And a spirit of justice to him who sits in judgment: The drunken leaders of Israel were not judging impartially, so Yahweh will intervene to restore justice. The Hebrew phrase rendered a spirit of justice is translated “a spirit of judgment” in 4.4. Here it refers to a gift of fair judgment (so New Jerusalem Bible). Good News Translation says “a sense of justice.” Him who sits in judgment refers to the leaders, charged with administering justice in Israel (see verse 7). The masculine reference here is appropriate since the people dispensing justice were male. A plural expression may be used here by saying “the people who judge” or “the judges.”

And strength to those who turn back the battle at the gate. Yahweh will also give Israel’s soldiers the courage and strength to repel enemy attacks. The battle implies an enemy attack. The gate refers to the city gate (see 3.26). It is a poetic way of referring to any city in the land, so it may be rendered “the cities” (similarly Contemporary English Version “their cities”). However, most versions mention the gates.

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

• … and a sense of justice to the judges,
and courage to those who repel the enemy at the city gates.

• … and a sense of fairness to those who are judges,
and strength to those who defend the cities from enemy attacks.

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 .