Isaiah 56-66

New English Translation

Footnotes

1. Isaiah 56:1 tn Heb “guard”; KJV “Keep”; NAB “Observe”; NASB “Preserve”; NIV, NRSV “Maintain.”
2. Isaiah 56:1 tn Heb “for near is my deliverance to enter, and my vindication [or “righteousness”] to be revealed.”
3. Isaiah 56:2 tn Heb “blessed is the man who does this.”
4. Isaiah 56:2 tn Heb “the son of mankind who takes hold of it.”
5. Isaiah 56:2 tn Heb and who keeps his hand from doing any evil.”
6. Isaiah 56:3 tn Heb “who attaches himself to.”
7. Isaiah 56:3 tn The infinitive absolute precedes the finite verb for emphasis.
8. Isaiah 56:4 tn Heb “and take hold of” (so KJV); NASB “hold fast.”
9. Isaiah 56:5 tn Heb “a hand and a name.” For other examples where יָד (yad) refers to a monument, see HALOT 388 s.v.
10. Isaiah 56:5 tn Heb “name” (so KJV, NIV, NRSV).
11. Isaiah 56:6 tn Heb “who attach themselves to.”
12. Isaiah 56:6 tn Heb “and take hold of”; NAB “hold to”; NIV, NRSV “hold fast.”
13. Isaiah 56:7 tn Heb “in the house of my prayer.”
14. Isaiah 56:7 tn Heb “for my house will be called a house of prayer for all the nations.”
15. Isaiah 56:8 tn The meaning of the statement is unclear. The text reads literally, “Still I will gather upon him to his gathered ones.” Perhaps the preposition ל (lamed) before “gathered ones” introduces the object of the verb, as in Jer 49:5. The third masculine singular suffix on both עָלָיו (ʿalayv) and נִקְבָּצָיו (niqbatsayv) probably refers to “Israel.” In this case one can translate literally, “Still I will gather to him his gathered ones.”
16. Isaiah 56:10 sn The “watchmen” are probably spiritual leaders, most likely prophets and priests, responsible for giving the people moral direction.
17. Isaiah 56:10 tn Heb “they do not know”; KJV “they are all ignorant”; NIV “they all lack knowledge.”
18. Isaiah 56:10 tn The Hebrew text has הֹזִים (hozim), which appears to be derived from an otherwise unattested verbal root הָזָה (hazah). On the basis of alleged cognates, BDB 223 s.v. הָזָה offers the definition “dream, rave” while HALOT 243 s.v. הזה lists “pant.” In this case the dog metaphor of the preceding lines continues. The reference to dogs at the beginning of v. 11 favors the extension of the metaphor. The Qumran scroll 1QIsa^a has חזים (“seers”) here. In this case the “watchmen” are directly identified as prophets and depicted as lazy.
19. Isaiah 56:11 sn The phrase never full alludes to the greed of the leaders.
20. Isaiah 56:11 tn Heb “for his gain from his end.”
21. Isaiah 56:12 tn The words “each one says” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
22. Isaiah 56:12 tn Heb “great, [in] abundance, very much,” i.e., “very great indeed.” See HALOT 452 s.v. יֶתֶר.
23. Isaiah 57:1 tn Or “righteous” (KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT); NAB “the just man”; TEV “Good people.”
24. Isaiah 57:1 tn Or perhaps, “understands.” Heb “and there is no man who sets [it] upon [his] heart.”
25. Isaiah 57:1 tn Heb “Men of loyalty are taken away.” The Niphal of אָסַף (ʾasaf) here means “to die.”
26. Isaiah 57:1 tn The Hebrew term בְּאֵין (b^eʾen) often has the nuance “when there is no.” See Prov 8:24; 11; 14; 14:4; 15:22; 26:20; 29:18.
27. Isaiah 57:1 tn Or “realizes”; Heb “understands” (so NASB, NIV, NRSV).
28. Isaiah 57:1 tn Or “righteous” (KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT); NAB “the just man.”
29. Isaiah 57:1 tn Heb “are taken away.” The Niphal of אָסַף (ʾasaf) here means “to die.”
30. Isaiah 57:1 tn The term מִפְּנֵי (mipp^ene, “from the face of”) often has a causal nuance. It also appears with the Niphal of אָסַף (ʾasaph, “gather”) in 2 Chr 12:5: אֲשֶׁר־נֶאֶסְפוּ אֶל־יְרוּשָׁלַםִ מִפְּנֵי שִׁישָׁק (ʾasher-neʾespu ʾel-y^erushalaim mipp^ene shishaq, “who had gathered at Jerusalem because of [i.e., due to fear of] Shishak”).
31. Isaiah 57:1 tn The translation assumes that this verse, in proverbial fashion, laments society’s apathy over the persecution of the godly. The second half of the verse observes that such apathy results in more widespread oppression. Since the next verse pictures the godly being taken to a place of rest, some interpret the second half of v. 1 in a more positive vein. According to proponents of this view, God removes the godly so that they might be spared suffering and calamity, a fact which the general populace fails to realize.
32. Isaiah 57:2 tn Heb “he enters peace, they rest on their beds, the one who walks straight ahead of himself.” The tomb is here viewed in a fairly positive way as a place where the dead are at peace and sleep undisturbed.
33. Isaiah 57:3 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 (m^enaʾef vattizneh) should be emended to מְנָאֶפֶת וְזֹנָה (m^enaʾefet v^ezonah, “an adulteress and a prostitute”). Both singular nouns would be understood in a collective sense. Most modern English versions render both forms as nouns.
34. Isaiah 57:4 tn Heb “Are you not children of rebellion, offspring of a lie?” The rhetorical question anticipates the answer, “Of course you are!”
35. Isaiah 57:5 tn Heb “inflame yourselves”; NRSV “burn with lust.” This verse alludes to the practice of ritual sex that accompanied pagan fertility rites.
36. Isaiah 57:5 tn The term אֵלִים (ʾelim) may be from a root meaning “mighty ones,” referring to mighty trees. The form may also refer to “gods,” a less common masculine plural of (ʾel). This would fit the context of idolatry (lusting after gods).
37. Isaiah 57:5 sn This apparently alludes to the practice of child sacrifice (cf. TEV, CEV, NLT).
38. Isaiah 57:6 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.
39. Isaiah 57:6 tn The text reads literally as a question, “Because of these am I relenting?” However, the initial letter he may be dittographic (note the final he [ה] on the preceding word). In this case one could understand the verb in the sense of “Because of these I will seek vengeance,” as in 1:24. If the prefixed interrogative particle is retained at the beginning of the sentence, then the question is rhetorical, with the Niphal of נָחָם (nakham) probably being used in the sense of “relent, change one’s mind.”
40. Isaiah 57:8 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.
41. Isaiah 57:8 tn Or “for” (KJV, NRSV).
42. Isaiah 57:8 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”).
43. Isaiah 57:8 tn Heb “you make wide your bed” (NASB similar).
44. Isaiah 57:8 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 second 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, b^erit). 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 (vatikhrat, “and you cut”) to וְכָרִית (v^ekharit, “and you purchase”) from the root כָּרָה (kharah); see HALOT 497 s.v. II כרה.
45. Isaiah 57:8 tn The Hebrew text has simply חָזָה (khazah, “gaze”). The adverb “longingly” is interpretive (see the context, where sexual lust is depicted).
46. Isaiah 57:8 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.
47. Isaiah 57:9 tn Heb “you journey with oil.”
48. Isaiah 57:9 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.
49. Isaiah 57:9 tn Heb “and you multiply your perfumes.”
50. Isaiah 57:9 sn Israel’s devotion to her idols is inordinate, irrational, and self-destructive.
51. Isaiah 57:10 tn Heb “by the greatness [i.e., “length,” see BDB 914 s.v. רֹב 2] of your way you get tired.”
52. Isaiah 57:10 tn Heb “it is hopeless” (so NAB, NASB, NIV); NRSV “It is useless.”
53. Isaiah 57:10 tn Heb “the life of your hand you find.” The term חַיָּה (khayyah, “life”) is here used in the sense of “renewal” (see BDB 312 s.v.) while יָד (yad) is used of “strength.”
