1tn Or “redeem.” See the note at 41:14. Cf. NCV “saved you”; CEV “rescued you”; NLT “ransomed you.” 2tn The verb is understood by ellipsis (note the preceding line). 3tn Heb “burn” (so NASB); NAB, NRSV, NLT “consume”; NIV “set you ablaze.” 4sn See the note on the phrase “the Holy One of Israel” in 1:4. 5sn Seba is not the same as Sheba in southern Arabia; cf. Gen 1:10; 1 Chr 1:9. 6tn Heb “Since you are precious in my eyes and you are honored.” 7tn Heb “everyone who is called by my name” (so NASB, NIV, NRSV). 8tn Heb “and the former things was causing us to hear?” 9tn Or “know” (KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV). 10tn Heb “and after me, there will not be”; NASB “there will be none after Me.” 11tn Heb “hand” (so KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV); NLT “No one can oppose what I do.” 12tn Or “kinsman redeemer.” See the note at 41:14. 13sn See the note on the phrase “the Holy One of Israel” in 1:4. 14tn Heb “and I bring down [as] fugitives all of them.” 15tn The Hebrew text reads literally, “as for the Babylonians, in ships their joyful shout.” This might be paraphrased, “even the Babylonians in the ships [over which] they joyfully shouted.” The point would be that the Lord caused the Babylonians to flee for safety in the ships in which they took such great pride. A slight change in vocalization yields the reading “into mourning songs,” which provides a good contrast with “joyful shout.” The prefixed bet (בְּ) would indicate identity. 16sn See the note on the phrase “the Holy One of Israel” in 1:4. 17tn Heb “led out chariots and horses.” The words “to destruction” are supplied in the translation for clarification. The verse refers to the destruction of the Egyptians at the Red Sea. 18tn Heb “lay down”; NAB “lie prostrate together”; CEV “lie dead”; NRSV “they lie down.” 19tn Heb “the former things” (so KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV); NLT “forget all that.” 20tn Heb “sprouts up”; NASB “will spring forth.” 21tn Or “know” (KJV, ASV); NASB “be aware of”; NAB, NIV, NRSV “perceive.” 22tn The Hebrew texts has “streams,” probably under the influence of v. 20. The Qumran scroll 1QIsaa has נתיבות (“paths”). 23tn Heb “[so] they might declare my praise.” 24tn Or “strive”; KJV, ASV, NRSV “been weary of me.” 25tn Heb “with.” The words “by demanding” are supplied in the translation for clarification. 26tn That is, “calamus” (so NIV); NCV, TEV, NLT “incense”; CEV “spices.” 27tn Heb “you did not saturate me”; NASB “Neither have you filled Me.” 28sn In vv. 22-24 the Lord appears to be condemning his people for failure to bring the proper sacrifices. However, this is problematic. If this refers to the nation’s behavior while in exile, such cultic service was impossible and could hardly be expected by the Lord. If this refers to the nation’s conduct before the exile, it contradicts other passages that depict Israel as bringing excessive sacrifices (see, e.g., Isa 1:11-14; Jer 6:20; Amos 4:4-5, 5:21-23). Rather than being a condemnation of Israel’s failure to bring sacrifices, these verses are better taken as a highly rhetorical comment on the worthlessness of Israel’s religious ritual. They may have brought sacrifices, but not to the Lord, for he did not accept them or even want them. See C. R. North, Second Isaiah, 127, and R. Whybray, Isaiah 40-66 (NCBC), 91. 29tn Heb “you, tell in order that you may be right”; NAB “prove your innocence.” 30tn Heb “your first father.” This could refer to Abraham (see 51:2), but elsewhere in Isaiah he does not appear in a negative light (see 29:22; 41:8; 63:16). A more likely candidate is Jacob/Israel, also referred to as the nation’s “father” elsewhere (see 58:14; 63:16). 31tn On the meaning of the term לִיץ (lits), see HALOT 590 s.v. מֵלִיץ. This may refer to the nation’s prophets, priests, and/or kings. 32tn The word “subjected” is supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
1tn Or “redeem.” See the note at 41:14. Cf. NCV “saved you”; CEV “rescued you”; NLT “ransomed you.”
