Behold calls attention to the words that follow. Other possible renderings are “Listen” (New Revised Standard Version, Contemporary English Version, Revised English Bible), “Look” (New Jerusalem Bible), and “See.”

The valiant ones cry without: The valiant ones renders a difficult Hebrew noun (ʾerʾellam). The ancient manuscripts have different ways of dealing with this term, and the modern translations reflect this variety of opinion. New Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation, New International Version, and Revised English Bible are similar to Revised Standard Version. There is a different view in New Jerusalem Bible, New American Bible, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, and Bible en français courant. They believe the noun means “Ariel,” which is another name for Jerusalem (see 29.1). Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch even has “The inhabitants of Jerusalem.” De~Waard recommends following the Revised Standard Version tradition by saying “Brave men” (Good News Translation), which we support. For some scholars the valiant ones are not the people of Judah, but the oppressing army ordering the people to leave the city of Jerusalem. However, they are more likely the warriors of Jerusalem calling for help against the foreign oppressors since this is a better parallel with the ambassadors of Jerusalem weeping in the next line. Cry in this context means to call out for help (so Good News Translation; see 19.20). Without is literally “to the outside,” which implies outside in the streets. New Revised Standard Version and other versions render it well with “in the streets.”

The envoys of peace weep bitterly: For envoys see 30.4. The envoys of peace are ambassadors from Jerusalem who tried to make peace with their oppressors but they failed. See 2 Kgs 18.13-37 for one example of this. According to that passage, King Hezekiah of Judah sent envoys from Jerusalem to the Assyrian army to seek peace, but they were not successful. It is impossible to tell whether this is the historical situation referred to here. The ambassadors weep bitterly because their mission has failed. The adverb bitterly describes their grief as very intense. Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch has “despairingly.” In many languages an appropriate ideophone will be the best choice.

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

• Look! Brave men cry out [for help] in the streets.
Ambassadors who tried to seek peace weep in deep grief.

• See! Zion’s warriors call out [for help] in the streets.
Its diplomats, who failed to gain peace, are overcome with grief.

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 .