Yesaya 1:3

1:3 An ox recognizes its owner,

a donkey recognizes where its owner puts its food; ¹ 

but Israel does not recognize me, ² 

my people do not understand.”

Yesaya 10:18

10:18 The splendor of his forest and his orchard

will be completely destroyed, ³ 

as when a sick man’s life ebbs away. ⁴ 

Yesaya 10:26

10:26 The Lord who commands armies is about to beat them ⁵  with a whip, similar to the way he struck down Midian at the rock of Oreb. ⁶  He will use his staff against the sea, lifting it up as he did in Egypt. ⁷ 

Yesaya 13:3

13:3 I have given orders to my chosen soldiers; ⁸ 

I have summoned the warriors through whom I will vent my anger, ⁹ 

my boasting, arrogant ones. ¹⁰ 

Yesaya 14:9

14:9 Sheol ¹¹  below is stirred up about you,

ready to meet you when you arrive.

It rouses ¹²  the spirits of the dead for you,

all the former leaders of the earth; ¹³ 

it makes all the former kings of the nations

rise from their thrones. ¹⁴ 

Yesaya 14:32

14:32 How will they respond to the messengers of this nation? ¹⁵ 

Indeed, the Lord has made Zion secure;

the oppressed among his people will find safety in her.

Yesaya 19:2

19:2 “I will provoke civil strife in Egypt, ¹⁶ 

brothers will fight with each other,

as will neighbors,

cities, and kingdoms. ¹⁷ 

Yesaya 19:25

19:25 The Lord who commands armies will pronounce a blessing over the earth, saying, ¹⁸  “Blessed be my people, Egypt, and the work of my hands, Assyria, and my special possession, ¹⁹  Israel!”

Yesaya 21:5

21:5 Arrange the table,

lay out ²⁰  the carpet,

eat and drink! ²¹ 

Get up, you officers,

smear oil on the shields! ²² 

Yesaya 24:16

24:16 From the ends of the earth we ²³  hear songs –

the Just One is majestic. ²⁴ 

But I ²⁵  say, “I’m wasting away! I’m wasting away! I’m doomed!

Deceivers deceive, deceivers thoroughly deceive!” ²⁶ 

Yesaya 27:12

27:12 At that time ²⁷  the Lord will shake the tree, ²⁸  from the Euphrates River ²⁹  to the Stream of Egypt. Then you will be gathered up one by one, O Israelites. ³⁰ 

Yesaya 37:36

37:36 The Lord’s messenger ³¹  went out and killed 185,000 troops ³²  in the Assyrian camp. When they ³³  got up early the next morning, there were all the corpses! ³⁴ 

Yesaya 43:14

The Lord Will Do Something New

43:14 This is what the Lord says,

your protector, ³⁵  the Holy One of Israel: ³⁶ 

“For your sake I send to Babylon

and make them all fugitives, ³⁷ 

turning the Babylonians’ joyful shouts into mourning songs. ³⁸ 

Yesaya 51:7

51:7 Listen to me, you who know what is right,

you people who are aware of my law! ³⁹ 

Don’t be afraid of the insults of men;

don’t be discouraged because of their abuse!

Yesaya 52:5

52:5 And now, what do we have here?” ⁴⁰  says the Lord.

“Indeed my people have been carried away for nothing,

those who rule over them taunt,” ⁴¹  says the Lord,

“and my name is constantly slandered ⁴²  all day long.

Yesaya 52:14

52:14 (just as many were horrified by the sight of you) ⁴³ 

he was so disfigured ⁴⁴  he no longer looked like a man; ⁴⁵ 

Yesaya 53:8

53:8 He was led away after an unjust trial ⁴⁶  –

but who even cared? ⁴⁷ 

Indeed, he was cut off from the land of the living; ⁴⁸ 

because of the rebellion of his own ⁴⁹  people he was wounded.

Yesaya 60:10-11

60:10 Foreigners will rebuild your walls;

their kings will serve you.

Even though I struck you down in my anger,

I will restore my favor and have compassion on you. ⁵⁰ 

60:11 Your gates will remain open at all times;

they will not be shut during the day or at night,

so that the wealth of nations may be delivered,

with their kings leading the way. ⁵¹ 

[1:3]  ¹ tn Heb “and the donkey the feeding trough of its owner.” The verb in the first line does double duty in the parallelism.

[1:3]  ² tn Although both verbs have no object, the parallelism suggests that Israel fails to recognize the Lord as the one who provides for their needs. In both clauses, the placement of “Israel” and “my people” at the head of the clause focuses the reader’s attention on the rebellious nation (C. van der Merwe, J. Naudé, J. Kroeze, A Biblical Hebrew Reference Grammar, 346-47).

[10:18]  ³ tn Heb “from breath to flesh it will destroy.” The expression “from breath to flesh” refers to the two basic components of a person, the immaterial (life’s breath) and the material (flesh). Here the phrase is used idiomatically to indicate totality.

