Yesaya 1:29

1:29 Indeed, they ¹  will be ashamed of the sacred trees

you ²  find so desirable;

you will be embarrassed because of the sacred orchards ³ 

where you choose to worship.

Yesaya 58:10

58:10 You must ⁴  actively help the hungry

and feed the oppressed. ⁵ 

Then your light will dispel the darkness, ⁶ 

and your darkness will be transformed into noonday. ⁷ 

Yesaya 1:30

1:30 For you will be like a tree whose leaves wither,

like an orchard ⁸  that is unwatered.

Yesaya 58:2

58:2 They seek me day after day;

they want to know my requirements, ⁹ 

like a nation that does what is right

and does not reject the law of their God.

They ask me for just decrees;

they want to be near God.

Yesaya 44:28

44:28 who commissions ¹⁰  Cyrus, the one I appointed as shepherd ¹¹ 

to carry out all my wishes ¹² 

and to decree concerning Jerusalem, ‘She will be rebuilt,’

and concerning the temple, ‘It will be reconstructed.’” ¹³ 

Yesaya 46:10

46:10 who announces the end from the beginning

and reveals beforehand ¹⁴  what has not yet occurred,

who says, ‘My plan will be realized,

I will accomplish what I desire,’

Yesaya 48:14

48:14 All of you, gather together and listen!

Who among them ¹⁵  announced these things?

The Lord’s ally ¹⁶  will carry out his desire against Babylon;

he will exert his power against the Babylonians. ¹⁷ 

Yesaya 15:7

15:7 For this reason what they have made and stored up,

they carry over the Stream of the Poplars.

Yesaya 44:4

44:4 They will sprout up like a tree in the grass, ¹⁸ 

like poplars beside channels of water.

Yesaya 26:8-9

26:8 Yes, as your judgments unfold, ¹⁹ 

O Lord, we wait for you.

We desire your fame and reputation to grow. ²⁰ 

26:9 I ²¹  look for ²²  you during the night,

my spirit within me seeks you at dawn,

for when your judgments come upon the earth,

those who live in the world learn about justice. ²³ 

Yesaya 53:10

53:10 Though the Lord desired to crush him and make him ill,

once restitution is made, ²⁴ 

he will see descendants and enjoy long life, ²⁵ 

and the Lord’s purpose will be accomplished through him.

Yesaya 6:13

6:13 Even if only a tenth of the people remain in the land, it will again be destroyed, ²⁶  like one of the large sacred trees ²⁷  or an Asherah pole, when a sacred pillar on a high place is thrown down. ²⁸  That sacred pillar symbolizes the special chosen family.” ²⁹ 

Yesaya 42:21

42:21 The Lord wanted to exhibit his justice

by magnifying his law and displaying it. ³⁰ 

Yesaya 53:2

53:2 He sprouted up like a twig before God, ³¹ 

like a root out of parched soil; ³² 

he had no stately form or majesty that might catch our attention, ³³ 

no special appearance that we should want to follow him. ³⁴ 

Yesaya 2:13

2:13 for all the cedars of Lebanon,

that are so high and mighty,

for all the oaks of Bashan; ³⁵ 

Yesaya 5:19

5:19 They say, “Let him hurry, let him act quickly, ³⁶ 

so we can see;

let the plan of the Holy One of Israel ³⁷  take shape ³⁸  and come to pass,

then we will know it!”

Yesaya 7:11

7:11 “Ask for a confirming sign from the Lord your God. You can even ask for something miraculous.” ³⁹ 

Yesaya 25:1

25:1 O Lord, you are my God! ⁴⁰ 

I will exalt you in praise, I will extol your fame. ⁴¹ 

For you have done extraordinary things,

and executed plans made long ago exactly as you decreed. ⁴² 

Yesaya 49:19

49:19 Yes, your land lies in ruins;

it is desolate and devastated. ⁴³ 

But now you will be too small to hold your residents,

and those who devoured you will be far away.

Yesaya 51:1

There is Hope for the Future

51:1 “Listen to me, you who pursue godliness, ⁴⁴ 

who seek the Lord!

