以赛亚书 10
Chinese New Version (Traditional)
行惡的人劫運難逃
10 那些制定奸惡律例的，
和那些記錄詭詐判語的，有禍了！
2 他們想藉此屈枉窮乏人的公義，
剝奪我子民中困苦人的權利，
使寡婦作了他們的掠物，
使孤兒作了他們的擄物。
3 到降罰的日子，有災禍從遠方來到，
那時你們要怎樣行呢？
你們可以向誰逃奔求助呢？
你們可以把你們的財寶撇在哪裡呢？
4 你們只能屈身在被擄的人中間，
或是仆倒在被殺的人中間。
雖然這樣，耶和華的怒氣還沒有轉消，
他的手仍然伸出。
亞述是 神懲治子民的工具
5 亞述啊！我怒氣的棍子，有禍了。
他們手中拿著我忿怒的杖。
6 我要差派他去攻擊一個不敬虔的國，
吩咐他去攻擊我惱怒的子民，
擄去掠物，搶奪擄物，
把他們踐踏，像街上的泥土一樣。
7 但亞述並沒有這樣想過，
他心裡也沒有這樣打算；
他心裡倒想毀滅、
剪除多國。
8 因為他說：“在我手下的眾領袖不都是王嗎？
9 迦勒挪不是像迦基米施嗎？
哈瑪不是像亞珥拔嗎？
撒瑪利亞不是像大馬士革嗎？
10 我的手伸展到這些充滿偶像的國，
他們雕刻的像比耶路撒冷和撒瑪利亞的還多。
11 我怎樣對待撒瑪利亞和其中的偶像，
不也照樣對待耶路撒冷和其中的偶像嗎？”
神懲罰亞述
12 主在錫安山和耶路撒冷成全了他一切工作的時候，他必說：我要懲罰亞述王自大的心所結的果子，和他眼目高傲的態度。 13 因為他說：
“我靠著我手的能力和我的智慧行事，
因為我很聰明；
我挪移了列國的地界，
搶奪了他們積蓄的財寶，
並且我像個勇士般使他們的居民全都俯伏下來。
14 我的手伸到列國的財寶那裡，好像抓到鳥窩一樣；
我取得了全地，好像人拾起被棄的雀蛋；
沒有動翅膀的，沒有張嘴的，也沒有鳴叫的。”
15 斧頭怎可以向用斧頭砍木的人自誇呢？
鋸子怎可以向拉鋸的人自大呢？
好比棍能揮動那舉起棍的，
又好比杖舉起那不是木頭的。
16 因此，主萬軍之耶和華必打發令人消瘦的病臨到亞述王肥壯的軍人中間，
在他的榮耀之下必燃起火燄，如同火燒一樣。
17 以色列的光必變成火，他的聖者必成為火燄；
在一日之間把亞述王的荊棘和蒺藜焚燒與吞滅。
18 又把他樹林和豐盛果園的榮美全部滅盡，包括靈魂和身體，好像一個患病的人漸漸虛弱一樣。
19 他林中剩下的樹，數目必定稀少，
連小孩子也能把它們的數目寫下來。
餘民必獲救脫離亞述的軛
20 到那日，以色列的餘民和雅各家逃脫的人，必不再倚靠那擊打他們的，卻要誠實地倚靠耶和華以色列的聖者。
21 那些餘民，就是雅各家的餘民，
必回轉歸向大能的 神。
22 以色列啊！你的人民雖然像海沙那樣多，卻只有餘剩的人可以歸回，
因為滅絕的事已經定了，公義必如洪水氾濫。
23 主萬軍之耶和華必在全地之中，作成已定的毀滅之事。
24 因此，主萬軍之耶和華這樣說：“我的子民、錫安的居民哪！亞述人雖然用棍擊打你們，又像埃及一樣舉杖攻擊你們，你們卻不要怕他們。 25 因為還有短暫的時候，我向你們發的惱怒就要完結，我的怒氣要轉向他們，使他們滅亡。” 26 萬軍之耶和華必興起鞭子攻擊他們，好像在俄立磐石那裡擊殺米甸人一樣；他的杖要伸到海上，他必把杖舉起，像在埃及一樣。 27 到那日，亞述人的重壓必從你們的肩頭上挪開，他們的軛必離開你們的頸項；那軛必因肥壯的緣故折斷。
28 亞述人來到亞葉，
經過米磯崙；
在密抹存放軍隊行裝。
29 他們過了隘口，
在迦巴住宿；
拉瑪人戰兢，掃羅的基比亞人逃跑。
30 迦琳的居民哪，高聲叫喊吧！
萊煞人和可憐的亞拿突啊，留心聽吧！
31 瑪得米那人逃跑，
基柄的居民避難。
32 就在今日，亞述王要停留在挪伯；
他要揮拳攻擊錫安居民（“居民”原文作“女子”）的山，就是耶路撒冷的山。
33 看哪！主萬軍之耶和華在可怕的震撼聲中，把樹枝削去；
身量高的必被砍下，
高大的必被伐倒。
34 樹林中的密叢，他必用鐵器砍下；
黎巴嫩的樹木必被大能者伐倒。
Isaia 10
Conferenza Episcopale Italiana
10 Guai a coloro che fanno decreti iniqui
e scrivono in fretta sentenze oppressive,
2 per negare la giustizia ai miseri
e per frodare del diritto i poveri del mio popolo,
per fare delle vedove la loro preda
e per spogliare gli orfani.
