‏ Isaiah 57:17-19


17 I was angry because of their sinful greed;
I attacked them and angrily rejected them,
tn Heb “and I struck him, hiding, and I was angry.” פָּנִים (panim, “face”) is the implied object of “hiding.”

yet they remained disobedient and stubborn.
tn Heb “and he walked [as an] apostate in the way of his heart.”

18 I have seen their behavior,
tn Heb “his ways” (so KJV, NASB, NIV84); NIV11 “their ways”; TEV “how they acted.”

but I will heal them. I will lead
tc The MT has וְאַנְחֵהוּ (veʾankhehu) from נָחָה (nakhah) “I will lead them,” but the consonantal text may also be read as וַאֲנִחֵהוּ (vaʾanikhehu) from נוּחַ (nuakh) “I will give them rest.” The MT is supported by Aquila and the Vulgate, though 1QIsaa omits the verb and the LXX and Targum offer mixed evidence.
them,
and I will provide comfort
tn The verb וַאֲשַׁלֵּם (vaʾashallem), the Piel form of the verb שָׁלֵם (shalem), means “to make whole, make restitution, compensate, reward” (HALOT 1534, s.v.). The noun נִחֻמִים (nikhumim) uses the plural form for the abstract concept, “comfort.” The Lord will bestow comfort as restitution to Israel.
to them and those who mourn with them.
tn Heb “to him and to his mourners.” Since Israel is represented by the singular pronoun “to him” (rendered as plural “them” for style throughout vv. 17-19), those who mourn for, or with, him are likely religious converts or others who sympathize with Israel (see J. D. W. Watts, Isaiah [WBC], 25:835).

19 I am the one who gives them reason to celebrate.
tc The Hebrew text has literally, “one who creates fruit of lips.” Perhaps the pronoun אֲנִי (ʾani) should be inserted after the participle; it may have been accidentally omitted by haplography: נוּב שְׂפָתָיִם [אֲנִי] בּוֹרֵי (boreʾ [ʾani] nuv sefatayim). “Fruit of the lips” is often understood as a metonymy for praise; perhaps it refers more generally to joyful shouts (see v. 18).

Complete prosperity
tn Heb “Peace, peace.” The repetition of the noun emphasizes degree.
is available both to those who are far away and those who are nearby,”
says the Lord, “and I will heal them.
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