ה֥וֹי הַחֹֽקְקִ֖ים חִקְקֵי־אָ֑וֶן וּֽמְכַתְּבִ֥ים עָמָ֖ל כִּתֵּֽבוּ׃ Ha!
Those who write out evil writs
And compose iniquitous documents,
לְהַטּ֤וֹת מִדִּין֙ דַּלִּ֔ים וְלִגְזֹ֕ל מִשְׁפַּ֖ט עֲנִיֵּ֣י עַמִּ֑י לִֽהְי֤וֹת אַלְמָנוֹת֙ שְׁלָלָ֔ם וְאֶת־יְתוֹמִ֖ים יָבֹֽזּוּ׃ To subvert the cause of the poor,
To rob of their rights the needy of My people;
That widows may be their spoil,
And fatherless children their booty!
וּמַֽה־תַּעֲשׂוּ֙ לְי֣וֹם פְּקֻדָּ֔ה וּלְשׁוֹאָ֖ה מִמֶּרְחָ֣ק תָּב֑וֹא עַל־מִי֙ תָּנ֣וּסוּ לְעֶזְרָ֔ה וְאָ֥נָה תַעַזְב֖וּ כְּבוֹדְכֶֽם׃ What will you do on the day of punishment,
When the calamity comes from afar?
To whom will you flee for help,
And how will you save your carcassesacarcasses Meaning of Heb. uncertain; for “carcasses,” compare the rendering of kabod in v. 16; 22.18.
בִּלְתִּ֤י כָרַע֙ תַּ֣חַת אַסִּ֔יר וְתַ֥חַת הֲרוּגִ֖ים יִפֹּ֑לוּ בְּכׇל־זֹאת֙ לֹא־שָׁ֣ב אַפּ֔וֹ וְע֖וֹד יָד֥וֹ נְטוּיָֽה׃ {פ}
From collapsing under [fellow] prisoners,
From falling beneath the slain?
Yet God’s anger has not turned back,
And the divine arm is outstretched still.
ה֥וֹי אַשּׁ֖וּר שֵׁ֣בֶט אַפִּ֑י וּמַטֶּה־ה֥וּא בְיָדָ֖ם זַעְמִֽי׃ Ha!
Assyria, rod of My anger,
In whose hand, as a staff, is My fury!bIn whose hand, as a staff, is My fury Emendation yields “Who is a staff in the hand of my fury.”
בְּג֤וֹי חָנֵף֙ אֲשַׁלְּחֶ֔נּוּ וְעַל־עַ֥ם עֶבְרָתִ֖י אֲצַוֶּ֑נּוּ לִשְׁלֹ֤ל שָׁלָל֙ וְלָבֹ֣ז בַּ֔ז (ולשימו) [וּלְשׂוּמ֥וֹ] מִרְמָ֖ס כְּחֹ֥מֶר חוּצֽוֹת׃ I send him against an ungodly nation,
I charge him against a people that provokes Me,
To take its spoil and to seize its booty
And to make it a thing trampled
Like the mire of the streets.
וְהוּא֙ לֹא־כֵ֣ן יְדַמֶּ֔ה וּלְבָב֖וֹ לֹא־כֵ֣ן יַחְשֹׁ֑ב כִּ֚י לְהַשְׁמִ֣יד בִּלְבָב֔וֹ וּלְהַכְרִ֥ית גּוֹיִ֖ם לֹ֥א מְעָֽט׃ But he has evil plans,
His mind harbors evil designs;
For he means to destroy,
To wipe out nations, not a few.
כִּ֖י יֹאמַ֑ר הֲלֹ֥א שָׂרַ֛י יַחְדָּ֖ו מְלָכִֽים׃ For he thinks,
“After all, I have kings as my captains!cI have kings as my captains! Emendation yields “all the kingdoms fared alike!”
הֲלֹ֥א כְּכַרְכְּמִ֖ישׁ כַּלְנ֑וֹ אִם־לֹ֤א כְאַרְפַּד֙ חֲמָ֔ת אִם־לֹ֥א כְדַמֶּ֖שֶׂק שֹׁמְרֽוֹן׃ Was Calno any different from Carchemish?
Or Hamath from Arpad?
Or Samaria from Damascus?
