Though …: The first two lines of this verse could continue the description begun in the last two lines of the previous verse. Or they could introduce a potential situation, so this verse may begin with “even if you were to….”

You make them grow on the day that you plant them indicates that the plants grew on the same day they were planted. The word day here probably refers to an actual day of 24 hours. The Hebrew form of the verb rendered make them grow is an unusual one. It is not certain that it means “grow”; some scholars link it with a root meaning “put a fence around.” This explains the Revised English Bible rendering, “protect them.” However, most scholars and translations prefer the causative sense, “make them grow.”

And make them blossom in the morning that you sow: This line is parallel with the previous one. What is planted in the morning has new growth that same day. While the Hebrew verb rendered blossom usually refers to the appearance of flowers, here it seems to denote the growth of new shoots. But translators can use any verb that fits the context, a verb that shows the quick growth of a plant.

Yet the harvest will flee away: Even if the Israelites are successful in having the sacred plants grow quickly, they will not harvest anything. Instead of will flee away, Masoretic Text has the word for “heap,” which is used with reference to the waters of the Reed Sea (or, Red Sea) standing up “in a heap” (Exo 15.8). But a different Hebrew root probably lies behind the form here in Masoretic Text. Its meaning is “retreat/flee/depart.” The link between this verb and the word harvest is a further challenge, but the whole line probably means that the crop of the fast-growing plants will fail. There will be no harvest (so Good News Translation).

This will happen in a day of grief and incurable pain. The failure of this unusual crop will coincide with a time of suffering. The Hebrew term translated grief may be from a root meaning “inherit” or a root meaning “be sick.” Many translations choose the latter sense. However, it is not clear whether people will become ill literally, or whether this is a figure for a time of suffering. Incurable pain refers to intense sorrow. Israel will suffer deeply; their ritual of planting cuttings in the hope of continuing life will be of no use to them.

Possible translation models for this verse that continue the respective models for the previous verse are:

• You may get them to grow on the very day you plant them, and to bloom on the very morning you sow them. Nevertheless there will be no crop in a time of illness, of ongoing pain.

• … even if you were to cause them to grow on the day you planted them, making them flower the morning you sowed them, still there would be nothing to harvest on a day when sickness, unbearable pain comes.

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 .