Yesaya 33:23

33:23 Though at this time your ropes are slack, ¹ 

the mast is not secured, ² 

and the sail ³  is not unfurled,

at that time you will divide up a great quantity of loot; ⁴ 

even the lame will drag off plunder. ⁵ 

Yesaya 64:3-4

64:3 When you performed awesome deeds that took us by surprise, ⁶ 

you came down, and the mountains trembled ⁷  before you.

64:4 Since ancient times no one has heard or perceived, ⁸ 

no eye has seen any God besides you,

who intervenes for those who wait for him.

Yesaya 64:8-9

64:8 Yet, ⁹  Lord, you are our father.

We are the clay, and you are our potter;

we are all the product of your labor. ¹⁰ 

64:9 Lord, do not be too angry!

Do not hold our sins against us continually! ¹¹ 

Take a good look at your people, at all of us! ¹² 

Yesaya 64:11-12

64:11 Our holy temple, our pride and joy, ¹³ 

the place where our ancestors praised you,

has been burned with fire;

all our prized possessions have been destroyed. ¹⁴ 

64:12 In light of all this, ¹⁵  how can you still hold back, Lord?

How can you be silent and continue to humiliate us?

[33:23]  ¹ tn The words “though at this time” are supplied in the translation for clarification. The first half of the verse is addressed to Judah and contrasts the nation’s present weakness with its future prosperity. Judah is compared to a ship that is incapable of sailing.

[33:23]  ² tn Heb “they do not fasten the base of their mast.” On כֵּן (ken, “base”) see BDB 487 s.v. III כֵּן and HALOT 483 s.v. III כֵּן.

[33:23]  ³ tn Or perhaps, “flag.”

[33:23]  ⁴ tn Heb “then there will be divided up loot of plunder [in] abundance.”

[33:23]  ⁵ sn Judah’s victory over its enemies will be so thorough there will be more than enough plunder for everyone, even slow-moving lame men who would normally get left out in the rush to gather the loot.

[64:3]  ⁶ tn Heb “[for which] we were not waiting.”

[64:3]  ⁷ tn See the note at v. 1.

[64:4]  ⁸ tn Heb “from ancient times they have not heard, they have not listened.”

[64:8]  ⁹ tn On the force of וְעַתָּה (vÿ’attah) here, see HALOT 902 s.v. עַתָּה.

[64:8]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “the work of your hand.”

[64:9]  ¹¹ tn Heb “do not remember sin continually.”

[64:9]  ¹² tn Heb “Look, gaze at your people, all of us.” Another option is to translate, “Take a good look! We are all your people.”

[64:11]  ¹³ tn Heb “our source of pride.”

[64:11]  ¹⁴ tn Or “all that we valued has become a ruin.”

[64:12]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “because of these”; KJV, ASV “for these things.”