; NLT “lands beyond the sea.”

[41:1]  ⁹⁶ tn The Hebrew term מִשְׁפָּט (mishpat) could be translated “judgment,” but here it seems to refer to the dispute or debate between the Lord and the nations.

[41:23]  ⁹⁷ tn Heb “Declare the coming things, with respect to the end.”

[41:23]  ⁹⁸ tc The translation assumes the Qere (וְנִרְאֶה [vÿnir’eh], from יָרֵא [yare’], “be afraid”).

[41:23]  tn Heb “so we might be frightened and afraid together.” On the meaning of the verb שָׁתָע (shata’), see the note at v. 10.

[45:24]  ⁹⁹ tn Heb “‘Yes, in the Lord,’ one says about me, ‘is deliverance and strength.’”

[45:24]  ¹⁰⁰ tn Heb “will come to him and be ashamed.”

[47:12]  ¹⁰¹ tn Heb “stand” (so KJV, ASV); NASB, NRSV “Stand fast.”

[47:12]  ¹⁰² tn The word “trusting” is supplied in the translation for clarification. See v. 9.

[47:12]  ¹⁰³ tn Heb “in that which you have toiled.”

[47:12]  ¹⁰⁴ tn Heb “maybe you will be able to profit.”

[47:12]  ¹⁰⁵ tn Heb “maybe you will cause to tremble.” The object “disaster” is supplied in the translation for clarification. See the note at v. 9.

[52:7]  ¹⁰⁶ tn Heb “How delightful on the mountains.”

[52:7]  ¹⁰⁷ tn Or “has become king.” When a new king was enthroned, his followers would give this shout. For other examples of this enthronement formula (Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular מָלַךְ [malakh], followed by the name of the king), see 2 Sam 15:10; 1 Kgs 1:11, 13, 18; 2 Kgs 9:13. The Lord is an eternal king, but here he is pictured as a victorious warrior who establishes his rule from Zion.

[53:5]  ¹⁰⁸ tn The preposition מִן (min) has a causal sense (translated “because of”) here and in the following clause.

[53:5]  ¹⁰⁹ tn Heb “the punishment of our peace [was] on him.” שָׁלוֹם (shalom, “peace”) is here a genitive of result, i.e., “punishment that resulted in our peace.”

[53:5]  ¹¹⁰ sn Continuing to utilize the imagery of physical illness, the group acknowledges that the servant’s willingness to carry their illnesses (v. 4) resulted in their being healed. Healing is a metaphor for forgiveness here.

[55:3]  ¹¹¹ tn The jussive with vav (ו) conjunctive following the imperative indicates purpose/result.

[55:3]  sn To live here refers to covenantal blessing, primarily material prosperity and national security (see vv. 4-5, 13, and Deut 30:6, 15, 19-20).

[55:3]  ¹¹² tn Or “an eternal covenant with.”

[55:3]  ¹¹³ tn Heb “the reliable expressions of loyalty of David.” The syntactical relationship of חַסְדֵי (khasde, “expressions of loyalty”) to the preceding line is unclear. If the term is appositional to בְּרִית (bÿrit, “covenant”), then the Lord here transfers the promises of the Davidic covenant to the entire nation. Another option is to take חַסְדֵי (khasde) as an adverbial accusative and to translate “according to the reliable covenantal promises.” In this case the new covenantal arrangement proposed here is viewed as an extension or perhaps fulfillment of the Davidic promises. A third option, the one reflected in the above translation, is to take the last line as comparative. In this case the new covenant being proposed is analogous to the Davidic covenant. Verses 4-5, which compare David’s international prominence to what Israel will experience, favors this view. In all three of these interpretations, “David” is an objective genitive; he is the recipient of covenantal promises. A fourth option would be to take David as a subjective genitive and understand the line as giving the basis for the preceding promise: “Then I will make an unconditional covenantal promise to you, because of David’s faithful acts of covenantal loyalty.”

[56:1]  ¹¹⁴ tn Heb “guard”; KJV “Keep”; NAB “Observe”; NASB “Preserve”; NIV, NRSV “Maintain.”

[56:1]  ¹¹⁵ tn Heb “for near is my deliverance to enter, and my vindication [or “righteousness”] to be revealed.”

[56:12]  ¹¹⁶ tn The words “each one says” are supplied in the translation for clarification.

[56:12]  ¹¹⁷ tn Heb “great, [in] abundance, very much,” i.e., “very great indeed.” See HALOT 452 s.v. יֶתֶר.

[57:9]  ¹¹⁸ tn Heb “you journey with oil.”

[57:9]  ¹¹⁹ tn Heb “the king.” Since the context refers to idolatry and child sacrifice (see v. 5), some emend מֶלֶך (melekh, “king”) to “Molech.” Perhaps Israel’s devotion to her idols is likened here to a subject taking tribute to a ruler.

[57:9]  ¹²⁰ tn Heb “and you multiply your perfumes.”

[57:9]  ¹²¹ sn Israel’s devotion to her idols is inordinate, irrational, and self-destructive.

[60:6]  ¹²² tn Heb “an abundance of camels will cover you.”

