And many shall stumble thereon …: As a result of Yahweh becoming a stumbling block, many people will fall. Many shall stumble is a general statement for their fall. It is followed by a series of four verbs all of which provide further details. They will fall and as a result will be broken or shattered. “Stumbling,” “falling,” and “being broken” refer to being attacked and defeated. The verbs snared and taken match the nouns “trap” and “snare” in the previous verse. They also point to being attacked and defeated. Piling up these verbs gives greater emphasis to what Yahweh will do. Revised English Bible translates “Over them many will stumble and fall and suffer injury; they will be snared and caught.”

Several of these verbs are in the passive form, so translators may need to turn them into active verbs. If so, the subject will need to be specified. Yahweh is the subject, but he will do these things through an enemy of his people. The last half of this verse may be rendered “Yahweh will cause the enemy to snare many and take them captive.” This model avoids the misunderstanding of Yahweh acting directly.

Translation examples for this verse are:

• Many people will stumble over them, fall, and be shattered; they will be trapped and caught.”

• Many will stumble, fall, and be broken; they will be trapped.”

• Many will stumble and fall. Yahweh will break them, and will cause the enemy to trap them and take them captive.”

Quoted with permission from Ogden, Graham S. and Sterk, Jan. A Handbook on Isaiah. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2011. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .