And I will set a sign among them: These words continue the divine promise to gather the nations. It is not clear what the sign is here. It could be the survivors mentioned in the next clause. Good News Translation seems alone in suggesting that the sign is the punishment referred to in the previous verses. Bible en français courant says “a sign of my authority.” Most modern versions translate the text literally, without explaining what the sign might be. The pronoun them refers to the foreigners God will gather in Jerusalem. New Jerusalem Bible renders this clause as “I shall give them a sign,” and Revised English Bible has “I shall put a sign on them.” Other possible models are “I will make some of them a sign for others” and “Some of them will become symbols for others.”
And from them I will send survivors to the nations means some of the people from the foreign nations will survive God’s judgment, and he will send some of them to their fellow citizens. The text does not state the reason for their survival, but it may happen because they will respond positively to God’s glorious presence and become believers. As proselytes, God will give them a mission to their own people. For some commentators the survivors are Jews who will survive Yahweh’s judgment, but this is less likely. Translating the term survivors may be problematic in some languages. The Septuagint renders it “those who are saved,” which may be a helpful model for other languages. Good News Translation says “I will spare some of them.”
To Tarshish, Put, and Lud, who draw the bow begins a list of nations where God will send the foreigners who survive. Tarshish most likely refers to the country of Spain (so Good News Translation; see the comments on 2.16). Instead of Put, Masoretic Text has “Pul,” a reading Hebrew Old Testament Text Project recommends. However, “Pul” is unknown in biblical geography. Put was a country on the North African coast, in what is Libya today (so Good News Translation, New International Version). The country of Lud was probably on the North African coast or in Asia Minor. Good News Translation renders it “Lydia” (similarly New International Version), an area in south-central Asia Minor. Put and Lud are mentioned together in Ezek 27.10. The clause who draw the bow (see 5.28) describes the people of Lud (compare Jer 46.9). Revised Standard Version renders Masoretic Text literally here, but there is evidence from other sources that the Hebrew text is corrupt and should be read instead as the name of another country, namely Meshech, another region in Asia Minor (so Contemporary English Version, Revised English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, New American Bible). Hebrew Old Testament Text Project is evenly divided on the issue, so de~Waard suggests either “with its skilled bowmen” or the name “Meshech,” with a footnote indicating the textual problem.
To Tubal and Javan, to the coastlands afar off completes the list of nations. Tubal was the name of a country southeast of the Black Sea. Javan refers to Greece (so Good News Translation, New International Version). The coastlands afar off is literally “the distant islands,” which refers to the Mediterranean islands far from Judah (see the comments on 11.11 and 41.1).
That have not heard my fame or seen my glory describes the nations just listed. They never heard about Yahweh before or witnessed his glorious presence. My fame is literally “hearing of me,” which refers to Yahweh’s reputation. Good News Translation places this clause before the list of nations, saying “that have not heard of my fame or seen my greatness and power.”
And they shall declare my glory among the nations: The pronoun they refers back to the survivors, not to the nations just mentioned. In some languages it may be better to place this clause closer to the noun survivors, and then list the nations to which God will send them (see the second example below). The verb declare may be rendered “describe” or “tell about.”
Translation examples for this verse are:
• And I will give them a sign, sending some of them who are saved to the nations. They will go to Tarshish, Put, Lud, Meshech [or, with its skillful archers], Tubal, Javan, and the far-off islands. These [nations/countries] have not heard about me nor have they witnessed my glorious presence. There, those who are saved will describe how glorious I am.
• And I will make some of them a sign for others, sending some of them who survive to describe to the nations how glorious I am. These nations are Spain, Libya, Lydia, Meshech, Tubal, Greece and its far off islands. They have not heard of my fame before, nor have they seen my glorious presence.
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 .