54. Isaiah 57:10 tn Heb “you do not grow weak.”
55. Isaiah 57:11 tn Heb “you do not place [it] on your heart.”
56. Isaiah 57:11 tn Heb “Is it not [because] I have been silent, and from long ago?”
57. Isaiah 57:11 sn God’s patience with sinful Israel has caused them to think that they can sin with impunity and suffer no consequences.
58. Isaiah 57:12 tn Heb “I, I will declare your righteousness and your deeds.”
59. Isaiah 57:13 tn The Hebrew text has קִבּוּצַיִךְ (qibbutsayikh, “your gatherings”), an otherwise unattested noun from the verbal root קָבַץ (qavats, “gather”). Perhaps this alludes to their religious assemblies and by metonymy to their rituals. Since idolatry is a prominent theme in the context, some understand this as a reference to a collection of idols. The second half of the verse also favors this view.
60. Isaiah 57:13 tn Heb “all of them a wind lifts up.”
61. Isaiah 57:13 tn Heb “a breath takes [them] away.”
62. Isaiah 57:13 tn Or “seeks refuge in me.” “Seeking refuge” is a metonymy for “being loyal to.”
63. Isaiah 57:13 tn Heb “possess, own.” The point seems to be that he will have free access to God’s presence, as if God’s temple mount were his personal possession.
64. Isaiah 57:14 tn Since God is speaking throughout this context, perhaps we should emend the text to “and I say.” However, divine speech is introduced in v. 15.
65. Isaiah 57:15 tn Heb “the one who dwells forever.” שֹׁכֵן עַד (shokhen ʿad) is sometimes translated “the one who lives forever,” and understood as a reference to God’s eternal existence. However, the immediately preceding and following descriptions (“high and exalted” and “holy”) emphasize his sovereign rule. In the next line, he declares, “I dwell in an exalted and holy [place],” which refers to the place from which he rules. Therefore it is more likely that שֹׁכֵן עַד (shokhen ʿad) means “I dwell [in my lofty palace] forever” and refers to God’s eternal kingship.
66. Isaiah 57:15 tn Heb “and also with the crushed and lowly of spirit.” This may refer to the repentant who have humbled themselves (see 66:2) or more generally to the exiles who have experienced discouragement and humiliation.
67. Isaiah 57:15 tn Heb “to restore the lowly of spirit and to restore the heart of the crushed.”
68. Isaiah 57:16 tn Or perhaps, “argue,” or “accuse” (so NAB, NIV, NRSV).
69. Isaiah 57:16 tn Heb “for a spirit from before me would be faint.”
70. Isaiah 57:17 tn Heb “and I struck him, hiding, and I was angry.” פָּנִים (panim, “face”) is the implied object of “hiding.”
71. Isaiah 57:17 tn Heb “and he walked [as an] apostate in the way of his heart.”
72. Isaiah 57:18 tn Heb “his ways” (so KJV, NASB, NIV); TEV “how they acted.”
73. Isaiah 57:18 tc The MT has וְאַנְחֵהוּ (v^eʾankhehu) from נָחָה (nakhah) “I will lead them,” but the consonantal text may also be read as וַאֲנִחֵהוּ (vaʾanikhehu) from נוּחַ (nuakh) “I will give them rest.” The MT is supported by Aquila and the Vulgate, though 1QIsa^a omits the verb and the LXX and Targum offer mixed evidence.
74. Isaiah 57:18 tn The verb וַאֲשַׁלֵּם (vaʾashallem), the Piel form of the verb שָׁלֵם (shalem), means “to make whole, make restitution, compensate, reward” (HALOT 1534, s.v.). The noun נִחֻמִים (nikhumim) uses the plural form for the abstract concept, “comfort.” The Lord will bestow comfort as restitution to Israel.
75. Isaiah 57:18 tn Heb “to him and to his mourners.” Since Israel is represented by the singular pronoun “to him” (rendered as plural “them” for style throughout vv. 17-19), those who mourn for, or with, him are likely religious converts or others who sympathize with Israel (see J. D. W. Watts, Isaiah [WBC], 25:835).
76. Isaiah 57:19 tc The Hebrew text has literally, “one who creates fruit of lips.” Perhaps the pronoun אֲנִי (ʾani) should be inserted after the participle; it may have been accidentally omitted by haplography: נוּב שְׂפָתָיִם [אֲנִי] בּוֹרֵי (boreʾ [ʾani] nuv s^efatayim). “Fruit of the lips” is often understood as a metonymy for praise; perhaps it refers more generally to joyful shouts (see v. 18).
77. Isaiah 57:19 tn Heb “Peace, peace.” The repetition of the noun emphasizes degree.
78. Isaiah 58:1 tn Heb “declare to my people their rebellion.”
79. Isaiah 58:1 tn Heb “and to the house of Jacob their sin.” The verb “declare” is understood by ellipsis (note the preceding line).
80. Isaiah 58:2 tn Heb “ways” (so KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV, TEV); NLT “my laws.”
81. Isaiah 58:3 tn The words “they lament” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
82. Isaiah 58:3 tn Heb “you find pleasure”; NASB “you find your desire.”
83. Isaiah 58:3 tn Or perhaps, “debtors.” See HALOT 865 s.v. * עָצֵב.
84. Isaiah 58:4 tn Heb “you fast for” (so NASB); NRSV “you fast only to quarrel.”
85. Isaiah 58:4 tn Heb “and for striking with a sinful fist.”
86. Isaiah 58:5 tn Heb “choose” (so NASB, NRSV); NAB “wish.”
87. Isaiah 58:5 tn Heb “a day when man humbles himself.” The words “Do I want” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
88. Isaiah 58:5 tn Or “making [their] bed.”
89. Isaiah 58:6 tn Heb “Is this not a fast I choose?” “No” is supplied in the translation for clarification.
90. Isaiah 58:6 tn The words “I want you” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
91. Isaiah 58:6 tn Heb “crushed.”
92. Isaiah 58:7 tn Heb “Is it not?” The rhetorical question here expects a positive answer, “It is!”
93. Isaiah 58:7 tn Heb “and afflicted [ones], homeless [ones] you should bring [into] a house.” On the meaning of מְרוּדִים (m^erudim, “homeless”) see HALOT 633 s.v. *מָרוּד.
94. Isaiah 58:7 tn Heb “and from your flesh do not hide yourself.”
95. Isaiah 58:8 tn Heb “will burst out like the dawn.” sn Light here symbolizes God’s favor and restored blessing, as the immediately following context makes clear.
96. Isaiah 58:8 tn Heb “prosper”; KJV “spring forth speedily.”
97. Isaiah 58:8 tn Or “righteousness.” Their godly behavior will be on display for all to see.
98. Isaiah 58:8 sn The nation will experience God’s protective presence.
99. Isaiah 58:9 tn Heb “if you.” In the Hebrew text vv. 9b-10 are one long conditional sentence. The protasis (multiple “if” clauses here) appears in vv. 9b-10a, with the apodosis (“then” clause) appearing in v. 10b.
100. Isaiah 58:10 tn Heb “if you.” See the note on “you must” in v. 9b.
101. Isaiah 58:10 tn Heb “If you furnish for the hungry [with] your being, and the appetite of the oppressed you satisfy.”
