They shall spring up like grass amid waters, like willows by flowing streams: The pronoun They refers back to the children in the previous verse. In Revised Standard Version they are compared to grass and willows that grow on well-watered ground. However, in the Hebrew text of Masoretic Text there is only a comparison to willows. Masoretic Text is literally “They will spring up in between grass, like willows by streams of water.” Revised Standard Version follows the Septuagint, which is similar to Dead Sea Scrolls here. Revised English Bible emends Masoretic Text to read “They will grow up like a green tamarisk, like willows by flowing streams” (similarly New Revised Standard Version). Like de~Waard and Hebrew Old Testament Text Project, we prefer Masoretic Text here. New Jerusalem Bible follows Masoretic Text by saying “and they will spring up among the grass, like willows on the banks of a stream” (similarly New American Bible).

For willows see the comments on 15.7. In cultures where the willow tree is unknown, translators can select a tree that grows near water. If a general term for such trees exists, it is better to use it in order to avoid importing a foreign idea into the biblical culture.

Despite the textual difficulty here, the overall picture is quite clear: the children will flourish like plants and trees that are well watered. For the translation of this verse consider the following examples:

• They will shoot up amid grass,
like green trees beside streams.

• They will grow up among green plants,
like willow trees along flowing streams.

• They will grow like poplar trees
among grass by the riverside.

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 .