There are two ways to interpret verse 9. According to the first view, the first occurrence of the demonstrative pronoun this looks back to verse 8, while its second occurrence looks forward to the rest of the verse. With this understanding the first line is saying the sins of the Israelites will be forgiven because of their exile, while the second line says they will destroy their idols because they are forgiven (reflected in the first example below). According to the second view, both demonstrative pronouns look forward to the destruction of Israel’s idols. Israel will be forgiven by destroying them (reflected in the second example below). Most versions follow the second view, but translators may follow either one. For those who follow the second view it may be more natural to place the last two lines before the first two. After the Israelites destroy their idols, the LORD will forgive them.

Therefore by this the guilt of Jacob will be expiated: If the pronoun this refers back to the exile, then the connector Therefore introduces a result. An alternative connector with this sense is “So.” However, if this points forward to the destruction of Israel’s idols, Bible en français courant provides a helpful model by beginning with “Now, this is how….” New International Version is similar with “By this, then….”

The guilt of Jacob will be expiated means the sins of the Israelites will be forgiven. The Hebrew verb rendered expiated (literally “covered)” is a technical term for forgiveness. Good News Translation and Revised English Bible say “forgiven,” and New International Version has “atoned for.” Other renderings are “purged away” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh) and “wipes out” (Revised English Bible). For languages that need to render the passive verb here as an active one, this clause may be rendered “the LORD will forgive Israel’s sin.”

And this will be the full fruit of the removal of his sin: The demonstrative pronoun this refers to the destruction of Israel’s idols in the rest of the verse. According to the first view noted above, this line refers to the destruction of the idols as the result of forgiveness. Fruit is an image for this “result” or “outcome.” According to the second view, the destruction of the idols is the cause for the forgiveness. The full fruit is a metaphor for complete forgiveness. Contemporary English Version expresses this second view by rendering the first two lines as “There’s only one way that Israel’s sin and guilt can be completely forgiven:…” (similarly Good News Translation).

When he makes all the stones of the altars like chalkstones crushed to pieces: In Israel most altars were made of stones that were piled up (see the comments at 6.6). Chalkstones refers to white limestone rocks. When they are crushed to pieces, they become a fine white powder. The Israelites will crush the stones of their pagan altars into powder like these stones, so that they can no longer be used in the worship of foreign gods.

No Asherim or incense altars will remain standing: The Israelites will also destroy the Asherim and the incense altars, which were two other objects to worship foreign gods. For these two objects see the comments on 17.8. Since neither of them will remain standing, it is clear that they will be broken down to prevent their further use.

We offer the following translation examples for this verse:

• In this way the LORD will forgive Jacob’s/Israel’s sin.
This will be the result when he removes their sin:
they will crush to powder the stones of the pagan altars,
and no wooden poles of the goddess Asherah or her incense altars will be left standing.

• By this Jacob’s sin will be wiped away,
by this will result the complete removal of its sin:
when the altar stones are ground to chalk powder,
and no Asherim* or incense altars are left upright.

* Asherim were wooden poles erected at local shrines, representing the Canaanite goddess Asherah.

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 .