In this verse God explains he was angry with his people because of their continual disobedience. The key verb “be angry” occurs twice here.

Throughout verses 17-18 God’s people are referred to by the singular pronouns he, him, and his. Translators may use singular pronouns if appropriate. Revised English Bible and Bible en français courant do it by referring to the nation of Israel first. However, for some languages it will be better to use plural nouns to refer to the people (so Good News Translation).

Because of the iniquity of his covetousness I was angry is literally “In/By the wickedness/evil of his greed I was angry.” The Hebrew noun rendered covetousness in Masoretic Text refers to wanting something that belongs to another person. The Septuagint emends this word to read “a little while.” Revised English Bible follows this reading by rendering this whole line as “For a brief time I was angry at the guilt of Israel.” Hebrew Old Testament Text Project strongly recommends Masoretic Text here, which we support. Because the people were sinning by wanting what others had, God was angry. What the people wanted is not stated clearly, so it is possible that this line refers to all the sins of the people rather than just their sin of greed. New International Version provides a helpful model with “I was enraged by his sinful greed.”

I smote him, I hid my face and was angry: Instead of the archaic English expression I smote him, New Revised Standard Version has “I struck them,” which means God punished his people. It probably refers to the punishment of exile. I hid my face is a figure of speech that means God abandoned his people and let them suffer (see the comments on 54.8). This clause is literally “I caused to hide.” Revised Standard Version adds my face as the implied object of the verb “hide.” New Revised Standard Version and New Jerusalem Bible say simply “I hid,” which may not convey the sense of rejection. New Jerusalem Bible adds a footnote to explain that it means “[I] did not intervene.” Revised English Bible translates “[I] withdrew my favour,” and Good News Translation has “[I] abandoned them.” Both these renderings express the meaning correctly. Was angry adds to the description of God’s punishment of his people. He punished them in anger. Since this clause occurs in the previous line, Good News Translation does not repeat it here.

But he went on backsliding in the way of his own heart is literally “and he went apostate in the way of his heart,” which means the people kept on rejecting Yahweh. The Hebrew word rendered backsliding comes from a root that can mean “to go back.” Here it means rejecting the true faith for something else. In the way of his own heart means that the people followed their own ways instead of Yahweh’s demands. As in verses 10 and 14, the noun way refers figuratively to the people’s way of life. His own heart refers to their intentions and desires. Good News Translation renders this whole line as “But they were stubborn and kept on going their own way.”

For the translation of this verse consider the following examples:

• I was angry with him/them because of his/their sinful greed;
I punished him/them, turned away from him/them, and was angry,
but he/they continued to reject my way for his/their own.

• Because they were sinful and greedy, I was angry with them;
I struck them, hid myself, and was angry,
but they refused to return [to me] and went their own way.

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 .