Verse 9a lists more benefits that will come to those who show concern for their neighbors. Their prayers will be answered and they will experience God’s presence with them.

Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer means whenever the people pray to God, he will answer them (so Good News Translation). For the connector Then, see the previous verse.

You shall cry, and he will say, Here I am: This line is parallel to the previous one. God assures the people of his presence whenever they turn to him for help. The verb cry implies a cry for help. For this line New Jerusalem Bible has “You will call and he will say: ‘I am here.’” Good News Translation leaves Here I am implied by saying “When you call to me, I will respond.”

Translation examples for verse 9a are:

• Then, whenever you call to me, I will answer you;
whenever you turn to me for help, I will be there with you.

• If you do these things, then I will answer your prayers,
and I will be present with you whenever you cry for help.

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 .