And every stroke of the staff of punishment which the LORD lays upon them: Like Good News Translation, most versions omit the connector And, which is acceptable. There is a textual problem with the staff of punishment. Instead of this phrase, the Hebrew reads “the staff of foundation,” which Hebrew Old Testament Text Project and New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh render “the appointed staff” (similarly Bible en français courant [1997]). But most translations emend the text to read “the staff of punishment,” which we recommend. A footnote could be added to indicate that the text is uncertain. The Hebrew noun rendered stroke comes from a root meaning “to cross/pass over.” Here it refers to the act of hitting an object. Every is freely rendered by Good News Translation as “again and again.” Which the LORD lays upon them refers to Yahweh beating the Assyrians. The Hebrew verb rendered lays comes from the same root as the noun for “descending blow” in verse 30. Here it may be rendered “strike” or “hit” to make the meaning clear. Good News Translation combines some of the ideas in this part of the verse by saying “As the LORD strikes them again and again.” Another possible model that does this is “Each time Yahweh strikes them as a punishment.”

Will be to the sound of timbrels and lyres may mean that music will accompany Yahweh’s beating of the Assyrians, which is ironical. As Yahweh beats them, there will be music following the same beat. Good News Translation expresses this view by saying “the people will keep time with the music of drums and harps” (similarly Revised English Bible). However, most commentators view this simply as a scene of joy. As Yahweh destroys the Assyrian army, the people of Judah will celebrate. The word for sound does not appear in the Hebrew text, but it is implied in the context of the instruments. For timbrels and lyres, see the comments on 5.12.

Battling with brandished arm he will fight with them is literally “and with the battles of waving he will fight them.” “Waving” implies that Yahweh will use his arm/hand in his fight against the Assyrians. New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh says “And will do battle with him as he waves it [his arm].” New Jerusalem Bible suggests “in the battles which he will wage against him with uplifted hand,” while Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch translates “The LORD himself raises his hand in war against Assyria.” Good News Translation does not refer to Yahweh’s arm, saying “God himself will fight against the Assyrians.” Bible en français courant (1997) is similar with “He will threaten Assyria and will fight it through wars.”

Some translation examples for this verse are:

• Each time Yahweh strikes them as their punishment,
it will be to the sound of timbrel and lyre.
Yahweh will fight against them with his uplifted arm.

• Every beat laid upon the Assyrians by Yahweh’s rod of punishment
will be to the sound of timbrels and lyres,
when he fights them [in battle] with repeated blows of his arm.

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 .