Until …: This verse gives a limit to the period of devastation. Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch begins it well with “That is how it will remain, until….” (It is unclear from the immediate context why Good News Translation has “once more.”) The time clause connects this verse closely with the previous verses, so there should not be a section break here as in Contemporary English Version, New Jerusalem Bible, Bible en français courant, and Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch (see the introductory comments on this section [32.9-19]).

The Spirit is poured upon us from on high: The Spirit here refers to the power of Yahweh as in 11.2 (see the comments there). If the passive verb is poured requires an active form in some languages, this clause may be rendered “power comes on us from above/heaven” or “the LORD sends us his spirit” (similarly Good News Translation).

And the wilderness becomes a fruitful field: Wilderness and fruitful field are key terms in the rest of this section, and so is forest in the next line. For the Hebrew word rendered wilderness, see the comments on 14.17, where it is translated “desert.” Here the wilderness refers to the marginal area to the east of Jerusalem, down to the Jordan Valley. It is a dry area with little permanent vegetation. In contrast this area will become a fruitful field. For the Hebrew word rendered fruitful field, see the comments on 16.10 and 29.17. Here it refers to a very fertile area, so Revised English Bible says “garden land,” New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh has “farm land,” and New Jerusalem Bible uses “productive ground.” For this line translators should draw a contrast between an area with little vegetation and that with lush vegetation. Good News Translation expresses it well with “The wasteland will become fertile.”

And the fruitful field is deemed a forest continues the theme of increased fertility. Not only will the desert be turned into a garden; the garden will grow ever more lush and become like a forest. For this whole line compare the comments on 29.17, where the same Hebrew expression is rendered “and the fruitful field shall be regarded as a forest.” There it has a negative sense, but here it is used positively to say that people will consider the garden to be as lush as a forest. For languages that require an active verb form here, see the examples below.

For the translation of this verse consider the following examples:

• … until such time as the power of Yahweh comes upon us,
and the wilderness turns into a garden,
and the garden looks like a forest.

• … until the [LORD’s] spirit pours [or, is poured] on us from above/heaven,
and the wilderness becomes a garden,
and the garden seems like a lush forest.

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 .