Look at the rock from which you were chiseled,

at the quarry ⁴⁵  from which you were dug! ⁴⁶ 

Yesaya 57:17

57:17 I was angry because of their sinful greed;

I attacked them and angrily rejected them, ⁴⁷ 

yet they remained disobedient and stubborn. ⁴⁸ 

Yesaya 58:6

58:6 No, this is the kind of fast I want. ⁴⁹ 

I want you ⁵⁰  to remove the sinful chains,

to tear away the ropes of the burdensome yoke,

to set free the oppressed, ⁵¹ 

and to break every burdensome yoke.

Yesaya 59:7

59:7 They are eager to do evil, ⁵² 

quick to shed innocent blood. ⁵³ 

Their thoughts are sinful;

they crush and destroy. ⁵⁴ 

Yesaya 30:10

30:10 They ⁵⁵  say to the visionaries, “See no more visions!”

and to the seers, “Don’t relate messages to us about what is right! ⁵⁶ 

Tell us nice things,

relate deceptive messages. ⁵⁷ 

Yesaya 36:12

36:12 But the chief adviser said, “My master did not send me to speak these words only to your master and to you. ⁵⁸  His message is also for the men who sit on the wall, for they will eat their own excrement and drink their own urine along with you!” ⁵⁹ 

Yesaya 55:11

55:11 In the same way, the promise that I make

does not return to me, having accomplished nothing. ⁶⁰ 

No, it is realized as I desire

and is fulfilled as I intend.” ⁶¹ 

Yesaya 57:8

57:8 Behind the door and doorpost you put your symbols. ⁶² 

Indeed, ⁶³  you depart from me ⁶⁴  and go up

and invite them into bed with you. ⁶⁵ 

You purchase favors from them, ⁶⁶ 

you love their bed,

and gaze longingly ⁶⁷  on their genitals. ⁶⁸ 

Yesaya 58:7

58:7 I want you ⁶⁹  to share your food with the hungry

and to provide shelter for homeless, oppressed people. ⁷⁰ 

When you see someone naked, clothe him!

Don’t turn your back on your own flesh and blood! ⁷¹ 

Yesaya 58:13

58:13 You must ⁷²  observe the Sabbath ⁷³ 

rather than doing anything you please on my holy day. ⁷⁴ 

You must look forward to the Sabbath ⁷⁵ 

and treat the Lord’s holy day with respect. ⁷⁶ 

You must treat it with respect by refraining from your normal activities,

and by refraining from your selfish pursuits and from making business deals. ⁷⁷ 

[1:29]  ¹ tc The Hebrew text (and the Qumran scroll 1QIsa^a) has the third person here, though a few Hebrew mss (and Targums) read the second person, which is certainly more consistent with the following context. The third person form is the more difficult reading and probably original. This disagreement in person has caused some to emend the first verb (3rd plural) to a 2nd plural form (followed by most English translations). The BHS textual apparatus suggests that the 2nd plural form be read even though there is only sparse textual evidence. LXX, Syriac, and the Vulgate change all the 2nd person verbs in 1:29-31 to 3rd person verbs. It is likely that the change to a 2nd person form represents an attempt at syntactical harmonization (J. de Waard, Isaiah, 10). The abrupt change from 3rd person to 2nd person may have been intentional for rhetorical impact (GKC 462 §144.p). The rapid change from exclamation (they did!) to reproach (you desired!) might be regarded as a rhetorical figure focusing attention on the addressees and their conditions (de Waard, 10; E. König, Stilistik, Rhetorik, Poetik, 239). This use of the 3rd person could also be understood as an impersonal third person: “one will be ashamed” (de Waard, 10). In v. 29 the prophet continues his description of the sinners (v. 28), but then suddenly makes a transition to direct address (switching from 3^rd to 2^nd person) in the middle of his sentence.

[1:29]  ² tn The second person pronouns in vv. 29-30 are masculine plural, indicating that the rebellious sinners (v. 28) are addressed.

[1:29]  ³ tn Or “gardens” (so KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV); NAB “groves.”

