Yesaya 30:33

30:33 For ¹  the burial place is already prepared; ² 

it has been made deep and wide for the king. ³ 

The firewood is piled high on it. ⁴ 

The Lord’s breath, like a stream flowing with brimstone,

will ignite it.

Yesaya 66:24

66:24 “They will go out and observe the corpses of those who rebelled against me, for the maggots that eat them will not die, ⁵  and the fire that consumes them will not die out. ⁶  All people will find the sight abhorrent.” ⁷ 

[30:33]  ¹ tn Or “indeed.”

[30:33]  ² tc The Hebrew text reads literally, “for arranged from before [or “yesterday”] is [?].” The meaning of תָּפְתֶּה (tafÿteh), which occurs only here, is unknown. The translation above (as with most English versions) assumes an emendation to תֹּפֶת (tofet, “Topheth”; cf. NASB, NIV, NLT) and places the final hey (ה) on the beginning of the next word as an interrogative particle. Topheth was a place near Jerusalem used as a burial ground (see Jer 7:32; 19:11).

[30:33]  ³ tn The Hebrew text reads literally, “Also it is made ready for the king, one makes it deep and wide.” If one takes the final hey (ה) on תָּפְתֶּה (tafÿteh) and prefixes it to גָּם (gam) as an interrogative particle (see the preceding note), one can translate, “Is it also made ready for the king?” In this case the question is rhetorical and expects an emphatic affirmative answer, “Of course it is!”

[30:33]  ⁴ tn Heb “its pile of wood, fire and wood one makes abundant.”

[30:33]  sn Apparently this alludes to some type of funeral rite.

[66:24]  ⁵ tn Heb “for their worm will not die.”

[66:24]  ⁶ tn Heb “and their fire will not be extinguished.”

[66:24]  ⁷ tn Heb “and they will be an abhorrence to all flesh.”

[66:24]  sn This verse depicts a huge mass burial site where the seemingly endless pile of maggot-infested corpses are being burned.