Yet I will distress Ariel: Yahweh warns the people of Jerusalem that despite their ongoing religious activity, he will bring disaster on them. The connector Yet may be rendered “But” or “Nevertheless” to express the contrast with verse 1. The verb distress refers to bringing pressure on the city. New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh has “harass,” New International Version suggests “besiege,” and New Jerusalem Bible says “inflict trouble on.” For the whole line Contemporary English Version has “I will still make you suffer.” It uses a second person reference for Ariel, as in the previous verse (see the introductory comments on this subsection [29.1-8]).

And there shall be moaning and lamentation is the result of Yahweh’s punishment. Moaning and lamentation renders the Hebrew words taʾaniyyah waʾaniyyah. This wordplay on the same Hebrew root emphasizes the intensity of the people’s dismay. In English “moaning and groaning” conveys the emphasis. Bible en français courant does it with tristesse et détresse (“sadness and distress”). It also adds a footnote that there is a play on sounds here in Hebrew.

And she shall be to me like an Ariel: The pronoun she refers to Jerusalem. Hebrew often uses the feminine gender for a city. In many languages it will be more appropriate to say “the city” here. The phrase like an Ariel plays with the meaning of the name Ariel. As noted in the discussion on verse 1, the meaning of this name is uncertain. As a result, the versions differ somewhat here. For this line Revised English Bible has “when I make her my Ariel, my fire-altar,” New International Version says “she will be to me like an altar hearth,” Good News Translation suggests “and the whole city will be like an altar covered with blood,” and Contemporary English Version uses “when I make an altar of you.” These renderings imply that the city will become like an altar on which the people are burned as a sacrifice. This comparison is quite striking as a description of the trouble that Yahweh will bring on the city. Translators may follow the traditional rendering and keep the name Ariel or give its meaning. An alternative is to follow Revised English Bible by keeping the name and giving its meaning. Whatever is done, there should be a footnote indicating that the meaning of the name is uncertain (see the first example below).

Translation suggestions for this verse are:

• Nevertheless I will bring distress on Ariel;
there will be moaning and groaning,
and the city will become to me like an ariel.*
* “Ariel” is a name for Jerusalem, but the meaning of “an ariel” is uncertain. It most likely refers to “an altar [for burning sacrifices].”

• But I will cause Ariel to suffer,
and the city will moan and groan;
I will make it like a fire-altar [or, altar for sacrifices].

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 .