Yesaya 19:15

19:15 Egypt will not be able to do a thing,

head or tail, shoots and stalk. ¹ 

Yesaya 26:8

26:8 Yes, as your judgments unfold, ² 

O Lord, we wait for you.

We desire your fame and reputation to grow. ³ 

[19:15]  ¹ tn Heb “And there will not be for Egypt a deed, which head and tail, shoot and stalk can do.” In 9:14-15 the phrase “head or tail” refers to leaders and prophets, respectively. This interpretation makes good sense in this context, where both leaders and advisers (probably including prophets and diviners) are mentioned (vv. 11-14). Here, as in 9:14, “shoots and stalk” picture a reed, which symbolizes the leadership of the nation in its entirety.

[26:8]  ² 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]  ³ tn Heb “your name and your remembrance [is] the desire of [our?] being.”