For the LORD of hosts has a day: The connector For introduces what follows as an explanation of the “day” mentioned in the previous verse. However, the logical link with verse 11 appears weak, and many versions do not translate the Hebrew word ki here (Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version, New International Version). For the LORD of hosts, see the comments on 1.9.

The LORD of hosts has a day is literally “a day to Yahweh of hosts.” The word “day” occurs first in Hebrew to indicate it is in focus. This clause is without a verb. The English verb has can express the Hebrew text, but we may also say “has set” or “has ready” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh). For the whole clause Revised English Bible has “The LORD of Hosts has a day of doom in store” (similarly New International Version). The verse as a whole may need another verb to link the lines together. Because of the word against, the implicit action is “judgment,” which may be made explicit; for example, Bible en français courant says “The Lord of the universe has set aside a day to render his judgment against all that….” Good News Translation changes the structure of the verse and begins with “On that day the LORD Almighty will humble….” This may be a useful model, especially in languages where it is difficult for a person “to have a day.”

Against all that is proud and lofty: The use of the preposition against indicates that the day is one of judgment. The Hebrew phrase rendered against all can refer to things as well as people, but the context here suggests that all refers to people, so Good News Translation says “everyone.” The Hebrew word rendered lofty does not refer to a person’s height, though it does have that basic meaning in other contexts. Here it is applied figuratively to a person’s attitude of haughtiness and pride. New Jerusalem Bible says “haughty,” and New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh has “arrogant.” Bible en français courant renders this line and the next one as “against all that pretends to be great or superior, in order to bring it down again.”

Against all that is lifted up and high: All that is lifted up refers to all those people who have arrogantly exalted themselves. The Hebrew text here raises a slight problem for commentators and translators by ending with the verb “is low” rather than is … high. “Cn” in the RSV footnote indicates that high is a correction of “low” in the Hebrew text. Revised Standard Version and many English versions believe the Septuagint supports this reading, but this is debatable. New American Bible, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, New International Version, and New Jerusalem Bible keep the Hebrew text. For this line New Jerusalem Bible has “for all who are proud, to be brought low.” New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh says “Against all that is lofty—so that it is brought low.” (See also Bible en français courant quoted above.) The Hebrew Old Testament Text Project committee strongly recommends against the change reflected in Revised Standard Version. Since this matter is not clear-cut, translators are entitled to follow Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation (“everyone who is proud and conceited”), but we recommend that they choose the Hebrew text with the reading “will be made low,” as found in New Jerusalem Bible, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, and Bible en français courant.

Some translators will have a limited number of adjectives for pride and arrogance, so they will need to use the same few adjectives constantly in these verses. In a way this will reflect the Hebrew original and the emphasis that it achieves by such repetition.

Translation examples for this verse are:

• For Yahweh of hosts has planned a day
against all those who are proud and arrogant,
against all those who have exalted themselves.
They will be humbled.

• Because that time is set by Yahweh of hosts.
It will be against all who are proud and arrogant,
against all who have puffed themselves up.
They will be brought low.

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 .