3 Ma che farete nel giorno del castigo,
quando da lontano sopraggiungerà la rovina?
A chi ricorrerete per protezione?
Dove lascerete la vostra ricchezza?
4 Non vi resterà che piegarvi tra i prigionieri
o cadere tra i morti.
Con tutto ciò non si calma la sua ira
e ancora la sua mano rimane stesa.
Contro il re di Assiria
5 Oh! Assiria, verga del mio furore,
bastone del mio sdegno.
6 Contro una nazione empia io la mando
e la comando contro un popolo con cui sono in collera
perché lo saccheggi, lo depredi
e lo calpesti come fango di strada.
7 Essa però non pensa così
e così non giudica il suo cuore,
ma vuole distruggere
e annientare non poche nazioni.
8 Anzi dice: «Forse i miei capi non sono altrettanti re?
9 Forse come Càrchemis non è anche Calne?
Come Arpad non è forse Amat?
Come Damasco non è forse Samaria?
10 Come la mia mano ha raggiunto quei regni degli idoli,
le cui statue erano più numerose
di quelle di Gerusalemme e di Samaria,
11 non posso io forse, come ho fatto
a Samaria e ai suoi idoli,
fare anche a Gerusalemme e ai suoi simulacri?».
12 Quando il Signore avrà terminato tutta l'opera sua sul monte Sion e a Gerusalemme, punirà l'operato orgoglioso della mente del re di Assiria e ciò di cui si gloria l'alterigia dei suoi occhi.
13 Poiché ha detto:
«Con la forza della mia mano ho agito
e con la mia sapienza, perché sono intelligente;
ho rimosso i confini dei popoli
e ho saccheggiato i loro tesori,
ho abbattuto come un gigante
coloro che sedevano sul trono.
14 La mia mano, come in un nido, ha scovato
la ricchezza dei popoli.
Come si raccolgono le uova abbandonate,
così ho raccolto tutta la terra;
non vi fu battito d'ala,
nessuno apriva il becco o pigolava».
15 Può forse vantarsi la scure con chi taglia per suo mezzo
o la sega insuperbirsi contro chi la maneggia?
Come se un bastone volesse brandire chi lo impugna
e una verga sollevare ciò che non è di legno!
16 Perciò il Signore, Dio degli eserciti,
manderà una peste contro le sue più valide milizie;
sotto ciò che è sua gloria arderà un bruciore
come bruciore di fuoco;
esso consumerà anima e corpo
e sarà come un malato che sta spegnendosi.
17 La luce di Israele diventerà un fuoco,
il suo santuario una fiamma;
essa divorerà e consumerà rovi
e pruni in un giorno,
18 la magnificenza della sua selva e del suo giardino;
19 il resto degli alberi nella selva
si conterà facilmente,
persino un ragazzo potrebbe farne il conto.
Il piccolo resto
20 In quel giorno
il resto di Israele e i superstiti della casa di Giacobbe
non si appoggeranno più su chi li ha percossi,
ma si appoggeranno sul Signore,
sul Santo di Israele, con lealtà.
21 Tornerà il resto,
il resto di Giacobbe, al Dio forte.
22 Poiché anche se il tuo popolo, o Israele,
fosse come la sabbia del mare,
solo un suo resto ritornerà;
è decretato uno sterminio
che farà traboccare la giustizia,
23 poiché un decreto di rovina
eseguirà il Signore, Dio degli eserciti,
su tutta la regione.
Fiducia in Dio
24 Pertanto così dice il Signore, Dio degli eserciti: «Popolo mio, che abiti in Sion, non temere l'Assiria che ti percuote con la verga e alza il bastone contro di te come gia l'Egitto. 25 Perché ancora un poco, ben poco, e il mio sdegno avrà fine; la mia ira li annienterà». 26 Contro di essa il Signore degli eserciti agiterà il flagello, come quando colpì Madian sulla rupe dell'Oreb; alzerà la sua verga sul mare come fece con l'Egitto.