102. Isaiah 58:10 tn Heb “will rise in the darkness.”
103. Isaiah 58:10 tn Heb “and your darkness [will be] like noonday.”
104. Isaiah 58:11 tn Heb “he will satisfy in parched regions your appetite.”
105. Isaiah 58:11 tn Heb “and your bones he will strengthen.”
106. Isaiah 58:12 tn Heb “and they will build from you ancient ruins.”
107. Isaiah 58:12 tc The Hebrew text has “the one who restores paths for dwelling.” The idea of “paths to dwell in” is not a common notion. Some have proposed emending נְתִיבוֹת (n^etivot, “paths”) to נְתִיצוֹת (n^etitsot, “ruins”), a passive participle from נָתַץ (natats, “tear down”; see HALOT 732 s.v. *נְתִיצָה), because tighter parallelism with the preceding line is achieved. However, none of the textual sources support this emendation. The line may mean that paths must be repaired in order to dwell in the land.
108. Isaiah 58:13 tn Lit., “if you.” In the Hebrew text vv. 13-14 are one long conditional sentence. The protasis (multiple “if” clauses here) appears in v. 13, with the apodosis (“then” clause) appearing in v. 14.
109. Isaiah 58:13 tn Heb “if you turn from the Sabbath your feet.”
110. Isaiah 58:13 tn Heb “[from] doing your desires on my holy day.” The Qumran scroll 1QIsa^a supplies the preposition מִן (min) on “doing.”
111. Isaiah 58:13 tn Heb “and call the Sabbath a pleasure”; KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV “a delight.”
112. Isaiah 58:13 tn Heb “and [call] the holy [day] of the Lord honored.” On קָדוֹשׁ (qadosh, “holy”) as indicating a time period, see BDB 872 s.v. 2.e (cf. also Neh 8:9-11).
113. Isaiah 58:13 tn Heb “and you honor it [by refraining] from accomplishing your ways, from finding your desire and speaking a word.” It is unlikely that the last phrase (“speaking a word”) is a prohibition against talking on the Sabbath; instead it probably refers to making transactions or plans (see Hos 10:4). Some see here a reference to idle talk (cf. 2 Sam 19:29).
114. Isaiah 58:14 tn For a parallel use of the phrase “find joy in” (Hitpael of עָנַג [ʿanag] followed by the preposition עַל [ʿal]), see Ps 37:4.
115. Isaiah 58:14 tn Heb “and I will cause you to ride upon the heights of the land.” The statement seems to be an allusion to Deut 32:13, where it is associated, as here, with God’s abundant provision of food.
116. Isaiah 58:14 tn Heb “and I will cause you to eat the inheritance of Jacob your father.” The Hebrew term נַחֲלָה (nakhalah) likely stands by metonymy for the crops that grow on Jacob’s “inheritance” (i.e., the land he inherited as a result of God’s promise).
117. Isaiah 58:14 tn Heb “for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” The introductory כִּי (ki) may be asseverative (as reflected in the translation) or causal/explanatory, explaining why the preceding promise will become reality (because it is guaranteed by the divine word).
118. Isaiah 59:1 tn Heb “short” (so NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV).
119. Isaiah 59:1 tn Heb “or his ear too heavy [i.e., “dull”] to hear.”
120. Isaiah 59:2 tn Heb “and your sins have caused [his] face to be hidden from you so as not to hear.”
121. Isaiah 59:4 tn Heb “no one pleads with justice.”
122. Isaiah 59:4 tn Heb “nothing”; NAB “emptiness.”
123. Isaiah 59:4 tn Or “trouble” (NIV), or “harm.”
124. Isaiah 59:5 tn Heb “that which is pressed in hatches [as] a snake.”
125. Isaiah 59:6 tn Heb “their deeds are deeds of sin, and the work of violence [is] in their hands.”
126. Isaiah 59:7 tn Heb “their feet run to evil.”
127. Isaiah 59:7 tn Heb “they quickly pour out innocent blood.”
128. Isaiah 59:7 tn Heb “their thoughts are thoughts of sin, destruction and crushing [are] in their roadways.”
129. Isaiah 59:8 tn Heb “a way of peace they do not know, and there is no justice in their pathways.”
130. Isaiah 59:8 tn Heb “their paths they make crooked; everyone who walks in it does not know peace.”
131. Isaiah 59:9 tn מִשְׁפָּט (mishpat), which refers to “justice” in the earlier verses, here refers to “justice from God,” or “vindication.” Because the people are unjust, God refuses to vindicate them before their enemies. See v. 11.
132. Isaiah 59:9 sn The prophet speaks on behalf of the sinful nation and confesses its sins.
133. Isaiah 59:9 sn Light here symbolizes prosperity and blessing.
134. Isaiah 59:9 tn Heb “but, look, darkness”; NIV “but all is darkness.”
135. Isaiah 59:9 tn The words “we wait for” are supplied in the translation; the verb is understood by ellipsis (note the preceding line).
136. Isaiah 59:9 tn The plural noun form may indicate degree here.
137. Isaiah 59:9 tn Or “walk about”; NCV “all we have is darkness.”
138. Isaiah 59:9 tn The plural noun form may indicate degree here.
139. Isaiah 59:10 tn Heb “like there are no eyes.”
140. Isaiah 59:10 tn Heb among the strong, like dead men.”
141. Isaiah 59:11 tn See the note at v. 9.
142. Isaiah 59:12 tn Heb “for many are our rebellious deeds before you.”
143. Isaiah 59:12 tn Heb “indeed [or “for”] our rebellious deeds (are) with us, and our sins, we know them.”
144. Isaiah 59:13 tn Heb “speaking.” A new sentence was started here in the translation for stylistic reasons.
145. Isaiah 59:13 tn Heb “conceiving and uttering from the heart words of falsehood.”
146. Isaiah 59:14 tn Or “righteousness” (ASV, NASB, NIV, NRSV); KJV, NAB “justice.”
147. Isaiah 59:14 tn Or “for” (KJV, NRSV).
148. Isaiah 59:15 tn Heb “and it is displeasing in his eyes.”
149. Isaiah 59:16 tn Heb “man” (so KJV, ASV); TEV “no one to help.”
150. Isaiah 59:16 tn Or “appalled” (NAB, NIV, NRSV), or “disgusted.”
151. Isaiah 59:16 tn Heb “and his arm delivers for him.”
152. Isaiah 59:16 tn Heb “and his justice [or “righteousness”] supports him.”
153. Isaiah 59:17 tn Or “righteousness” (KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT); NCV “goodness.”
154. Isaiah 59:17 tn Or “a breastplate” (traditional; so many English versions); TEV “a coat of armour.”
155. Isaiah 59:17 tn Heb “and [as] a helmet deliverance on his head.”
156. Isaiah 59:17 tn Heb “and he puts on the clothes of vengeance [as] a garment.”
157. Isaiah 59:18 tn Heb “in accordance with deeds, so he repays, anger to his adversaries, repayment to his enemies.”
158. Isaiah 59:18 tn Or “islands” (KJV, NIV).
159. Isaiah 59:19 tc Heb “fear.” A few medieval Hebrew mss read “see.”
160. Isaiah 59:19 tn Heb “and they fear from the west the name of the Lord.”
161. Isaiah 59:19 tn Heb “and from the rising of the sun his splendor.”
162. Isaiah 59:19 tn Heb “narrow”; NAB, NIV, NRSV “pent-up.”
163. Isaiah 59:19 tn Heb “the wind of the Lord drives it on.” The term רוּחַ (ruakh) could be translated “breath” here (see 30:28).
164. Isaiah 59:20 tn Or “redeemer.” See the note at 41:14.
165. Isaiah 59:20 tn Heb “and to those who turn from rebellion in Jacob.”
166. Isaiah 59:21 tn Or “my covenant with” (so many English versions); NCV “my agreement with.”sn The Lord promises the repentant (note “to them”) that they and their offspring will possess his spirit and function as his spokesmen. In this regard they follow in the footsteps of the Lord’s special servant. See 42:1; 49:2; 51:16.
