In this verse the LORD continues to make promises to Jerusalem. Again the prophet uses first person pronouns to convey what the LORD said. Good News Translation and Bible en français courant keep these pronouns, but also make it clear that the LORD is speaking. Good News Translation begins with “The LORD says to Jerusalem,” identifying both the speaker and the addressees. In languages where it is difficult to have someone address a city as if it were a person, some adjustments will need to be made; for example, the beginning of this verse may be rendered “The LORD says to the people of Jerusalem, ‘Foreigners will rebuild the walls of your city….’”

Foreigners shall build up your walls continues the theme of the foreign nations playing a key role in rebuilding Judah. It follows the principle of reversal that occurred before in 49.19-23 and elsewhere. The nations once destroyed Israel; now they will rebuild it. This assurance goes further than Second Isaiah’s vision in 49.17. For Good News Translation and Contemporary English Version your walls refers to the walls of Jerusalem only, but the walls of the other cities of Judah may be in view here also. The walls are the walls that surround and protect the towns (see the comments on 2.15).

And their kings shall minister to you introduces the theme of foreign kings that marks this subsection (see also verses 11 and 16). Minister renders the same Hebrew verb as in verse 7. Its sense there is that the animals will offer themselves as sacrifice to God, but here it means they will serve God’s people. Bible en français courant renders this line as “their kings will be at your service.”

For in my wrath I smote you, but in my favor I have had mercy on you: The Hebrew particle ki rendered for is a logical connector here. My wrath refers to God’s anger in response to the Judah’s sin (compare 51.17, 20, 22; 54.8). The Hebrew verb rendered smote means “to hit/strike.” It is used figuratively here, meaning “to [severely] punish” (so Good News Translation); in this context it refers to God sending his people into exile. In my wrath is balanced by the phrase in my favor in the following line, contrasting God’s differing responses. The exile was an expression of God’s wrath; the people’s return and future blessing are expressions of God’s favor. The Hebrew word for favor is the same one rendered “acceptance” in verse 7. Here it denotes God’s goodwill toward his people. New Jerusalem Bible renders it “mercy.” I have had mercy on you contrasts with I smote you. For the Hebrew verb rendered have had mercy, see the comments on 14.1, where it is translated “have compassion.” The Hebrew verbs for smote and have had mercy are both in the perfect form. They can both refer to past actions, or have had mercy could point to a future event that is certain (so Good News Translation). A future tense for the second verb fits the context well, since the future tense is used in verses 10a and 11. For these two lines Bible en français courant has “I had struck you, indeed, I was very angry. But I take pleasure now in showing you my love.”

Translation examples for this verse are:

• Foreigners will rebuild your [town] walls,
foreign kings will serve you;
for in my anger I sent you away,
but now I delight in having mercy on you.

• Foreign workers will rebuild your walls,
their rulers will serve you;
for though in anger I sent you away,
in mercy I will show you my favor.

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 .