Isaiah 56-58

New English Translation

Footnotes

1. Isaiah 56:1 tn Heb “guard”; KJV “Keep”; NAB “Observe”; NASB “Preserve”; NIV, NRSV “Maintain.”
2. Isaiah 56:1 tn Heb “for near is my deliverance to enter, and my vindication [or “righteousness”] to be revealed.”
3. Isaiah 56:2 tn Heb “blessed is the man who does this.”
4. Isaiah 56:2 tn Heb “the son of mankind who takes hold of it.”
5. Isaiah 56:2 tn Heb and who keeps his hand from doing any evil.”
6. Isaiah 56:3 tn Heb “who attaches himself to.”
7. Isaiah 56:3 tn The infinitive absolute precedes the finite verb for emphasis.
8. Isaiah 56:4 tn Heb “and take hold of” (so KJV); NASB “hold fast.”
9. Isaiah 56:5 tn Heb “a hand and a name.” For other examples where יָד (yad) refers to a monument, see HALOT 388 s.v.
10. Isaiah 56:5 tn Heb “name” (so KJV, NIV, NRSV).
11. Isaiah 56:6 tn Heb “who attach themselves to.”
12. Isaiah 56:6 tn Heb “and take hold of”; NAB “hold to”; NIV, NRSV “hold fast.”
13. Isaiah 56:7 tn Heb “in the house of my prayer.”
14. Isaiah 56:7 tn Heb “for my house will be called a house of prayer for all the nations.”
15. Isaiah 56:8 tn The meaning of the statement is unclear. The text reads literally, “Still I will gather upon him to his gathered ones.” Perhaps the preposition ל (lamed) before “gathered ones” introduces the object of the verb, as in Jer 49:5. The third masculine singular suffix on both עָלָיו (ʿalayv) and נִקְבָּצָיו (niqbatsayv) probably refers to “Israel.” In this case one can translate literally, “Still I will gather to him his gathered ones.”
16. Isaiah 56:10 sn The “watchmen” are probably spiritual leaders, most likely prophets and priests, responsible for giving the people moral direction.
17. Isaiah 56:10 tn Heb “they do not know”; KJV “they are all ignorant”; NIV “they all lack knowledge.”
18. Isaiah 56:10 tn The Hebrew text has הֹזִים (hozim), which appears to be derived from an otherwise unattested verbal root הָזָה (hazah). On the basis of alleged cognates, BDB 223 s.v. הָזָה offers the definition “dream, rave” while HALOT 243 s.v. הזה lists “pant.” In this case the dog metaphor of the preceding lines continues. The reference to dogs at the beginning of v. 11 favors the extension of the metaphor. The Qumran scroll 1QIsa^a has חזים (“seers”) here. In this case the “watchmen” are directly identified as prophets and depicted as lazy.
19. Isaiah 56:11 sn The phrase never full alludes to the greed of the leaders.
20. Isaiah 56:11 tn Heb “for his gain from his end.”
21. Isaiah 56:12 tn The words “each one says” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
22. Isaiah 56:12 tn Heb “great, [in] abundance, very much,” i.e., “very great indeed.” See HALOT 452 s.v. יֶתֶר.
23. Isaiah 57:1 tn Or “righteous” (KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT); NAB “the just man”; TEV “Good people.”
24. Isaiah 57:1 tn Or perhaps, “understands.” Heb “and there is no man who sets [it] upon [his] heart.”
25. Isaiah 57:1 tn Heb “Men of loyalty are taken away.” The Niphal of אָסַף (ʾasaf) here means “to die.”
26. Isaiah 57:1 tn The Hebrew term בְּאֵין (b^eʾen) often has the nuance “when there is no.” See Prov 8:24; 11; 14; 14:4; 15:22; 26:20; 29:18.
