Yahweh promises never again to raise up enemies to attack Jerusalem, but if any enemies do attack, they will utterly fail.

If any one stirs up strife: If renders the Hebrew word that is usually translated “behold,” as in the next verse. However, here it introduces a conditional clause. Anyone stirs up strife is literally “to stir up he will stir up.” The same Hebrew verb is repeated, first as an infinitive and then as a finite verb. Such a construction underlines the certainty of an action (compare the use of this construction in 24.19). The challenge here is to determine the meaning of the Hebrew verb since it can have several possible meanings. One possible sense is “to live/dwell/sojourn,” which is found in the Septuagint. A second sense is “to stir up trouble / quarrel / gather together [with evil intent].” A third sense is “to dread / be afraid,” but this sense does not seem to fit here. Most translations consulted follow the second sense by using the verb “attack.”

It is not from me means that any attacks are not something that Yahweh has initiated or caused. Yahweh cannot be blamed in future if the people are under attack.

Whoever stirs up strife with you shall fall because of you: God promises that if any enemy should indeed attack or cause trouble for Jerusalem, they are doomed to fail. The verb fall may be rendered “fail” or “be defeated.” Because of you (literally “upon you”) may mean “because of who you are,” a community where justice is the foundation of the city. This quality will ensure that Jerusalem will be free from oppression and terror, from within as well as from outside. However, it is not very clear what the exact meaning of this expression is. We recommend a rendering for these two lines that follows Revised Standard Version or Good News Translation.

For the translation of this verse consider the following examples:

• If anyone should attack you,
it is not my doing;
anyone who attacks you will fail on account of you.

• If anyone causes trouble for you,
I have had nothing to do with it;
whoever causes trouble is sure to be defeated because of you.

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 .