Since the LORD’s army is gathering, the prophet now calls on people facing attack to accept the reality of their punishment.
Wail renders a plural imperative verb in Hebrew. It calls on the people who face something terrifying to voice their distress. It also suggests some kind of lament. Good News Translation says “Howl in pain!” but this is probably incorrect, unless “pain” refers to severe emotional stress. Contemporary English Version has “Cry and weep!”
For the day of the LORD is near: The phrase the day of the LORD occurs here for the first time in this book, although the notion of a day in which Yahweh will act in judgment is common (see 2.12; 3.18; 4.2 and so on). The noun day refers to a period or a moment of time in the future. The expression “On that day,” referring to “the day of the LORD,” is common among Israel’s prophets. Both phrases speak of a future time when God’s actions will be demonstrated in some dramatic way. The day of the LORD may be rendered “the day of the LORD’s judgment.” Here this moment of judgment is about to happen, for it is near. In this context the adverb near is a time marker, not a place marker.
As destruction from the Almighty it will come: This line confirms that God will act soon to punish. The initial particle as suggests that the day will come “like” a destructive moment, or “in the form of” destruction. New International Version translates “it will come like destruction from the Almighty.” The noun destruction links with the verb “destroy” in the previous verse. From the Almighty indicates that God will cause the destruction. The divine title, the Almighty (shaddai in Hebrew), first occurs in Gen 17.1. It was made known to Israel at Mount Sinai (Exo 6.3). The specific meaning of the Hebrew word shaddai is not certain. Perhaps it is for this reason that New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh and New Jerusalem Bible retain the form “Shaddai.” Bible en français courant has “the very great God,” and Contemporary English Version says “the mighty LORD.”
Translation examples for this verse are:
• Cry in distress, all of you!
Because the day of the LORD is near.
That day will be a day of destruction
caused by the Almighty.
• Lament strongly, because the day of the LORD is approaching. That is the day the Almighty will destroy so many things.
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 .