1tn Or “righteous” (KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT); NAB “the just man”; TEV “Good people.”

2tn Or perhaps, “understands.” Heb “and there is no man who sets [it] upon [his] heart.”

3tn Heb “Men of loyalty are taken away.” The Niphal of אָסַף (’asaf) here means “to die.”

4tn The Hebrew term בְּאֵין (en) often has the nuance “when there is no.” See Prov 8:24; 11;14; 14:4; 15:22; 26:20; 29:18.

5tn Or “realizes”; Heb “understands” (so NASB, NIV, NRSV).

6tn Or “righteous” (KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT); NAB “the just man.”

7tn Heb “are taken away.” The Niphal of אָסַף (’asaf) here means “to die.”

8tn The term מִפְּנֵי (mipp˙ne, “from the face of”) often has a causal nuance. It also appears with the Niphal of אָסַף (’asaph, “gather”) in 2 Chr 12:5: אֲשֶׁר־נֶאֶסְפוּ אֶל־יְרוּשָׁלַם מִפְּנֵי שִׁישָׁק (’asher-neesphu el-y˙rushalam mipp˙ney shishaq, “who had gathered at Jerusalem because of [i.e., due to fear of] Shishak”).

9tn The translation assumes that this verse, in proverbial fashion, laments society’s apathy over the persecution of the godly. The second half of the verse observes that such apathy results in more widespread oppression. Since the next verse pictures the godly being taken to a place of rest, some interpret the second half of v. 1 in a more positive vein. According to proponents of this view, God removes the godly so that they might be spared suffering and calamity, a fact which the general populace fails to realize.

10tn Heb “he enters peace, they rest on their beds, the one who walks straight ahead of himself.” The tomb is here viewed in a fairly positive way as a place where the dead are at peace and sleep undisturbed.

11tc The Hebrew text reads literally, “offspring of an adulterer [masculine] and [one who] has committed adultery.” Perhaps the text has suffered from transposition of vav (ו) and tav (ת) and מְנָאֵף וַתִּזְנֶה (m˙naef vattizneh) should be emended to מְנָאֶפֶת וְזֹנָה (m˙naefet v˙zonah, “an adulteress and a prostitute”). Both singular nouns would be understood in a collective sense. Most modern English versions render both forms as nouns.

12tn Heb “Are you not children of rebellion, offspring of a lie?” The rhetorical question anticipates the answer, “Of course you are!”

13tn Heb “inflame yourselves”; NRSV “burn with lust.” This verse alludes to the practice of ritual sex that accompanied pagan fertility rites.

14sn This apparently alludes to the practice of child sacrifice (cf. TEV, CEV, NLT).

15tn Heb “among the smooth stones of the stream [is] your portion, they, they [are] your lot.” The next line indicates idols are in view.

16tn The text reads literally, “Because of these am I relenting?” If the prefixed interrogative particle is retained at the beginning of the sentence, then the question would be rhetorical, with the Niphal of נָחָם (nakham) probably being used in the sense of “relent, change one’s mind.” One could translate: “Because of these things, how can I relent?” However, the initial letter he may be dittographic (note the final he [ה] on the preceding word). In this case one may understand the verb in the sense of “console oneself, seek vengeance,” as in 1:24.

17tn The precise referent of זִכָּרוֹן (zikkaron) in this context is uncertain. Elsewhere the word refers to a memorial or commemorative sign. Here it likely refers to some type of idolatrous symbol.

18tn Or “for” (KJV, NRSV).

19tc The Hebrew text reads literally, “from me you uncover.” The translation assumes an emendation of the Piel form גִּלִּית (gillit, “you uncover”), which has no object expressed here, to the Qal גָּלִית (galit, “you depart”).

20tn Heb “you make wide your bed” (NASB similar).

21tc Heb “and you [second masculine singular, unless the form be taken as third feminine singular] cut for yourself [feminine singular] from them.” Most English translations retain the MT reading in spite of at least three problems. This section makes significant use of feminine verbs and noun suffixes because of the sexual imagery. The verb in question is likely a 2nd person masculine singular verb. Nevertheless, this kind of fluctuation in gender appears elsewhere (GKC 127-28 §47.k and 462 §144.p; cf. Jer 3:5; Ezek 22:4; 23:32; cf. J. N. Oswalt, Isaiah [NICOT], 2:473, n. 13). Secondly, when this verbal root signifies establishing a covenant, it is normally accompanied by the noun for “covenant” (בְּרִית, b˙rit). Finally, this juxtaposition of the verb “to cut” and “covenant” normally is followed by the preposition “with,” while here it is “from.” The translation above assumes an emendation of וַתִּכְרָת (vatikhrah, “and you cut”) to וְכָרִית (v˙kharit, “and you purchase”) from the root כָּרָה (kharah); see HALOT 497 s.v. II כרה.