[60:6]  ¹²³ tn Heb “all of them, from Sheba.”

[60:6]  ¹²⁴ tn Heb “and they will announce the praises of the Lord.”

[66:23]  ¹²⁵ tn Heb “new moon.” The verb that introduces this verse serves as a discourse particle and is untranslated; see note on “in the future” in 2:2.

[66:23]  ¹²⁶ tn Heb “all flesh” (so KJV, ASV, NRSV); NAB, NASB, NIV “all mankind”; NLT “All humanity.”

[66:23]  ¹²⁷ tn Or “bow down before” (NASB).

[10:3]  ¹²⁸ tn Heb “the day of visitation” (so KJV, ASV), that is, the day when God arrives to execute justice on the oppressors.

[19:1]  ¹²⁹ tn Heb “and the heart of Egypt melts within it.”

[26:9]  ¹³⁰ tn Heb “with my soul I.” This is a figure for the speaker himself (“I”).

[26:9]  ¹³¹ tn Or “long for, desire.” The speaker acknowledges that he is eager to see God come in judgment (see vv. 8, 9b).

[26:9]  ¹³² tn The translation understands צֶדֶק (tsedeq) in the sense of “justice,” but it is possible that it carries the nuance “righteousness,” in which case one might translate, “those who live in the world learn to live in a righteous manner” (cf. NCV).

[27:11]  ¹³³ tn Heb “are dry” (so NASB, NIV, NRSV).

[27:11]  ¹³⁴ tn Heb “women come [and] light it.” The city is likened to a dead tree with dried up branches that is only good for firewood.

[27:11]  ¹³⁵ tn Heb “for not a people of understanding [is] he.”

[27:13]  ¹³⁶ tn Heb “and it will be 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.

[27:13]  ¹³⁷ tn Traditionally, “great” (KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NLT); CEV “loud.”

[27:13]  ¹³⁸ tn Or “the ones perishing.”

[27:13]  ¹³⁹ tn Or “the ones driven into.”

[27:13]  ¹⁴⁰ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[28:22]  ¹⁴¹ tn Or “the whole earth” (KJV, ASV, NAB, NCV).

[29:13]  ¹⁴² tn The Hebrew term translated “sovereign master” here is אֲדֹנָי (’adonai).

[29:13]  ¹⁴³ tn Heb “Because these people draw near to me with their mouth.”

[29:13]  ¹⁴⁴ tn Heb “and with their lips they honor me.”

[29:13]  ¹⁴⁵ tn Heb “but their heart is far from me.” The heart is viewed here as the seat of the will, from which genuine loyalty derives.

[29:13]  ¹⁴⁶ tn Heb “their fear of me is a commandment of men that has been taught.”

[30:28]  ¹⁴⁷ tn Heb “his breath is like a flooding river.” This might picture the Lord breathing heavily as he runs down his enemy, but in light of the preceding verse, which mentions his lips and tongue, “breath” probably stands metonymically for the word or battle cry that he expels from his mouth as he shouts. In Isa 34:16 and Ps 33:6 the Lord’s “breath” is associated with his command.

[30:28]  ¹⁴⁸ tn Heb “shaking nations in a sieve of worthlessness.” It is not certain exactly how שָׁוְא (shavÿ’, “emptiness, worthlessness”) modifies “sieve.” A sieve is used to separate grain from chaff and isolate what is worthless so that it might be discarded. Perhaps the nations are likened to such chaff; God’s judgment will sift them out for destruction.

[30:28]  ¹⁴⁹ tn Heb “and a bit that leads astray [is] in the jaws of the peoples.” Here the nations are likened to horse that can be controlled by a bit placed in its mouth. In this case the Lord uses his sovereign control over the “horse” to lead it to its demise.

[36:16]  ¹⁵⁰ tn Heb “make with me a blessing and come out to me.”

[37:33]  ¹⁵¹ tn Heb “there” (so KJV, NASB, NRSV). In terms of English style “here” is expected in collocation with “this” in the previous line.

[37:33]  ¹⁵² tn Heb “[with] a shield” (so ASV, NASB, NRSV).

[38:1]  ¹⁵³ tn Heb “was sick to the point of dying”; NRSV “became sick and was at the point of death.”

[39:6]  ¹⁵⁴ tn Heb “fathers” (so KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV).

[40:10]  ¹⁵⁵ tn Heb “comes as a strong one”; ASV “will come as a mighty one.” The preposition בְּ (bet) here carries the nuance “in the capacity of.” It indicates that the Lord possesses the quality expressed by the noun. See GKC 379 §119.i and HALOT 104 s.v. בְּ.

[40:10]  ¹⁵⁶ tn Heb “his arm rules for him” (so NIV, NRSV). The Lord’s “arm” symbolizes his military power (see Isa 51:9-10; 63:5).

[40:10]  ¹⁵⁷ tn As the Lord returns to Jerusalem as a victorious warrior, he brings with him the spoils of victory, called here his “reward” and “prize.” These terms might also be translated “wages” and “recompense.” Verse 11 indicates that his rescued people, likened to a flock of sheep, are his reward.