27. Isaiah 57:1 tn Or “realizes”; Heb “understands” (so NASB, NIV, NRSV).
28. Isaiah 57:1 tn Or “righteous” (KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT); NAB “the just man.”
29. Isaiah 57:1 tn Heb “are taken away.” The Niphal of אָסַף (ʾasaf) here means “to die.”
30. Isaiah 57:1 tn The term מִפְּנֵי (mipp^ene, “from the face of”) often has a causal nuance. It also appears with the Niphal of אָסַף (ʾasaph, “gather”) in 2 Chr 12:5: אֲשֶׁר־נֶאֶסְפוּ אֶל־יְרוּשָׁלַםִ מִפְּנֵי שִׁישָׁק (ʾasher-neʾespu ʾel-y^erushalaim mipp^ene shishaq, “who had gathered at Jerusalem because of [i.e., due to fear of] Shishak”).
31. Isaiah 57:1 tn The translation assumes that this verse, in proverbial fashion, laments society’s apathy over the persecution of the godly. The second half of the verse observes that such apathy results in more widespread oppression. Since the next verse pictures the godly being taken to a place of rest, some interpret the second half of v. 1 in a more positive vein. According to proponents of this view, God removes the godly so that they might be spared suffering and calamity, a fact which the general populace fails to realize.
32. Isaiah 57:2 tn Heb “he enters peace, they rest on their beds, the one who walks straight ahead of himself.” The tomb is here viewed in a fairly positive way as a place where the dead are at peace and sleep undisturbed.
33. Isaiah 57:3 tc The Hebrew text reads literally, “offspring of an adulterer [masculine] and [one who] has committed adultery.” Perhaps the text has suffered from transposition of vav (ו) and tav (ת) and מְנָאֵף וַתִּזְנֶה (m^enaʾef vattizneh) should be emended to מְנָאֶפֶת וְזֹנָה (m^enaʾefet v^ezonah, “an adulteress and a prostitute”). Both singular nouns would be understood in a collective sense. Most modern English versions render both forms as nouns.
34. Isaiah 57:4 tn Heb “Are you not children of rebellion, offspring of a lie?” The rhetorical question anticipates the answer, “Of course you are!”
35. Isaiah 57:5 tn Heb “inflame yourselves”; NRSV “burn with lust.” This verse alludes to the practice of ritual sex that accompanied pagan fertility rites.
36. Isaiah 57:5 tn The term אֵלִים (ʾelim) may be from a root meaning “mighty ones,” referring to mighty trees. The form may also refer to “gods,” a less common masculine plural of (ʾel). This would fit the context of idolatry (lusting after gods).
37. Isaiah 57:5 sn This apparently alludes to the practice of child sacrifice (cf. TEV, CEV, NLT).
38. Isaiah 57:6 tn Heb “among the smooth stones of the stream [is] your portion, they, they [are] your lot.” The next line indicates idols are in view.
39. Isaiah 57:6 tn The text reads literally as a question, “Because of these am I relenting?” However, the initial letter he may be dittographic (note the final he [ה] on the preceding word). In this case one could understand the verb in the sense of “Because of these I will seek vengeance,” as in 1:24. If the prefixed interrogative particle is retained at the beginning of the sentence, then the question is rhetorical, with the Niphal of נָחָם (nakham) probably being used in the sense of “relent, change one’s mind.”
40. Isaiah 57:8 tn The precise referent of זִכָּרוֹן (zikkaron) in this context is uncertain. Elsewhere the word refers to a memorial or commemorative sign. Here it likely refers to some type of idolatrous symbol.
41. Isaiah 57:8 tn Or “for” (KJV, NRSV).
42. Isaiah 57:8 tc The Hebrew text reads literally, “from me you uncover.” The translation assumes an emendation of the Piel form גִּלִּית (gillit, “you uncover”), which has no object expressed here, to the Qal גָּלִית (galit, “you depart”).
43. Isaiah 57:8 tn Heb “you make wide your bed” (NASB similar).
44. Isaiah 57:8 tc Heb “and you [second masculine singular, unless the form be taken as third feminine singular] cut for yourself [feminine singular] from them.” Most English translations retain the MT reading in spite of at least three problems. This section makes significant use of feminine verbs and noun suffixes because of the sexual imagery. The verb in question is likely a second person masculine singular verb. Nevertheless, this kind of fluctuation in gender appears elsewhere (GKC 127-28 §47.k and 462 §144.p; cf. Jer 3:5; Ezek 22:4; 23:32; cf. J. N. Oswalt, Isaiah [NICOT], 2:473, n. 13). Secondly, when this verbal root signifies establishing a covenant, it is normally accompanied by the noun for “covenant” (בְּרִית, b^erit). Finally, this juxtaposition of the verb “to cut” and “covenant” normally is followed by the preposition “with,” while here it is “from.” The translation above assumes an emendation of וַתִּכְרָת (vatikhrat, “and you cut”) to וְכָרִית (v^ekharit, “and you purchase”) from the root כָּרָה (kharah); see HALOT 497 s.v. II כרה.
