1sn The Lord challenges the exiles (Zion’s children) to bring incriminating evidence against him. The rhetorical questions imply that Israel accused the Lord of divorcing his wife (Zion) and selling his children (the Israelites) into slavery to pay off a debt.

2sn The Lord admits that he did sell the Israelites, but it was because of their sins, not because of some debt he owed. If he had sold them to a creditor, they ought to be able to point him out, but the preceding rhetorical question implies they would not be able to do so.

3sn The Lord admits he did divorce Zion, but that too was the result of the nation’s sins. The force of the earlier rhetorical question comes into clearer focus now. The question does not imply that a certificate does not exist and that no divorce occurred. Rather, the question asks for the certificate to be produced so the accuser can see the reason for the divorce in black and white. The Lord did not put Zion away arbitrarily.

4sn The present tense translation of the verbs assumes that the Lord is questioning why Israel does not attempt to counter his arguments. Another possibility is to take the verbs as referring to past events: “Why did no one meet me when I came? Why did no one answer when I called?” In this case the Lord might be asking why Israel rejected his calls to repent and his offer to deliver them.

5tn Heb “short” (so NAB, NASB, NIV).

6tn Or “ransom” (NAB, NASB, NIV).

7tn Heb “with my rebuke.”

8tn Heb “the fish stink from lack of water and die from thirst.”

9tn Heb “has given to me a tongue of disciples.”

sn Verses 4-11 contain the third of the so-called servant songs, which depict the career of the Lord’s special servant, envisioned as an ideal Israel (49:3) who rescues the exiles and fulfills God’s purposes for the world. Here the servant alludes to opposition (something hinted at in 49:4), but also expresses his determination to persevere with the Lord’s help.

10tc Heb “to know [?] the weary with a word.” Comparing it with Arabic and Aramaic cognates yields the meaning of “help, sustain.” Nevertheless, the meaning of עוּת (’ut) is uncertain. The word occurs only here in the OT (see BDB 736 s.v.). Various scholars have suggested an emendation to עָנוֹת (’anot) from עָנָה (’anah, “answer”): “so that I know how to respond kindly to the weary.” Since the Qumran scroll 1QIsaa and the Vulgate support the MT reading, that reading is retained.

11tn Heb “he arouses for me an ear, to hear like disciples.”

12tn Or perhaps, “makes me obedient.” The text reads literally, “has opened for me an ear.”

13tn Or perhaps, “who beat [me].”

14tn Heb “Therefore I set my face like flint.”

15tn Heb “Let us stand together!”

16tn Heb “Who is the master of my judgment?”

17tn Heb “let him approach me”; NAB, NIV “Let him confront me.”

18tn Heb “[who] listens to the voice of his servant?” The interrogative is understood by ellipsis (note the preceding line).

19tn The plural indicates degree. Darkness may refer to exile and/or moral evil.

20tc Several more recent commentators have proposed an emendation of מְאַזְּרֵי (azz˙re, “who put on”) to מְאִירִי (iri, “who light”). However, both Qumran scrolls of Isaiah and the Vulgate support the MT reading (cf. NIV, ESV).

21tn On the meaning of זִיקוֹת (ziqot, “flaming arrows”), see HALOT 268 s.v. זִיקוֹת.

22tn The imperative is probably rhetorical and has a predictive force.

23tn Or perhaps, “flame” (so ASV).

24sn Perhaps the servant here speaks to his enemies and warns them that they will self-destruct.

25tn Heb “from my hand” (so NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV).

26sn The imagery may be that of a person who becomes ill and is forced to lie down in pain on a sickbed. Some see this as an allusion to a fiery place of damnation because of the imagery employed earlier in the verse.