כַּֽאֲשֶׁר֙ מָצְאָ֣ה יָדִ֔י לְמַמְלְכֹ֖ת הָאֱלִ֑יל וּפְסִ֣ילֵיהֶ֔ם מִירוּשָׁלַ֖͏ִם וּמִשֹּׁמְרֽוֹן׃ Since I was able to seize
The insignificant kingdoms,
Whose images exceeded
Jerusalem’s and Samaria’s,dSince I was able to seize / The insignificant kingdoms, / Whose images exceeded / Jerusalem’s and Samaria’s Emendation yields “Since I was able to seize / those kingdoms and their images, / Why is Jerusalem better than Samaria?”
הֲלֹ֗א כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשִׂ֛יתִי לְשֹׁמְר֖וֹן וְלֶאֱלִילֶ֑יהָ כֵּ֛ן אֶעֱשֶׂ֥ה לִירוּשָׁלַ֖͏ִם וְלַעֲצַבֶּֽיהָ׃ {פ}
Shall I not do to Jerusalem and her images
What I did to Samaria and her idols?”
וְהָיָ֗ה כִּֽי־יְבַצַּ֤ע אֲדֹנָי֙ אֶת־כׇּל־מַֽעֲשֵׂ֔הוּ בְּהַ֥ר צִיּ֖וֹן וּבִירוּשָׁלָ֑͏ִם אֶפְקֹ֗ד עַל־פְּרִֽי־גֹ֙דֶל֙ לְבַ֣ב מֶלֶךְ־אַשּׁ֔וּר וְעַל־תִּפְאֶ֖רֶת ר֥וּם עֵינָֽיו׃ But when all of my Sovereign’s purpose has been carried out on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, the majestic pride and overbearing arrogance of the king of Assyria will be punished.ewill be punished Heb. “I will punish.”
כִּ֣י אָמַ֗ר בְּכֹ֤חַ יָדִי֙ עָשִׂ֔יתִי וּבְחׇכְמָתִ֖י כִּ֣י נְבֻנ֑וֹתִי וְאָסִ֣יר ׀ גְּבוּלֹ֣ת עַמִּ֗ים (ועתידתיהם) [וַעֲתֽוּדֹתֵיהֶם֙] שׁוֹשֵׂ֔תִי וְאוֹרִ֥יד כַּאבִּ֖יר יוֹשְׁבִֽים׃ For he thought,
“By the might of my hand have I wrought it,
By my skill, for I am clever:
I have erased the borders of peoples;
I have plundered their treasures,
And exiled their vast populations.fAnd exiled … populations According to vv. 6–7, Assyria was to plunder, but not to exile.
וַתִּמְצָ֨א כַקֵּ֤ן ׀ יָדִי֙ לְחֵ֣יל הָעַמִּ֔ים וְכֶֽאֱסֹף֙ בֵּיצִ֣ים עֲזֻב֔וֹת כׇּל־הָאָ֖רֶץ אֲנִ֣י אָסָ֑פְתִּי וְלֹ֤א הָיָה֙ נֹדֵ֣ד כָּנָ֔ף וּפֹצֶ֥ה פֶ֖ה וּמְצַפְצֵֽף׃ I was able to seize, like a nest,
The wealth of peoples;
As one gathers abandoned eggs,
So I gathered all the earth:
Nothing so much as flapped a wing
Or opened a mouth to peep.”
הֲיִתְפָּאֵר֙ הַגַּרְזֶ֔ן עַ֖ל הַחֹצֵ֣ב בּ֑וֹ אִם־יִתְגַּדֵּ֤ל הַמַּשּׂוֹר֙ עַל־מְנִיפ֔וֹ כְּהָנִ֥יף שֵׁ֙בֶט֙ וְאֶת־מְרִימָ֔יו כְּהָרִ֥ים מַטֶּ֖ה לֹא־עֵֽץ׃ {פ}
Does an ax boast over one who hews with it,
Or a saw magnify itself above one who wields it?
As though the rod raised one who lifts it,
As though the staff lifted the person!gthe person Lit. “not-wood.”
לָ֠כֵן יְשַׁלַּ֨ח הָאָד֜וֹן יְהֹוָ֧ה צְבָא֛וֹת בְּמִשְׁמַנָּ֖יו רָז֑וֹן וְתַ֧חַת כְּבֹד֛וֹ יֵקַ֥ד יְקֹ֖ד כִּיק֥וֹד אֵֽשׁ׃ hVerses 16–19 would read well after 9.16 Assuredly,
The Sovereign GOD of Hosts will send
A wasting away in itsiits Presumably Israel’s. fatness;
And under its bodyjbody Cf. note at v. 3. shall burn
A burning like that of fire,
Destroying frame and flesh.
