Yesaya 46:5
Konteks46:5 To whom can you compare and liken me?
Tell me whom you think I resemble, so we can be compared!
Yesaya 46:9-13
Konteks46:9 Remember what I accomplished in antiquity! 1
Truly I am God, I have no peer; 2
I am God, and there is none like me,
46:10 who announces the end from the beginning
and reveals beforehand 3 what has not yet occurred,
who says, ‘My plan will be realized,
I will accomplish what I desire,’
46:11 who summons an eagle 4 from the east,
from a distant land, one who carries out my plan.
Yes, I have decreed, 5
yes, I will bring it to pass;
I have formulated a plan,
yes, I will carry it out.
46:12 Listen to me, you stubborn people, 6
you who distance yourself from doing what is right. 7
46:13 I am bringing my deliverance near, it is not far away;
I am bringing my salvation near, 8 it does not wait.
I will save Zion; 9
I will adorn Israel with my splendor.” 10
Yesaya 46:1
KonteksNebo 12 bends low.
Their images weigh down animals and beasts. 13
Your heavy images are burdensome to tired animals. 14
Yesaya 12:1--14:32
Konteks12:1 At that time 15 you will say:
“I praise you, O Lord,
for even though you were angry with me,
your anger subsided, and you consoled me.
12:2 Look, God is my deliverer! 16
I will trust in him 17 and not fear.
For the Lord gives me strength and protects me; 18
he has become my deliverer.” 19
12:3 Joyfully you will draw water
from the springs of deliverance. 20
12:4 At that time 21 you will say:
“Praise the Lord!
Ask him for help! 22
Publicize his mighty acts among the nations!
Make it known that he is unique! 23
12:5 Sing to the Lord, for he has done magnificent things,
let this be known 24 throughout the earth!
12:6 Cry out and shout for joy, O citizens of Zion,
for the Holy One of Israel 25 acts mightily 26 among you!”
13:1 27 This is a message about Babylon that God revealed to Isaiah son of Amoz: 28
13:2 29 On a bare hill raise a signal flag,
shout to them,
wave your hand,
so they might enter the gates of the princes!
13:3 I have given orders to my chosen soldiers; 30
I have summoned the warriors through whom I will vent my anger, 31
my boasting, arrogant ones. 32
13:4 33 There is a loud noise on the mountains –
it sounds like a large army! 34
There is great commotion among the kingdoms 35 –
nations are being assembled!
The Lord who commands armies is mustering
forces for battle.
13:5 They come from a distant land,
from the horizon. 36
It is the Lord with his instruments of judgment, 37
coming to destroy the whole earth. 38
13:6 Wail, for the Lord’s day of judgment 39 is near;
it comes with all the destructive power of the sovereign judge. 40
13:7 For this reason all hands hang limp, 41
every human heart loses its courage. 42
13:8 They panic –
cramps and pain seize hold of them
like those of a woman who is straining to give birth.
They look at one another in astonishment;
their faces are flushed red. 43
13:9 Look, the Lord’s day of judgment 44 is coming;
it is a day of cruelty and savage, raging anger, 45
and annihilating its sinners.
13:10 Indeed the stars in the sky and their constellations
no longer give out their light; 48
the sun is darkened as soon as it rises,
and the moon does not shine. 49
13:11 50 I will punish the world for its evil, 51
and wicked people for their sin.
I will put an end to the pride of the insolent,
I will bring down the arrogance of tyrants. 52
13:12 I will make human beings more scarce than pure gold,
and people more scarce 53 than gold from Ophir.
13:13 So I will shake the heavens, 54
and the earth will shake loose from its foundation, 55
because of the fury of the Lord who commands armies,
in the day he vents his raging anger. 56
13:14 Like a frightened gazelle 57
or a sheep with no shepherd,
each will turn toward home, 58
each will run to his homeland.
13:15 Everyone who is caught will be stabbed;
everyone who is seized 59 will die 60 by the sword.
13:16 Their children will be smashed to pieces before their very eyes;
their houses will be looted
and their wives raped.
13:17 Look, I am stirring up the Medes to attack them; 61
they are not concerned about silver,
nor are they interested in gold. 62
13:18 Their arrows will cut young men to ribbons; 63
they have no compassion on a person’s offspring, 64
they will not 65 look with pity on children.
13:19 Babylon, the most admired 66 of kingdoms,
the Chaldeans’ source of honor and pride, 67
will be destroyed by God
just as Sodom and Gomorrah were. 68
13:20 No one will live there again;
no one will ever reside there again. 69
No bedouin 70 will camp 71 there,
no shepherds will rest their flocks 72 there.
13:21 Wild animals will rest there,
the ruined 73 houses will be full of hyenas. 74
Ostriches will live there,
wild goats will skip among the ruins. 75
13:22 Wild dogs will yip in her ruined fortresses,
jackals will yelp in the once-splendid palaces. 76
Her time is almost up, 77
her days will not be prolonged. 78
14:1 The Lord will certainly have compassion on Jacob; 79 he will again choose Israel as his special people 80 and restore 81 them to their land. Resident foreigners will join them and unite with the family 82 of Jacob. 14:2 Nations will take them and bring them back to their own place. Then the family of Jacob will make foreigners their servants as they settle in the Lord’s land. 83 They will make their captors captives and rule over the ones who oppressed them. 14:3 When the Lord gives you relief from your suffering and anxiety, 84 and from the hard labor which you were made to perform, 14:4 you will taunt the king of Babylon with these words: 85
“Look how the oppressor has met his end!
Hostility 86 has ceased!
14:5 The Lord has broken the club of the wicked,
the scepter of rulers.
14:6 It 87 furiously struck down nations
with unceasing blows. 88
It angrily ruled over nations,
oppressing them without restraint. 89
14:7 The whole earth rests and is quiet;
they break into song.
14:8 The evergreens also rejoice over your demise, 90
as do the cedars of Lebanon, singing, 91
‘Since you fell asleep, 92
no woodsman comes up to chop us down!’ 93
14:9 Sheol 94 below is stirred up about you,
ready to meet you when you arrive.
It rouses 95 the spirits of the dead for you,
all the former leaders of the earth; 96
it makes all the former kings of the nations
rise from their thrones. 97
14:10 All of them respond to you, saying:
‘You too have become weak like us!
You have become just like us!
14:11 Your splendor 98 has been brought down to Sheol,
as well as the sound of your stringed instruments. 99
You lie on a bed of maggots,
with a blanket of worms over you. 100
14:12 Look how you have fallen from the sky,
O shining one, son of the dawn! 101
You have been cut down to the ground,
O conqueror 102 of the nations! 103
14:13 You said to yourself, 104
“I will climb up to the sky.
Above the stars of El 105
I will set up my throne.