167. Isaiah 59:21 tn Heb “from now and on into the future.”
168. Isaiah 60:1 tn Or “glory” (so most English versions).
169. Isaiah 60:2 tn The verb “covers” is understood by ellipsis (note the preceding line).
170. Isaiah 60:2 tn Or “glory” (so most English versions); TEV “the brightness of his presence.”
171. Isaiah 60:4 tn Heb “Lift up around your eyes and see!”
172. Isaiah 60:5 tn Or “shine,” or “be radiant” (NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV).
173. Isaiah 60:5 tn Heb “and it will tremble and be wide, your heart.”
174. Isaiah 60:5 tn Heb “the wealth of the sea,” i.e., wealth that is transported from distant lands via the sea.
175. Isaiah 60:6 tn Heb “an abundance of camels will cover you.”
176. Isaiah 60:6 tn Heb “all of them, from Sheba.”
177. Isaiah 60:6 tn Heb “and they will announce the praises of the Lord.”
178. Isaiah 60:7 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.
179. Isaiah 60:7 tc Heb “they will go up on acceptance [on] my altar.” Some have suggested that the preposition עַל (ʿal) is dittographic (note the preceding יַעֲלוּ [yaʿalu]). Consequently, the form should be emended to לְרָצוֹן (l^eratson, “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 deleting the preposition. As the above translation seeks to demonstrate, the preposition עַל (ʿal) 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).
180. Isaiah 60:8 tn Heb “fly” (so KJV, NASB, NRSV); NAB, NIV “fly along.”
181. Isaiah 60:8 tn Heb “to their windows,” i.e., to the openings in their coops. See HALOT 83 s.v. אֲרֻבָּה.
182. Isaiah 60:9 tn Or “islands” (NIV); CEV “distant islands”; TEV “distant lands.”
183. Isaiah 60:9 tn Heb “the ships of Tarshish.” See the note at 2:16.
184. Isaiah 60:9 tn Heb “to the name of the Lord your God.”
185. Isaiah 60:9 sn See the note on the phrase “the Holy One of Israel” in 1:4.
186. Isaiah 60:10 tn Heb “in my favor I will have compassion on you.”
187. Isaiah 60:11 tn Or “led in procession.” The participle is passive.
188. Isaiah 60:12 tn Or “For” (KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT); TEV “But.”
189. Isaiah 60:12 tn The infinitive absolute appears before the finite verb for emphasis.
190. Isaiah 60:13 tn Or “holy place, sanctuary.”
191. Isaiah 60:13 tn Heb “the place of my feet.” See Ezek 43:7, where the Lord’s throne is called the “place of the soles of my feet.”
192. Isaiah 60:14 sn See the note on the phrase “the Holy One of Israel” in 1:4.
193. Isaiah 60:15 tn Heb “Instead of your being abandoned and despised, with no one passing through, I will make you.”
194. Isaiah 60:16 sn The nations and kings are depicted as a mother nursing her children. Restored Zion will be nourished by them as she receives their wealth as tribute.
195. Isaiah 60:16 tn Or “redeemer.” See the note at 41:14.
196. Isaiah 60:16 sn See 1:24 and 49:26.
197. Isaiah 60:17 tn The words “I will bring you” are supplied in the translation; they are understood by ellipsis (see the preceding lines).
198. Isaiah 60:17 tn The words “I will bring you” are supplied in the translation; they are understood by ellipsis (see the first two lines of the verse).
199. Isaiah 60:17 tn Or “peace” (KJV and many other English versions).
200. Isaiah 60:17 tn The plural indicates degree. The language is ironic; in the past Zion was ruled by oppressive tyrants, but now personified prosperity and vindication will be the only things that will “dominate” the city.
201. Isaiah 60:18 tn The words “sounds of” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
202. Isaiah 60:19 tn Heb “and your God for your splendor.”
203. Isaiah 60:20 sn In this verse “sun” and “moon” refer to the Lord’s light, which will replace the sun and moon (see v. 19). Light here symbolizes the restoration of divine blessing and prosperity in conjunction with the Lord’s presence. See 30:26.
204. Isaiah 60:20 tn Heb “days” (so KJV, NAB, NIV, NRSV, NLT).
205. Isaiah 60:21 tn Or “righteous” (NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT); NAB “just.”
206. Isaiah 60:21 tn Heb “a shoot of his planting, the work of my hands, to reveal splendor.”
207. Isaiah 60:22 tn Heb “will become” (so NASB, NIV).
208. Isaiah 60:22 tn Heb “I, the Lord, in its time, I will quickly do it.”
209. Isaiah 61:1 tn Heb “anointed,” i.e., designated to carry out an assigned task.
210. Isaiah 61:1 sn The speaker is not identified, but he is distinct from the Lord and from Zion’s suffering people. He possesses the divine spirit, is God’s spokesman, and is sent to release prisoners from bondage. The evidence suggests he is the Lord’s special servant, described earlier in the servant songs (see 42:1-4, 7; 49:2, 9; 50:4; see also 51:16).
211. Isaiah 61:1 tn Or “sent” (NAB); NCV “has appointed me.”
212. Isaiah 61:1 tn Or “proclaim good news to.”
213. Isaiah 61:1 tn Heb “to bind up [the wounds of].”
214. Isaiah 61:2 tn Heb “to announce the year of the Lord’s favor, and the day of our God’s vengeance.
215. Isaiah 61:3 tn Heb “oil of joy” (KJV, ASV); NASB, NIV, NRSV “the oil of gladness.”
216. Isaiah 61:3 tn Heb “garment of praise.”
217. Isaiah 61:3 tn Heb “a faint spirit” (so NRSV); KJV, ASV “the spirit of heaviness”; NASB “a spirit of fainting.”
218. Isaiah 61:3 tn Rather than referring to the character of the people, צֶדֶק (tsedeq) may carry the nuance “vindication” here, suggesting that God’s restored people are a testimony to his justice. See v. 2, which alludes to the fact that God will take vengeance against the enemies of his people. Cf. NAB “oaks of justice.”
219. Isaiah 61:3 tn Heb “a planting of the Lord to reveal splendor.”
220. Isaiah 61:4 tn Heb “and the formerly desolate places they will raise up.”
221. Isaiah 61:5 sn The Lord speaks in vv. 7-8 (and possibly v. 9). It is not clear where the servant’s speech (see vv. 1-3a) ends and the Lord’s begins. Perhaps the direct address to the people signals the beginning of the Lord’s speech.
222. Isaiah 61:5 tn Heb “will stand [in position] and shepherd.”
223. Isaiah 61:6 tn The Hebrew text adds, “it will be said concerning you.”
224. Isaiah 61:6 tn Heb “eat” (KJV, NAB, NASB); NIV “feed on”; NLT “be fed with.”
225. Isaiah 61:6 tc The form in the Hebrew text probably needs to be emended to יִתְאַמְּרוּ (yitʾamm^eru), a Hitpael from אָמַר (ʾamar), meaning “boast about” (see HALOT 67 s.v. II אמר, HALOT 416 s.v. ימר, and BDB 56 s.v. אָמַר).
226. Isaiah 61:6 tn Heb “their glory” (i.e., riches).
227. Isaiah 61:7 tn Heb “instead of your shame, a double portion.”
228. Isaiah 61:7 tn Heb “and [instead of] humiliation they will rejoice [over] their portion.” The term תַחַת (takhat, “instead of”) is understood by ellipsis (note the preceding line).
229. Isaiah 61:7 tn Heb “therefore” (so KJV, NASB); NIV “and so.”
230. Isaiah 61:8 tn Heb “in faithfulness”; NASB, NRSV, NLT “faithfully.”
231. Isaiah 61:9 tn Heb “all who see them will recognize them, that they [are] descendants [whom] the Lord has blessed.”
232. Isaiah 61:10 sn The speaker in vv. 10-11 is not identified, but it is likely that the personified nation (or perhaps Zion) responds here to the Lord’s promise of restoration.
