1sn 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. 2tn Or “in the Negev” (NASB). 3tn Heb “a severe revelation has been related to me.” 4sn This is often interpreted to mean “all the groaning” that Babylon has caused others. 5tn Heb “my waist is filled with shaking [or “anguish”].” 6tn Or perhaps, “bent over [in pain]”; cf. NRSV “I am bowed down.” 7tn Heb “wanders,” perhaps here, “is confused.” 8tn Heb “shuddering terrifies me.” 9tn 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”). 10tn 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. 11sn Smearing the shields with oil would make them more flexible and effective in battle. See J. N. Oswalt, Isaiah (NICOT), 1:394. 12tn The Hebrew term translated “sovereign master” here and in vv. 8, 16 is אֲדֹנָי (’adonay). 13tn Or “a pair of horsemen.” 14tn 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. 15tn 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). 16tn Or “[with] teams of horses,” or perhaps, “with a pair of horsemen.” 17tn Heb “and he answered and said” (so KJV, ASV). 18tn Heb “My trampled one, and the son of the threshing floor.” 19tn 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. 20sn Seir is another name for Edom. See BDB 973 s.v. שֵׂעִיר. 21sn The “night” probably here symbolizes distress and difficult times. See BDB 539 s.v. לַיְלָה. 22sn Dumah will experience some relief, but it will be short-lived as night returns. 23sn 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.” 24tn The Hebrew term translated “sovereign master” here is אֲדֹנָי (’adonay). 25tn Heb “in still a year, like the years of a hired worker.” See the note at 16:14. 26tn Heb “and the remnant of the number of the bow, the mighty men of the sons of Kedar, will be few.” 27tn Or “for” (KJV, ASV, NAB, NASB, NRSV).
1sn 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.
2tn Or “in the Negev” (NASB).
3tn Heb “a severe revelation has been related to me.”
4sn This is often interpreted to mean “all the groaning” that Babylon has caused others.
5tn Heb “my waist is filled with shaking [or “anguish”].”
6tn Or perhaps, “bent over [in pain]”; cf. NRSV “I am bowed down.”
7tn Heb “wanders,” perhaps here, “is confused.”
8tn Heb “shuddering terrifies me.”
9tn 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”).
10tn 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.
11sn Smearing the shields with oil would make them more flexible and effective in battle. See J. N. Oswalt, Isaiah (NICOT), 1:394.
12tn The Hebrew term translated “sovereign master” here and in vv. 8, 16 is אֲדֹנָי (’adonay).
13tn Or “a pair of horsemen.”
14tn 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.
15tn 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).
16tn Or “[with] teams of horses,” or perhaps, “with a pair of horsemen.”
17tn Heb “and he answered and said” (so KJV, ASV).
18tn Heb “My trampled one, and the son of the threshing floor.”
19tn 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.
20sn Seir is another name for Edom. See BDB 973 s.v. שֵׂעִיר.
21sn The “night” probably here symbolizes distress and difficult times. See BDB 539 s.v. לַיְלָה.
22sn Dumah will experience some relief, but it will be short-lived as night returns.
23sn 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.”
24tn The Hebrew term translated “sovereign master” here is אֲדֹנָי (’adonay).
25tn Heb “in still a year, like the years of a hired worker.” See the note at 16:14.
26tn Heb “and the remnant of the number of the bow, the mighty men of the sons of Kedar, will be few.”
27tn Or “for” (KJV, ASV, NAB, NASB, NRSV).