Yesaya 7:7

7:7 For this reason the sovereign master, ¹  the Lord, says:

“It will not take place;

it will not happen.

Yesaya 11:5

11:5 Justice will be like a belt around his waist,

integrity will be like a belt around his hips. ² 

Yesaya 24:17

24:17 Terror, pit, and snare

are ready to overtake you inhabitants of the earth! ³ 

Yesaya 35:3

35:3 Strengthen the hands that have gone limp,

steady the knees that shake! ⁴ 

[7:7]  ¹ tn The Hebrew term translated “sovereign master” here and in vv. 14, 19 is אֲדֹנָי (’adonay).

[11:5]  ² tn Heb “Justice will be the belt [or “undergarment”] on his waist, integrity the belt [or “undergarment”] on his hips.” The point of the metaphor is uncertain. If a belt worn outside the robe is in view, then the point might be that justice/integrity will be readily visible or that these qualities will give support to his rule. If an undergarment is in view, then the idea might be that these characteristics support his rule or that they are basic to everything else.

[24:17]  ³ tn Heb “[are] upon you, O inhabitant of the earth.” The first line of v. 17 provides another classic example of Hebrew wordplay. The names of the three instruments of judgment (פָח,פַחַת,פַּחַד [pakhad, fakhat, fakh]) all begin with the letters פח (peh-khet) and the first two end in dental consonants (ת/ד, tet/dalet). Once again the repetition of sound draws attention to the statement and contributes to the theme of the inescapability of judgment. As their similar-sounding names suggest, terror, pit, and snare are allies in destroying the objects of divine wrath.

[35:3]  ⁴ tn Heb “staggering knees”; KJV, ASV, NRSV “feeble knees”; NIV “knees that give way.”