It shall be like an invalid who pines away.kDestroying frame and flesh. / It shall be like an invalid who pines away Moved up from v. 18 for clarity.
וְהָיָ֤ה אֽוֹר־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ לְאֵ֔שׁ וּקְדוֹשׁ֖וֹ לְלֶהָבָ֑ה וּבָעֲרָ֗ה וְאָכְלָ֛ה שִׁית֥וֹ וּשְׁמִיר֖וֹ בְּי֥וֹם אֶחָֽד׃ The Light of Israel will be fire
And its Holy One flame.
It will burn and consume its thorns
And its thistles in a single day,
וּכְב֤וֹד יַעְרוֹ֙ וְכַרְמִלּ֔וֹ מִנֶּ֥פֶשׁ וְעַד־בָּשָׂ֖ר יְכַלֶּ֑ה וְהָיָ֖ה כִּמְסֹ֥ס נֹסֵֽס׃ And the mass of its scrub and its farmland.
וּשְׁאָ֥ר עֵ֛ץ יַעְר֖וֹ מִסְפָּ֣ר יִהְי֑וּ וְנַ֖עַר יִכְתְּבֵֽם׃ {ס} What trees remain of its scrub
Shall be so few that a child may record them.
וְהָיָ֣ה ׀ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֗וּא לֹא־יוֹסִ֨יף ע֜וֹד שְׁאָ֤ר יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ וּפְלֵיטַ֣ת בֵּֽית־יַעֲקֹ֔ב לְהִשָּׁעֵ֖ן עַל־מַכֵּ֑הוּ וְנִשְׁעַ֗ן עַל־יְהֹוָ֛ה קְד֥וֹשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בֶּאֱמֶֽת׃ And in that day,
The remnant of Israel
And the escaped of the House of Jacob
Shall lean no more upon him that beats it,lupon him that beats it I.e., upon Assyria (see v. 24). Ahaz’s reliance on Assyria was interpreted by Isaiah as lack of faith in GOD; see 7.13 with note.
But shall lean sincerely
On GOD, the Holy One of Israel.
שְׁאָ֥ר יָשׁ֖וּב שְׁאָ֣ר יַעֲקֹ֑ב אֶל־אֵ֖ל גִּבּֽוֹר׃ Only a remnant shall return,
Only a remnant of Jacob,
To Mighty God.
כִּ֣י אִם־יִהְיֶ֞ה עַמְּךָ֤ יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ כְּח֣וֹל הַיָּ֔ם שְׁאָ֖ר יָשׁ֣וּב בּ֑וֹ כִּלָּי֥וֹן חָר֖וּץ שׁוֹטֵ֥ף צְדָקָֽה׃ Even if your people, O Israel,
Should be as the sands of the sea,
Only a remnant of it shall return.
Destruction is decreed;
Retribution comes like a flood!
כִּ֥י כָלָ֖ה וְנֶחֱרָצָ֑ה אֲדֹנָ֤י יֱהֹוִה֙ צְבָא֔וֹת עֹשֶׂ֖ה בְּקֶ֥רֶב כׇּל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃ {פ}
For my Sovereign GOD of Hosts is carrying out
A decree of destruction upon all the land.
לָכֵ֗ן כֹּֽה־אָמַ֞ר אֲדֹנָ֤י יֱהֹוִה֙ צְבָא֔וֹת אַל־תִּירָ֥א עַמִּ֛י יֹשֵׁ֥ב צִיּ֖וֹן מֵאַשּׁ֑וּר בַּשֵּׁ֣בֶט יַכֶּ֔כָּה וּמַטֵּ֥הוּ יִשָּֽׂא־עָלֶ֖יךָ בְּדֶ֥רֶךְ מִצְרָֽיִם׃ Assuredly, thus said my Sovereign GOD of Hosts: “O My people that dwells in Zion, have no fear of Assyria, who beats you with a rod and wields his staff over you as did the Egyptians.
כִּי־ע֖וֹד מְעַ֣ט מִזְעָ֑ר וְכָ֣לָה זַ֔עַם וְאַפִּ֖י עַל־תַּבְלִיתָֽם׃ For very soon My wrath will have spent itself, and My anger that was bent on wasting them.”mMy anger that was bent on wasting them Presumably Assyria; meaning of Heb. uncertain. Emendation yields “My anger against the world shall cease.”
