The imagery of briers and thorns was used extensively in 7.23-25. There they are symbols of the wilderness that resulted from the destruction of Judah and its cities. Here the theme is reversed. In places where thorns and briers stand, large and valuable trees will grow. This imagery pictures the change that will occur for the Israelites in exile (compare 41.19).
Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress; instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle: These two parallel lines speak of luxuriant green trees that will replace useless plants. They may picture a return to Eden, as in 51.3. The Hebrew words for thorn and brier refer to weeds with thorns (see the comments on 5.6 even though different Hebrew terms are used there). The cypress and the myrtle are two types of evergreen tree (see the comments on 14.8 and 41.19). The four names of these plants and trees are in the singular in the Hebrew text, but they have a collective sense, so translators may use plural forms, as in Good News Translation. For areas of the world that do not have the two trees mentioned here, translators may combine them into a generic expression by rendering these two lines as “Where thorns now grow, tall green trees will stand” or “Instead of wild thorns, you will see beautiful tall trees grow.” They should avoid the names of local trees that could not possibly grow in Palestine.
And it shall be to the LORD for a memorial is literally “and it will be to/for Yahweh for a name.” The referent for the pronoun it is unclear. While some scholars place it in the larger context and see it as a reference to the return of the exiles, others see it in the immediate context as a reference to the desert changing into a garden. Since the referent is unclear, we advise translators to choose a general rendering; for example, Good News Translation and New International Version use “This,” Revised English Bible has “all this,” and New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh says “These.” However, even these renderings favor the immediate context as the source of the referent.
There are two possible meanings for this line, depending on the sense given to the Hebrew word rendered memorial (literally “name”). If this word has the sense of “reminder” (Good News Translation), then the whole line means the desert changing into a garden (or the people returning from exile) will remind the LORD of what he has done. Revised Standard Version has this sense and so does New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh with “These shall stand as a testimony to the LORD.” If the word for memorial has the sense of “reputation,” then the line means the LORD will benefit from the event in view. Versions that express this meaning are New Jerusalem Bible (“And this will be fame for Yahweh”), New International Version (“This will be for the LORD’s renown”), and Bible en français courant (“For the Lord, it will be a reason for glory”). Translators may follow either meaning here.
For an everlasting sign which shall not be cut off is parallel to the previous line. As noted earlier, the Hebrew words for everlasting and cut off form an inclusio with verse 3 (see the introductory comments on verses 3-5). As in verse 3, there may also be a link back to 54.9-10, which refers to the covenant with Noah. In Gen 9 (especially verses 16-17) an everlasting covenant is made between God and all creation, and the rainbow is a sign by which God reminds himself of his commitment to the world. This link to Gen 9 at the conclusion of Second Isaiah (chapters 40–55) serves an important role as another reminder to his people in exile that he will keep all his promises. The sign of the rainbow in Gen 9 was a sign for both God himself and the survivors of the flood that God would do what he had promised. Here the sign of the desert changing into a garden (or the people returning from exile) reminds God and his people of everything he has done for them. For sign see the comments on 7.11. For this whole line Revised English Bible has “a sign that for all time will not be cut off,” and New International Version says “for an everlasting sign, which will not be destroyed.” Bible en français courant translates “the indestructible mark that will remind you always of what he has done for you,” and Good News Translation says simply “a sign that will last forever.”
Translation examples for this verse are:
• In place of the thornbush the cypress tree will grow,
in place of the brier the myrtle tree will grow;
and it will be a reminder for Yahweh,
an everlasting sign that will never be removed.”
• Cypress trees will grow where there are thornbushes,
myrtle trees will thrive where there are briers;
and this will uphold Yahweh’s reputation/name,
an everlasting sign that will never end [or, be cut off].”
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 .