27 In quel giorno
sarà tolto il suo fardello dalla tua spalla
e il suo giogo cesserà di pesare sul tuo collo.
L'invasione
Il distruttore viene da Rimmòn,
28 raggiunge Aiàt, attraversa Migròn,
in Micmàs depone il bagaglio.
29 Attraversano il passo;
in Gheba si accampano;
Rama trema,
fugge Gàbaa di Saul.
30 Grida con tutta la tua voce, Bat-Gallìm,
stà attenta, Làisa,
rispondile, Anatòt!
31 Madmenà è in fuga,
e alla fuga si danno gli abitanti di Ghebim.
32 Oggi stesso farà sosta a Nob,
agiterà la mano verso il monte della figlia di Sion,
verso il colle di Gerusalemme.
33 Ecco il Signore, Dio degli eserciti,
che strappa i rami con fracasso;
le punte più alte sono troncate,
le cime sono abbattute.
34 E' reciso con il ferro il folto della selva
e il Libano cade con la sua magnificenza.
以赛亚书 10
Chinese Contemporary Bible (Simplified)
10 制定不义律例、起草不公法令的人啊，
你们有祸了！
2 你们冤枉穷人，
夺去我子民中困苦者的权利，
掳掠寡妇，抢劫孤儿。
3 在惩罚的日子，
当灾祸从远方临到你们头上时，
你们怎么办？
你们能跑到谁那里去求救呢？
你们能把财物藏在哪里呢？
4 你们将不是被掳就是被杀。
虽然如此，耶和华的怒气还没有止息，
祂降罚的手没有收回。
主要审判亚述
5 耶和华说：“亚述王有祸了！
他是我的愤怒之棍，
他手中拿着我发烈怒的杖。
6 我要差遣他去攻打一个不虔敬的国家，
一个惹我发怒的民族，
去抢夺、掳掠他们的财物，
像践踏街上的泥土一样践踏他们。
7 可是他却不这样想，
心里也不这样盘算，
他只想毁灭许多国家。
8 他说，‘我的臣仆都要做藩王！
9 迦勒挪岂不是和迦基米施一样吗？
哈马岂不是和亚珥拔一样吗？
撒玛利亚岂不是和大马士革一样吗？
它们不是都被我征服了吗？
10 这些国家都在我的手中，
他们雕刻的偶像不胜过耶路撒冷和撒玛利亚的偶像吗？
11 我怎样毁灭撒玛利亚和它的偶像，
也必怎样毁灭耶路撒冷和它的偶像。’”
12 主完成在锡安山和耶路撒冷要做的事后，必惩罚心里狂妄、眼目高傲的亚述王。
13 因为亚述王说：
“我靠自己的力量和智慧成就了此事，
因为我很聪明。
我废除列国的疆界，
掳掠他们的财物，
像勇士一样征服他们的君王。
14 我夺取列国的财物，
好像探囊取物；
我征服天下，
不过是手到擒来；
无人反抗，无人吭声。”
15 然而，斧头怎能向舞动它的人自夸呢？
锯子怎能向用锯的人炫耀呢？
难道棍子可以挥动举它的人吗？
手杖可以举起它的主人吗？
16 因此，主——万军之耶和华必使亚述王强健的士兵疾病缠身，
使火焰吞噬他的荣耀。
17 以色列的光必成为火焰，
他们的圣者必成为烈火，
一日之间烧光亚述王的荆棘和蒺藜。
18 他茂盛的树林和肥美的田园必被彻底摧毁，
犹如病人渐渐消亡。
19 林中剩下的树木稀少，
连小孩子也能数清。
以色列的余民
20 到那日，以色列的余民，就是雅各家的幸存者，将不再倚靠欺压他们的亚述，他们将真心倚靠耶和华——以色列的圣者， 21 重新归向全能的上帝。 22 以色列啊，你的人民虽多如海沙，将只有剩余的人归回。充满公义的毁灭之事已定。 23 因为主——万军之耶和华必按所定的在整个大地上施行毁灭。
24 因此，主——万军之耶和华说：“我锡安的子民啊，虽然亚述人像埃及人一样挥舞着棍棒毒打你们，你们不要惧怕。 25 因为很快我就不再向你们发怒，我要向他们发怒，毁灭他们。” 26 万军之耶和华要鞭打他们，就像在俄立磐石击杀米甸人，就像祂向海伸杖，使海水淹没埃及人。 27 到那日，祂必除去亚述人加在你们肩头的重担和颈上的轭；那轭必因你们肥壮而折断。
28 亚述大军攻占了亚叶，
穿过米矶仑，
把辎重存放在密抹。
29 他们过了关口，
在迦巴宿营。
拉玛人战战兢兢，
扫罗的乡亲基比亚人仓皇逃跑。
30 迦琳人啊，高声喊叫吧！
莱煞人啊，可怜的亚拿突人啊，
留心听吧！
31 玛得米纳人逃跑，
基柄人躲藏。
32 那时，亚述王必屯兵挪伯，
向着锡安城[a]的山岭，
向着耶路撒冷的山丘摩拳擦掌。
33 看啊，主——万军之耶和华要以大能削去树枝。
高大的树必被斩断，
挺拔的大树必被砍倒，
34 茂密的树林必被铁斧砍掉，
连黎巴嫩的大树也要倒在全能的上帝面前。
Isaiah 10
New English Translation
10 Beware, those who enact unjust policies;[a]
those who are always instituting unfair regulations,[b]
2 to keep the poor from getting fair treatment,
and to deprive[c] the oppressed among my people of justice,
so they can steal what widows own,
and loot what belongs to orphans.[d]
3 What will you do on judgment day,[e]
when destruction arrives from a distant place?