I will rule on the mountain of assembly
on the remote slopes of Zaphon. 106
14:14 I will climb up to the tops 107 of the clouds;
I will make myself like the Most High!” 108
14:15 But you were brought down 109 to Sheol,
to the remote slopes of the pit. 110
14:16 Those who see you stare at you,
they look at you carefully, thinking: 111
“Is this the man who shook the earth,
the one who made kingdoms tremble?
14:17 Is this the one who made the world like a desert,
who ruined its 112 cities,
and refused to free his prisoners so they could return home?”’ 113
14:18 114 As for all the kings of the nations,
all of them 115 lie down in splendor, 116
each in his own tomb. 117
14:19 But you have been thrown out of your grave
like a shoot that is thrown away. 118
You lie among 119 the slain,
among those who have been slashed by the sword,
among those headed for 120 the stones of the pit, 121
as if you were a mangled corpse. 122
14:20 You will not be buried with them, 123
because you destroyed your land
and killed your people.
The offspring of the wicked
will never be mentioned again.
14:21 Prepare to execute 124 his sons
for the sins their ancestors have committed. 125
They must not rise up and take possession of the earth,
or fill the surface of the world with cities.” 126
14:22 “I will rise up against them,”
says the Lord who commands armies.
“I will blot out all remembrance of Babylon and destroy all her people, 127
including the offspring she produces,” 128
says the Lord.
14:23 “I will turn her into a place that is overrun with wild animals 129
and covered with pools of stagnant water.
I will get rid of her, just as one sweeps away dirt with a broom,” 130
says the Lord who commands armies.
14:24 131 The Lord who commands armies makes this solemn vow:
“Be sure of this:
Just as I have intended, so it will be;
just as I have planned, it will happen.
14:25 I will break Assyria 132 in my land,
I will trample them 133 underfoot on my hills.
Their yoke will be removed from my people,
the burden will be lifted from their shoulders. 134
14:26 This is the plan I have devised for the whole earth;
my hand is ready to strike all the nations.” 135
14:27 Indeed, 136 the Lord who commands armies has a plan,
and who can possibly frustrate it?
His hand is ready to strike,
and who can possibly stop it? 137
14:28 In the year King Ahaz died, 138 this message was revealed: 139
14:29 Don’t be so happy, all you Philistines,
just because the club that beat you has been broken! 140
For a viper will grow out of the serpent’s root,
and its fruit will be a darting adder. 141
14:30 The poor will graze in my pastures; 142
the needy will rest securely.
But I will kill your root by famine;
it will put to death all your survivors. 143
14:31 Wail, O city gate!
Cry out, O city!
Melt with fear, 144 all you Philistines!
For out of the north comes a cloud of smoke,
and there are no stragglers in its ranks. 145
14:32 How will they respond to the messengers of this nation? 146
Indeed, the Lord has made Zion secure;
the oppressed among his people will find safety in her.
Yesaya 20:1--22:25
Konteks20:1 The Lord revealed the following message during the year in which King Sargon of Assyria sent his commanding general to Ashdod, and he fought against it and captured it. 147 20:2 At that time the Lord announced through 148 Isaiah son of Amoz: “Go, remove the sackcloth from your waist and take your sandals off your feet.” He did as instructed and walked around in undergarments 149 and barefoot. 20:3 Later the Lord explained, “In the same way that my servant Isaiah has walked around in undergarments and barefoot for the past three years, as an object lesson and omen pertaining to Egypt and Cush, 20:4 so the king of Assyria will lead away the captives of Egypt and the exiles of Cush, both young and old. They will be in undergarments and barefoot, with the buttocks exposed; the Egyptians will be publicly humiliated. 150 20:5 Those who put their hope in Cush and took pride in Egypt will be afraid and embarrassed. 151 20:6 At that time 152 those who live on this coast 153 will say, ‘Look what has happened to our source of hope to whom we fled for help, expecting to be rescued from the king of Assyria! How can we escape now?’”
21:1 Here is a message about the Desert by the Sea: 154
Like strong winds blowing in the south, 155
one invades from the desert,
from a land that is feared.
21:2 I have received a distressing message: 156
“The deceiver deceives,
the destroyer destroys.
Attack, you Elamites!
Lay siege, you Medes!
I will put an end to all the groaning!” 157
21:3 For this reason my stomach churns; 158
cramps overwhelm me
like the contractions of a woman in labor.
I am disturbed 159 by what I hear,
horrified by what I see.
I shake in fear; 161
the twilight I desired
has brought me terror.
21:5 Arrange the table,
lay out 162 the carpet,
eat and drink! 163
Get up, you officers,
smear oil on the shields! 164
21:6 For this is what the sovereign master 165 has told me:
“Go, post a guard!
He must report what he sees.
21:7 When he sees chariots,
teams of horses, 166
riders on donkeys,
riders on camels,
he must be alert,
very alert.”
21:8 Then the guard 167 cries out:
“On the watchtower, O sovereign master, 168
I stand all day long;
at my post
I am stationed every night.
21:9 Look what’s coming!
A charioteer,
a team of horses.” 169
When questioned, he replies, 170
“Babylon has fallen, fallen!
All the idols of her gods lie shattered on the ground!”
21:10 O my downtrodden people, crushed like stalks on the threshing floor, 171
what I have heard
from the Lord who commands armies,
the God of Israel,
I have reported to you.
21:11 Here is a message about Dumah: 172
Someone calls to me from Seir, 173
“Watchman, what is left of the night?
Watchman, what is left of the night?” 174
21:12 The watchman replies,
“Morning is coming, but then night. 175
If you want to ask, ask;
come back again.” 176
21:13 Here is a message about Arabia:
In the thicket of Arabia you spend the night,
you Dedanite caravans.
21:14 Bring out some water for the thirsty.
You who live in the land of Tema,
bring some food for the fugitives.
21:15 For they flee from the swords –
from the drawn sword
and from the battle-ready bow
and from the severity of the battle.
21:16 For this is what the sovereign master 177 has told me: “Within exactly one year 178 all the splendor of Kedar will come to an end. 21:17 Just a handful of archers, the warriors of Kedar, will be left.” 179 Indeed, 180 the Lord God of Israel has spoken.
22:1 Here is a message about the Valley of Vision: 181
What is the reason 182
that all of you go up to the rooftops?
22:2 The noisy city is full of raucous sounds;
the town is filled with revelry. 183
Your slain were not cut down by the sword;
they did not die in battle. 184
22:3 185 All your leaders ran away together –
they fled to a distant place;
all your refugees 186 were captured together –
they were captured without a single arrow being shot. 187
22:4 So I say:
“Don’t look at me! 188
I am weeping bitterly.
