Yesaya 7:5

7:5 Syria has plotted with Ephraim and the son of Remaliah to bring about your demise. ¹ 

Yesaya 12:5

12:5 Sing to the Lord, for he has done magnificent things,

let this be known ²  throughout the earth!

Yesaya 24:10

24:10 The ruined town ³  is shattered;

all of the houses are shut up tight. ⁴ 

Yesaya 33:3

33:3 The nations run away when they hear a loud noise; ⁵ 

the nations scatter when you spring into action! ⁶ 

[7:5]  ¹ tn This sentence opens with the conjunction יַעַן כִּי (ya’an ki, “because”). Consequently some take vv. 5-6 with what precedes, as another reason why Ahaz might be tempted to fear (see v. 4). However, it is more likely that vv. 5-6 give the basis for the Lord’s announcement in vv. 7-9. The conjunction יַעַן כִּי here introduces the basis for judgment (as in 3:16; 8:6; 29:13), which is then followed by the formal announcement of judgment.

[12:5]  ² tc The translation follows the marginal reading (Qere), which is a Hophal participle from יָדַע (yada’), understood here in a gerundive sense.

[24:10]  ³ tn Heb “the city of chaos” (so NAB, NASB, NRSV). Isaiah uses the term תֹּהוּ (tohu) rather frequently of things (like idols) that are empty and worthless (see BDB 1062 s.v.), so the word might characterize the city as rebellious or morally worthless. However, in this context, which focuses on the effects of divine judgment, it probably refers to the ruined or worthless condition in which the city is left (note the use of the word in Isa 34:11). For a discussion of the identity of this city, see R. Chisholm, “The ‘Everlasting Covenant’ and the ‘City of Chaos’: Intentional Ambiguity and Irony in Isaiah 24,” CTR 6 (1993): 237-53. In the context of universal judgment depicted in Isa 24, this city represents all the nations and cities of the world which, like Babylon of old and the powers/cities mentioned in chapters 13-23, rebel against God’s authority. Behind the stereotypical language one can detect various specific manifestations of this symbolic and paradigmatic city, including Babylon, Moab, and Jerusalem, all of which are alluded or referred to in chapters 24-27.

[24:10]  ⁴ tn Heb “every house is closed up from entering.”

[33:3]  ⁵ tn Heb “at the sound of tumult the nations run away.”

[33:3]  ⁶ tn Heb “because of your exaltation the nations scatter.”