According to this simile, Yahweh will protect Jerusalem like birds hovering over their nests. Some scholars believe this simile pictures him attacking Jerusalem, but we do not recommend this.

Like birds hovering is the first part of this comparison. The Hebrew verb rendered hovering simply means “fly,” so for this clause Bible en français courant has “As a bird spreads its wings.” Like Revised Standard Version, many English translations say “hovering,” which refers to birds flying protectively over their nests to drive away any larger birds that would attack their young (so Good News Translation).

So the LORD of hosts will protect Jerusalem is the second part of the simile. Yahweh will protect Jerusalem and its people. The scholars who give a negative interpretation to this simile believe the Hebrew verb for protect means “descend” in attack here, but BDB gives it only the sense of “protect” or “defend.” As in the previous verse, Good News Translation changes the third person reference to the LORD to first person since he is speaking. This may be helpful in other languages.

He will protect and deliver it, he will spare and rescue it: The four verbs here describe Yahweh’s protection and rescue of Jerusalem from the Assyrian army. It is typical of Isaiah’s style to use three or four synonymous expressions. The Hebrew syntax of these verbs is interesting since the first and third verbs are infinitives, while the second and fourth verbs are imperfect verbs. New Jerusalem Bible tries to mirror this feature by saying “by protecting it, he will save it, by supporting it, he will deliver it.” The Hebrew verb rendered spare comes from a root meaning “pass over,” which is the same verb used for the LORD passing over the people of Israel and protecting them during the first Passover, not allowing the angel of death to enter their homes (Exo 12.23). This verb reinforces the image of the birds flying by. The scholars who give a negative interpretation to this simile delete these two lines, but they should be kept.

Translation examples for this verse are:

• Just as birds fly about, so Yahweh of hosts will defend Jerusalem;
defending it, he will rescue it,
passing over it, he will deliver it.”

• Like birds flying back and forth, so I, Yahweh of hosts, will defend Jerusalem;
I will defend and rescue it,
pass by it and save it.”

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 .