Verses 8-9 give the outcome for those who show social concern, as described in verses 6-7. They will enjoy God’s blessing in the future.

Then shall your light break forth like the dawn: The Hebrew particle rendered Then expresses result. It may be rendered “If you do these things, then.” Because of acts of kindness, so shall your light break forth like the dawn. The appearance of light at dawn is a marvelous sight, especially when seen from a high point in the landscape. So this is a vivid poetic illustration. But what is the people’s light? It seems to indicate that they will be like lights shining forth for others to see. Their exemplary acts of kindness to those in need will show the true nature of the community. However, for Good News Translation the light comes from the LORD: “my favor will shine on you like the morning sun.” Bible en français courant says “it will be for you the dawn of a new day,” which hints at many good things to come. Revised Standard Version presents a valid model for translation. But if there is a risk that readers might take your light in a literal sense, Good News Translation and Bible en français courant are good models.

And your healing shall spring up speedily is a figurative expression that means the calamity caused by the people’s sins will end soon. The imagery in Hebrew refers to a wound over which new skin grows, so Revised English Bible says “and new skin will speedily grow over your wound.” The verb spring up (or “sprout”) is not normally associated with the noun healing. It makes clear that whatever the problem is in the community, their acts of kindness will bring about a complete change quickly. Translators do not need to keep the verb spring up if its sense of speedy action can be conveyed in another way; for example, Good News Translation has “and your wounds will be quickly healed.”

Your righteousness shall go before you: This imagery of the people’s righteousness going ahead of them suggests that others will come to know about it, just as people know about the advance of an army. It means everyone will know about the people’s justice and kindness. Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch says “your good deeds go ahead of you.” However, New Revised Standard Version translates this line as “your vindicator shall go before you” (similarly New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh). This rendering clearly implies that it is God, the righteous one, who goes before the people. Good News Translation is similar with “I will always be with you to save you.” This understanding provides a good parallel with the next line in which Yahweh’s glory protects the people from the rear. But most versions have the abstract term righteousness, that is, the good deeds and acts of justice done by the people themselves (see the comments on this term at 1.21). Perhaps some ambiguity is intended. Since there are two possible interpretations of the Hebrew word for righteousness in this line, translators can choose either one, perhaps following the view of a major translation known in the area. The alternate view can be placed in a footnote.

The glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard: In this context the glory of the LORD is God’s powerful presence that protects his people (see the comments on 6.3). The Hebrew verb rendered be your rear guard refers to the protection that soldiers or guards offer at the rear of a column of soldiers (see the comments on 52.12). The imagery of going before and being a rear guard echoes the Exodus story in which God went before and also followed his people to lead and protect them. If the image of rear guard is not well known in the receptor language, Good News Translation provides a helpful model for this line with “my presence will protect you on every side,” and so does Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch with “and my glory follows you as strong protection.”

For the translation of this verse consider the following examples:

• Then your light will burst forth like the sunrise,
and your wound will be quickly healed.
Yahweh, the righteous one, will go ahead of you,
his glory will protect you from behind.

• If you do these things, then your light will be like a burst of sunshine,
and your wounds will heal quickly.
Your righteousness will precede you,
and Yahweh’s glorious presence will give protection behind.

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 .