Don’t try 189 to console me
concerning the destruction of my defenseless people.” 190
22:5 For the sovereign master, 191 the Lord who commands armies,
has planned a day of panic, defeat, and confusion. 192
In the Valley of Vision 193 people shout 194
and cry out to the hill. 195
22:6 The Elamites picked up the quiver,
and came with chariots and horsemen; 196
the men of Kir 197 prepared 198 the shield. 199
22:7 Your very best valleys were full of chariots; 200
horsemen confidently took their positions 201 at the gate.
22:8 They 202 removed the defenses 203 of Judah.
At that time 204 you looked
for the weapons in the House of the Forest. 205
22:9 You saw the many breaks
in the walls of the city of David; 206
you stored up water in the lower pool.
22:10 You counted the houses in Jerusalem, 207
and demolished houses so you could have material to reinforce the wall. 208
22:11 You made a reservoir between the two walls
for the water of the old pool –
but you did not trust in 209 the one who made it; 210
you did not depend on 211 the one who formed it long ago!
22:12 At that time the sovereign master, the Lord who commands armies, called for weeping and mourning,
for shaved heads and sackcloth. 212
22:13 But look, there is outright celebration! 213
You say, “Kill the ox and slaughter the sheep,
eat meat and drink wine.
Eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!” 214
22:14 The Lord who commands armies told me this: 215 “Certainly this sin will not be forgiven as long as you live,” 216 says the sovereign master, the Lord who commands armies.
22:15 This is what the sovereign master, the Lord who commands armies, says:
“Go visit this administrator, Shebna, who supervises the palace, 217 and tell him: 218
22:16 ‘What right do you have to be here? What relatives do you have buried here? 219
Why 220 do you chisel out a tomb for yourself here?
He chisels out his burial site in an elevated place,
he carves out his tomb on a cliff.
22:17 Look, the Lord will throw you far away, 221 you mere man! 222
He will wrap you up tightly. 223
22:18 He will wind you up tightly into a ball
and throw you into a wide, open land. 224
There you will die,
and there with you will be your impressive chariots, 225
which bring disgrace to the house of your master. 226
22:19 I will remove you from 227 your office;
you will be thrown down 228 from your position.
22:20 “At that time 229 I will summon my servant Eliakim, son of Hilkiah. 22:21 I will put your robe on him, tie your belt around him, and transfer your authority to him. 230 He will become a protector of 231 the residents of Jerusalem and of the people 232 of Judah. 22:22 I will place the key 233 to the house of David on his shoulder. When he opens the door, no one can close it; when he closes the door, no one can open it. 22:23 I will fasten him like a peg into a solid place; 234 he will bring honor and respect to his father’s family. 235 22:24 His father’s family will gain increasing prominence because of him, 236 including the offspring and the offshoots. 237 All the small containers, including the bowls and all the jars will hang from this peg.’ 238
22:25 “At that time,” 239 says the Lord who commands armies, “the peg fastened into a solid place will come loose. It will be cut off and fall, and the load hanging on it will be cut off.” 240 Indeed, 241 the Lord has spoken.
[46:9] 1 tn Heb “remember the former things, from antiquity”; KJV, ASV “the former things of old.”
[46:9] 2 tn Heb “and there is no other” (so NASB, NIV, NRSV).
[46:10] 3 tn Or “from long ago”; KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV “from ancient times.”
[46:11] 4 tn Or, more generally, “a bird of prey” (so NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV; see 18:6).
[46:11] 5 tn Heb “spoken”; KJV “I have spoken it.”
[46:12] 6 tn Heb “strong of heart [or, mind]”; KJV “stouthearted”; NAB “fainthearted”; NIV “stubborn-hearted.”
[46:12] 7 tn Heb “who are far from righteousness [or perhaps, “deliverance”].”
[46:13] 8 tn Heb “my salvation.” The verb “I am bringing near” is understood by ellipsis (note the previous line).
[46:13] 9 tn Heb “I will place in Zion salvation”; NASB “I will grant salvation in Zion.”
[46:13] 10 tn Heb “to Israel my splendor”; KJV, ASV “for Israel my glory.”
[46:1] 11 sn Bel was the name of a Babylonian god. The name was originally associated with Enlil, but later was applied to Marduk. See HALOT 132 s.v. בֵּל.
[46:1] 12 sn Nebo is a variation of the name of the Babylonian god Nabu.
[46:1] 13 tn Heb “their images belong to animals and beasts”; NIV “their idols are borne by beasts of burden”; NLT “are being hauled away.”
[46:1] 14 tn Heb “your loads are carried [as] a burden by a weary [animal].”
[12:1] 15 tn Or “in that day” (KJV).
[12:2] 16 tn Or “salvation” (KJV, NIV, NRSV).
[12:2] 17 tn The words “in him” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
[12:2] 18 tc The Hebrew text has, “for my strength and protection [is] the Lord, the Lord (Heb “Yah, Yahweh).” The word יְהוָה (yehvah) is probably dittographic or explanatory here (note that the short form of the name [יָהּ, yah] precedes, and that the graphically similar וַיְהִי [vayÿhi] follows). Exod 15:2, the passage from which the words of v. 2b are taken, has only יָהּ. The word זִמְרָת (zimrat) is traditionally understood as meaning “song,” in which case one might translate, “for the Lord gives me strength and joy” (i.e., a reason to sing); note that in v. 5 the verb זָמַר (zamar, “sing”) appears. Many recent commentators, however, have argued that the noun is here instead a homonym, meaning “protection” or “strength.” See HALOT 274 s.v. III *זמר.
[12:2] 19 tn Or “salvation” (so many English versions, e.g., KJV, NIV, NRSV, NLT); NAB “my savior.”
[12:3] 20 tn Or “salvation” (so many English versions, e.g., KJV, NAB, NIV, NRSV, NLT); CEV “victory.”
[12:3] sn Water is here a metaphor for renewed life; the springs symbolize the restoration of God’s favor.
[12:4] 21 tn Or “in that day” (KJV).
[12:4] 22 tn Heb “call in his name,” i.e., “invoke his name.”
[12:4] 23 tn Heb “bring to remembrance that his name is exalted.” The Lord’s “name” stands here for his character and reputation.
[12:5] 24 tc The translation follows the marginal reading (Qere), which is a Hophal participle from יָדַע (yada’), understood here in a gerundive sense.
[12:6] 25 sn See the note on the phrase “the Holy One of Israel” in 1:4.
[12:6] 26 tn Or “is great” (TEV). However, the context emphasizes his mighty acts of deliverance (cf. NCV), not some general or vague character quality.