To whom will you run for help?
Where will you leave your wealth?
4 You will have no place to go, except to kneel with the prisoners,
or to fall among those who have been killed.[f]
Despite all this, his anger does not subside,
and his hand is ready to strike again.[g]
The Lord Turns on Arrogant Assyria
5 “Beware, Assyria, the club I use to vent my anger,[h]
a cudgel with which I angrily punish.[i]
6 I sent him[j] against a godless[k] nation,
I ordered him to attack the people with whom I was angry,[l]
to take plunder and to carry away loot,
to trample them down[m] like dirt in the streets.
7 But he does not agree with this;
his mind does not reason this way,[n]
for his goal is to destroy,
and to eliminate many nations.[o]
8 Indeed,[p] he says:
‘Are not my officials all kings?
9 Is not Calneh like Carchemish?
Hamath like Arpad?
Samaria like Damascus?[q]
10 I overpowered kingdoms ruled by idols,[r]
whose carved images were more impressive than Jerusalem’s or Samaria’s.
11 As I have done to Samaria and its idols,
so I will do to Jerusalem and its idols.”[s]
12 But when[t] the Lord[u] finishes judging[v] Mount Zion and Jerusalem, then he[w] will punish the king of Assyria for what he has proudly planned and for the arrogant attitude he displays.[x] 13 For he says:
“By my strong hand I have accomplished this,
by my strategy that I devised.
I invaded the territory of nations,[y]
and looted their storehouses.
Like a mighty conqueror,[z] I brought down rulers.[aa]
14 My hand discovered the wealth of the nations, as if it were in a nest,
as one gathers up abandoned eggs,
I gathered up the whole earth.
There was no wing flapping,
or open mouth chirping.”[ab]
15 Does an ax exalt itself over the one who wields it,
or a saw magnify itself over the one who cuts with it?[ac]
As if a scepter should brandish the one who raises it,
or a staff should lift up what is not made of wood!
16 For this reason[ad] the Sovereign Lord of Heaven’s Armies
will make his healthy ones emaciated.[ae]
His majestic glory will go up in smoke.[af]
17 The Light of Israel[ag] will become a fire,
their Holy One[ah] will become a flame;
it will burn and consume the Assyrian king’s[ai] briers
and his thorns in one day.
18 The splendor of his forest and his orchard
will be completely destroyed,[aj]
as when a sick man’s life ebbs away.[ak]
19 There will be so few trees left in his forest,
a child will be able to count them.[al]
20 At that time[am] those left in Israel, those who remain of the family[an] of Jacob, will no longer rely on a foreign leader that abuses them.[ao] Instead they will truly[ap] rely on the Lord, the Holy One of Israel.[aq] 21 A remnant will come back, a remnant of Jacob, to the mighty God.[ar] 22 For though your people, Israel, are as numerous as[as] the sand on the seashore, only a remnant will come back.[at] Destruction has been decreed;[au] just punishment[av] is about to engulf you.[aw] 23 The Sovereign Lord of Heaven’s Armies is certainly ready to carry out the decreed destruction throughout the land.[ax]
24 So[ay] here is what the Sovereign Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: “My people who live in Zion, do not be afraid of Assyria, even though they beat you with a club and lift their cudgel against you as Egypt did.[az] 25 For very soon my fury[ba] will subside, and my anger will be directed toward their destruction.” 26 The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is about to beat them[bb] with a whip, similar to the way he struck down Midian at the rock of Oreb.[bc] He will use his staff against the sea, lifting it up as he did in Egypt.[bd]
27 At that time[be]
the Lord will remove their burden from your shoulders,[bf]
and their yoke from your neck;
the yoke will be taken off because your neck will be too large.[bg]
28 [bh] They[bi] attacked[bj] Aiath,
moved through Migron,
depositing their supplies at Micmash.
