Yesaya 49:8

49:8 This is what the Lord says:

“At the time I decide to show my favor, I will respond to you;

in the day of deliverance I will help you;

I will protect you ¹  and make you a covenant mediator for people, ² 

to rebuild ³  the land ⁴ 

and to reassign the desolate property.

Yesaya 56:6

56:6 As for foreigners who become followers of ⁵  the Lord and serve him,

who love the name of the Lord and want to be his servants –

all who observe the Sabbath and do not defile it,

and who are faithful to ⁶  my covenant –

Yesaya 59:10

59:10 We grope along the wall like the blind,

we grope like those who cannot see; ⁷ 

we stumble at noontime as if it were evening.

Though others are strong, we are like dead men. ⁸ 

[49:8]  ¹ tn The translation assumes the verb is derived from the root נָצָר (natsar, “protect”). Some prefer to derive it from the root יָצָר (yatsar, “form”).

[49:8]  ² tn Heb “a covenant of people.” A person cannot literally be a covenant; בְּרִית (bÿrit) is probably metonymic here, indicating a covenant mediator. Here עָם (’am, “people”) appears to refer to Israel. See the note at 42:6.

[49:8]  ³ tn The Hiphil of קוּם (qum, “arise”) is probably used here in the sense of “rebuild.”

[49:8]  ⁴ tn The “land” probably stands by metonymy for the ruins within it.

[56:6]  ⁵ tn Heb “who attach themselves to.”

[56:6]  ⁶ tn Heb “and take hold of”; NAB “hold to”; NIV, NRSV “hold fast.”

[59:10]  ⁷ tn Heb “like there are no eyes.”

[59:10]  ⁸ tn Heb among the strong, like dead men.”