[58:10]  ⁴ tn Heb “if you.” See the note on “you must” in v. 9b.

[58:10]  ⁵ tn Heb “If you furnish for the hungry [with] your being, and the appetite of the oppressed you satisfy.”

[58:10]  ⁶ tn Heb “will rise in the darkness.”

[58:10]  ⁷ tn Heb “and your darkness [will be] like noonday.”

[1:30]  ⁸ tn Or “a garden” (so KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV).

[58:2]  ⁹ tn Heb “ways” (so KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV, TEV); NLT “my laws.”

[44:28]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “says to.” It is possible that the sentence is not completed, as the description of Cyrus and his God-given role is developed in the rest of the verse. 45:1 picks up where 44:28a leaves off with the Lord’s actual words to Cyrus finally being quoted in 45:2.

[44:28]  ¹¹ tn Heb “my shepherd.” The shepherd motif is sometimes applied, as here, to a royal figure who is responsible for the well-being of the people whom he rules.

[44:28]  ¹² tn Heb “that he might bring to completion all my desire.”

[44:28]  ¹³ tn Heb “and [concerning the] temple, you will be founded.” The preposition -לְ (lÿ) is understood by ellipsis at the beginning of the second line. The verb תִּוָּסֵד (tivvased, “you will be founded”) is second masculine singular and is probably addressed to the personified temple (הֵיכָל [hekhal, “temple”] is masculine).

[46:10]  ¹⁴ tn Or “from long ago”; KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV “from ancient times.”

[48:14]  ¹⁵ sn This probably refers to the idol gods (see v. 5).

[48:14]  ¹⁶ tn Or “friend,” or “covenant partner.”

[48:14]  sn The Lord’s ally is a reference to Cyrus.

[48:14]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “and his arm [against] the Babylonians.”

[44:4]  ¹⁸ tn The Hebrew term בֵין (ven) is usually taken as a preposition, in which case one might translate, “among the grass.” But בֵין is probably the name of a tree (cf. C. R. North, Second Isaiah, 133). If one alters the preposition bet (בְּ) to kaf (כְּ), one can then read, “like a binu-tree.” (The Qumran scroll 1QIsa^a supports this reading.) This forms a nice parallel to “like poplars” in the next line. חָצִיר (khatsir) is functioning as an adverbial accusative of location.

[26:8]  ¹⁹ tn The Hebrew text has, “yes, the way of your judgments.” The translation assumes that “way” is related to the verb “we wait” as an adverbial accusative (“in the way of your judgments we wait”). מִשְׁפָּטֶיךָ (mishpatekha, “your judgments”) could refer to the Lord’s commandments, in which case one might translate, “as we obey your commands.” However, in verse 9 the same form refers to divine acts of judgment on evildoers.

[26:8]  ²⁰ tn Heb “your name and your remembrance [is] the desire of [our?] being.”

[26:9]  ²¹ tn Heb “with my soul I.” This is a figure for the speaker himself (“I”).

[26:9]  ²² tn Or “long for, desire.” The speaker acknowledges that he is eager to see God come in judgment (see vv. 8, 9b).

[26:9]  ²³ tn The translation understands צֶדֶק (tsedeq) in the sense of “justice,” but it is possible that it carries the nuance “righteousness,” in which case one might translate, “those who live in the world learn to live in a righteous manner” (cf. NCV).

[53:10]  ²⁴ tn The meaning of this line is uncertain. It reads literally, “if you/she makes, a reparation offering, his life.” The verb תָּשִׂים (tasim) could be second masculine singular,in which case it would have to be addressed to the servant or to God. However, the servant is only addressed once in this servant song (see 52:14a), and God either speaks or is spoken about in this servant song; he is never addressed. Furthermore, the idea of God himself making a reparation offering is odd. If the verb is taken as third feminine singular, then the feminine noun נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh) at the end of the line is the likely subject. In this case one can take the suffixed form of the noun as equivalent to a pronoun and translate, “if he [literally, “his life”] makes a reparation offering.”

