The nations shall see your vindication, and all the kings your glory: These two lines are an example of all-inclusive parallelism. All the nations and all their kings will see Jerusalem’s vindication and glory. For the use of nations and kings together, see 60.3. The verb see is implied in the second line (see Good News Translation). Bible en français courant supplies the verb “contemplate” to indicate that foreign rulers will give serious thought to what they see God doing for Jerusalem. The pronoun your refers to Jerusalem (see the comments on the previous verse). Your vindication means God will vindicate or rescue Jerusalem (see the previous verse). For some commentators your glory refers to God’s wondrous power and majesty, which Jerusalem will reflect. However, this phrase implies that when God vindicates/rescues Jerusalem, that act will not only reflect God’s glory but will also glorify the city. All the nations and their leaders will see that Jerusalem is great.

And you shall be called by a new name which the mouth of the LORD will give: The LORD will give a new name to Jerusalem (compare 60.14). Verse 4 lists its old and new names. The passive expression you shall be called may be rendered as an active one by saying “people will call you.” A name in Hebrew reflects a person’s character. So a new name indicates that the LORD is bringing about a change in the character of the people of Judah. Which the mouth of the LORD will give is a poetic way of saying that Yahweh himself will provide the new name. The basic sense of the Hebrew verb rendered give is “to pierce/mark/designate.” It refers to piercing an object to identify it in some way or to identify ownership. New International Version has “bestow,” but “designate” and “assign” are also good verbs to use.

Translation examples for this verse are:

• The nations will witness how you are vindicated,
all their kings will see how you are glorified.
You will be given a new name,
the LORD himself will provide it.

• Nations will witness that God declares you innocent/just,
all their kings will see that he glorifies you.
They will refer to you by your new name,
a name that the LORD himself will assign.

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 .