You shall winnow them and the wind shall carry them away: For winnow see the comments on 21.10. It refers to the action of throwing grain stalks into the air to allow the wind to separate the grain from the chaff. Good News Translation provides a less figurative rendering for the first line, saying “You will toss them in air.” This may be a helpful model for other languages. The pronoun them refers to the mountains and hills. For the wind shall carry them away, compare 17.13 and 40.24.

And the tempest shall scatter them is parallel to the last clause of the previous line. A tempest is a very strong wind usually accompanied by heavy rain (see the comments on 40.24). The verb scatter pictures Israel’s enemies being taken into captivity (compare 24.1, where the same verb is used).

And you shall rejoice in the LORD is the reaction Israel will have when God helps them destroy their enemies. They will be happy because of what he has done. The pronoun you is emphatic in Hebrew. For the Hebrew verb rendered rejoice, see the comments on 29.19, where it is translated “exult.” Good News Translation changes the third person reference to the LORD to first person since he is speaking by rendering this line as “Then you will be happy because I am your God.” Another possible model is “Then you will be happy/joyful because of me, the LORD.”

In the Holy One of Israel you shall glory is parallel to the previous line and forms a chiasmus with it. Israel will also glorify God for what he has done. For the Holy One of Israel, see 1.4. The verb glory means to praise and honor God. Good News Translation keeps a first person reference for God by rendering this line as “you will praise me, the holy God of Israel.”

Translation examples for this verse are:

• You will winnow the mountains and the hills,
and the wind will blow them away,
a tempest will scatter them.
Then you will rejoice in me, the LORD,
you will praise me, the Holy One of Israel.

• You will throw into the air the dust of the mountains and hills,
and the wind will carry it away,
a strong wind will scatter it.
Then you will be happy because of me, the LORD,
you will glorify me, the Holy One of Israel.

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 .