[10:18]  ⁴ tn The precise meaning of this line is uncertain. מָסַס (masas), which is used elsewhere of substances dissolving or melting, may here mean “waste away” or “despair.” נָסַס (nasas), which appears only here, may mean “be sick” or “stagger, despair.” See BDB 651 s.v. I נָסַס and HALOT 703 s.v. I נסס. One might translate the line literally, “like the wasting away of one who is sick” (cf. NRSV “as when an invalid wastes away”).

[10:26]  ⁵ tn Heb “him” (so KJV, ASV, NASB); the singular refers to the leader or king who stands for the entire nation. This is specified by NCV, CEV as “the Assyrians.”

[10:26]  ⁶ sn According to Judg 7:25, the Ephraimites executed the Midianite general Oreb at a rock which was subsequently named after the executed enemy.

[10:26]  ⁷ tc The Hebrew text reads literally, “and his staff [will be] against the sea, and he will lift it in the way [or “manner”] of Egypt.” If the text is retained, “the sea” symbolizes Assyria’s hostility, the metaphor being introduced because of the reference to Egypt. The translation above assumes an emendation of עַל הַיָּם (’al hayyam, “against the sea”) to עַלֵיהֶם (’alehem, “against them”). The proposed shift from the third singular pronoun (note “beat him” earlier in the verse) to the plural is not problematic, for the singular is collective. Note that a third plural pronoun is used at the end of v. 25 (“their destruction”). The final phrase, “in the way/manner of Egypt,” probably refers to the way in which God used the staff of Moses to bring judgment down on Egypt.

[13:3]  ⁸ tn Heb “my consecrated ones,” i.e., those who have been set apart by God for the special task of carrying out his judgment.

[13:3]  ⁹ tn Heb “my warriors with respect to my anger.”

[13:3]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “the boasting ones of my pride”; cf. ASV, NASB, NRSV “my proudly exulting ones.”

[14:9]  ¹¹ sn Sheol is the proper name of the subterranean world which was regarded as the land of the dead.

[14:9]  ¹² tn Heb “arousing.” The form is probably a Polel infinitive absolute, rather than a third masculine singular perfect, for Sheol is grammatically feminine (note “stirred up”). See GKC 466 §145.t.

[14:9]  ¹³ tn Heb “all the rams of the earth.” The animal epithet is used metaphorically here for leaders. See HALOT 903 s.v. *עַתּוּד.

[14:9]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “lifting from their thrones all the kings of the nations.” הֵקִים (heqim, a Hiphil perfect third masculine singular) should be emended to an infinitive absolute (הָקֵים, haqem). See the note on “rouses” earlier in the verse.

[14:32]  ¹⁵ sn The question forces the Philistines to consider the dilemma they will face – surrender and oppression, or battle and death.

[19:2]  ¹⁶ tn Heb I will provoke Egypt against Egypt” (NAB similar).

[19:2]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “and they will fight, a man against his brother, and a man against his neighbor, city against city, kingdom against kingdom.” Civil strife will extend all the way from the domestic level to the provincial arena.

[19:25]  ¹⁸ tn Heb “which the Lord who commands armies [traditionally, the Lord of hosts] will bless [it], saying.” The third masculine singular suffix on the form בֵּרֲכוֹ (berakho) should probably be emended to a third feminine singular suffix בֵּרֲכָהּ (berakhah), for its antecedent would appear to be the feminine noun אֶרֶץ (’erets, “earth”) at the end of v. 24.

[19:25]  ¹⁹ tn Or “my inheritance” (NAB, NASB, NIV).

[21:5]  ²⁰ tn The precise meaning of the verb in this line is debated. Some prefer to derive the form from the homonymic צָפֹה (tsafoh, “keep watch”) and translate “post a guard” (cf. KJV “watch in the watchtower”; ASV “set the watch”).

[21:5]  ²¹ tn The verbal forms in the first three lines are infinitives absolute, which are functioning here as finite verbs. It is uncertain if the forms should have an imperatival or indicative/descriptive force here.

[21:5]  ²² sn Smearing the shields with oil would make them more flexible and effective in battle. See J. N. Oswalt, Isaiah (NICOT), 1:394.

[24:16]  ²³ sn The identity of the subject is unclear. Apparently in vv. 15-16a an unidentified group responds to the praise they hear in the west by exhorting others to participate.

[24:16]  ²⁴ tn Heb “Beauty belongs to the just one.” These words may summarize the main theme of the songs mentioned in the preceding line.

[24:16]  ²⁵ sn The prophet seems to contradict what he hears the group saying. Their words are premature because more destruction is coming.

[24:16]  ²⁶ tn Heb “and [with] deception deceivers deceive.”

[24:16]  tn Verse 16b is a classic example of Hebrew wordplay. In the first line (“I’m wasting away…”) four consecutive words end with hireq yod ( ִי); in the second line all forms are derived from the root בָּגַד (bagad). The repetition of sound draws attention to the prophet’s lament.

[27:12]  ²⁷ tn Heb “and it will be in that day.” The verb that introduces this verse serves as a discourse particle and is untranslated; see note on “in the future” in 2:2.

[27:12]  ²⁸ tn Heb “the Lord will beat out.” The verb is used of beating seeds or grain to separate the husk from the kernel (see Judg 6:11; Ruth 2:17; Isa 28:27), and of beating the olives off the olive tree (Deut 24:20). The latter metaphor may be in view here, where a tree metaphor has been employed in the preceding verses. See also 17:6.