45. Isaiah 57:8 tn The Hebrew text has simply חָזָה (khazah, “gaze”). The adverb “longingly” is interpretive (see the context, where sexual lust is depicted).
46. Isaiah 57:8 tn Heb “[at] a hand you gaze.” The term יָד (yad, “hand”) probably has the sense of “power, manhood” here, where it is used, as in Ugaritic, as a euphemism for the genitals. See HALOT 387 s.v. I יָד.
47. Isaiah 57:9 tn Heb “you journey with oil.”
48. Isaiah 57:9 tn Heb “the king.” Since the context refers to idolatry and child sacrifice (see v. 5), some emend מֶלֶך (melekh, “king”) to “Molech.” Perhaps Israel’s devotion to her idols is likened here to a subject taking tribute to a ruler.
49. Isaiah 57:9 tn Heb “and you multiply your perfumes.”
50. Isaiah 57:9 sn Israel’s devotion to her idols is inordinate, irrational, and self-destructive.
51. Isaiah 57:10 tn Heb “by the greatness [i.e., “length,” see BDB 914 s.v. רֹב 2] of your way you get tired.”
52. Isaiah 57:10 tn Heb “it is hopeless” (so NAB, NASB, NIV); NRSV “It is useless.”
53. Isaiah 57:10 tn Heb “the life of your hand you find.” The term חַיָּה (khayyah, “life”) is here used in the sense of “renewal” (see BDB 312 s.v.) while יָד (yad) is used of “strength.”
54. Isaiah 57:10 tn Heb “you do not grow weak.”
55. Isaiah 57:11 tn Heb “you do not place [it] on your heart.”
56. Isaiah 57:11 tn Heb “Is it not [because] I have been silent, and from long ago?”
57. Isaiah 57:11 sn God’s patience with sinful Israel has caused them to think that they can sin with impunity and suffer no consequences.
58. Isaiah 57:12 tn Heb “I, I will declare your righteousness and your deeds.”
59. Isaiah 57:13 tn The Hebrew text has קִבּוּצַיִךְ (qibbutsayikh, “your gatherings”), an otherwise unattested noun from the verbal root קָבַץ (qavats, “gather”). Perhaps this alludes to their religious assemblies and by metonymy to their rituals. Since idolatry is a prominent theme in the context, some understand this as a reference to a collection of idols. The second half of the verse also favors this view.
60. Isaiah 57:13 tn Heb “all of them a wind lifts up.”
61. Isaiah 57:13 tn Heb “a breath takes [them] away.”
62. Isaiah 57:13 tn Or “seeks refuge in me.” “Seeking refuge” is a metonymy for “being loyal to.”
63. Isaiah 57:13 tn Heb “possess, own.” The point seems to be that he will have free access to God’s presence, as if God’s temple mount were his personal possession.
64. Isaiah 57:14 tn Since God is speaking throughout this context, perhaps we should emend the text to “and I say.” However, divine speech is introduced in v. 15.
65. Isaiah 57:15 tn Heb “the one who dwells forever.” שֹׁכֵן עַד (shokhen ʿad) is sometimes translated “the one who lives forever,” and understood as a reference to God’s eternal existence. However, the immediately preceding and following descriptions (“high and exalted” and “holy”) emphasize his sovereign rule. In the next line, he declares, “I dwell in an exalted and holy [place],” which refers to the place from which he rules. Therefore it is more likely that שֹׁכֵן עַד (shokhen ʿad) means “I dwell [in my lofty palace] forever” and refers to God’s eternal kingship.
