Verse 10 recalls language used by God to describe the Babylonian invasion of Jerusalem in Ezek 22.17-22. It uses the images of fire and furnaces in which metal is smelted. Fire has a refining or purifying purpose by burning away all that is not needed. It thereby extracts the pure metal from the ore.

There are several difficulties for interpreters in this verse, which reads literally “Behold, I have refined/tested you and not in/with/by silver/money; I have chosen you in a furnace of affliction.” A minor problem is the Hebrew verb for “refine.” Since “refine” does not fit well with the parallel verb “choose,” some versions consider it to mean “test” (so Good News Translation, Revised English Bible, Bible en français courant). The Hebrew verb here allows for both meanings (see Hebrew Old Testament Text Project, BDB). But New Jerusalem Bible emends the Hebrew verb to read “purchased [with money].” Hebrew Old Testament Text Project endorses the sense of “refine” or “test.” A second difficulty is the Hebrew preposition for “in/with/by” (be) in the phrase “in/with/by silver/money.” The refining process does not refine something “with silver.” So most versions consulted say “as/like [ke in Hebrew] silver.” The Hebrew letters b and k are very similar in written form, so they can be misread easily. Finally, like Revised Standard Version, most versions emend the Hebrew verb for “choose” (bachar) in the second line to read “test/try” (bachan), which we prefer. This follows the main Qumran Isaiah text. But Hebrew Old Testament Text Project does not mention a textual difficulty here.

The Hebrew word for Behold calls attention to what follows (see Isa 48.7). Most translations ignore it. New Revised Standard Version and New International Version have “See,” while New Jerusalem Bible uses “Look.”

I have refined you, but not like silver: Yahweh describes the plight of Israel in exile as an experience similar to being refined or purified, but not like the smelting of silver. For the Hebrew verb rendered refined, see the comments on 1.25, where it is translated “smelt.” I have refined you means the time of purification is complete. But not like silver means the refining of Israel is unlike that of silver. Yahweh has refined Israel but not in the same way that silver is refined. Silver is refined in a furnace of fire, but Israel in one of affliction.

I have tried you in the furnace of affliction means God refined Israel through suffering. The Hebrew word for furnace refers to a kiln used for smelting metal-rich ore. The furnace of affliction is a metaphor for a situation of pain and trouble that in the end should have a positive outcome. Deuteronomy uses that kind of imagery to speak of Israel’s suffering in Egypt prior to the Exodus (Deut 4.20), but here it refers to the people’s time in Babylonia as exiles.

Verse 10 is difficult to interpret and translate meaningfully, not only because of textual problems, but also because of the images and the vocabulary used. One possible way of handling the verse is Bible en français courant‘s model: “I have subjected you to tests, not with fire as for silver, but I have made you pass through the crucible of misery.” Other examples for this verse are:

• See, I have been refining you, though not as silver is refined;
I have tested you in a furnace of suffering.

• Look, I have purified you, though not like silver is purified;
I have tested you with suffering, as in a furnace fire.

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 .