This short verse explains why the farmer prepares the soil and sows the seed correctly: God has taught him well. This notion of God giving practical skills is an ancient one (compare Exo 31.1-6).

For he is instructed aright; his God teaches him is literally “And he has instructed him for judgment/justice, his God teaches him.” For renders the common Hebrew conjunction. In the context it is best to treat it as a logical connector (so RSV/NRSV, New Jerusalem Bible, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh), but it may be left implied (so Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version, Bible en français courant, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch). The pronoun “he” clearly refers to “God” in the second line of the verse. New International Version mentions “God” in the first line, saying “His God instructs him and teaches him the right way” (similarly New Jerusalem Bible, Revised English Bible). Translators may prefer to mention God in the first line for clarity, but the delayed identification of the actual teacher may help in drawing special attention to God as the source of knowledge. Revised Standard Version does this by using the passive construction he is instructed in the first line.

According to BDB, the Hebrew term for “judgment” (aright) has the sense of “what is proper/fitting” in this context. It may be rendered “the right thing to do [under the circumstances].” Both New International Version and Revised English Bible attach this idea to the second line (see New International Version quoted above).

For the translation of this verse we suggest the following examples:

• He teaches him how best to do it—his God is his instructor.

• For his God is the one who teaches him and has trained him well.

• His God teaches him, instructing him how to work appropriately.

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 .