66. Isaiah 57:15 tn Heb “and also with the crushed and lowly of spirit.” This may refer to the repentant who have humbled themselves (see 66:2) or more generally to the exiles who have experienced discouragement and humiliation.
67. Isaiah 57:15 tn Heb “to restore the lowly of spirit and to restore the heart of the crushed.”
68. Isaiah 57:16 tn Or perhaps, “argue,” or “accuse” (so NAB, NIV, NRSV).
69. Isaiah 57:16 tn Heb “for a spirit from before me would be faint.”
70. Isaiah 57:17 tn Heb “and I struck him, hiding, and I was angry.” פָּנִים (panim, “face”) is the implied object of “hiding.”
71. Isaiah 57:17 tn Heb “and he walked [as an] apostate in the way of his heart.”
72. Isaiah 57:18 tn Heb “his ways” (so KJV, NASB, NIV); TEV “how they acted.”
73. Isaiah 57:18 tc The MT has וְאַנְחֵהוּ (v^eʾankhehu) from נָחָה (nakhah) “I will lead them,” but the consonantal text may also be read as וַאֲנִחֵהוּ (vaʾanikhehu) from נוּחַ (nuakh) “I will give them rest.” The MT is supported by Aquila and the Vulgate, though 1QIsa^a omits the verb and the LXX and Targum offer mixed evidence.
74. Isaiah 57:18 tn The verb וַאֲשַׁלֵּם (vaʾashallem), the Piel form of the verb שָׁלֵם (shalem), means “to make whole, make restitution, compensate, reward” (HALOT 1534, s.v.). The noun נִחֻמִים (nikhumim) uses the plural form for the abstract concept, “comfort.” The Lord will bestow comfort as restitution to Israel.
75. Isaiah 57:18 tn Heb “to him and to his mourners.” Since Israel is represented by the singular pronoun “to him” (rendered as plural “them” for style throughout vv. 17-19), those who mourn for, or with, him are likely religious converts or others who sympathize with Israel (see J. D. W. Watts, Isaiah [WBC], 25:835).
76. Isaiah 57:19 tc The Hebrew text has literally, “one who creates fruit of lips.” Perhaps the pronoun אֲנִי (ʾani) should be inserted after the participle; it may have been accidentally omitted by haplography: נוּב שְׂפָתָיִם [אֲנִי] בּוֹרֵי (boreʾ [ʾani] nuv s^efatayim). “Fruit of the lips” is often understood as a metonymy for praise; perhaps it refers more generally to joyful shouts (see v. 18).
77. Isaiah 57:19 tn Heb “Peace, peace.” The repetition of the noun emphasizes degree.
78. Isaiah 58:1 tn Heb “declare to my people their rebellion.”
79. Isaiah 58:1 tn Heb “and to the house of Jacob their sin.” The verb “declare” is understood by ellipsis (note the preceding line).
80. Isaiah 58:2 tn Heb “ways” (so KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV, TEV); NLT “my laws.”
81. Isaiah 58:3 tn The words “they lament” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
82. Isaiah 58:3 tn Heb “you find pleasure”; NASB “you find your desire.”
83. Isaiah 58:3 tn Or perhaps, “debtors.” See HALOT 865 s.v. * עָצֵב.
84. Isaiah 58:4 tn Heb “you fast for” (so NASB); NRSV “you fast only to quarrel.”
85. Isaiah 58:4 tn Heb “and for striking with a sinful fist.”
86. Isaiah 58:5 tn Heb “choose” (so NASB, NRSV); NAB “wish.”
87. Isaiah 58:5 tn Heb “a day when man humbles himself.” The words “Do I want” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
88. Isaiah 58:5 tn Or “making [their] bed.”
89. Isaiah 58:6 tn Heb “Is this not a fast I choose?” “No” is supplied in the translation for clarification.
90. Isaiah 58:6 tn The words “I want you” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
91. Isaiah 58:6 tn Heb “crushed.”
92. Isaiah 58:7 tn Heb “Is it not?” The rhetorical question here expects a positive answer, “It is!”
93. Isaiah 58:7 tn Heb “and afflicted [ones], homeless [ones] you should bring [into] a house.” On the meaning of מְרוּדִים (m^erudim, “homeless”) see HALOT 633 s.v. *מָרוּד.