233. Isaiah 61:10 tn The infinitive absolute appears before the finite verb for emphasis.
234. Isaiah 61:10 tn Heb “my being is happy in my God”; NAB “in my God is the joy of my soul.”
235. Isaiah 61:10 tn Heb “robe of vindication”; KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV “robe of righteousness.”
236. Isaiah 61:10 tn Heb “like a bridegroom [who] acts like a priest [by wearing] a turban, and like a bride [who] wears her jewelry.” The words “I look” are supplied for stylistic reasons and clarification.
237. Isaiah 61:11 tn Or perhaps, “righteousness,” but the context seems to emphasize deliverance and restoration (see v. 10 and 62:1).
238. Isaiah 61:11 tn Heb “and praise before all the nations.”
239. Isaiah 62:1 tn Heb “goes forth like brightness.”
240. Isaiah 62:2 tn Heb “which the mouth of the Lord will designate.”
241. Isaiah 62:4 tn Or “for”; KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV “but.”
242. Isaiah 62:4 tn Hebrew חֶפְצִי־בָהּ (kheftsi vah), traditionally transliterated “Hephzibah” (so KJV, ASV, NIV).
243. Isaiah 62:4 tn Hebrew בְּעוּלָה (b^eʿulah), traditionally transliterated “Beulah” (so KJV, ASV, NIV).
244. Isaiah 62:4 tn That is, the land will be restored to the Lord’s favor and once again enjoy his blessing and protection. To indicate the land’s relationship to the Lord, the words “to him” have been supplied at the end of the clause.
245. Isaiah 62:5 tc The Hebrew text has “your sons,” but this produces an odd metaphor and is somewhat incongruous with the parallelism. In the context (v. 4b, see also 54:5-7) the Lord is the one who “marries” Zion. Therefore several prefer to emend “your sons” to בֹּנָיִךְ (bonayikh, “your builder”; e.g., NRSV). In Ps 147:2 the Lord is called the “builder of Jerusalem.” However, this emendation is not the best option for at least four reasons. First, although the Lord is never called the “builder” of Jerusalem in Isaiah, the idea of Zion’s children possessing the land does occur (Isa 49:20; 54:3; cf. also 14:1; 60:21). Secondly, all the ancient versions support the MT reading. Thirdly, although the verb בָּעַל (baʿal) can mean “to marry,” its basic idea is “to possess.” Consequently, the verb stresses a relationship more than a state. All the ancient versions render this verb “to dwell in” or “to dwell with.” The point is not just that the land will be reinhabited, but that it will be in a relationship of “belonging” to the Israelites. Hence a relational verb like בָּעַל is used (J. N. Oswalt, Isaiah [NICOT], 2:581). Finally, “sons” is a well-known metaphor for “inhabitants” (J. de Waard, Isaiah, 208).
246. Isaiah 62:6 sn The speaker here is probably the prophet.
247. Isaiah 62:6 tn Heb “all day and all night continually they do not keep silent.” The following lines suggest that they pray for the Lord’s intervention and restoration of the city.
248. Isaiah 62:6 tn Or “invoke”; NIV “call on”; NASB, NRSV “remind.”
249. Isaiah 62:7 tn “Jerusalem” is supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons; note the following line.
250. Isaiah 62:7 tn Heb “[the object of] praise.”
251. Isaiah 62:8 tn The Lord’s right hand and strong arm here symbolize his power and remind the audience that his might guarantees the fulfillment of the following promise.
252. Isaiah 62:9 tn Heb “it,” the grain mentioned in v. 8a.
253. Isaiah 62:9 tn Heb “and those who gather it will drink it.” The masculine singular pronominal suffixes attached to “gather” and “drink” refer back to the masculine noun תִּירוֹשׁ (tirosh, “wine”) in v. 8b.
254. Isaiah 62:11 tn Heb “to the end of the earth” (so NASB, NRSV).
255. Isaiah 62:11 sn As v. 12 indicates, the returning exiles are the Lord’s reward/prize. See also 40:10 and the note there.
256. Isaiah 62:12 tn Or “the redeemed of the Lord” (KJV, NAB).
257. Isaiah 63:1 sn Edom is here an archetype for the Lord’s enemies. See 34:5.
258. Isaiah 63:1 tn Heb “[in] bright red garments, from Bozrah.”
259. Isaiah 63:1 tn The interrogative particle is understood by ellipsis; note the first line of the verse.
260. Isaiah 63:1 tn Heb “honored in his clothing”; KJV, ASV “glorious in his apparel.”
261. Isaiah 63:1 tc The Hebrew text has צָעָה (tsaʿah), which means “stoop, bend” (51:14). The translation assumes an emendation to צָעַד (tsaʿad, “march”; see BDB 858 s.v. צָעָה).
262. Isaiah 63:1 tn Heb “I, [the one] speaking in vindication [or “righteousness”], great to deliver.”
263. Isaiah 63:2 tn Heb “and your garments like one who treads in a vat?”
264. Isaiah 63:3 sn Nations, headed by Edom, are the object of the Lord’s anger (see v. 6). He compares military slaughter to stomping on grapes in a vat.
265. Isaiah 63:3 tn Heb “and I stained.” For discussion of the difficult verb form, see HALOT 170 s.v. II גאל. Perhaps the form is mixed, combining the first person forms of the imperfect (note the alef prefix) and perfect (note the תי- ending).
266. Isaiah 63:4 tn Heb “for the day of vengeance was in my heart, and the year of my revenge came.” The term גְּאוּלַי (g^eʾulay) is sometimes translated here “my redemption,” for the verbal root גאל often means “deliver, buy back.” A גֹּאֵל (goʾel, “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.
267. Isaiah 63:5 sn See Isa 59:16 for similar language.
268. Isaiah 63:5 tn Heb “and my anger, it supported me”; NIV “my own wrath sustained me.”
269. Isaiah 63:6 sn See Isa 49:26 and 51:23 for similar imagery.
270. Isaiah 63:6 tn Heb “and I brought down to the ground their juice.” “Juice” refers to their blood (see v. 3).
271. Isaiah 63:7 tn Heb “according to all which.”
272. Isaiah 63:7 tn Heb “greatness of goodness to the house of Israel which he did for them.”
273. Isaiah 63:7 tn Heb “according to.”
274. Isaiah 63:8 tn Heb “children [who] do not act deceitfully.” Here the verb refers to covenantal loyalty.
275. Isaiah 63:9 tn Heb “in all their distress, there was distress to him” (reading לוֹ [lo] with the margin/Qere).
276. Isaiah 63:9 tn Heb “the messenger [or “angel”] of his face”; NIV “the angel of his presence.”sn This may refer to the “angel of God” mentioned in Exod 14:19, who in turn may be identical to the divine “presence” (literally, “face”) referred to in Exod 33:14-15 and Deut 4:37. Here in Isa 63 this messenger may be equated with God’s “holy Spirit” (see vv. 10-11) and “the Spirit of the Lord” (v. 14). See also Ps 139:7, where God’s “Spirit” seems to be equated with his “presence” (literally, “face”) in the synonymous parallelistic structure.
277. Isaiah 63:9 tn Or “redeemed” (KJV, NAB, NIV), or “delivered.”
278. Isaiah 63:9 tn Heb “all the days of antiquity”; KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV “days of old.”
279. Isaiah 63:10 tn Or “grieved, hurt the feelings of.”
280. Isaiah 63:10 sn The phrase “holy Spirit” occurs in the OT only here (in v. 11 as well) and in Ps 51:11 (51:13 HT), where it is associated with the divine presence.
281. Isaiah 63:11 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.
282. Isaiah 63:11 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, raʿah) and understand this as a reference just to Moses.
