Yesaya 42:3

42:3 A crushed reed he will not break,

a dim wick he will not extinguish; ¹ 

he will faithfully make just decrees. ² 

Yesaya 58:5

58:5 Is this really the kind of fasting I want? ³ 

Do I want a day when people merely humble themselves, ⁴ 

bowing their heads like a reed

and stretching out ⁵  on sackcloth and ashes?

Is this really what you call a fast,

a day that is pleasing to the Lord?

Yehezkiel 29:6-7

29:6 Then all those living in Egypt will know that I am the Lord

because they were a reed staff ⁶  for the house of Israel;

29:7 when they grasped you with their hand, ⁷  you broke and tore ⁸  their shoulders,

and when they leaned on you, you splintered and caused their legs to be unsteady. ⁹ 

[42:3]  ¹ sn The “crushed reed” and “dim wick” symbolize the weak and oppressed who are on the verge of extinction.

[42:3]  ² tn Heb “faithfully he will bring out justice” (cf. NASB, NRSV).

[58:5]  ³ tn Heb “choose” (so NASB, NRSV); NAB “wish.”

[58:5]  ⁴ tn Heb “a day when man humbles himself.” The words “Do I want” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[58:5]  ⁵ tn Or “making [their] bed.”

[29:6]  ⁶ sn Compare Isa 36:6.

[29:7]  ⁷ tn The Hebrew consonantal text (Kethib) has “by your hand,” but the marginal reading (Qere) has simply “by the hand.” The LXX reads “with their hand.”

[29:7]  ⁸ tn Or perhaps “dislocated.”

[29:7]  ⁹ tn Heb “you caused to stand for them all their hips.” An emendation which switches two letters but is supported by the LXX yields the reading “you caused all their hips to shake.” See L. C. Allen, Ezekiel (WBC), 2:103. In 2 Kgs 18:21 and Isa 36:6 trusting in the Pharaoh is compared to leaning on a staff. The oracle may reflect Hophra’s attempt to aid Jerusalem (Jer 37:5-8).