94. Isaiah 58:7 tn Heb “and from your flesh do not hide yourself.”
95. Isaiah 58:8 tn Heb “will burst out like the dawn.” sn Light here symbolizes God’s favor and restored blessing, as the immediately following context makes clear.
96. Isaiah 58:8 tn Heb “prosper”; KJV “spring forth speedily.”
97. Isaiah 58:8 tn Or “righteousness.” Their godly behavior will be on display for all to see.
98. Isaiah 58:8 sn The nation will experience God’s protective presence.
99. Isaiah 58:9 tn Heb “if you.” In the Hebrew text vv. 9b-10 are one long conditional sentence. The protasis (multiple “if” clauses here) appears in vv. 9b-10a, with the apodosis (“then” clause) appearing in v. 10b.
100. Isaiah 58:10 tn Heb “if you.” See the note on “you must” in v. 9b.
101. Isaiah 58:10 tn Heb “If you furnish for the hungry [with] your being, and the appetite of the oppressed you satisfy.”
102. Isaiah 58:10 tn Heb “will rise in the darkness.”
103. Isaiah 58:10 tn Heb “and your darkness [will be] like noonday.”
104. Isaiah 58:11 tn Heb “he will satisfy in parched regions your appetite.”
105. Isaiah 58:11 tn Heb “and your bones he will strengthen.”
106. Isaiah 58:12 tn Heb “and they will build from you ancient ruins.”
107. Isaiah 58:12 tc The Hebrew text has “the one who restores paths for dwelling.” The idea of “paths to dwell in” is not a common notion. Some have proposed emending נְתִיבוֹת (n^etivot, “paths”) to נְתִיצוֹת (n^etitsot, “ruins”), a passive participle from נָתַץ (natats, “tear down”; see HALOT 732 s.v. *נְתִיצָה), because tighter parallelism with the preceding line is achieved. However, none of the textual sources support this emendation. The line may mean that paths must be repaired in order to dwell in the land.
108. Isaiah 58:13 tn Lit., “if you.” In the Hebrew text vv. 13-14 are one long conditional sentence. The protasis (multiple “if” clauses here) appears in v. 13, with the apodosis (“then” clause) appearing in v. 14.
109. Isaiah 58:13 tn Heb “if you turn from the Sabbath your feet.”
110. Isaiah 58:13 tn Heb “[from] doing your desires on my holy day.” The Qumran scroll 1QIsa^a supplies the preposition מִן (min) on “doing.”
111. Isaiah 58:13 tn Heb “and call the Sabbath a pleasure”; KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV “a delight.”
112. Isaiah 58:13 tn Heb “and [call] the holy [day] of the Lord honored.” On קָדוֹשׁ (qadosh, “holy”) as indicating a time period, see BDB 872 s.v. 2.e (cf. also Neh 8:9-11).
113. Isaiah 58:13 tn Heb “and you honor it [by refraining] from accomplishing your ways, from finding your desire and speaking a word.” It is unlikely that the last phrase (“speaking a word”) is a prohibition against talking on the Sabbath; instead it probably refers to making transactions or plans (see Hos 10:4). Some see here a reference to idle talk (cf. 2 Sam 19:29).
114. Isaiah 58:14 tn For a parallel use of the phrase “find joy in” (Hitpael of עָנַג [ʿanag] followed by the preposition עַל [ʿal]), see Ps 37:4.
115. Isaiah 58:14 tn Heb “and I will cause you to ride upon the heights of the land.” The statement seems to be an allusion to Deut 32:13, where it is associated, as here, with God’s abundant provision of food.
116. Isaiah 58:14 tn Heb “and I will cause you to eat the inheritance of Jacob your father.” The Hebrew term נַחֲלָה (nakhalah) likely stands by metonymy for the crops that grow on Jacob’s “inheritance” (i.e., the land he inherited as a result of God’s promise).
117. Isaiah 58:14 tn Heb “for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” The introductory כִּי (ki) may be asseverative (as reflected in the translation) or causal/explanatory, explaining why the preceding promise will become reality (because it is guaranteed by the divine word).