283. Isaiah 63:11 sn See the note at v. 10.
284. Isaiah 63:12 tn Heb “who caused to go at the right hand of Moses the arm of his splendor.”
285. Isaiah 63:12 tn Heb “making for himself a lasting name.”
286. Isaiah 63:13 tn Heb “in the desert [or “steppe”].”
287. Isaiah 63:14 tn The words “to graze” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
288. Isaiah 63:14 tn Or “so” (KJV, ASV), or “thus” (NAB, NRSV).
289. Isaiah 63:14 tn Heb “making for yourself a majestic name.”
290. Isaiah 63:15 tn This probably refers to his zeal for his people, which motivates him to angrily strike out against their enemies.
291. Isaiah 63:15 tn The Hebrew text reads literally, “the agitation of your intestines and your compassion to me they are held back.” The phrase “agitation of your intestines” is metonymic, referring to the way in which one’s nervous system reacts when one feels pity and compassion toward another. אֵלַי (ʾelay, “to me”) is awkward in this context, where the speaker represents the nation and, following the introduction (see v. 7), utilizes first person plural forms. The translation assumes an emendation to the negative particle אַל (ʾal). This also necessitates emending the following verb form (which is a plural perfect) to a singular jussive (תִתְאַפָּק, titʾappaq). The Hitpael of אָפַק (ʾafaq) also occurs in 42:14.
292. Isaiah 63:16 tn Heb “our protector [or “redeemer”] from antiquity [is] your name.”
293. Isaiah 63:17 tn Some suggest a tolerative use of the Hiphil here, “[why do] you allow us to stray?” (cf. NLT). Though the Hiphil of תָעָה (taʿah) appears to be tolerative in Jer 50:6, elsewhere it is preferable or necessary to take it as causative. See Isa 3:12; 9:15; and 30:28, as well as Gen 20:13; 2 Kgs 21:9; Job 12:24-25; Prov 12:26; Jer 23:13, 32; Hos 4:12; Amos 2:4; Mic 3:5.
294. Isaiah 63:17 tn This probably refers to God’s commands.
295. Isaiah 63:17 tn Heb “[Why do] you harden our heart[s] so as not to fear you.” The interrogative particle is understood by ellipsis (note the preceding line).sn How direct this hardening is, one cannot be sure. The speaker may envision direct involvement on the Lord’s part. The Lord has brought the exile as judgment for the nation’s sin and now he continues to keep them at arm’s length by blinding them spiritually. The second half of 64:7 might support this, though the precise reading of the final verb is uncertain. On the other hand, the idiom of lament is sometimes ironic and hyperbolically deterministic. For example, Naomi lamented that Shaddai was directly opposing her and bringing her calamity (Ruth 1:20-21), while the author of Ps 88 directly attributes his horrible suffering and loneliness to God (see especially vv. 6-8, 16-18). Both individuals make little, if any, room for intermediate causes or the principle of sin and death which ravages the human race. In the same way, the speaker in Isa 63:17 (who evidences great spiritual sensitivity and is anything but “hardened”) may be referring to the hardships of exile, which discouraged and even embittered the people, causing many of them to retreat from their Yahwistic faith. In this case, the “hardening” in view is more indirect and can be lifted by the Lord’s intervention. Whether the hardening here is indirect or direct, it is important to recognize that the speaker sees it as one of the effects of rebellion against the Lord (note especially 64:5-6).
296. Isaiah 63:18 tn Or “holy” (ASV, NASB, NRSV, TEV, NLT).
297. Isaiah 63:18 tn Heb “for a short time they had a possession, the people of your holiness.”
298. Isaiah 63:18 tn Heb “your adversaries trampled on.”
299. Isaiah 63:19 tn Heb “we were from antiquity” (see v. 16). The collocation of הָיָה, מִן, and עוֹלָם (hayah, min, and ʿolam) occurs only here.
300. Isaiah 63:19 tn Heb “you did not rule them; your name was not called over them.” The expression “the name is called over” indicates ownership; see the note at 4:1. As these two lines stand, they are very difficult to interpret. They appear to be stating that the adversaries just mentioned in v. 18 have not been subject to the Lord’s rule in the past, perhaps explaining why they could commit the atrocity described in v. 18b.
301. Isaiah 64:1 sn In BHS the chapter division occurs in a different place from the English Bible: 64:1 ET (63:19b HT) and 64:2-12 (64:1-11 HT). Beginning with 65:1 the verse numbers in the English Bible and the Hebrew Bible are again the same.
302. Isaiah 64:1 tn Or “the heavens.” The Hebrew term שָׁמַיִם (shamayim) may be translated “heavens” or “sky” depending on the context.
303. Isaiah 64:1 tn Or “quake.” נָזֹלּוּ (nazollu) is from the verbal root זָלַל (zalal, “quake”; see HALOT 272 s.v. II זלל). Perhaps there is a verbal allusion to Judg 5:5, the only other passage where this verb occurs. In that passage the poet tells how the Lord’s appearance to do battle caused the mountains to shake.
304. Isaiah 64:2 tn Heb “to make known your name to your adversaries.” Perhaps the infinitive construct with preposition לְ (lamed) should be construed with “come down” in v. 1a, or subordinated to the following line: “To make known your name to your adversaries, let the nations shake from before you.”
305. Isaiah 64:3 tn Heb “[for which] we were not waiting.”
306. Isaiah 64:3 tn See the note at v. 1.
307. Isaiah 64:4 tn Heb “from ancient times they have not heard, they have not listened.”
308. Isaiah 64:5 tn Heb “meet [with kindness].”
309. Isaiah 64:5 tn Heb “the one who rejoices and does righteousness.”
310. Isaiah 64:5 tn Heb “in your ways they remember you.”
311. Isaiah 64:5 tc The Hebrew text reads literally, “look, you were angry, and we sinned against them continually [or perhaps, “in ancient times”] and we were delivered.” The statement makes little sense as it stands. The first vav [ו] consecutive (“and we sinned”) must introduce an explanatory clause here (see Num 1:48 and Isa 39:1 for other examples of this relatively rare use of the vav [ו] consecutive). The final verb (if rendered positively) makes no sense in this context—God’s anger at their sin resulted in judgment, not deliverance. One of the alternatives involves an emendation to וַנִּרְשָׁע (vannirshaʿ, “and we were evil”; LXX, NRSV, TEV). The Vulgate and the Qumran scroll 1QIsa^a support the MT reading. One can either accept an emendation or cast the statement as a question (as above).
312. Isaiah 64:6 tn Heb “and like a garment of menstruation [are] all our righteous acts”; KJV, NIV “filthy rags”; ASV “a polluted garment.”
313. Isaiah 64:7 tn Or “calls out in”; NASB, NIV, NRSV “calls on.”
314. Isaiah 64:7 tn Or “rouses himself”; NASB “arouses himself.”
315. Isaiah 64:7 tn Heb “for you have hidden your face from us.”
316. Isaiah 64:7 tc The Hebrew text reads literally, “and you caused us to melt in the hand of our sin.” The verb וַתְּמוּגֵנוּ (vatt^emugenu) is a Qal preterite second person masculine singular with a first person common plural suffix from the root מוּג (mug, “melt”). However, elsewhere the Qal of this verb is intransitive. If the verbal root מוּג (mug) is retained here, the form should be emended to a Polel pattern (וַתְּמֹגְגֵנוּ, vatt^emog^egenu). The translation assumes an emendation to וַתְּמַגְּנֵנוּ (vatt^emagg^enenu, “and you handed us over”). This form is a Piel preterite second person masculine singular with a first person common plural suffix from the verb מָגָן (magan, “hand over, surrender”; see HALOT 545 s.v. מגן and BDB 171 s.v. מָגָן). The point is that God has abandoned them to their sinful ways and no longer seeks reconciliation.