[13:1] 27 sn Isa 13-23 contains a series of judgment oracles against various nations. It is likely that Israel, not the nations mentioned, actually heard these oracles. The oracles probably had a twofold purpose. For those leaders who insisted on getting embroiled in international politics, these oracles were a reminder that Judah need not fear foreign nations or seek international alliances for security reasons. For the righteous remnant within the nation, these oracles were a reminder that Israel’s God was indeed the sovereign ruler of the earth, worthy of his people’s trust.
[13:1] 28 tn Heb “The message [traditionally, “burden”] [about] Babylon which Isaiah son of Amoz saw.”
[13:2] 29 sn The Lord is speaking here (see v. 3).
[13:3] 30 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] 31 tn Heb “my warriors with respect to my anger.”
[13:3] 32 tn Heb “the boasting ones of my pride”; cf. ASV, NASB, NRSV “my proudly exulting ones.”
[13:4] 33 sn In vv. 4-10 the prophet appears to be speaking, since the Lord is referred to in the third person. However, since the Lord refers to himself in the third person later in this chapter (see v. 13), it is possible that he speaks throughout the chapter.
[13:4] 34 tn Heb “a sound, a roar [is] on the mountains, like many people.”
[13:4] 35 tn Heb “a sound, tumult of kingdoms.”
[13:5] 36 tn Heb “from the end of the sky.”
[13:5] 37 tn Or “anger”; cf. KJV, ASV “the weapons of his indignation.”
[13:5] 38 tn Or perhaps, “land” (so KJV, NAB, NASB, NLT). Even though the heading and subsequent context (see v. 17) indicate Babylon’s judgment is in view, the chapter has a cosmic flavor that suggests that the coming judgment is universal in scope. Perhaps Babylon’s downfall occurs in conjunction with a wider judgment, or the cosmic style is poetic hyperbole used to emphasize the magnitude and importance of the coming event.
[13:6] 39 tn Heb “the day of the Lord” (so KJV, NAB).
[13:6] 40 tn Heb “like destruction from the sovereign judge it comes.” The comparative preposition (כְּ, kÿ) has here the rhetorical nuance, “in every way like.” The point is that the destruction unleashed will have all the earmarks of divine judgment. One could paraphrase, “it comes as only destructive divine judgment can.” On this use of the preposition in general, see GKC 376 §118.x.
[13:6] sn The divine name used here is שַׁדַּי (shaddai, “Shaddai”). Shaddai (or El Shaddai) is the sovereign king/judge of the world who grants life/blesses and kills/judges. In Genesis he blesses the patriarchs with fertility and promises numerous descendants. Outside Genesis he both blesses/protects and takes away life/happiness. The patriarchs knew God primarily as El Shaddai (Exod 6:3). While the origin and meaning of this name is uncertain (see discussion below) its significance is clear. The name is used in contexts where God appears as the source of fertility and life. In Gen 17:1-8 he appears to Abram, introduces himself as El Shaddai, and announces his intention to make the patriarch fruitful. In the role of El Shaddai God repeats these words (now elevated to the status of a decree) to Jacob (35:11). Earlier Isaac had pronounced a blessing upon Jacob in which he asked El Shaddai to make Jacob fruitful (28:3). Jacob later prays that his sons will be treated with mercy when they return to Egypt with Benjamin (43:14). The fertility theme is not as apparent here, though one must remember that Jacob viewed Benjamin as the sole remaining son of the favored and once-barren Rachel (cf. 29:31; 30:22-24; 35:16-18). It is quite natural that he would appeal to El Shaddai to preserve Benjamin’s life, for it was El Shaddai’s miraculous power which made it possible for Rachel to give him sons in the first place. In 48:3 Jacob, prior to blessing Joseph’s sons, tells him how El Shaddai appeared to him at Bethel (cf. chapter 28) and promised to make him fruitful. When blessing Joseph on his deathbed Jacob refers to Shaddai (we should probably read “El Shaddai,” along with a few Hebrew
[13:7] 41 tn Heb “drop”; KJV “be faint”; ASV “be feeble”; NAB “fall helpless.”
[13:7] 42 tn Heb “melts” (so NAB).
[13:8] 43 tn Heb “their faces are faces of flames.” Their faces are flushed with fear and embarrassment.
[13:9] 44 tn Heb “the day of the Lord.”
[13:9] 45 tn Heb “[with] cruelty, and fury, and rage of anger.” Three synonyms for “anger” are piled up at the end of the line to emphasize the extraordinary degree of divine anger that will be exhibited in this judgment.
[13:9] 46 tn Heb “making desolate.”
[13:9] 47 tn Or “land” (KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NLT).
[13:10] 48 tn Heb “do not flash forth their light.”
[13:10] 49 tn Heb “does not shed forth its light.”
[13:11] 50 sn The Lord is definitely speaking (again?) at this point. See the note at v. 4.
[13:11] 51 tn Or “I will bring disaster on the world.” Hebrew רָעָה (ra’ah) could refer to the judgment (i.e., disaster, calamity) or to the evil that prompts it. The structure of the parallel line favors the latter interpretation.
[13:11] 52 tn Or perhaps, “the violent”; cf. NASB, NIV “the ruthless.”
[13:12] 53 tn The verb is supplied in the translation from the first line. The verb in the first line (“I will make scarce”) does double duty in the parallel structure of the verse.
[13:13] 54 tn Or “the sky.” The Hebrew term שָׁמַיִם (shamayim) may be translated “heavens” or “sky” depending on the context.
[13:13] 55 tn Heb “from its place” (so NAB, NASB, NIV, NCV).
[13:13] 56 tn Heb “and in the day of the raging of his anger.”
[13:14] 57 tn Or “like a gazelle being chased.” The verb that introduces this verse serves as a discourse particle and is untranslated; see note on “in the future” in 2:2.
[13:14] 58 tn Heb “his people” (cf. KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV) or “his nation” (cf. TEV “their own countries”).
[13:15] 59 tn Heb “carried off,” i.e., grabbed from the fleeing crowd. See HALOT 764 s.v. ספה.
[13:15] 60 tn Heb “will fall” (so KJV, NIV, NRSV); NLT “will be run through with a sword.”
[13:17] 61 tn Heb “against them”; NLT “against Babylon.”
[13:17] 62 sn They cannot be bought off, for they have a lust for bloodshed.
[13:18] 63 tn Heb “and bows cut to bits young men.” “Bows” stands by metonymy for arrows.
[13:18] 64 tn Heb “the fruit of the womb.”
[13:18] 65 tn Heb “their eye does not.” Here “eye” is a metonymy for the whole person.
[13:19] 66 tn Or “most beautiful” (NCV, TEV).
[13:19] 67 tn Heb “the beauty of the pride of the Chaldeans.”
