The Hebrew word rendered Now therefore (also Bible en français courant) marks this verse as the conclusion of the section. The prophet warns the leaders of Judah to take his message seriously, so they can avoid the impending doom.

Do not scoff is a command. The prophet tells the leaders to stop ridiculing his message. For scoff see the comments on “scoffers” at verse 14.

Lest your bonds be made strong: The connector lest introduces the penalty for failing to end the mockery of the prophet and his words. It has the sense of “If you do not do this, then….” If the leaders do not stop scoffing, then their bonds will be made strong. Bonds are chains used to tie up a person. Here your bonds is used figuratively to refer to the bondage that the Assyrians might impose on the people of Judah. Be made strong indicates that their bondage will be severe and brutal, and not easily broken.

For I have heard a decree of destruction from the Lord GOD of hosts upon the whole land: The connector for links these lines back to the command in the first line. Isaiah warns the leaders of Judah to stop mocking his words, because his message comes from Yahweh, who has decided to destroy their whole country. A decree of destruction is literally “a complete destruction and a determined thing.” See the comments on 10.23, where the same phrase occurs. For the Lord GOD of hosts, see 3.15. Upon the whole land emphasizes that Yahweh will destroy the entire country of Judah. He will use the Assyrians to do this (see 10.5-11).

Translation examples for this verse are:

• Now then, mock my message no longer,
otherwise your bondage will be more severe;
for I have heard my Lord Yahweh of hosts utter a decree of destruction
that will come upon the whole land.

• Now then desist from your mockery,
or your bondage will be more strict then ever;
for I have heard my Lord Yahweh of hosts’ decree for destruction
that will come upon the whole nation.

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 .