The LORD of hosts has sworn in my hearing: Isaiah speaks to those who are being criticized. He brings them a word of judgment from Yahweh. The solemn title The LORD of hosts may have been chosen to highlight the LORD’s ability to enforce the punishments that are being pronounced (see 1.24). The verb has sworn is not present in the Hebrew text, but can be inferred from the context: the grammar of the following quotation is specific to oaths. Translators may add this verb if it fits naturally. “Say” in Good News Translation is rather weak; “decide” is more appropriate. If the verb “swear” is chosen, it will be the first time translators use it in Isaiah. It should have a positive connotation here. In some languages “to swear” will be the same verb as the one meaning “to promise.” In that case a better expression here is “say with force” or even “say [very] truthfully.”

In my hearing or literally “in my ears,” which indicates that Yahweh has given this message directly and purposely to Isaiah. Good News Translation provides a helpful rendering with “I have heard.”

Surely many houses shall be desolate begins with a very strong expression in the Hebrew text. It is actually the first part of an oath. The certainty of what is to follow is expressed here in Revised Standard Version and many other translations as Surely. We may also say “Truly” or “Certainly” The Hebrew word for many can be a synonym for “all” (see 2.3). Good News Translation and Bible en français courant make this implication clear. Some translations render the adjective many as “great” (New International Version, Revised English Bible, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh). New Century Version says “fine.” In the Hebrew text the noun houses occurs before the verb, so Isaiah places emphasis on them. Shall be desolate is literally “will become a ruin” (similarly Good News Translation). Desolate does not have the sense of “lonely” here. Yahweh announces that the many houses acquired by the rich and powerful will be destroyed or ruined. For this line Bible en français courant has “I swear it, all these houses will be destroyed.”

Large and beautiful houses, without inhabitant: Without inhabitant is parallel with desolate. After the destruction, the houses will be left without inhabitants. The clear sense is that those who have acquired the houses will lose them. Since this is poetry, the specific manner in which this will be done is not mentioned. A general picture is all that is needed.

Several translation examples for this verse are:

• Yahweh of hosts has sworn to me:
“Truly, all those houses will become a ruin,
the large and beautiful houses will not be lived in.

• Yahweh of hosts has given me a promise:
“I assure you that those many houses will fall into ruin,
the large and beautiful homes will lack inhabitants.

• I heard Yahweh of hosts make a solemn promise [or, swear].
He said, “It is certain that all those fine houses will be a ruin,
nobody will live in the large and beautiful mansions.

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 .