[13:19] sn The Chaldeans were a group of tribes who lived in southern Mesopotamia. The established the so-called neo-Babylonian empire in the late seventh century
[13:19] 68 tn Heb “and Babylon…will be like the overthrow by God of Sodom and Gomorrah.” On מַהְפֵּכַת (mahpekhat, “overthrow”) see the note on the word “destruction” in 1:7.
[13:20] 69 tn Heb “she will not be inhabited forever, and she will not be dwelt in to generation and generation (i.e., forever).” The Lord declares that Babylon, personified as a woman, will not be inhabited. In other words, her people will be destroyed and the Chaldean empire will come to a permanent end.
[13:20] 70 tn Or “Arab” (NAB, NASB, NIV); cf. CEV, NLT “nomads.”
[13:20] 71 tn יַהֵל (yahel) is probably a corrupted form of יֶאֱהַל (ye’ehal). See GKC 186 §68.k.
[13:20] 72 tn The words “their flocks” are supplied in the translation for clarification. The Hebrew text does not supply the object here, but see Jer 33:12.
[13:21] 73 tn The word “ruined” is supplied in the translation for clarification.
[13:21] 74 tn The precise referent of this word in uncertain. See HALOT 29 s.v. *אֹחַ. Various English versions translate as “owls” (e.g., NAB, NASB), “wild dogs” (NCV); “jackals” (NIV); “howling creatures” (NRSV, NLT).
[13:21] 75 tn Heb “will skip there.”
[13:22] 76 tc The Hebrew text reads literally, “wild dogs will yip among his widows, and jackals in the palaces of pleasure.” The verb “yip” is supplied in the second line; it does double duty in the parallel structure. “His widows” makes little sense in this context; many emend the form (אַלְמנוֹתָיו, ’almnotayv) to the graphically similar אַרְמְנוֹתֶיהָ (’armÿnoteha, “her fortresses”), a reading that is assumed in the present translation. The use of “widows” may represent an intentional wordplay on “fortresses,” indicating that the fortresses are like dejected widows (J. N. Oswalt, Isaiah [NICOT], 1:308, n. 1).
[13:22] 77 tn Heb “near to come is her time.”
[13:22] 78 sn When was the prophecy of Babylon’s fall fulfilled? Some argue that the prophecy was fulfilled in 689
[14:1] 79 tn The sentence begins with כִּי (ki), which is understood as asseverative (“certainly”) in the translation. Another option is to translate, “For the Lord will have compassion.” In this case one of the reasons for Babylon’s coming demise (13:22b) is the Lord’s desire to restore his people.
[14:1] 80 tn The words “as his special people” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
[14:1] 81 tn Or “settle” (NASB, NIV, NCV, NLT).
[14:2] 83 tn Heb “and the house of Jacob will take possession of them [i.e., the nations], on the land of the Lord, as male servants and female servants.”
[14:3] 84 tn The verb that introduces this verse serves as a discourse particle and is untranslated; see note on “in the future” in 2:2.
[14:4] 85 tn Heb “you will lift up this taunt over the king of Babylon, saying.”
[14:4] 86 tc The word in the Hebrew text (מַדְהֵבָה, madhevah) is unattested elsewhere and of uncertain meaning. Many (following the Qumran scroll 1QIsaa) assume a dalet-resh (ד-ר) confusion and emend the form to מַרְהֵבָה (marhevah, “onslaught”). See HALOT 548 s.v. II *מִדָּה and HALOT 633 s.v. *מַרְהֵבָה.
[14:6] 87 tn Or perhaps, “he” (cf. KJV; NCV “the king of Babylon”). The present translation understands the referent of the pronoun (“it”) to be the “club/scepter” of the preceding line.
[14:6] 88 tn Heb “it was striking down nations in fury [with] a blow without ceasing.” The participle (“striking down”) suggests repeated or continuous action in past time.
[14:6] 89 tn Heb “it was ruling in anger nations [with] oppression without restraint.” The participle (“ruling”) suggests repeated or continuous action in past time.
[14:8] 90 tn Heb “concerning you.”
[14:8] 91 tn The word “singing” is supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons. Note that the personified trees speak in the second half of the verse.
[14:8] 92 tn Heb “lay down” (in death); cf. NAB “laid to rest.”
[14:8] 93 tn Heb “the [wood]cutter does not come up against us.”
[14:9] 94 sn Sheol is the proper name of the subterranean world which was regarded as the land of the dead.
[14:9] 95 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] 96 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] 97 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.
[14:11] 98 tn Or “pride” (NCV, CEV); KJV, NIV, NRSV “pomp.”
[14:11] 99 tn Or “harps” (NAB, NIV, NRSV).
[14:11] 100 tn Heb “under you maggots are spread out, and worms are your cover.”
[14:12] 101 tn The Hebrew text has הֵילֵל בֶּן־שָׁחַר (helel ben-shakhar, “Helel son of Shachar”), which is probably a name for the morning star (Venus) or the crescent moon. See HALOT 245 s.v. הֵילֵל.
[14:12] sn What is the background for the imagery in vv. 12-15? This whole section (vv. 4b-21) is directed to the king of Babylon, who is clearly depicted as a human ruler. Other kings of the earth address him in vv. 9ff., he is called “the man” in v. 16, and, according to vv. 19-20, he possesses a physical body. Nevertheless the language of vv. 12-15 has led some to see a dual referent in the taunt song. These verses, which appear to be spoken by other pagan kings to a pagan king (cf. vv. 9-11), contain several titles and motifs that resemble those of Canaanite mythology, including references to Helel son of Shachar, the stars of El, the mountain of assembly, the recesses of Zaphon, and the divine title Most High. Apparently these verses allude to a mythological story about a minor god (Helel son of Shachar) who tried to take over Zaphon, the mountain of the gods. His attempted coup failed and he was hurled down to the underworld. The king of Babylon is taunted for having similar unrealized delusions of grandeur. Some Christians have seen an allusion to the fall of Satan here, but this seems contextually unwarranted (see J. Martin, “Isaiah,” BKCOT, 1061).
[14:12] 102 tn Some understand the verb to from חָלַשׁ (khalash, “to weaken”), but HALOT 324 s.v. II חלשׁ proposes a homonym here, meaning “to defeat.”
[14:12] 103 sn In this line the taunting kings hint at the literal identity of the king, after likening him to the god Helel and a tree. The verb גָדַע (gada’, “cut down”) is used of chopping down trees in 9:10 and 10:33.
[14:13] 104 tn Heb “you, you said in your heart.”
[14:13] 105 sn In Canaanite mythology the stars of El were astral deities under the authority of the high god El.
[14:13] 106 sn Zaphon, the Canaanite version of Olympus, was the “mountain of assembly” where the gods met.