[53:10]  sn What constitutes the servant’s reparation offering? Some might think his suffering, but the preceding context views this as past, while the verb here is imperfect in form. The offering appears to be something the servant does after his suffering has been completed. Perhaps the background of the language can be found in the Levitical code, where a healed leper would offer a reparation offering as part of the ritual to achieve ceremonial cleanliness (see Lev 14). The servant was pictured earlier in the song as being severely ill. This illness (a metaphor for the effects of the people’s sin) separated him from God. However, here we discover the separation is not final; once reparation is made, so to speak, he will again experience the Lord’s favor.

[53:10]  ²⁵ sn The idiomatic and stereotypical language emphasizes the servant’s restoration to divine favor. Having numerous descendants and living a long life are standard signs of divine blessing. See Job 42:13-16.

[6:13]  ²⁶ tn Or “be burned” (NRSV); NIV “laid waste.”

[6:13]  ²⁷ tn Heb “like a massive tree or like a big tree” (perhaps, “like a terebinth or like an oak”).

[6:13]  ²⁸ tn The Hebrew text has “which in the felling, a sacred pillar in them.” Some take מַצֶּבֶת (matsevet) as “stump,” and translate, “which, when chopped down, have a stump remaining in them.” But elsewhere מַצֶּבֶת refers to a memorial pillar (2 Sam 18:18) and the word resembles מַצֶּבָה (matsevah, “sacred pillar”). בָּם (bam, “in them”) may be a corruption of בָּמָה (bamah, “high place”; the Qumran scroll 1QIsa^a has במה). אֳשֶׁר (’asher, “which”) becomes a problem in this case, but one might emend the form to וּכְּאֲשֵׁרָה (ukÿ’asherah, “or like an Asherah pole”) and translate, “like one of the large sacred trees or an Asherah pole.” Though the text is difficult, the references to sacred trees and a sacred pillar suggest that the destruction of a high place is in view, an apt metaphor for the judgment of idolatrous Judah.

[6:13]  ²⁹ tn Heb “a holy offspring [is] its sacred pillar.” If מַצֶּבֶת (matsevet) is taken as “stump,” one can see in this statement a brief glimpse of hope. The tree (the nation) is chopped down, but the stump (a righteous remnant) remains from which God can restore the nation. However, if מַצֶּבֶת is taken as “sacred pillar” (מַצֶּבָה, matsevah; see the previous note), it is much more difficult to take the final statement in a positive sense. In this case “holy offspring” alludes to God’s ideal for his covenant people, the offspring of the patriarchs. Ironically that “holy” nation is more like a “sacred pillar” and it will be thrown down like a sacred pillar from a high place and its land destroyed like the sacred trees located at such shrines. Understood in this way, the ironic statement is entirely negative in tone, just like the rest of the preceding announcement of judgment. It also reminds the people of their failure; they did not oppose pagan religion, instead they embraced it. Now they will be destroyed in the same way they should have destroyed paganism.

[42:21]  ³⁰ tn Heb “The Lord was pleased for the sake of his righteousness [or “justice”], he was magnifying [the] law and was making [it] glorious.” The Lord contrasts his good intentions for the people with their present crisis (v. 22). To demonstrate his just character and attract the nations, the Lord wanted to showcase his law among and through Israel (Deut 4:5-8). But Israel disobeyed (v. 24) and failed to carry out their commission.

[53:2]  ³¹ tn Heb “before him.” Some suggest an emendation to “before us.” If the third singular suffix of the Hebrew text is retained, it probably refers to the Lord (see v. 1b). For a defense of this reading, see R. Whybray, Isaiah 40-66 (NCBC), 173-74.

[53:2]  ³² sn The metaphor in this verse suggests insignificance.

[53:2]  ³³ tn Heb “that we might see him.” The vav conjunctive prefixed to the imperfect introduces a result clause here. See GKC 504-5 §166.a.

[53:2]  ³⁴ tn Heb “that we should desire him.” The vav conjunctive prefixed to the imperfect introduces a result clause here. See GKC 504-5 §166.a.

[2:13]  ³⁵ sn The cedars of Lebanon and oaks of Bashan were well-known for their size and prominence. They make apt symbols here for powerful men who think of themselves as prominent and secure.

