Ulangan 32:11

32:11 Like an eagle that stirs up ¹  its nest,

that hovers over its young,

so the Lord ²  spread out his wings and took him, ³ 

he lifted him up on his pinions.

Yesaya 31:5

31:5 Just as birds hover over a nest, ⁴ 

so the Lord who commands armies will protect Jerusalem. ⁵ 

He will protect and deliver it;

as he passes over ⁶  he will rescue it.

[32:11]  ¹ tn The prefixed verbal form is an imperfect, indicating habitual or typical behavior. The parallel verb (cf. “hovers” in the next line) is used in the same manner.

[32:11]  ² tn Heb “he”; the referent (the Lord) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[32:11]  ³ tn The form of the suffix on this and the following verb forms (cf. “lifted him up”) indicates that the verbs are preterites, not imperfects. As such they simply state the action factually. The use of the preterite here suggests that the preceding verb (cf. “spread out”) is preterite as well.

[31:5]  ⁴ tn Heb “just as birds fly.” The words “over a nest” are supplied in the translation for clarification.

[31:5]  ⁵ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[31:5]  ⁶ tn The only other occurrence of this verb is in Exod 12:13, 23, 27, where the Lord “passes over” (i.e., “spares”) the Israelite households as he comes to judge their Egyptian oppressors. The noun פֶּסַח (pesakh, “Passover”) is derived from the verb. The use of the verb in Isa 31:5 is probably an intentional echo of the Exodus event. As in the days of Moses the Lord will spare his people as he comes to judge their enemies.