[14:14] 107 tn Heb “the high places.” This word often refers to the high places where pagan worship was conducted, but here it probably refers to the “backs” or tops of the clouds. See HALOT 136 s.v. בָּמָה.
[14:14] 108 sn Normally in the OT the title “Most High” belongs to the God of Israel, but in this context, where the mythological overtones are so strong, it probably refers to the Canaanite high god El.
[14:15] 109 tn The prefixed verb form is taken as a preterite. Note the use of perfects in v. 12 to describe the king’s downfall.
[14:15] 110 tn The Hebrew term בּוּר (bor, “cistern”) is sometimes used metaphorically to refer to the place of the dead or the entrance to the underworld.
[14:16] 111 tn The word “thinking” is supplied in the translation in order to make it clear that the next line records their thoughts as they gaze at him.
[14:17] 112 tc The pronominal suffix is masculine, even though its antecedent appears to be the grammatically feminine noun “world.” Some have suggested that the form עָרָיו (’arayv, plural noun with third masculine singular suffix) should be emended to עָרֶיהָ (’areha, plural noun with third feminine singular suffix). This emendation may be unnecessary in light of other examples of lack of agreement a suffix and its antecedent noun.
[14:17] 113 tn Heb “and his prisoners did not let loose to [their] homes.” This really means, “he did not let loose his prisoners and send them back to their homes.’ On the elliptical style, see GKC 366 §117.o.
[14:18] 114 sn It is unclear where the quotation of the kings, begun in v. 10b, ends. However, the reference to the “kings of the nations” in v. 18 (see also v. 9) seems to indicate that the quotation has ended at this point and that Israel’s direct taunt (cf. vv. 4b-10a) has resumed. In fact the references to the “kings of the nations” may form a stylistic inclusio or frame around the quotation.
[14:18] 115 tc The phrase “all of them” does not appear in the Qumran scroll 1QIsaa.
[14:18] 116 sn This refers to the typically extravagant burial of kings.
[14:18] 117 tn Heb “house” (so KJV, ASV), but in this context a tomb is in view. Note the verb “lie down” in the preceding line and the reference to a “grave” in the next line.
[14:19] 118 tn Heb “like a shoot that is abhorred.” The simile seems a bit odd; apparently it refers to a small shoot that is trimmed from a plant and tossed away. Some prefer to emend נֵצֶר (netser, “shoot”); some propose נֵפֶל (nefel, “miscarriage”). In this case one might paraphrase: “like a horrible-looking fetus that is delivered when a woman miscarries.”
[14:19] 119 tn Heb “are clothed with.”
[14:19] 120 tn Heb “those going down to.”
[14:19] 121 tn בּוֹר (bor) literally means “cistern”; cisterns were constructed from stones. On the metaphorical use of “cistern” for the underworld, see the note at v. 15.
[14:19] 122 tn Heb “like a trampled corpse.” Some take this line with what follows.
[14:20] 123 tn Heb “you will not be united with them in burial” (so NASB).
[14:21] 124 tn Or “the place of slaughter for.”
[14:21] 125 tn Heb “for the sin of their fathers.”
[14:21] 126 sn J. N. Oswalt (Isaiah [NICOT], 1:320, n. 10) suggests that the garrison cities of the mighty empire are in view here.
[14:22] 127 tn Heb “I will cut off from Babylon name and remnant” (ASV, NAB, and NRSV all similar).
[14:22] 128 tn Heb “descendant and child.”
[14:23] 129 tn Heb “I will make her into a possession of wild animals.” It is uncertain what type of animal קִפֹּד (qippod) refers to. Some suggest a rodent (cf. NASB, NRSV “hedgehog”), others an owl (cf, NAB, NIV, TEV).
[14:23] 130 tn Heb “I will sweep her away with the broom of destruction.”
[14:24] 131 sn Having announced the downfall of the Chaldean empire, the Lord appends to this prophecy a solemn reminder that the Assyrians, the major Mesopotamian power of Isaiah’s day, would be annihilated, foreshadowing what would subsequently happen to Babylon and the other hostile nations.
[14:25] 132 tn Heb “to break Assyria.”
[14:25] 133 tn Heb “him.” This is a collective singular referring to the nation, or a reference to the king of Assyria who by metonymy stands for the entire nation.
[14:25] 134 tn Heb “and his [i.e., Assyria’s] yoke will be removed from them [the people?], and his [Assyria’s] burden from his [the nation’s?] shoulder will be removed.” There are no antecedents in this oracle for the suffixes in the phrases “from them” and “from his shoulder.” Since the Lord’s land and hills are referred to in the preceding line and the statement seems to echo 10:27, it is likely that God’s people are the referents of the suffixes; the translation uses “my people” to indicate this.
[14:26] 135 tn Heb “and this is the hand that is outstretched over all the nations.”
[14:27] 136 tn Or “For” (KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV).
[14:27] 137 tn Heb “His hand is outstretched and who will turn it back?”
[14:28] 138 sn Perhaps 715
[14:28] 139 tn Heb “this oracle came.”
[14:29] 140 sn The identity of this “club” (also referred to as a “serpent” in the next line) is uncertain. It may refer to an Assyrian king, or to Ahaz. For discussion see J. N. Oswalt, Isaiah (NICOT), 1:331-32. The viper/adder referred to in the second half of the verse is his successor.
[14:29] 141 tn Heb “flying burning one.” The designation “burning one” may allude to the serpent’s appearance or the effect of its poisonous bite. (See the note at 6:2.) The qualifier “flying” probably refers to the serpent’s quick, darting movements, though one might propose a homonym here, meaning “biting.” (See J. N. Oswalt, Isaiah [NICOT], 1:332, n. 18.) Some might think in terms of a mythological flying, fire breathing dragon (cf. NAB “a flying saraph”; CEV “a flying fiery dragon”), but this proposal does not make good sense in 30:6, where the phrase “flying burning one” appears again in a list of desert animals.
[14:30] 142 tc The Hebrew text has, “the firstborn of the poor will graze.” “Firstborn” may be used here in an idiomatic sense to indicate the very poorest of the poor. See BDB 114 s.v. בְּכוֹר. The translation above assumes an emendation of בְּכוֹרֵי (bÿkhorey, “firstborn of”) to בְּכָרַי (bekharay, “in my pastures”).
[14:30] 143 tn Heb “your remnant” (so NAB, NRSV).
[14:31] 144 tn Or “despair” (see HALOT 555 s.v. מוג). The form נָמוֹג (namog) should be taken here as an infinitive absolute functioning as an imperative. See GKC 199-200 §72.v.