[5:19]  ³⁶ tn Heb “let his work hurry, let it hasten.” The pronoun “his” refers to God, as the parallel line makes clear. The reference to his “work” alludes back to v. 12, which refers to his ‘work” of judgment. With these words the people challenged the prophet’s warning of approaching judgment. They were in essence saying that they saw no evidence that God was about to work in such a way.

[5:19]  ³⁷ sn See the note on the phrase “the Holy One of Israel” in 1:4.

[5:19]  ³⁸ tn Heb “draw near” (so NASB); NRSV “hasten to fulfillment.”

[7:11]  ³⁹ tn Heb “Make it as deep as Sheol or make it high upwards.” These words suggest that Ahaz can feel free to go beyond the bounds of ordinary human experience.

[25:1]  ⁴⁰ sn The prophet speaks here as one who has observed the coming judgment of the proud.

[25:1]  ⁴¹ tn Heb “name.” See the note at 24:15.

[25:1]  ⁴² tn Heb “plans from long ago [in] faithfulness, trustworthiness.” The feminine noun אֱמוּנָה (’emunah, “faithfulness”) and masculine noun אֹמֶן (’omen, “trustworthiness”), both of which are derived from the root אָמַן (’aman), are juxtaposed to emphasize the basic idea conveyed by the synonyms. Here they describe the absolute reliability of the divine plans.

[49:19]  ⁴³ tn Heb “Indeed your ruins and your desolate places, and the land of your destruction.” This statement is abruptly terminated in the Hebrew text and left incomplete.

[51:1]  ⁴⁴ tn Or “righteousness” (KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV); NAB “justice”; NLT “hope for deliverance.”

[51:1]  ⁴⁵ tn Heb “the excavation of the hole.”

[51:1]  ⁴⁶ sn The “rock” and “quarry” refer here to Abraham and Sarah, the progenitors of the nation.

[57:17]  ⁴⁷ tn Heb “and I struck him, hiding, and I was angry.” פָּנַיִם (panayim, “face”) is the implied object of “hiding.”

[57:17]  ⁴⁸ tn Heb “and he walked [as an] apostate in the way of his heart.”

[58:6]  ⁴⁹ tn Heb “Is this not a fast I choose?” “No” is supplied in the translation for clarification.

[58:6]  ⁵⁰ tn The words “I want you” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[58:6]  ⁵¹ tn Heb “crushed.”

[59:7]  ⁵² tn Heb “their feet run to evil.”

[59:7]  ⁵³ tn Heb “they quickly pour out innocent blood.”

[59:7]  ⁵⁴ tn Heb “their thoughts are thoughts of sin, destruction and crushing [are] in their roadways.”

[30:10]  ⁵⁵ tn Heb “who” (so NASB, NRSV). A new sentence was started here in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[30:10]  ⁵⁶ tn Heb “Do not see for us right things.”

[30:10]  ⁵⁷ tn Heb “Tell us smooth things, see deceptive things.”

[36:12]  ⁵⁸ tn Heb “To your master and to you did my master send me to speak these words?” The rhetorical question expects a negative answer.

[36:12]  ⁵⁹ tn Heb “[Is it] not [also] to the men…?” The rhetorical question expects the answer, “Yes, it is.”

[36:12]  sn The chief adviser alludes to the horrible reality of siege warfare, when the starving people in the besieged city would resort to eating and drinking anything to stay alive.

[55:11]  ⁶⁰ tn Heb “so is the word which goes out from my mouth, it does not return to empty.” “Word” refers here to divine promises, like the ones made just prior to and after this (see vv. 7b, 12-13).

[55:11]  ⁶¹ tn Heb “but it accomplishes what I desire, and succeeds [on the mission] which I send it.”

[55:11]  sn Verses 8-11 focus on the reliability of the divine word and support the promises before (vv. 3-5, 7b) and after (vv. 12-13) this. Israel can be certain that repentance will bring forgiveness and a new covenantal relationship because God’s promises are reliable. In contrast to human plans (or “thoughts”), which are destined to fail (Ps 94:11) apart from divine approval (Prov 19:21), and human deeds (or “ways”), which are evil and lead to destruction (Prov 1:15-19; 3:31-33; 4:19), God’s plans are realized and his deeds accomplish something positive.