29 They went through the pass,
spent the night at Geba.
Ramah trembled,
Gibeah of Saul ran away.
30 Shout out, daughter of Gallim!
Pay attention, Laishah!
Answer her, Anathoth![bk]
31 Madmenah flees,
the residents of Gebim have hidden.
32 This very day, standing in Nob,
they shake their fist at Daughter Zion’s mountain[bl]—
at the hill of Jerusalem.
33 Look, the Sovereign Lord of Heaven’s Armies
is ready to cut off the branches with terrifying power.[bm]
The tallest trees[bn] will be cut down,
the loftiest ones will be brought low.
34 The thickets of the forest will be chopped down with an ax,
and mighty Lebanon will fall.[bo]
Footnotes
- Isaiah 10:1 tn Heb “Woe [to] those who decree evil decrees.”
- Isaiah 10:1 tn Heb “[to] the writers who write out harm.” The participle and verb are in the Piel, suggesting repetitive action.
- Isaiah 10:2 tn Or “rob” (ASV, NASB, NCV, NRSV); KJV “take away the right from the poor.”
- Isaiah 10:2 tn Heb “so that widows are their plunder, and they can loot orphans.”sn On the socio-economic background of vv. 1-2, see the note at 1:23.
- Isaiah 10:3 tn Heb “the day of visitation” (so KJV, ASV), that is, the day when God arrives to execute justice on the oppressors.
- Isaiah 10:4 tn Heb “except one kneels in the place of the prisoner, and in the place of the slain [who] fall.” On the force of בִּלְתִּי (bilti, “except”) and its logical connection to what precedes, see BDB 116 s.v. בֵלֶת. On the force of תַּחַת (takhat, “in the place of”) here, see J. N. Oswalt, Isaiah (NICOT), 1:258, n. 6.
- Isaiah 10:4 tn Heb “in all this his anger was not turned, and still his hand was outstretched”; KJV, ASV, NRSV “his hand is stretched out still.”sn See the note at 9:12.
- Isaiah 10:5 tn Heb “Woe [to] Assyria, the club of my anger.”
- Isaiah 10:5 tn Heb “a cudgel is he, in their hand is my anger.” It seems likely that the final mem (ם) on בְיָדָם (beyadam) is not a pronominal suffix (“in their hand”), but an enclitic mem. If so, one can translate literally, “a cudgel is he in the hand of my anger.”
- Isaiah 10:6 sn Throughout this section singular forms are used to refer to Assyria; perhaps the king of Assyria is in view (see v. 12).
- Isaiah 10:6 tn Or “defiled”; cf. ASV “profane”; NAB “impious”; NCV “separated from God.”
- Isaiah 10:6 tn Heb “and against the people of my anger I ordered him.”
- Isaiah 10:6 tn Heb “to make it [i.e., the people] a trampled place.”
- Isaiah 10:7 tn Heb “but he, not so does he intend, and his heart, not so does it think.”
- Isaiah 10:7 tn Heb “for to destroy [is] in his heart, and to cut off nations, not a few.”
- Isaiah 10:8 tn Or “For” (KJV, ASV, NASB, NRSV).
- Isaiah 10:9 sn Calneh…Carchemish…Hamath…Arpad…Samaria…Damascus. The city states listed here were conquered by the Assyrians between 740-717 b.c. The point of the rhetorical questions is that no one can stand before Assyria’s might. On the geographical, rather than chronological arrangement of the cities, see J. N. Oswalt, Isaiah (NICOT), 1:264, n. 4.
- Isaiah 10:10 tn Heb “Just as my hand found the kingdoms of the idol[s].” The comparison is expanded in v. 11a (note “as”) and completed in v. 11b (note “so”).
- Isaiah 10:11 tn The statement is constructed as a rhetorical question in the Hebrew text: “Is it not [true that] just as I have done to Samaria and its idols, so I will do to Jerusalem and its idols?’”sn This statement indicates that the prophecy dates sometime between 722-701 b.c.
- Isaiah 10:12 tn The verb that introduces this verse serves as a discourse particle and is untranslated; see note on “in the future” in 2:2.