2tn The verb is understood by ellipsis (note the preceding line).
3tn Heb “burn” (so NASB); NAB, NRSV, NLT “consume”; NIV “set you ablaze.”
4sn See the note on the phrase “the Holy One of Israel” in 1:4.
5sn Seba is not the same as Sheba in southern Arabia; cf. Gen 1:10; 1 Chr 1:9.
6tn Heb “Since you are precious in my eyes and you are honored.”
7tn Heb “everyone who is called by my name” (so NASB, NIV, NRSV).
8tn Heb “and the former things was causing us to hear?”
9tn Or “know” (KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV).
10tn Heb “and after me, there will not be”; NASB “there will be none after Me.”
11tn Heb “hand” (so KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV); NLT “No one can oppose what I do.”
12tn Or “kinsman redeemer.” See the note at 41:14.
13sn See the note on the phrase “the Holy One of Israel” in 1:4.
14tn Heb “and I bring down [as] fugitives all of them.”
15tn The Hebrew text reads literally, “as for the Babylonians, in ships their joyful shout.” This might be paraphrased, “even the Babylonians in the ships [over which] they joyfully shouted.” The point would be that the Lord caused the Babylonians to flee for safety in the ships in which they took such great pride. A slight change in vocalization yields the reading “into mourning songs,” which provides a good contrast with “joyful shout.” The prefixed bet (בְּ) would indicate identity.
16sn See the note on the phrase “the Holy One of Israel” in 1:4.
17tn Heb “led out chariots and horses.” The words “to destruction” are supplied in the translation for clarification. The verse refers to the destruction of the Egyptians at the Red Sea.
18tn Heb “lay down”; NAB “lie prostrate together”; CEV “lie dead”; NRSV “they lie down.”
19tn Heb “the former things” (so KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV); NLT “forget all that.”
20tn Heb “sprouts up”; NASB “will spring forth.”
21tn Or “know” (KJV, ASV); NASB “be aware of”; NAB, NIV, NRSV “perceive.”
22tn The Hebrew texts has “streams,” probably under the influence of v. 20. The Qumran scroll 1QIsaa has נתיבות (“paths”).
23tn Heb “[so] they might declare my praise.”
24tn Or “strive”; KJV, ASV, NRSV “been weary of me.”
25tn Heb “with.” The words “by demanding” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
26tn That is, “calamus” (so NIV); NCV, TEV, NLT “incense”; CEV “spices.”
27tn Heb “you did not saturate me”; NASB “Neither have you filled Me.”
28sn In vv. 22-24 the Lord appears to be condemning his people for failure to bring the proper sacrifices. However, this is problematic. If this refers to the nation’s behavior while in exile, such cultic service was impossible and could hardly be expected by the Lord. If this refers to the nation’s conduct before the exile, it contradicts other passages that depict Israel as bringing excessive sacrifices (see, e.g., Isa 1:11-14; Jer 6:20; Amos 4:4-5, 5:21-23). Rather than being a condemnation of Israel’s failure to bring sacrifices, these verses are better taken as a highly rhetorical comment on the worthlessness of Israel’s religious ritual. They may have brought sacrifices, but not to the Lord, for he did not accept them or even want them. See C. R. North, Second Isaiah, 127, and R. Whybray, Isaiah 40-66 (NCBC), 91.
29tn Heb “you, tell in order that you may be right”; NAB “prove your innocence.”
30tn Heb “your first father.” This could refer to Abraham (see 51:2), but elsewhere in Isaiah he does not appear in a negative light (see 29:22; 41:8; 63:16). A more likely candidate is Jacob/Israel, also referred to as the nation’s “father” elsewhere (see 58:14; 63:16).
31tn On the meaning of the term לִיץ (lits), see HALOT 590 s.v. מֵלִיץ. This may refer to the nation’s prophets, priests, and/or kings.
32tn The word “subjected” is supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.