Yesaya 59:9-10

Israel Confesses its Sin

59:9 For this reason deliverance ¹  is far from us ² 

and salvation does not reach us.

We wait for light, ³  but see only darkness; ⁴ 

we wait for ⁵  a bright light, ⁶  but live ⁷  in deep darkness. ⁸ 

59:10 We grope along the wall like the blind,

we grope like those who cannot see; ⁹ 

we stumble at noontime as if it were evening.

Though others are strong, we are like dead men. ¹⁰ 

Yesaya 63:10

63:10 But they rebelled and offended ¹¹  his holy Spirit, ¹² 

so he turned into an enemy

and fought against them.

Yesaya 65:6-7

65:6 Look, I have decreed: ¹³ 

I will not keep silent, but will pay them back;

I will pay them back exactly what they deserve, ¹⁴ 

65:7 for your sins and your ancestors’ sins,” ¹⁵  says the Lord.

“Because they burned incense on the mountains

and offended ¹⁶  me on the hills,

I will punish them in full measure.” ¹⁷ 

Yesaya 65:11-12

65:11 But as for you who abandon the Lord

and forget about worshiping at ¹⁸  my holy mountain,

who prepare a feast for the god called ‘Fortune,’ ¹⁹ 

and fill up wine jugs for the god called ‘Destiny’ ²⁰  –

65:12 I predestine you to die by the sword, ²¹ 

all of you will kneel down at the slaughtering block, ²² 

because I called to you, and you did not respond,

I spoke and you did not listen.

You did evil before me; ²³ 

you chose to do what displeases me.”

[59:9]  ¹ tn מִשְׁפָּט (mishpat), which refers to “justice” in the earlier verses, here refers to “justice from God,” or “vindication.” Because the people are unjust, God refuses to vindicate them before their enemies. See v. 11.

[59:9]  ² sn The prophet speaks on behalf of the sinful nation and confesses its sins.

[59:9]  ³ sn Light here symbolizes prosperity and blessing.

[59:9]  ⁴ tn Heb “but, look, darkness”; NIV “but all is darkness.”

[59:9]  ⁵ tn The words “we wait for” are supplied in the translation; the verb is understood by ellipsis (note the preceding line).

[59:9]  ⁶ tn The plural noun form may indicate degree here.

[59:9]  ⁷ tn Or “walk about”; NCV “all we have is darkness.”

[59:9]  ⁸ tn The plural noun form may indicate degree here.

[59:10]  ⁹ tn Heb “like there are no eyes.”

[59:10]  ¹⁰ tn Heb among the strong, like dead men.”

[63:10]  ¹¹ tn Or “grieved, hurt the feelings of.”

[63:10]  ¹² sn The phrase “holy Spirit” occurs in the OT only here (in v. 11 as well) and in Ps 51:11 (51:13 HT), where it is associated with the divine presence.

[65:6]  ¹³ tn Heb “Look, it is written before me.”

[65:6]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “I will pay back into their lap.”

[65:7]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “the iniquities of your fathers.”

[65:7]  ¹⁶ tn Or perhaps, “taunted”; KJV “blasphemed”; NAB “disgraced”; NASB “scorned”; NIV “defied”; NRSV “reviled.”

[65:7]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “I will measure out their pay [from the] beginning into their lap,” i.e., he will give them everything they have earned.

[65:11]  ¹⁸ tn The Hebrew text has simply, “forget.” The words “about worshiping at” are supplied in the translation for clarification.

[65:11]  ¹⁹ tn The Hebrew has לַגַּד (laggad, “for Gad”), the name of a pagan deity. See HALOT 176 s.v. II גַּד 2.

[65:11]  ²⁰ tn The Hebrew has לַמְנִי (lamni, “for Meni”), the name of a pagan deity. See HALOT 602 s.v. מְגִי.

[65:12]  ²¹ tn Heb “I assign you to the sword.” Some emend the Qal verb form מָנִיתִי (maniti, “I assign”) to the Piel מִנִּיתִי (minniti, “ I ordain”). The verb sounds like the name of the god Meni (מְנִי, mÿni, “Destiny, Fate”). The sound play draws attention to the irony of the statement. The sinners among God’s people worship the god Meni, apparently in an effort to ensure a bright destiny for themselves. But the Lord is the one who really determines their destiny and he has decreed their demise.

[65:12]  ²² tn Or “at the slaughter”; NIV “for the slaughter”; NLT “before the executioner.”

[65:12]  ²³ tn Heb “that which is evil in my eyes.”