Isa 27:6-10
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The Old Testament > Isaiah > Chapter 27
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Questions
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Lexical notes
Verse 8
- In measure. This whole verse seems very difficult for translators to reckon with. The NET footnotes offer a brief explanation of the difficulties. The NASB seems representative of many translators in interpreting cacacah (KJV "in measure") in a driving away sense, i.e. "banishing" (NRSV, "expulsion"). Wildberger attributes this view to Dillmann who says "this would have to be analyzed as an infinitive with a third feminine singular suffix or else a noun expressing action." Other scholars (e.g. G. R. Driver, Journal of Theological Studies v. 30, 1928, p. 371) have, in a similar spirit, taken cacacah as a pilpel infinitive to be understood from an Arabic word meaning "shooing away."
- Thou wilt debate with it. Wildberger translates this "he disputed with her" and notes that "the suffixes on these verbs . . . are feminine singular, which means they cannot refer directly to Jacob." The her then could be referring to the city (Samaria most likely) in verses 10ff. The NET takes this as a divorce proceeding as an explanation for the feminine suffixes (Israel as the bride).
- Day of the east wind. The east wind (qdym) is often used to express a hot wind that dries up vegetation (cf. Ps 103:16; Jer 18:17; Job 27:21).
Exegesis
Verse 7
The KJV word him in this verse can be taken (at least) two ways. The more common interpretation seems to be that the him is referring to Israel ("them" in NRSV, NASB, etc.). On this view, the question seems to be asking whether God was as severe to Israel's oppressors as he was to Israel. The fact that Israel is fruitful implicitly answers this question since Israel's oppressors have been completely burned and destroyed. Another possible way to read this is asking whether he (God) struck him who struck him (God)—that is, although Israel struck God, God retaliated by blessing Israel.
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