Yesaya 64:1

64:1 (63:19b) ¹  If only you would tear apart the sky ²  and come down!

The mountains would tremble ³  before you!

Yesaya 64:3

64:3 When you performed awesome deeds that took us by surprise, ⁴ 

you came down, and the mountains trembled ⁵  before you.

[64:1]  ¹ sn In BHS the chapter division occurs in a different place from the English Bible: 64:1 ET (63:19b HT) and 64:2-12 (64:1-11 HT). Beginning with 65:1 the verse numbers in the English Bible and the Hebrew Bible are again the same.

[64:1]  ² tn Or “the heavens.” The Hebrew term שָׁמַיִם (shamayim) may be translated “heavens” or “sky” depending on the context.

[64:1]  ³ tn Or “quake.” נָזֹלּוּ (nazollu) is from the verbal root זָלַל (zalal, “quake”; see HALOT 272 s.v. II זלל). Perhaps there is a verbal allusion to Judg 5:5, the only other passage where this verb occurs. In that passage the poet tells how the Lord’s appearance to do battle caused the mountains to shake.

[64:3]  ⁴ tn Heb “[for which] we were not waiting.”

[64:3]  ⁵ tn See the note at v. 1.