Here the servant expresses further his confidence in the future. He uses rhetorical questions to challenge any who would oppose him. The vocabulary in the verse is borrowed from the language of the law courts: vindicate, contend, stand up (meaning “be involved in legal action”), adversary, and come near to (meaning “initiate proceedings against”). The servant challenges his opponents as someone would in a law court.
He who vindicates me is near: The servant is full of confidence for the future, because God who vindicates him is near. To vindicate means to declare someone not guilty or to declare him or her “just/right.” The notion that God is near or standing alongside a person is a figurative way of saying that God supports the person (compare Psa 69.18; 73.28). Revised English Bible translates this line as “One who will clear my name is at my side.” A model based on Revised English Bible is “God will clear my name; he is at my side.” Good News Translation reverses the ideas of “vindication” and “being near,” and makes “God” explicit, saying “for God is near and he will prove me innocent.” Like Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation also links this line with the previous one at the end of verse 7 as the reason why the servant knows he will not be put to shame. However, most versions consulted begin a new sentence with verse 8.
In the last four lines of this verse there are two rhetorical questions (Who…?) that each have a rejoinder (Let …).
Who will contend with me?: With this first question the servant challenges anyone who would bring a legal case or a complaint against him. The Hebrew verb rendered contend is the legal term for making a formal complaint against someone (see the comments on 3.13). Good News Translation spells it out by rendering this question as “Does anyone dare bring charges against me?” Bible en français courant has “Who will dare to take me to court?” and New Jerusalem Bible translates “Who will bring a case against me?” The implied response to this rhetorical question is that nobody would dare to do it. In languages that do not favor the use of such questions, an emphatic statement may be used; for example, “[I am sure that] nobody will lodge a complaint/case/charge against me [or, dare take me to court].”
With the rejoinder Let us stand up together, the servant expands on the challenge expressed in the preceding rhetorical question. This clause reflects another courtroom situation, referring to taking part in legal proceedings. The Hebrew verb for stand up was used in a similar courtroom context in 44.11 (see the comments there). For this line Bible en français courant has “Let him appear with me before a judge!” New Jerusalem Bible is similar with “Let us appear in court together!” and so is Good News Translation with “Let us go to court together!” The courtroom language is more indirect in Revised English Bible, which reads “Let us confront one another,” and also in New International Version with “Let us face each other!” Another possible model is “If there is someone, let us go to court together!”
Who is my adversary? is very similar in meaning to the first question. The Hebrew phrase rendered my adversary is literally “master of my justice.” It refers to someone who is involved in a legal judgment, here with the sense of “my accuser” (New International Version) or “my opponent” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh). For this question Bible en français courant has “Who wants to be my opponent?” New Jerusalem Bible translates “Who has a case against me?” which is very similar to its first question. An alternative model that uses an emphatic statement is “Nobody can accuse me!”
Let him come near to me again expands on the preceding rhetorical question. It is a further challenge to the adversary. However, come near to is not just a matter of coming close to a person, since the Hebrew expression here also has legal significance. It can mean “take legal action against” someone. For this line Revised English Bible has “Let him come forward,” and New International Version says “Let him confront me!” Bible en français courant translates “Let him present himself in front of me!” Another possible model is “Let him face me in court!”
Since the two rhetorical questions are very similar in meaning, Good News Translation combines them into one: “Does anyone dare bring charges against me?” The rejoinders then follow each other without interruption: “Let us go to court together! Let him bring his accusation!”
Translation examples for this verse are:
• The one who declares me just is by my side.
Who then will make a complaint against me?
Let us go to court!
Who would accuse me?
Let him make a claim against me!
• He who declares me innocent is with me.
None can make a complaint against me!
Let us go to court together—
no one can accuse me,
but let them try to make a case against me.
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 .