317. Isaiah 64:8 tn On the force of וְעַתָּה (v^eʿattah) here, see HALOT 902 s.v. עַתָּה.
318. Isaiah 64:8 tn Heb “the work of your hand.”
319. Isaiah 64:9 tn Heb “do not remember sin continually.”
320. Isaiah 64:9 tn Heb “Look, gaze at your people, all of us.” Another option is to translate, “Take a good look! We are all your people.”
321. Isaiah 64:10 tn Heb “holy” (so KJV, NASB, NRSV, NLT); NIV “sacred.”
322. Isaiah 64:11 tn Heb “our source of pride.”
323. Isaiah 64:11 tn Or “all that we valued has become a ruin.”
324. Isaiah 64:12 tn Heb “because of these”; KJV, ASV “for these things.”
325. Isaiah 65:1 tn Heb “I allowed myself to be sought by those who did not ask.”
326. Isaiah 65:1 tn Heb “I allowed myself to be found by those who did not seek.”
327. Isaiah 65:1 tn Heb “call out in”; NASB, NIV, NRSV “call on.”
328. Isaiah 65:2 tn Heb “who walked [in] the way that is not good, after their thoughts.”
329. Isaiah 65:3 tn Heb “the people who provoke me to anger to my face continually.”
330. Isaiah 65:3 tn Or “gardens” (KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT).
331. Isaiah 65:3 tn Or perhaps, “on tiles.”
332. Isaiah 65:4 sn Perhaps the worship of underworld deities or dead spirits is in view.
333. Isaiah 65:4 tn The Hebrew text reads literally, “and in the watches they spend the night.” Some understand נְּצוּרִים (n^etsurim) as referring to “secret places” or “caves,” while others emend the text to וּבֵין צוּרִים (uven tsurim, “between the rocky cliffs”).
334. Isaiah 65:4 tn Heb “the flesh of the pig”; KJV, NAB, NASB “swine’s flesh.”
335. Isaiah 65:4 tc The marginal reading (Qere), supported by the Qumran scroll 1QIsa^a, reads מְרַק (m^eraq, “broth”), while the consonantal text (Kethib) has פְרַק (f^eraq, “fragment”).
336. Isaiah 65:6 tn Heb “Look, it is written before me.”
337. Isaiah 65:6 tn Heb “I will pay back into their lap.”
338. Isaiah 65:7 tn Heb “the iniquities of your fathers.”
339. Isaiah 65:7 tn Or perhaps, “taunted”; KJV “blasphemed”; NAB “disgraced”; NASB “scorned”; NIV “defied”; NRSV “reviled.”
340. Isaiah 65:7 tn Heb “I will measure out their pay [from the] beginning into their lap,” i.e., he will give them everything they have earned.
341. Isaiah 65:8 tn Heb “just as.” In the Hebrew text the statement is one long sentence, “Just as…, so I will do….”
342. Isaiah 65:8 tn Heb “for a blessing is in it.”
343. Isaiah 65:8 tn Heb “by not destroying everyone.”
344. Isaiah 65:9 tn Heb “it.” The third feminine singular pronominal suffix probably refers to the land that contains the aforementioned mountains.
345. Isaiah 65:10 sn Sharon was a plain located to the west, along the Mediterranean coast north of Joppa and south of Carmel.
346. Isaiah 65:10 sn The Valley of Achor (“Achor” means “trouble” in Hebrew) was the site of Achan’s execution. It was located to the east, near Jericho.
347. Isaiah 65:10 tn Heb “a resting place for cattle”; NASB, NIV “for herds.”
348. Isaiah 65:10 tn Heb “for my people who seek me.”
349. Isaiah 65:11 tn The Hebrew text has simply, “forget.” The words “about worshiping at” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
350. Isaiah 65:11 tn The Hebrew has לַגַּד (laggad, “for Gad”), the name of a pagan deity. See HALOT 176 s.v. II גַּד 2.
351. Isaiah 65:11 tn The Hebrew has לַמְנִי (lamni, “for Meni”), the name of a pagan deity. See HALOT 602 s.v. מְגִי.
352. Isaiah 65:12 tn Heb “I assign you to the sword.” Some emend the Qal verb form מָנִיתִי (maniti, “I assign”) to the Piel מִנִּיתִי (minniti, “ I ordain”). The verb sounds like the name of the god Meni (מְנִי, m^eni, “Destiny, Fate”). The sound play draws attention to the irony of the statement. The sinners among God’s people worship the god Meni, apparently in an effort to ensure a bright destiny for themselves. But the Lord is the one who really determines their destiny and he has decreed their demise.
353. Isaiah 65:12 tn Or “at the slaughter”; NIV “for the slaughter”; NLT “before the executioner.”
354. Isaiah 65:12 tn Heb “that which is evil in my eyes.”
355. Isaiah 65:14 tn Heb “from the good of the heart.”
356. Isaiah 65:14 tn Heb “from the pain of the heart.”
357. Isaiah 65:14 tn Heb “from the breaking of the spirit.”
358. Isaiah 65:15 tn Heb “you will leave your name for an oath to my chosen ones.”sn For an example of such a curse formula see Jer 29:22.
359. Isaiah 65:16 tn Or “in the land” (NIV, NCV, NRSV). The same phrase occurs again later in this verse, with the same options.
360. Isaiah 65:16 tn Heb “will pronounce a blessing by the God of truth.”
361. Isaiah 65:16 tn Heb “will take an oath by the God of truth.”
362. Isaiah 65:16 tn Heb “for the former distresses will be forgotten, and they will be hidden from my eyes.”
363. Isaiah 65:17 sn This hyperbolic statement likens the coming transformation of Jerusalem (see vv. 18-19) to a new creation of the cosmos.
364. Isaiah 65:17 tn Or perhaps, “the former things” (so ASV, NASB, NIV, NRSV); TEV “The events of the past.”
365. Isaiah 65:17 tn Heb “and they will not come up on the mind.”
366. Isaiah 65:18 tn Heb “Jerusalem, joy.” The next verse suggests the meaning: The Lord will create Jerusalem to be a source of joy to himself.
367. Isaiah 65:18 tn Heb “her people, happiness.” See the preceding note.
368. Isaiah 65:19 tn Heb “and I will rejoice in Jerusalem and be happy in my people.”
369. Isaiah 65:20 tn Heb “and there will not be from there again a nursing infant of days,” i.e., one that lives just a few days.
370. Isaiah 65:20 tn Heb “or an old [man] who does not fill out his days.”
371. Isaiah 65:20 tn Heb “for the child as a son of one hundred years will die.” The point seems to be that those who die at the age of a hundred will be considered children, for the average life span will be much longer than that. The category “child” will be redefined in light of the expanded life spans that will characterize this new era.
372. Isaiah 65:20 tn Heb “the one who misses.” חָטָא (khataʾ) is used here in its basic sense of “miss the mark.” See HALOT 305 s.v. חטא. Another option is to translate, “and the sinner who reaches the age of a hundred will be cursed.”
373. Isaiah 65:22 tn Heb “they will not build, and another live [in it].”
374. Isaiah 65:22 tn Heb “they will not plant, and another eat.”
375. Isaiah 65:22 tn Heb “for like the days of the tree [will be] the days of my people.”
376. Isaiah 65:22 tn Heb “the work of their hands” (so KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV); NLT “their hard-won gains.”
377. Isaiah 65:23 tn Heb “and they will not give birth to horror.”
378. Isaiah 65:23 tn Heb “for offspring blessed by the Lord they [will be], and their descendants along with them.”
379. Isaiah 65:24 tn The verb that introduces this verse serves as a discourse particle and is untranslated; see note on “in the future” in 2:2.