[27:12]  ²⁹ tn Heb “the river,” a frequent designation in the OT for the Euphrates. For clarity most modern English versions substitute the name “Euphrates” for “the river” here.

[27:12]  ³⁰ sn The Israelites will be freed from exile (likened to beating the olives off the tree) and then gathered (likened to collecting the olives).

[37:36]  ³¹ tn Traditionally, “the angel of the Lord” (so NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT).

[37:36]  ³² tn The word “troops” is supplied in the translation for smoothness and clarity.

[37:36]  ³³ tn This refers to the Israelites and/or the rest of the Assyrian army.

[37:36]  ³⁴ tn Heb “look, all of them were dead bodies”; NLT “they found corpses everywhere.”

[43:14]  ³⁵ tn Or “kinsman redeemer.” See the note at 41:14.

[43:14]  ³⁶ sn See the note on the phrase “the Holy One of Israel” in 1:4.

[43:14]  ³⁷ tn Heb “and I bring down [as] fugitives all of them.”

[43:14]  ³⁸ tn The Hebrew text reads literally, “as for the Babylonians, in ships their joyful shout.” This might be paraphrased, “even the Babylonians in the ships [over which] they joyfully shouted.” The point would be that the Lord caused the Babylonians to flee for safety in the ships in which they took such great pride. A slight change in vocalization yields the reading “into mourning songs,” which provides a good contrast with “joyful shout.” The prefixed bet (בְּ) would indicate identity.

[51:7]  ³⁹ tn Heb “people (who have) my law in their heart.”

[52:5]  ⁴⁰ tn Heb “and now what [following the marginal reading (Qere)] to me here?”

[52:5]  ⁴¹ tn The verb appears to be a Hiphil form from the root יָלַל (yalal, “howl”), perhaps here in the sense of “mock.” Some emend the form to יְהוֹלָּלוֹ (yÿhollalo) and understand a Polel form of the root הָלַל meaning here “mock, taunt.”

[52:5]  ⁴² tn The verb is apparently a Hitpolal form (with assimilated tav, ת) from the root נָאַץ (na’ats), but GKC 151-52 §55.b explains it as a mixed form, combining Pual and Hitpolel readings.

[52:14]  ⁴³ tn Some witnesses read “him,” which is more consistent with the context, where the servant is spoken about, not addressed. However, it is possible that the Lord briefly addresses the servant here. The present translation assumes the latter view and places the phrase in parentheses.

[52:14]  ⁴⁴ tn Heb “such was the disfigurement.” The noun מִשְׁחַת (mishkhat) occurs only here. It may be derived from the verbal root שָׁחַת (shakhat, “be ruined”; see BDB 1007-8 s.v. שָׁחַת). The construct form appears here before a prepositional phrase (cf. GKC 421 §130.a).

[52:14]  ⁴⁵ tn Heb “from a man his appearance.” The preposition מִן (min) here carries the sense “away from,” i.e., “so as not to be.” See BDB 583 s.v.

[53:8]  ⁴⁶ tn The precise meaning of this line is uncertain. The present translation assumes that מִן (min) here has an instrumental sense (“by, through”) and understands עֹצֶר וּמִמִּשְׁפָּט (’otser umimmishpat, “coercion and legal decision”) as a hendiadys meaning “coercive legal decision,” thus “an unjust trial.” Other interpretive options include: (1) “without [for this sense of מִן, see BDB 578 s.v. 1.b] hindrance and proper judicial process,” i.e., “unfairly and with no one to defend him,” (2) “from [in the sense of “after,” see BDB 581 s.v. 4.b] arrest and judgment.”

[53:8]  ⁴⁷ tn Heb “and his generation, who considers?” (NASB similar). Some understand “his generation” as a reference to descendants. In this case the question would suggest that he will have none. However, אֶת (’et) may be taken here as specifying a new subject (see BDB 85 s.v. I אֵת 3). If “his generation” refers to the servant’s contemporary generation, one may then translate, “As for his contemporary generation, who took note?” The point would be that few were concerned about the harsh treatment he received.

[53:8]  ⁴⁸ sn The “land of the living” is an idiom for the sphere where people live, in contrast to the underworld realm of the dead. See, for example, Ezek 32:23-27.

[53:8]  ⁴⁹ tn The Hebrew text reads “my people,” a reading followed by most English versions, but this is problematic in a context where the first person plural predominates, and where God does not appear to speak again until v. 11b. Therefore, it is preferable to read with the Qumran scroll 1QIsa^a עמו (“his people”). In this case, the group speaking in these verses is identified as the servant’s people (compare פְּשָׁעֵנוּ [pÿsha’enu, “our rebellious deeds”] in v. 5 with פֶּשַׁע עַמִּי [pesha’ ’ammi, “the rebellion of his people”] in v. 8).

[60:10]  ⁵⁰ tn Heb “in my favor I will have compassion on you.”

[60:11]  ⁵¹ tn Or “led in procession.” The participle is passive.