Yesaya 26:10

26:10 If the wicked are shown mercy,

they do not learn about justice. ¹ 

Even in a land where right is rewarded, they act unjustly; ² 

they do not see the Lord’s majesty revealed.

Yesaya 28:19

28:19 Whenever it sweeps by, it will overtake you;

indeed, ³  every morning it will sweep by,

it will come through during the day and the night.” ⁴ 

When this announcement is understood,

it will cause nothing but terror.

Yesaya 29:9

God’s People are Spiritually Insensitive

29:9 You will be shocked and amazed! ⁵ 

You are totally blind! ⁶ 

They are drunk, ⁷  but not because of wine;

they stagger, ⁸  but not because of beer.

Yesaya 40:15

40:15 Look, the nations are like a drop in a bucket;

they are regarded as dust on the scales.

He lifts ⁹  the coastlands ¹⁰  as if they were dust.

Yesaya 45:3

45:3 I will give you hidden treasures, ¹¹ 

riches stashed away in secret places,

so you may recognize that I am the Lord,

the one who calls you by name, the God of Israel.

[26:10]  ¹ tn As in verse 9b, 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, “they do not learn to live in a righteous manner.”

[26:10]  ² tn Heb “in a land of uprightness they act unjustly”; NRSV “they deal perversely.”

[28:19]  ³ tn Or “for” (KJV, ASV, NASB, NRSV).

[28:19]  ⁴ tn The words “it will come through” are supplied in the translation. The verb “will sweep by” does double duty in the parallel structure.

[29:9]  ⁵ tn The form הִתְמַהְמְהוּ (hitmahmÿhu) is a Hitpalpel imperative from מָהַהּ (mahah, “hesitate”). If it is retained, one might translate “halt and be amazed.” The translation assumes an emendation to הִתַּמְּהוּ (hittammÿhu), a Hitpael imperative from תָּמַה (tamah, “be amazed”). In this case, the text, like Hab 1:5, combines the Hitpael and Qal imperatival forms of תָּמַה (tamah). A literal translation might be “Shock yourselves and be shocked!” The repetition of sound draws attention to the statement. The imperatives here have the force of an emphatic assertion. On this use of the imperative in Hebrew, see GKC 324 §110.c and IBHS 572 §34.4c.

[29:9]  ⁶ tn Heb “Blind yourselves and be blind!” The Hitpalpel and Qal imperatival forms of שָׁעַע (sha’a’, “be blind”) are combined to draw attention to the statement. The imperatives have the force of an emphatic assertion.

[29:9]  ⁷ tc Some prefer to emend the perfect form of the verb to an imperative (e.g., NAB, NCV, NRSV), since the people are addressed in the immediately preceding and following contexts.

[29:9]  ⁸ tc Some prefer to emend the perfect form of the verb to an imperative (e.g., NAB, NCV, NRSV), since the people are addressed in the immediately preceding and following contexts.

[40:15]  ⁹ tn Or “weighs” (NIV); NLT “picks up.”

[40:15]  ¹⁰ tn Or “islands” (NASB, NIV, NLT).

[45:3]  ¹¹ tn Heb “treasures of darkness” (KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV); TEV “treasures from dark, secret places.”