[41:22]  ¹⁵⁸ tn Heb “As for the former things, tell us what they are!”

[41:22]  ¹⁵⁹ tn Heb “so we might set [them to] our heart.”

[41:22]  ¹⁶⁰ tn Heb “and might know their outcome.”

[41:25]  ¹⁶¹ sn That is, Cyrus the Persian. See the note at v. 2.

[41:25]  ¹⁶² tn Heb “[one] from the rising of the sun [who] calls in my name.”

[41:25]  ¹⁶³ tn The Hebrew text has וְיָבֹא (vÿyavo’, “and he comes”), but this is likely a corruption of an original וַיָּבָס (vayyavas), from בּוּס (bus, “step on”).

[44:7]  ¹⁶⁴ tn Heb “let him call” or “let him proclaim” (so NASB, NIV, NRSV); NAB “Let him stand up and speak.”

[44:7]  ¹⁶⁵ tc The Hebrew text reads, “from (the time) I established an ancient people, and the coming things.” Various emendations have been proposed. One of the options assumes the reading מַשְׁמִיעִים מֵעוֹלָם אוֹתִיּוֹת (mashmi’im me’olam ’otiyyot); This literally reads “the ones causing to hear from antiquity coming things,” but more idiomatically would read “as for those who predict from antiquity what will happen” (cf. NAB, NEB, REB). The emendation directs the attention of the reader to those who claim to be able to predict the future, challenging them to actually do what they claim they can do. The MT presents Yahweh as an example to whom these alleged “predictors of the future” can compare themselves. Since the ancient versions are unanimous in their support of the MT, the emendations should be set aside.

[44:7]  ¹⁶⁶ tn Heb and those things which are coming let them declare for themselves.”

[49:18]  ¹⁶⁷ tn Heb “Lift up around your eyes and see.”

[59:19]  ¹⁶⁸ tc Heb “fear.” A few medieval Hebrew mss read “see.”

[59:19]  ¹⁶⁹ tn Heb “and they fear from the west the name of the Lord.”

[59:19]  ¹⁷⁰ tn Heb “and from the rising of the sun his splendor.”

[59:19]  ¹⁷¹ tn Heb “narrow”; NAB, NIV, NRSV “pent-up.”

[59:19]  ¹⁷² tn Heb “the wind of the Lord drives it on.” The term רוּחַ (ruakh) could be translated “breath” here (see 30:28).

[60:5]  ¹⁷³ tn Or “shine,” or “be radiant” (NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV).

[60:5]  ¹⁷⁴ tn Heb “and it will tremble and be wide, your heart.”

[60:5]  ¹⁷⁵ tn Heb “the wealth of the sea,” i.e., wealth that is transported from distant lands via the sea.

[60:14]  ¹⁷⁶ sn See the note on the phrase “the Holy One of Israel” in 1:4.

[62:11]  ¹⁷⁷ tn Heb “to the end of the earth” (so NASB, NRSV).

[62:11]  ¹⁷⁸ sn As v. 12 indicates, the returning exiles are the Lord’s reward/prize. See also 40:10 and the note there.

[66:15]  ¹⁷⁹ sn Chariots are like a windstorm in their swift movement and in the way that they kick up dust.

[66:15]  ¹⁸⁰ tn Heb “to cause to return with the rage of his anger, and his battle cry [or “rebuke”] with flames of fire.”

[37:29]  ¹⁸¹ 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]  ¹⁸² sn The word-picture has a parallel in Assyrian sculpture. See M. Cogan and H. Tadmor, II Kings (AB), 238.

[39:2]  ¹⁸³ tn Heb “was happy with”; NAB, NASB “was pleased”; NIV “received the envoys gladly.”

[39:2]  ¹⁸⁴ tn Heb “there was nothing which Hezekiah did not show them in his house and in all his kingdom.”

[49:21]  ¹⁸⁵ tn Heb “and you will say in your heart.”

[49:21]  ¹⁸⁶ tn Or “exiled and thrust away”; NIV “exiled and rejected.”

[50:2]  ¹⁸⁷ sn The present tense translation of the verbs assumes that the Lord is questioning why Israel does not attempt to counter his arguments. Another possibility is to take the verbs as referring to past events: “Why did no one meet me when I came? Why did no one answer when I called?” In this case the Lord might be asking why Israel rejected his calls to repent and his offer to deliver them.

[50:2]  ¹⁸⁸ tn Heb “short” (so NAB, NASB, NIV).

[50:2]  ¹⁸⁹ tn Or “ransom” (NAB, NASB, NIV).

[50:2]  ¹⁹⁰ tn Heb “with my rebuke.”

[50:2]  ¹⁹¹ tn Heb “the fish stink from lack of water and die from thirst.”

[66:4]  ¹⁹² tn The precise meaning of the noun is uncertain. It occurs only here and in 3:4 (but see the note there). It appears to be derived from the verbal root עָלַל (’alal), which can carry the nuance “deal severely.”

[66:4]  ¹⁹³ tn Heb “that which is evil in my eyes.”