וְעוֹרֵ֨ר עָלָ֜יו יְהֹוָ֤ה צְבָאוֹת֙ שׁ֔וֹט כְּמַכַּ֥ת מִדְיָ֖ן בְּצ֣וּר עוֹרֵ֑ב וּמַטֵּ֙הוּ֙ עַל־הַיָּ֔ם וּנְשָׂא֖וֹ בְּדֶ֥רֶךְ מִצְרָֽיִם׃ GOD of Hosts will brandish a scourge over AssyrianAssyria Heb. “him.” as when Midian was beaten at the Rock of Oreb,owhen Midian was beaten at the Rock of Oreb See Judg. 7.25. and will wield a staff [over him] as was done to the Egyptians by the sea.
וְהָיָ֣ה ׀ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֗וּא יָס֤וּר סֻבֳּלוֹ֙ מֵעַ֣ל שִׁכְמֶ֔ךָ וְעֻלּ֖וֹ מֵעַ֣ל צַוָּארֶ֑ךָ וְחֻבַּ֥ל עֹ֖ל מִפְּנֵי־שָֽׁמֶן׃ And in that day,
His burden shall drop from your back,
And his yoke from your neck;
The yoke shall be destroyed because of fatness.
בָּ֥א עַל־עַיַּ֖ת עָבַ֣ר בְּמִגְר֑וֹן לְמִכְמָ֖שׂ יַפְקִ֥יד כֵּלָֽיו׃ He advanced upon Aiath,pAiath Elsewhere called Ai.
He proceeded to Migron,
At Michmas he deposited his baggage.
עָֽבְרוּ֙ מַעְבָּרָ֔ה גֶּ֖בַע מָל֣וֹן לָ֑נוּ חָֽרְדָה֙ הָרָמָ֔ה גִּבְעַ֥ת שָׁא֖וּל נָֽסָה׃ They made the crossing;
“Geba is to be our night quarters!”qAnd his yoke … night quarters Emendation yields “And his yoke shall leave your neck. / He came up from Jeshimon / 28By the ascent of Aiath, / He proceeded to Migron; / At Michmas he commanded his forces: / 29‘Make the crossing; / Geba is to be our night quarters!’” Jeshimon is the southeast corner of the Jordan Valley, Num. 21.20; 23.28.
Ramah was alarmed;
Gibeah of Saul took to flight.
צַהֲלִ֥י קוֹלֵ֖ךְ בַּת־גַּלִּ֑ים הַקְשִׁ֥יבִי לַ֖יְשָׁה עֲנִיָּ֥ה עֲנָתֽוֹת׃ “Give a shrill cry, O Bath-gallim!
Hearken, Laishah!
Take up the cry, Anathoth!”
נָֽדְדָ֖ה מַדְמֵנָ֑ה יֹשְׁבֵ֥י הַגֵּבִ֖ים הֵעִֽיזוּ׃ Madmenah ran away;
The dwellers of Gebim sought refuge.
ע֥וֹד הַיּ֖וֹם בְּנֹ֣ב לַעֲמֹ֑ד יְנֹפֵ֤ף יָדוֹ֙ הַ֣ר (בית) [בַּת־]צִיּ֔וֹן גִּבְעַ֖ת יְרוּשָׁלָֽ͏ִם׃ {פ}
This same day at Nob
He shall stand and wave his hand.rI.e., the Assyrian king, arriving at Nob (close to Jerusalem), shall beckon his army onward; cf. 13.2.
O mount of Fair Zion!
O hill of Jerusalem!
הִנֵּ֤ה הָאָדוֹן֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה צְבָא֔וֹת מְסָעֵ֥ף פֻּארָ֖ה בְּמַעֲרָצָ֑ה וְרָמֵ֤י הַקּוֹמָה֙ גְּדוּעִ֔ים וְהַגְּבֹהִ֖ים יִשְׁפָּֽלוּ׃ Lo! The Sovereign GOD of Hosts
Will hew off the tree-crowns with an ax:
The tall ones shall be felled,
The lofty ones cut down:
וְנִקַּ֛ף סִֽבְכֵ֥י הַיַּ֖עַר בַּבַּרְזֶ֑ל וְהַלְּבָנ֖וֹן בְּאַדִּ֥יר יִפּֽוֹל׃ {ס} The thickets of the forest shall be hacked away with iron,
And the Lebanon trees shall fall in their majesty.sin their majesty Or “by the bronze,” connecting Heb. ʼaddir with Akkadian urudu, “bronze.”