- Isaiah 10:12 tn The Hebrew term translated “Lord” here and in vv. 16, 23, 24, 33 is אֲדֹנָי (ʾadonay).
- Isaiah 10:12 tn Heb “his work on/against.” Cf. NAB, NASB, NRSV “on”; NIV “against.”
- Isaiah 10:12 tn Heb “I”; The Lord is speaking here, as in vv. 5-6a.
- Isaiah 10:12 tn Heb “I will visit [judgment] on the fruit of the greatness of the heart of the king of Assyria, and on the glory of the height of his eyes.” The proud Assyrian king is likened to a large, beautiful fruit tree.
- Isaiah 10:13 tn Heb “removed the borders of nations”; cf. NAB, NIV, NRSV “boundaries.”
- Isaiah 10:13 tc The consonantal text (Kethib) has כְּאַבִּיר (keʾabbir, “like a strong one”); the marginal reading (Qere) is כַּבִיר (kavir, “mighty one”).
- Isaiah 10:13 tn Heb “and I brought down, like a strong one, ones sitting [or “living”].” The participle יוֹשְׁבִים (yoshevim, “ones sitting”) could refer to the inhabitants of the nations, but the translation assumes that it refers to those who sit on thrones, i.e., rulers. See BDB 442 s.v. יָשַׁב and HALOT 444 s.v. ישׁב.
- Isaiah 10:14 sn The Assyrians’ conquests were relatively unopposed, like robbing a bird’s nest of its eggs when the mother bird is absent.
- Isaiah 10:15 tn Heb “the one who pushes it back and forth”; KJV “him that shaketh it”; ASV “him that wieldeth it.”
- Isaiah 10:16 sn The irrational arrogance of the Assyrians (v. 15) will prompt the judgment about to be described.
- Isaiah 10:16 tn Heb “will send leanness against his healthy ones”; NASB, NIV “will send a wasting disease.”
- Isaiah 10:16 tc Heb “and in the place of his glory burning will burn, like the burning of fire.” The highly repetitive text (יֵקַד יְקֹד כִּיקוֹד אֵשׁ, yeqad yeqod kiqod’esh) may be dittographic; if the second consonantal sequence יקד is omitted, the text would read “and in the place of his glory, it will burn like the burning of fire.”
- Isaiah 10:17 tn In this context the “Light of Israel” is a divine title (note the parallel title “Holy One”). The title points to God’s royal splendor, which overshadows and, when transformed into fire, destroys the “majestic glory” of the king of Assyria (v. 16b).
- Isaiah 10:17 sn See the note on the phrase “the Holy One of Israel” in 1:4.
- Isaiah 10:17 tn Heb “his.” In vv. 17-19 the Assyrian king and his empire are compared to a great forest and orchard that are destroyed by fire (symbolic of the Lord).
- Isaiah 10:18 tn Heb “from breath to flesh it will destroy.” The expression “from breath to flesh” refers to the two basic components of a person, the immaterial (life’s breath) and the material (flesh). Here the phrase is used idiomatically to indicate totality.
- Isaiah 10:18 tn The precise meaning of this line is uncertain. מָסַס (masas), which is used elsewhere of substances dissolving or melting, may here mean “waste away” or “despair.” נָסַס (nasas), which appears only here, may mean “be sick” or “stagger, despair.” See BDB 651 s.v. I נָסַס and HALOT 703 s.v. I נסס. One might translate the line literally, “like the wasting away of one who is sick” (cf. NRSV “as when an invalid wastes away”).
- Isaiah 10:19 tn Heb “and the rest of the trees of his forest will be counted, and a child will record them.”
- Isaiah 10:20 tn Or “in that day.” The verb that introduces this verse serves as a discourse particle and is untranslated; see note on “in the future” in 2:2.
- Isaiah 10:20 tn Heb “house” (so KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV).
- Isaiah 10:20 tn Heb “on one who strikes him down.” This individual is the king (“foreign leader”) of the oppressing nation (which NLT specifies as “the Assyrians”).
- Isaiah 10:20 tn Or “sincerely”; KJV, ASV, NAB, NRSV “in truth.”
- Isaiah 10:20 sn See the note on the phrase “the Holy One of Israel” in 1:4.
