Yesaya 24:16

24:16 From the ends of the earth we ¹  hear songs –

the Just One is majestic. ² 

But I ³  say, “I’m wasting away! I’m wasting away! I’m doomed!

Deceivers deceive, deceivers thoroughly deceive!” ⁴ 

Yesaya 24:23

24:23 The full moon will be covered up, ⁵ 

the bright sun ⁶  will be darkened; ⁷ 

for the Lord who commands armies will rule ⁸ 

on Mount Zion in Jerusalem ⁹ 

in the presence of his assembly, in majestic splendor. ¹⁰ 

[24:16]  ¹ 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]  ² 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]  ³ sn The prophet seems to contradict what he hears the group saying. Their words are premature because more destruction is coming.

[24:16]  ⁴ 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.

[24:23]  ⁵ tn Heb “will be ashamed.”

[24:23]  ⁶ tn Or “glow of the sun.”

[24:23]  ⁷ tn Heb “will be ashamed” (so NCV).

[24:23]  ⁸ tn Or “take his throne,” “become king.”

[24:23]  ⁹ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[24:23]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “and before his elders [in] splendor.”