Yesaya 2:1-3

The Future Glory of Jerusalem

2:1 Here is the message about Judah and Jerusalem ¹  that was revealed to Isaiah son of Amoz. ² 

2:2 In the future ³ 

the mountain of the Lord’s temple will endure ⁴ 

as the most important of mountains,

and will be the most prominent of hills. ⁵ 

All the nations will stream to it,

2:3 many peoples will come and say,

“Come, let us go up to the Lord’s mountain,

to the temple of the God of Jacob,

so ⁶  he can teach us his requirements, ⁷ 

and ⁸  we can follow his standards.” ⁹ 

For Zion will be the center for moral instruction; ¹⁰ 

the Lord will issue edicts from Jerusalem. ¹¹ 

Yesaya 11:9

11:9 They will no longer injure or destroy

on my entire royal mountain. ¹² 

For there will be universal submission to the Lord’s sovereignty,

just as the waters completely cover the sea. ¹³ 

Yesaya 24:23

24:23 The full moon will be covered up, ¹⁴ 

the bright sun ¹⁵  will be darkened; ¹⁶ 

for the Lord who commands armies will rule ¹⁷ 

on Mount Zion in Jerusalem ¹⁸ 

in the presence of his assembly, in majestic splendor. ¹⁹ 

Yesaya 56:7

56:7 I will bring them to my holy mountain;

I will make them happy in the temple where people pray to me. ²⁰ 

Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on my altar,

for my temple will be known as a temple where all nations may pray.” ²¹ 

[2:1]  ¹ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[2:1]  ² tn Heb “the word which Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.”

[2:2]  ³ tn Heb “in the end of the days.” This phrase may refer generally to the future, or more technically to the final period of history. See BDB 31 s.v. ַאחֲרִית. The verse begins with a verb that functions as a “discourse particle” and is not translated. In numerous places throughout the OT, the “to be” verb with a prefixed conjunction (וְהָיָה [vÿhayah] and וַיְהִי [vayÿhi]) occurs in this fashion to introduce a circumstantial clause and does not require translation.

[2:2]  ⁴ tn Or “be established” (KJV, NIV, NRSV).

[2:2]  ⁵ tn Heb “as the chief of the mountains, and will be lifted up above the hills.” The image of Mount Zion being elevated above other mountains and hills pictures the prominence it will attain in the future.

[2:3]  ⁶ tn The prefixed verb form with simple vav (ו) introduces a purpose/result clause after the preceding prefixed verb form (probably to be taken as a cohortative; see IBHS 650 §39.2.2a).

[2:3]  ⁷ tn Heb “his ways.” In this context God’s “ways” are the standards of moral conduct he decrees that people should live by.

[2:3]  ⁸ tn The cohortative with vav (ו) after the prefixed verb form indicates the ultimate purpose/goal of their action.

[2:3]  ⁹ tn Heb “walk in his ways.”

[2:3]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “for out of Zion will go instruction.”

[2:3]  ¹¹ tn Heb “the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.”

[11:9]  ¹² tn Heb “in all my holy mountain.” In the most basic sense the Lord’s “holy mountain” is the mountain from which he rules over his kingdom (see Ezek 28:14, 16). More specifically it probably refers to Mount Zion/Jerusalem or to the entire land of Israel (see Pss 2:6; 15:1; 43:3; Isa 56:7; 57:13; Ezek 20:40; Ob 16; Zeph 3:11). If the Lord’s universal kingdom is in view in this context (see the note on “earth” at v. 4), then the phrase would probably be metonymic here, standing for God’s worldwide dominion (see the next line).

[11:9]  ¹³ tn Heb “for the earth will be full of knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.” The translation assumes that a universal kingdom is depicted here, but אֶרֶץ (’erets) could be translated “land” (see the note at v. 4). “Knowledge of the Lord” refers here to a recognition of the Lord’s sovereignty which results in a willingness to submit to his authority. See the note at v. 2.

[24:23]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “will be ashamed.”

[24:23]  ¹⁵ tn Or “glow of the sun.”

[24:23]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “will be ashamed” (so NCV).

[24:23]  ¹⁷ tn Or “take his throne,” “become king.”

[24:23]  ¹⁸ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[24:23]  ¹⁹ tn Heb “and before his elders [in] splendor.”

[56:7]  ²⁰ tn Heb “in the house of my prayer.”

[56:7]  ²¹ tn Heb “for my house will be called a house of prayer for all the nations.”