22tn The Hebrew text has simply חָזָה (khazah, “gaze”). The adverb “longingly” is interpretive (see the context, where sexual lust is depicted).

23tn Heb “[at] a hand you gaze.” The term יָד (yad, “hand”) probably has the sense of “power, manhood” here, where it is used, as in Ugaritic, as a euphemism for the genitals. See HALOT 387 s.v. I יָד.

24tn Heb “you journey with oil.”

25tn Heb “the king.” Since the context refers to idolatry and child sacrifice (see v. 5), some emend מֶלֶך (melekh, “king”) to “Molech.” Perhaps Israel’s devotion to her idols is likened here to a subject taking tribute to a ruler.

26tn Heb “and you multiply your perfumes.”

27sn Israel’s devotion to her idols is inordinate, irrational, and self-destructive.

28tn Heb “by the greatness [i.e., “length,” see BDB 914 s.v. רֹב 2] of your way you get tired.”

29tn Heb “it is hopeless” (so NAB, NASB, NIV); NRSV “It is useless.”

30tn Heb “the life of your hand you find.” The term חַיָּה (khayyah, “life”) is here used in the sense of “renewal” (see BDB 312 s.v.) while יָד (yad) is used of “strength.”

31tn Heb “you do not grow weak.”

32tn Heb “you do not place [it] on your heart.”

33tn Heb “Is it not [because] I have been silent, and from long ago?”

34sn God’s patience with sinful Israel has caused them to think that they can sin with impunity and suffer no consequences.

35tn Heb “I, I will declare your righteousness and your deeds.”

36tn The Hebrew text has קִבּוּצַיִךְ (qibbutsayikh, “your gatherings”), an otherwise unattested noun from the verbal root קָבַץ (qavats, “gather”). Perhaps this alludes to their religious assemblies and by metonymy to their rituals. Since idolatry is a prominent theme in the context, some understand this as a reference to a collection of idols. The second half of the verse also favors this view.

37tn Heb “all of them a wind lifts up.”

38tn Heb “a breath takes [them] away.”

39tn Or “seeks refuge in me.” “Seeking refuge” is a metonymy for “being loyal to.”

40tn Heb “possess, own.” The point seems to be that he will have free access to God’s presence, as if God’s temple mount were his personal possession.

41tn Since God is speaking throughout this context, perhaps we should emend the text to “and I say.” However, divine speech is introduced in v. 15.

42tn Heb “the one who dwells forever.” שֹׁכֵן עַד (shokhen ad) is sometimes translated “the one who lives forever,” and understood as a reference to God’s eternal existence. However, the immediately preceding and following descriptions (“high and exalted” and “holy”) emphasize his sovereign rule. In the next line, he declares, “I dwell in an exalted and holy [place],” which refers to the place from which he rules. Therefore it is more likely that שֹׁכֵן עַד (shokhen ad) means “I dwell [in my lofty palace] forever” and refers to God’s eternal kingship.

43tn Heb “and also with the crushed and lowly of spirit.” This may refer to the repentant who have humbled themselves (see 66:2) or more generally to the exiles who have experienced discouragement and humiliation.

44tn Heb “to restore the lowly of spirit and to restore the heart of the crushed.”

45tn Or perhaps, “argue,” or “accuse” (so NAB, NIV, NRSV).

46tn Heb “for a spirit from before me would be faint.”

47tn Heb “and I struck him, hiding, and I was angry.” פָּנַיִם (panayim, “face”) is the implied object of “hiding.”

48tn Heb “and he walked [as an] apostate in the way of his heart.”

49tn Heb “his ways” (so KJV, NASB, NIV); TEV “how they acted.”

50tn Heb “and I will restore consolation to him, to his mourners.”

51tc The Hebrew text has literally, “one who creates fruit of lips.” Perhaps the pronoun אֲנִי (’ani) should be inserted after the participle; it may have been accidentally omitted by haplography: נוּב שְׂפָתָיִם[אֲנִי] בּוֹרֵא (bore [’ani] nuv s˙fatayim). “Fruit of the lips” is often understood as a metonymy for praise; perhaps it refers more generally to joyful shouts (see v. 18).

52tn Heb “Peace, peace.” The repetition of the noun emphasizes degree.