- Isaiah 10:21 tn The referent of אֵל גִּבּוֹר (ʾel gibbor, “mighty God”) is uncertain. The title appears only here and in 9:6, where it is one of the royal titles of the coming ideal Davidic king. (Similar titles appear in Deut 10:17 and Neh 9:32 [“the great, mighty, and awesome God”] and in Jer 32:18 [“the great and mighty God”]. Both titles refer to God.) Though Hos 3:5 pictures Israel someday seeking “David their king,” and provides some support for a messianic interpretation of Isa 10:21, the Davidic king is not mentioned in the immediate context of Isa 10:21 (see Isa 11, however). The preceding verse mentions Israel relying on the Lord, so it is likely that the title refers to God here.
- Isaiah 10:22 tn Heb “are like.”
- Isaiah 10:22 sn The twofold appearance of the statement “a remnant will come back” (שְׁאָר יָשׁוּב, sheʾar yashuv) in vv. 21-22 echoes and probably plays off the name of Isaiah’s son Shear Jashub (see 7:3). In its original context the name was meant to encourage Ahaz (see the note at 7:3), but here it has taken on new dimensions. In light of Ahaz’s failure and the judgment it brings down on the land, the name Shear Jashub now foreshadows the destiny of the nation. According to vv. 21-22, there is good news and bad news. The good news is that a remnant of God’s people will return; the bad news is that only a remnant will be preserved and come back. Like the name Immanuel, this name foreshadows both judgment (see the notes at 7:25 and 8:8) and ultimate restoration (see the note at 8:10).
- Isaiah 10:22 tn Or “predetermined”; cf. ASV, NASB “is determined”; TEV “is in store.”
- Isaiah 10:22 tn צְדָקָה (tsedaqah) often means “righteousness,” but here it refers to God’s just judgment.
- Isaiah 10:22 tn Or “is about to overflow.”
- Isaiah 10:23 tn Heb “Indeed (or perhaps “for”) destruction and what is decreed the Sovereign Lord of Heaven’s Armies is about to accomplish in the middle of all the land.” The phrase כָלָא וְנֶחֱרָצָה (khalaʾ venekheratsah, “destruction and what is decreed”) is a hendiadys; the two terms express one idea, with the second qualifying the first.
- Isaiah 10:24 tn Heb “therefore.” The message that follows is one of encouragement, for it focuses on the eventual destruction of the Assyrians. Consequently “therefore” relates back to vv. 5-21, not to vv. 22-23, which must be viewed as a brief parenthesis in an otherwise positive speech.
- Isaiah 10:24 tn Heb “in the way [or “manner”] of Egypt.”
- Isaiah 10:25 tc The Hebrew text has simply “fury,” but the pronominal element can be assumed on the basis of what immediately follows (see “my anger” in the clause). It is possible that the suffixed yod (י) has been accidentally dropped by virtual haplography. Note that a vav (ו) is prefixed to the form that immediately follows; yod and vav are very similar in later script phases.
- Isaiah 10:26 tn Heb “him” (so KJV, ASV, NASB); the singular refers to the leader or king who stands for the entire nation. This is specified by NCV, CEV as “the Assyrians.”
- Isaiah 10:26 sn According to Judg 7:25, the Ephraimites executed the Midianite general Oreb at a rock which was subsequently named after the executed enemy.
- Isaiah 10:26 tc The Hebrew text reads literally, “and his staff [will be] against the sea, and he will lift it in the way [or “manner”] of Egypt.” One could emend the text of עַל הַיָּם (ʿal hayyam, “against the sea”) to עַלֵיהֶם (ʿalehem, “against them”). The proposed shift from the third singular pronoun (note “beat him” earlier in the verse) to the plural is not problematic, for the singular is collective. Note that a third plural pronoun is used at the end of v. 25 (“their destruction”). If the text is retained, as the translation does, “the sea” symbolizes Assyria’s hostility, the metaphor being introduced because of the reference to Egypt. The final phrase, “in the way/manner of Egypt,” probably refers to the way in which God used the staff of Moses to bring judgment down on Egypt.
- Isaiah 10:27 tn Or “in that day” (KJV). The verb that introduces this verse serves as a discourse particle and is untranslated; see note on “in the future” in 2:2.
- Isaiah 10:27 tn Heb “he [i.e., the Lord] will remove his [i.e, Assyria’s] burden from upon your shoulder.”