[14:31] 145 tn Heb “and there is no one going alone in his appointed places.” The meaning of this line is uncertain. בּוֹדֵד (boded) appears to be a participle from בָּדַד (badad, “be separate”; see BDB 94 s.v. בָּדַד). מוֹעָד (mo’ad) may mean “assembly” or, by extension, “multitude” (see HALOT 558 s.v. *מוֹעָד), but the referent of the third masculine pronominal suffix attached to the noun is unclear. It probably refers to the “nation” mentioned in the next line.
[14:32] 146 sn The question forces the Philistines to consider the dilemma they will face – surrender and oppression, or battle and death.
[20:1] 147 tn Heb “In the year the commanding general came to Ashdod, when Sargon king of Assyria sent him, and he fought against Ashdod and captured it.”
[20:1] sn This probably refers to the Assyrian campaign against Philistia in 712 or 711
[20:2] 148 tn Heb “spoke by the hand of.”
[20:2] 149 tn The word used here (עָרוֹם, ’arom) sometimes means “naked,” but here it appears to mean simply “lightly dressed,” i.e., stripped to one’s undergarments. See HALOT 883 s.v. עָרוֹם. The term also occurs in vv. 3, 4.
[20:4] 150 tn Heb “lightly dressed and barefoot, and bare with respect to the buttocks, the nakedness of Egypt.”
[20:5] 151 tn Heb “and they will be afraid and embarrassed because of Cush their hope and Egypt their beauty.”
[20:6] 152 tn Heb “in that day” (so KJV).
[20:6] 153 sn This probably refers to the coastal region of Philistia (cf. TEV).
[21:1] 154 sn The phrase is quite cryptic, at least to the modern reader. Verse 9 seems to indicate that this message pertains to Babylon. Southern Mesopotamia was known as the Sealand in ancient times, because of its proximity to the Persian Gulf. Perhaps the reference to Babylon as a “desert” foreshadows the destruction that would overtake the city, making it like a desolate desert.
[21:1] 155 tn Or “in the Negev” (NASB).
[21:2] 156 tn Heb “a severe revelation has been related to me.”
[21:2] 157 sn This is often interpreted to mean “all the groaning” that Babylon has caused others.
[21:3] 158 tn Heb “my waist is filled with shaking [or “anguish”].”
[21:3] 159 tn Or perhaps, “bent over [in pain]”; cf. NRSV “I am bowed down.”
[21:4] 160 tn Heb “wanders,” perhaps here, “is confused.”
[21:4] 161 tn Heb “shuddering terrifies me.”
[21:5] 162 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] 163 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] 164 sn Smearing the shields with oil would make them more flexible and effective in battle. See J. N. Oswalt, Isaiah (NICOT), 1:394.
[21:6] 165 tn The Hebrew term translated “sovereign master” here and in vv. 8, 16 is אֲדֹנָי (’adonay).
[21:7] 166 tn Or “a pair of horsemen.”
[21:8] 167 tn The Hebrew text has, “the lion,” but this makes little sense here. אַרְיֵה (’aryeh, “lion”) is probably a corruption of an original הָרֹאֶה (haro’eh, “the one who sees”), i.e., the guard mentioned previously in v. 6.
[21:8] 168 tn The Hebrew term translated “sovereign master” here is אֲדֹנָי (’adonay). Some translations take this to refer to the Lord (cf. NAB, NASB, NRSV), while others take it to refer to the guard’s human master (“my lord”; cf. NIV, NLT).
[21:9] 169 tn Or “[with] teams of horses,” or perhaps, “with a pair of horsemen.”
[21:9] 170 tn Heb “and he answered and said” (so KJV, ASV).
[21:10] 171 tn Heb “My trampled one, and the son of the threshing floor.”
[21:11] 172 tn The noun דּוּמָה (dumah) means “silence,” but here it is a proper name, probably referring to a site in northern Arabia or to the nation of Edom. See BDB 189 s.v. II דּוּמָה. If Dumah was an area in northern Arabia, it would be of interest to the Edomites because of its strategic position on trade routes which they used. See J. N. Oswalt, Isaiah (NICOT), 1:398.
[21:11] 173 sn Seir is another name for Edom. See BDB 973 s.v. שֵׂעִיר.
[21:11] 174 sn The “night” probably here symbolizes distress and difficult times. See BDB 539 s.v. לַיְלָה.
[21:12] 175 sn Dumah will experience some relief, but it will be short-lived as night returns.
[21:12] 176 sn The point of the watchman’s final instructions (“if you want to ask, ask; come again”) is unclear. Perhaps they are included to add realism to the dramatic portrayal. The watchman sends the questioner away with the words, “Feel free to come back and ask again.”
[21:16] 177 tn The Hebrew term translated “sovereign master” here is אֲדֹנָי (’adonay).
[21:16] 178 tn Heb “in still a year, like the years of a hired worker.” See the note at 16:14.
[21:17] 179 tn Heb “and the remnant of the number of the bow, the mighty men of the sons of Kedar, will be few.”
[21:17] 180 tn Or “for” (KJV, ASV, NAB, NASB, NRSV).
[22:1] 181 sn The following message pertains to Jerusalem. The significance of referring to the city as the Valley of Vision is uncertain. Perhaps the Hinnom Valley is in view, but why it is associated with a prophetic revelatory “vision” is not entirely clear. Maybe the Hinnom Valley is called this because the destruction that will take place there is the focal point of this prophetic message (see v. 5).
[22:1] 182 tn Heb “What to you, then?”
[22:2] 183 tn Heb “the boisterous town.” The phrase is parallel to “the noisy city” in the preceding line.
[22:2] 184 sn Apparently they died from starvation during the siege that preceded the final conquest of the city. See J. N. Oswalt, Isaiah (NICOT), 1:409.
[22:3] 185 tn Verse 3 reads literally, “All your leaders ran away, apart from a bow they were captured, all your found ones were captured together, to a distant place they fled.” J. N. Oswalt (Isaiah [NICOT], 1:403, n. 3) suggests that the lines of the verse are arranged chiastically; lines 1 and 4 go together, while lines 2 and 3 are parallel. To translate the lines in the order they appear in the Hebrew text is misleading to the English reader, who is likely unfamiliar with, or at least insensitive to, chiastic parallelism. Consequently, the translation above arranges the lines as follows: line 1 (Hebrew) = line 1 (in translation); line 2 (Hebrew) = line 4 (in translation); line 3 (Hebrew) = line 3 (in translation); line 4 (Hebrew) = line 2 (in translation).
[22:3] 186 tn Heb “all your found ones.” To achieve tighter parallelism (see “your leaders”) some prefer to emend the form to אַמִּיצַיִךְ (’ammitsayikh, “your strong ones”) or to נֶאֱמָצַיִךְ (ne’ematsayikh, “your strengthened ones”).
[22:3] 187 tn Heb “apart from [i.e., without] a bow they were captured”; cf. NAB, NRSV “without the use of a bow.”