[57:8]  ⁶² tn The precise referent of זִכָּרוֹן (zikkaron) in this context is uncertain. Elsewhere the word refers to a memorial or commemorative sign. Here it likely refers to some type of idolatrous symbol.

[57:8]  ⁶³ tn Or “for” (KJV, NRSV).

[57:8]  ⁶⁴ tc The Hebrew text reads literally, “from me you uncover.” The translation assumes an emendation of the Piel form גִּלִּית (gillit, “you uncover”), which has no object expressed here, to the Qal גָּלִית (galit, “you depart”).

[57:8]  ⁶⁵ tn Heb “you make wide your bed” (NASB similar).

[57:8]  ⁶⁶ tc Heb “and you [second masculine singular, unless the form be taken as third feminine singular] cut for yourself [feminine singular] from them.” Most English translations retain the MT reading in spite of at least three problems. This section makes significant use of feminine verbs and noun suffixes because of the sexual imagery. The verb in question is likely a 2nd person masculine singular verb. Nevertheless, this kind of fluctuation in gender appears elsewhere (GKC 127-28 §47.k and 462 §144.p; cf. Jer 3:5; Ezek 22:4; 23:32; cf. J. N. Oswalt, Isaiah [NICOT], 2:473, n. 13). Secondly, when this verbal root signifies establishing a covenant, it is normally accompanied by the noun for “covenant” (בְּרִית, bÿrit). Finally, this juxtaposition of the verb “to cut” and “covenant” normally is followed by the preposition “with,” while here it is “from.” The translation above assumes an emendation of וַתִּכְרָת (vatikhrah, “and you cut”) to וְכָרִית (vÿkharit, “and you purchase”) from the root כָּרָה (kharah); see HALOT 497 s.v. II כרה.

[57:8]  ⁶⁷ tn The Hebrew text has simply חָזָה (khazah, “gaze”). The adverb “longingly” is interpretive (see the context, where sexual lust is depicted).

[57:8]  ⁶⁸ tn Heb “[at] a hand you gaze.” The term יָד (yad, “hand”) probably has the sense of “power, manhood” here, where it is used, as in Ugaritic, as a euphemism for the genitals. See HALOT 387 s.v. I יָד.

[58:7]  ⁶⁹ tn Heb “Is it not?” The rhetorical question here expects a positive answer, “It is!”

[58:7]  ⁷⁰ tn Heb “and afflicted [ones], homeless [ones] you should bring [into] a house.” On the meaning of מְרוּדִים (mÿrudim, “homeless”) see HALOT 633 s.v. *מָרוּד.

[58:7]  ⁷¹ tn Heb “and from your flesh do not hide yourself.”

[58:13]  ⁷² tn Lit., “if you.” In the Hebrew text vv. 13-14 are one long conditional sentence. The protasis (“if” clauses appear in v. 13), with the apodosis (“then” clause) appearing in v. 14.

[58:13]  ⁷³ tn Heb “if you turn from the Sabbath your feet.”

[58:13]  ⁷⁴ tn Heb “[from] doing your desires on my holy day.” The Qumran scroll 1QIsa^a supplies the preposition מִן (min) on “doing.”

[58:13]  ⁷⁵ tn Heb “and call the Sabbath a pleasure”; KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV “a delight.”

[58:13]  ⁷⁶ tn Heb “and [call] the holy [day] of the Lord honored.” On קָדוֹשׁ (qadosh, “holy”) as indicating a time period, see BDB 872 s.v. 2.e (cf. also Neh 8:9-11).

[58:13]  ⁷⁷ tn Heb “and you honor it [by refraining] from accomplishing your ways, from finding your desire and speaking a word.” It is unlikely that the last phrase (“speaking a word”) is a prohibition against talking on the Sabbath; instead it probably refers to making transactions or plans (see Hos 10:4). Some see here a reference to idle talk (cf. 2 Sam 19:30).