380. Isaiah 65:25 sn A similar statement appears in 11:6.
381. Isaiah 65:25 sn These words also appear in 11:7.
382. Isaiah 65:25 sn Some see an allusion to Gen 3:14 (note “you will eat dirt”). The point would be that even in this new era the snake (often taken as a symbol of Satan) remains under God’s curse. However, it is unlikely that such an allusion exists. Even if there is an echo of Gen 3:14, the primary allusion is to 11:8, where snakes are pictured as no longer dangerous. They will no longer attack other living creatures, but will be content to crawl along the ground. (The statement “you will eat dirt” in Gen 3:14 means “you will crawl on the ground.” In the same way the statement “dirt will be its food” in Isa 65:25 means “it will crawl on the ground.”)
383. Isaiah 65:25 tn Heb “in all my holy mountain.” These same words appear in 11:9. See the note there.sn As in 11:1-9 the prophet anticipates a time when the categories predator-prey no longer exist. See the note at the end of 11:8.
384. Isaiah 66:2 tn Heb “all these.” The phrase refers to the heavens and earth, mentioned in the previous verse.
385. Isaiah 66:2 tn Heb “and all these were.” Some prefer to emend וַיִּהְיוּ (vayyihyu, “and they were”) to וְלִי הָיוּ (v^eli hayu, “and to me they were”), i.e., “and they belong to me.”
386. Isaiah 66:2 tn Heb “and to this one I look” (KJV and NASB both similar).
387. Isaiah 66:2 tn Heb “to the humble and the lowly in spirit and the one who trembles at my words.”
388. Isaiah 66:3 tn Heb “one who slaughters a bull, one who strikes down a man.” Some understand a comparison here and in the following lines. In God’s sight the one who sacrifices is like (i.e., regarded as) a murderer or one whose worship is ritually defiled or idolatrous. The translation above assumes that the language is not metaphorical, but descriptive of the sinners’ hypocritical behavior. (Note the last two lines of the verse, which suggest they are guilty of abominable practices.) On the one hand, they act pious and offer sacrifices, but at the same time they commit violent crimes against men, defile their sacrifices, and worship other gods.
389. Isaiah 66:3 tn Heb “one who sacrifices a lamb, one who breaks a dog’s neck.” Some understand a comparison, but see the previous note.sn The significance of breaking a dog’s neck is uncertain, though the structure of the statement when compared to the preceding and following lines suggests the action is viewed in a negative light. According to Exod 13:13 and 34:20, one was to “redeem” a firstborn donkey by offering a lamb; if one did not “redeem” the firstborn donkey in this way, then its neck must be broken. According to Deut 21:1-9 a heifer’s neck was to be broken as part of the atonement ritual to purify the land from the guilt of bloodshed. It is not certain if these passages relate in any way to the action described in Isa 66:3.
390. Isaiah 66:3 tn Heb “one who offers an offering, pig’s blood.” Some understand a comparison, but see the note at the end of the first line.
391. Isaiah 66:3 tn Heb “one who offers incense as a memorial offering, one who blesses something false.” Some understand a comparison, but see the note at the end of the first line. אָוֶן (ʾaven), which has a wide variety of attested nuances, here refers metonymically to an idol. See HALOT 22 s.v. and BDB 20 s.v. 2.
392. Isaiah 66:3 tn Heb “also they have chosen their ways.”
393. Isaiah 66:3 tn Heb “their being [or “soul”] takes delight in their disgusting [things].”
394. Isaiah 66:4 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 (ʿalal), which can carry the nuance “deal severely.”
395. Isaiah 66:4 tn Heb “that which is evil in my eyes.”
396. Isaiah 66:5 tn Heb “tremble.”
397. Isaiah 66:5 tn Heb “brothers” (so NASB, NIV); NRSV “Your own people”; NLT “Your close relatives.”
398. Isaiah 66:5 tn Or “so that we might witness your joy.” The point of this statement is unclear.
399. Isaiah 66:8 tn Heb “land,” but here אֶרֶץ (ʾerets) stands metonymically for an organized nation (see the following line).
400. Isaiah 66:9 sn The rhetorical questions expect the answer, “Of course not!”
401. Isaiah 66:11 tn Or “in order that”; ASV, NRSV “that.”
402. Isaiah 66:11 tn Heb “you will suck and be satisfied from her comforting breast.”
403. Isaiah 66:11 tn Heb “you will slurp and refresh yourselves from her heavy breast.”sn Zion’s residents will benefit from and enjoy her great material prosperity. See v. 12.
404. Isaiah 66:12 tn Heb “Look, I am ready to extend to her like a river prosperity [or “peace”], and like an overflowing stream, the riches of nations.”
405. Isaiah 66:12 tn The words “from her breast” are supplied in the translation for clarification (see v. 11).
406. Isaiah 66:13 tn Heb “like a man whose mother comforts him.”
407. Isaiah 66:14 tn “and you will see and your heart will be happy.”
408. Isaiah 66:14 tn Heb “and your bones like grass will sprout.”
409. Isaiah 66:14 tn Heb “and the hand of the Lord will be made known to his servants, and anger to his enemies.”
410. Isaiah 66:15 sn Chariots are like a windstorm in their swift movement and in the way that they kick up dust.
411. Isaiah 66:15 tn Heb “to cause to return with the rage of his anger, and his battle cry [or “rebuke”] with flames of fire.”
412. Isaiah 66:16 tn Heb “flesh” (so KJV, NASB, NRSV); NIV “upon all men”; TEV “all the people of the world.”
413. Isaiah 66:16 tn Heb “many are the slain of the Lord.”
414. Isaiah 66:17 tn Heb “the ones who consecrate themselves and the ones who purify themselves toward the orchards [or “gardens”] after the one in the midst.” The precise meaning of the statement is unclear, though it is obvious that some form of idolatry is in view.
415. Isaiah 66:17 tn Heb “ones who eat the flesh of the pig and the disgusting thing and the mouse.”
416. Isaiah 66:17 tn Heb “together they will come to an end.”
417. Isaiah 66:18 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 need emendation. 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, baʾah) could be understood in one of two ways. One could provide an implied noun “time” (עֵת, ʿet) and render the next line “the time is coming/has come” (NASB, ESV). One could also emend the feminine verb to the masculine בָּא (baʾ) 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).
418. Isaiah 66:18 tn Heb “and the tongues”; KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV “and tongues.”
419. Isaiah 66:19 tn Heb “and I will set a sign among them.” The precise meaning of this statement is unclear. Elsewhere “to set a sign” means “perform a mighty act” (Ps 78:43; Jer 32:20), “make [someone] an object lesson” (Ezek 14:8), and “erect a [literal] standard” (Ps 74:4).
420. Isaiah 66:19 tn Some prefer to read “Put” (i.e., Libya).
421. Isaiah 66:19 sn That is, Lydia (in Asia Minor).
422. Isaiah 66:19 tn Heb “drawers of the bow” (KJV and ASV both similar).
423. Isaiah 66:19 sn Javan is generally identified today as Greece (so NIV, NCV, NLT).
424. Isaiah 66:19 tn Or “islands” (NIV).
425. Isaiah 66:20 tn Heb “brothers” (so NIV); NCV “fellow Israelites.”
426. Isaiah 66:20 tn The words “they will bring them” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
427. Isaiah 66:20 tn The precise meaning of this word is uncertain. Some suggest it refers to “chariots.” See HALOT 498 s.v. *כִּרְכָּרָה.
428. Isaiah 66:23 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.
429. Isaiah 66:23 tn Heb “all flesh” (so KJV, ASV, NRSV); NAB, NASB, NIV “all mankind”; NLT “All humanity.”
430. Isaiah 66:23 tn Or “bow down before” (NASB).
431. Isaiah 66:24 tn Heb “for their worm will not die.”
432. Isaiah 66:24 tn Heb “and their fire will not be extinguished.”
433. Isaiah 66:24 tn Heb “and they will be an abhorrence to all flesh.”sn This verse depicts a huge mass burial site where the seemingly endless pile of maggot-infested corpses are being burned.