Yesaya 1:27

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

and her returnees by righteousness. ³ 

Yesaya 3:4

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

malicious young men ⁵  will rule over them.

Yesaya 3:26

3:26 Her gates will mourn and lament;

deprived of her people, she will sit on the ground. ⁶ 

Yesaya 5:15

5:15 Men will be humiliated,

they will be brought low;

the proud will be brought low. ⁷ 

Yesaya 7:12

7:12 But Ahaz responded, “I don’t want to ask; I don’t want to put the Lord to a test.” ⁸ 

Yesaya 10:19

10:19 There will be so few trees left in his forest,

a child will be able to count them. ⁹ 

Yesaya 17:1

The Lord Will Judge Damascus

17:1 Here is a message about Damascus:

“Look, Damascus is no longer a city,

it is a heap of ruins!

Yesaya 17:4

17:4 “At that time ¹⁰ 

Jacob’s splendor will be greatly diminished, ¹¹ 

and he will become skin and bones. ¹² 

Yesaya 22:20

22:20 “At that time ¹³  I will summon my servant Eliakim, son of Hilkiah.

Yesaya 27:2

27:2 When that time comes, ¹⁴ 

sing about a delightful vineyard! ¹⁵ 

Yesaya 32:17-18

32:17 Fairness will produce peace ¹⁶ 

and result in lasting security. ¹⁷ 

32:18 My people will live in peaceful settlements,

in secure homes,

and in safe, quiet places. ¹⁸ 

Yesaya 38:7

38:7 Isaiah replied, ¹⁹  “This is your sign from the Lord confirming that the Lord will do what he has said:

Yesaya 40:18

40:18 To whom can you compare God?

To what image can you liken him?

Yesaya 40:25

40:25 “To whom can you compare me? Whom do I resemble?”

says the Holy One. ²⁰ 

Yesaya 42:20

42:20 You see ²¹  many things, but don’t comprehend; ²² 

their ears are open, but do not hear.”

Yesaya 47:3

47:3 Let your private parts be exposed!

Your genitals will be on display! ²³ 

I will get revenge;

I will not have pity on anyone,” ²⁴ 

Yesaya 49:17

49:17 Your children hurry back,

while those who destroyed and devastated you depart.

Yesaya 57:12

57:12 I will denounce your so-called righteousness and your deeds, ²⁵ 

but they will not help you.

Yesaya 60:3

60:3 Nations come to your light,

kings to your bright light.

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

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

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

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

[3:4]  ⁵ tn תַעֲלוּלִים (ta’alulim) is often understood as an abstract plural meaning “wantonness, cruelty” (cf. NLT). In this case the chief characteristic of these leaders is substituted for the leaders themselves. However, several translations make the parallelism tighter by emending the form to עוֹלְלִים (’olÿlim, “children”; cf. ESV, NASB, NCV, NIV, NKJV, NRSV). This emendation is unnecessary for at least two reasons. The word in the MT highlights the cruelty or malice of the “leaders” who are left behind in the wake of God’s judgment. The immediate context makes clear the fact that they are mere youths. The coming judgment will sweep away the leaders, leaving a vacuum which will be filled by incompetent, inexperienced youths.

[3:26]  ⁶ tn Heb “she will be empty, on the ground she will sit.” Jerusalem is personified as a destitute woman who sits mourning the empty city.

[5:15]  ⁷ tn Heb “men are brought down, men are brought low, the eyes of pride are brought low.”

[7:12]  ⁸ tn Ahaz uses the verb נָסַה (nasah, “test”) in its negative sense of “challenge, provoke.” However, this is false piety, a smokescreen designed to cover up his lack of faith in the Lord.

[10:19]  ⁹ tn Heb “and the rest of the trees of his forest will be counted, and a child will record them.”

[17:4]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “in that day” (so KJV). The verb that introduces this verse serves as a discourse particle and is untranslated; see note on “in the future” in 2:2.

[17:4]  ¹¹ tn Heb “will be tiny.”

[17:4]  ¹² tn Heb “and the fatness of his flesh will be made lean.”

[22:20]  ¹³ tn Or “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.

[27:2]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “in that day” (so KJV).

[27:2]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “vineyard of delight,” or “vineyard of beauty.” Many medieval mss read כֶּרֶם חֶמֶר (kerem khemer, “vineyard of wine”), i.e., “a productive vineyard.”

[32:17]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “and the product of fairness will be peace.”

[32:17]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “and the work of fairness [will be] calmness and security forever.”

[32:18]  ¹⁸ tn Or “in safe resting places”; NAB, NRSV “quiet resting places.”

[38:7]  ¹⁹ tn The words “Isaiah replied” are supplied in the translation for clarification. In the present form of the Hebrew text v. 7 is joined directly to v. 6, but vv. 21-22, if original to Isaiah 38, must be inserted here. See 2 Kgs 20:7-8.

[40:25]  ²⁰ sn See the note on the phrase “the Holy One of Israel” in 1:4.

[42:20]  ²¹ tn The consonantal text (Kethib) has a perfect, 2nd person masculine singular; the marginal reading (Qere) has an infinitive absolute, which functions here as a finite verb.

[42:20]  ²² tn Heb “but you do not guard [i.e., retain in your memory]”; NIV “but have paid no attention.”

[47:3]  ²³ tn Heb “Your shame will be seen.” In this context “shame” is a euphemism referring to the genitals.

[47:3]  ²⁴ tn Heb “I will not meet a man.” The verb פָּגַע (pagah) apparently carries the nuance “meet with kindness” here (cf. 64:5, and see BDB 803 s.v. Qal.2).

[57:12]  ²⁵ tn Heb “I, I will declare your righteousness and your deeds.”