- Isaiah 10:27 tc The meaning of this line is uncertain. The Hebrew text reads literally, “and the yoke will be destroyed (or perhaps, “pulled down”) because of fatness.” Perhaps this is a bizarre picture of an ox growing so fat that it breaks the yoke around its neck or can no longer fit into its yoke. Fatness would symbolize the Lord’s restored blessings; the removal of the yoke would symbolize the cessation of Assyrian oppression. Because of the difficulty of the metaphor, many prefer to emend the text at this point. Some emend וְחֻבַּל (vekhubbal, “and it will be destroyed,” a perfect with prefixed vav), to יִחְבֹּל (yikhbol, “[it] will be destroyed,” an imperfect), and take the verb with what precedes, “and their yoke will be destroyed from your neck.” Proponents of this view (cf. NAB, NRSV) then emend עֹל (ʿol, “yoke”) to עָלָה (ʿalah, “he came up”) and understand this verb as introducing the following description of the Assyrian invasion (vv. 28-32). מִפְּנֵי שָׁמֶן (mippeney shamen, “because of fatness”) is then emended to read “from before Rimmon” (NAB, NRSV), “from before Samaria,” or “from before Jeshimon.” Although this line may present difficulties, it appears best to regard the line as a graphic depiction of God’s abundant blessings on his servant nation.
- Isaiah 10:28 sn Verses 28-31 display a staccato style; the statements are short and disconnected (no conjunctions appear in the Hebrew text). The translation to follow strives for a choppy style that reflects the mood of the speech.
- Isaiah 10:28 tn Heb “he,” that is, the Assyrians (as the preceding context suggests). Cf. NCV “The army of Assyria.”sn Verses 28-32 describe an invasion of Judah from the north. There is no scholarly consensus on when this particular invasion took place, if at all. J. H. Hayes and S. A. Irvine (Isaiah, 209-10) suggest the text describes the Israelite-Syrian invasion of Judah (ca. 735 b.c.), but this proposal disregards the preceding context, which prophesies the destruction of Assyria. Some suggest that this invasion occurred in conjunction with Sargon’s western campaign of 713-711 b.c., but there is no historical evidence of such an invasion at that time. Many others identify the invasion as Sennacherib’s in 701 b.c., but historical records indicate Sennacherib approached Jerusalem from the southwest. J. N. Oswalt (Isaiah [NICOT], 1:274-75) prefers to see the description as rhetorical and as not corresponding to any particular historical event, but Hayes and Irvine argue that the precise geographical details militate against such a proposal. Perhaps it is best to label the account as rhetorical-prophetic. The prophecy of the invasion was not necessarily intended to be a literal itinerary of the Assyrians’ movements; rather its primary purpose was to create a foreboding mood. Geographical references contribute to this purpose, but they merely reflect how one would expect an Assyrian invasion to proceed, not necessarily how the actual invasion would progress. Despite its rhetorical nature, the prophecy does point to the invasion of 701 b.c., as the announcement of the invaders’ downfall in vv. 33-34 makes clear; it was essentially fulfilled at that time. For further discussion of the problem, see R. E. Clements, Isaiah (NCBC), 117-19. On the geographical details of the account, see Y. Aharoni, Land of the Bible, 393.
- Isaiah 10:28 tn Heb “came against,” or “came to.”
- Isaiah 10:30 tc The Hebrew text reads “Poor [is] Anathoth.” The parallelism is tighter if עֲנִיָּה (ʿaniyyah, “poor”) is emended to עֲנִיהָ (ʿaniha, “answer her”). Note how the preceding two lines have an imperative followed by a proper name.
- Isaiah 10:32 tc The consonantal text (Kethib) has “a mountain of a house (בֵּית, bet), Zion,” but the marginal reading (Qere) correctly reads “the mountain of the daughter (בַּת, bat) of Zion.” On the phrase “Daughter Zion,” see the note on the same phrase in 1:8.
- Isaiah 10:33 tc The Hebrew text reads “with terrifying power,” or “with a crash.” מַעֲרָצָה (maʿaratsah, “terrifying power” or “crash”) occurs only here. Several have suggested an emendation to מַעֲצָד (maʿatsad, “ax”) parallel to “ax” in v. 34; see HALOT 615 s.v. מַעֲצָד and H. Wildberger, Isaiah, 1:448. sn As in vv. 12 (see the note there) and 18, the Assyrians are compared to a tree/forest in vv. 33-34.
- Isaiah 10:33 tn Heb “the exalted of the height.” This could refer to the highest branches (cf. TEV) or the tallest trees (cf. NIV, NRSV).
- Isaiah 10:34 tn The Hebrew text has, “and Lebanon, by/as [?] a mighty one, will fall.” The translation above takes the preposition בְּ (bet) prefixed to “mighty one” as indicating identity, “Lebanon, as a mighty one, will fall.” In this case “mighty one” describes Lebanon. (In Ezek 17:23 and Zech 11:2 the adjective is used of Lebanon’s cedars.) Another option is to take the preposition as indicating agency and interpret “mighty one” as a divine title (see Isa 33:21). One could then translate, “and Lebanon will fall by [the agency of] the Mighty One.”
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