[22:4] 188 tn Heb “look away from me” (so KJV, ASV, NRSV).
[22:4] 189 tn Heb “don’t hurry” (so NCV).
[22:4] 190 tn Heb “the daughter of my people.” “Daughter” is here used metaphorically to express the speaker’s emotional attachment to his people, as well as their vulnerability and weakness.
[22:5] 191 tn The Hebrew term translated “sovereign master” here and in vv. 12, 14, 15 is אֲדֹנָי (’adonay).
[22:5] 192 tn Heb “For [there is] a day of panic, and trampling, and confusion for the master, the Lord who commands armies [traditionally, the Lord of hosts].”
[22:5] 193 tn The traditional accentuation of the Hebrew text suggests that this phrase goes with what precedes.
[22:5] 194 tn The precise meaning of this statement is unclear. Some take קִר (qir) as “wall” and interpret the verb to mean “tear down.” However, tighter parallelism (note the reference to crying for help in the next line) is achieved if one takes both the verb and noun from a root, attested in Ugaritic and Arabic, meaning “make a sound.” See J. N. Oswalt, Isaiah (NICOT), 1:404, n. 5.
[22:5] 195 sn Perhaps “the hill” refers to the temple mount.
[22:6] 196 tn Heb “[with] the chariots of men, horsemen.”
[22:6] 197 sn A distant region in the direction of Mesopotamia; see Amos 1:5; 9:7.
[22:6] 198 tn Heb “Kir uncovers” (so NAB, NIV).
[22:6] 199 sn The Elamites and men of Kir may here symbolize a fierce army from a distant land. If this oracle anticipates a Babylonian conquest of the city (see 39:5-7), then the Elamites and men of Kir are perhaps viewed here as mercenaries in the Babylonian army. See J. N. Oswalt, Isaiah (NICOT), 1:410.
[22:7] 200 tn The verb that introduces this verse serves as a discourse particle and is untranslated; see note on “in the future” in 2:2.
[22:7] 201 tn Heb “taking a stand, take their stand.” The infinitive absolute emphasizes the following finite verb. The translation attempts to bring out this emphasis with the adverb “confidently.”
[22:8] 202 tn Heb “he,” i.e., the enemy invader. NASB, by its capitalization of the pronoun, takes this to refer to the Lord.
[22:8] 204 tn Heb “in that day” (so KJV), likewise at the beginning of v. 12.
[22:8] 205 sn Perhaps this refers to a royal armory, or to Solomon’s “House of the Forest of Lebanon,” where weapons may have been kept (see 1 Kgs 10:16-17).
[22:9] 206 tn Heb “the breaks of the city of David, you saw that they were many.”
[22:10] 207 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[22:10] 208 tn Heb “you demolished the houses to fortify the wall.”
[22:11] 209 tn Heb “look at”; NAB, NRSV “did not look to.”
[22:11] 210 tn The antecedent of the third feminine singular suffix here and in the next line is unclear. The closest feminine noun is “pool” in the first half of the verse. Perhaps this “old pool” symbolizes the entire city, which had prospered because of God’s provision and protection through the years.
[22:11] 211 tn Heb “did not see.”
[22:12] 212 tn Heb “for baldness and the wearing of sackcloth.” See the note at 15:2.
[22:13] 213 tn Heb “happiness and joy.”
[22:13] 214 tn The prophet here quotes what the fatalistic people are saying. The introductory “you say” is supplied in the translation for clarification; the concluding verb “we die” makes it clear the people are speaking. The six verbs translated as imperatives are actually infinitives absolute, functioning here as finite verbs.
[22:14] 215 tn Heb “it was revealed in my ears [by?] the Lord who commands armies [traditionally, the Lord of hosts].”
[22:14] 216 tn Heb “Certainly this sin will not be atoned for until you die.” This does not imply that their death will bring atonement; rather it emphasizes that their sin is unpardonable. The statement has the form of an oath.
[22:15] 217 tn Heb “who is over the house” (so ASV); NASB “who is in charge of the royal household.”
[22:15] 218 tn The words “and tell him” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
[22:16] 219 tn Heb “What to you here? And who to you here?” The point of the second question is not entirely clear. The interpretation reflected in the translation is based on the following context, which suggests that Shebna has no right to think of himself so highly and arrange such an extravagant burial place for himself.
[22:16] 220 tn Heb “that you chisel out.”
[22:17] 221 tn Heb “will throw you with a throwing.”
[22:17] 222 tn Heb “O man” (so NASB); NAB “mortal man”; NRSV “my fellow.”
[22:17] 223 tn Heb “and the one who wraps you [will] wrap.”
[22:18] 224 tn Heb “and he will tightly [or “surely”] wind you [with] winding like a ball, to a land broad of hands [i.e., “sides”].”
[22:18] 225 tn Heb “and there the chariots of your splendor.”
[22:18] 226 sn Apparently the reference to chariots alludes to Shebna’s excessive pride, which in turn brings disgrace to the royal family.
[22:19] 227 tn Heb “I will push you away from.”
[22:19] 228 tn Heb “he will throw you down.” The shift from the first to third person is peculiar and abrupt, but certainly not unprecedented in Hebrew poetry. See GKC 462 §144.p. The third person may be indefinite (“one will throw you down”), in which case the passive translation is justified.
[22:20] 229 tn Or “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.
[22:21] 230 tn Heb “and your dominion I will place in his hand.”
[22:21] 231 tn Heb “a father to.” The Hebrew term אָב (’av, “father”) is here used metaphorically of one who protects and supports those under his care and authority, like a father does his family. For another example of this metaphorical use of the word, see Job 29:16.
[22:22] 233 sn This may refer to a literal insignia worn by the chief administrator. Even so, it would still symbolize the administrator’s authority to grant or exclude access to the king. See J. N. Oswalt, Isaiah (NICOT), 1:422.
[22:23] 234 sn The metaphor depicts how secure his position will be.
[22:23] 235 tn Heb “and he will become a glorious throne for the house of his father.”
[22:24] 236 tn Heb “and all the glory of the house of his father they will hang on him.” The Lord returns to the peg metaphor of v. 23a. Eliakim’s secure position of honor will bring benefits and jobs to many others in the family.
[22:24] 237 tn The precise meaning and derivation of this word are uncertain. Cf. KJV, ASV, NRSV “the issue”; CEV “relatives.”
[22:24] 238 tn Heb “all the small vessels, from the vessels that are bowls to all the vessels that are jars.” The picture is that of a single peg holding the weight of all kinds of containers hung from it.
[22:25] 239 tn Or “In that day” (KJV).
[22:25] 240 sn Eliakim’s authority, though seemingly secure, will eventually be removed, and with it his family’s prominence.
