In this verse the prophet picks up the theme from 40.3 and applies it to the present spiritual condition of God’s people.
And it shall be said is literally “And he will say” or “And he said.” In verse 15 it is clear that the LORD is the speaker, so Revised English Bible has “Then the LORD will say,” Good News Translation translates “The LORD says,” and Bible en français courant uses “The Lord had said.” Revised Standard Version, New Revised Standard Version, and New International Version do not specify who is speaking by using a passive verb. Translators may identify the speaker and use either the present tense (so Good News Translation) or the past tense (so Bible en français courant).
Build up, build up renders a repeated plural imperative in Hebrew (also done in 62.10). The Hebrew verb here means to build up a road so that it is level and easy for traveling (compare Pro 15.19). New Jerusalem Bible says “Level up, level up.” The repetition makes the command emphatic (compare 40.1; 51.9, 17; 52.1, 11). Bible en français courant believes the repetition indicates urgency, so it has “Repair the road, hurry up.”
Prepare the way repeats exactly the call made in 40.3. There it was a road for the LORD; here it is for his people. For this command and the previous one Good News Translation has “Build the road and make it ready!” and Revised English Bible says “Build up a highway, clear the road.”
Remove every obstruction from my people’s way means no obstacle should be left on the roadway of God’s people. However, if the exiles are already back in Jerusalem, what is the point of this command and the previous ones? The language here is figurative. The Hebrew term rendered obstruction (literally “stumbling block”) is used frequently in the prophets as a metaphor for something that causes people to sin (see, for example, Ezek 7.19; 14.3-4). The primary sin in view here is idolatry. The noun way refers figuratively to the people’s way of life, as in verse 10. So God is appealing here that idol worship cease in Jerusalem and Judah. Translators should not make this deeper meaning explicit in the text, but they can place it in a footnote.
Possible models for this verse are:
• Then Yahweh said,
“Build it up, build it up, prepare the way;
remove every stumbling block from my people’s way [of life].”
• Then the LORD said,
“Make it level, make it level, get the way ready;
get rid of everything that could cause my people to stumble.”
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 .