Your sons have fainted, they lie at the head of every street like an antelope in a net: Your sons refers to the people of Jerusalem and Judah (see verse 18). The prophet continues the description of their misfortune. It is a vivid picture of their condition in exile. Because of the disasters noted in the previous verse, the people have fainted, and they lie at the head of every street (compare Lam 2.19). This suggests that every open space in the cities is littered with exiles who have lost all strength. The head of every street refers to the street corners (so Good News Translation, Revised English Bible, New American Bible, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, Bible en français courant).

The weakened condition of the people is compared with that of an antelope in a net. Wild animals could be hunted by driving them into an area where a deep hole had been dug and covered with branches. A net could be placed in the bottom of the hole so that when an animal fell into it, it could be lifted out with the net. Animals could also be trapped with nets. This simile suggests the terror and powerlessness of trapped animals. The exiles are just like them, helpless and frightened. Translators can indicate that the simile involves the hunting and trapping of animals; for example, Good News Translation has “they are like deer caught in a hunter’s net.” The Hebrew word for antelope refers to an oryx, which is a medium-sized antelope with long horns. Bible en français courant uses the word “trap.” Translators in some contexts may need to use a general translation and speak of a wild animal being trapped (see the second example below).

They are full of the wrath of the LORD, the rebuke of your God: The painful situation of the exiles is the direct result of God’s punishment. The full weight of God’s anger (wrath) and condemnation (rebuke) has fallen on them because of their sins (compare 42.24-25). The Hebrew word for wrath occurred earlier in verse 17 (see the comments there). The rebuke of your God refers to God’s condemnation of Judah (for rebuke, see the comments on 50.2). There is a small note of comfort in this phrase since the prophet speaks of God as your God, indicating that the close relationship between God and the exiles has not been broken entirely.

For the translation of this verse consider the following examples:

• Your children/people have fainted,
they lie at every street corner,
they are like antelopes trapped in nets.
They have experienced the full wrath/anger/fury of the LORD,
the harsh criticism of your God.

• Your people lie faint at every street corner,
they are like a wild animal trapped by hunters.
The anger of the LORD is fully poured out on them,
your God’s stern punishment.

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 .