You shall be a crown of beauty in the hand of the LORD, and a royal diadem in the hand of your God: These two lines are parallel and synonymous in meaning. The crown and the diadem are two types of headgear worn by kings and queens as signs of their royal office (see 28.1 for crown). These two objects are used as metaphors here to describe the change of status for Jerusalem. It will become a royal city! There is striking alliteration in the Hebrew phrase rendered a crown of beauty, which is ʿatereth tiphʾereth. The Hebrew word for beauty is the same one rendered “glorious” in 60.7 (see the comments there). In the hand of the LORD is an idiom that means “under Yahweh’s authority” or “used by Yahweh.” God will direct or use Jerusalem in its new status as a royal city. A royal diadem is literally “a turban of royalty,” referring to a special headdress worn by leaders. The Hebrew word for diadem occurred earlier in 3.23, where it is rendered “turbans,” but there it is not associated with royalty. In the hand of your God is another idiom for being used by God or being under his authority. The Hebrew term for hand differs from the one used in the previous line. It refers specifically to the “palm of the hand” (see 1.15; 49.16). It is used here for poetic variation and has no further significance. But if such variation is possible in the receptor language, translators should reflect it.

Good News Translation combines the two lines of this verse, and so does Contemporary English Version with “You will be a glorious crown, a royal headband, for the LORD your God.” Other translation models are:

• You will become a magnificent crown in Yahweh’s hand,
you will be a royal turban/headdress under your God’s authority.

• You will become like a beautiful crown for the LORD,
you will be like a royal headdress for your God.

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 .