Several versions place a section heading at verse 18 for the rest of the chapter. Bible en français courant (1997) and Nouvelle Bible Segond have “The great final gathering,” and Parole de Vie uses “The Lord will make himself known to all peoples.” New Jerusalem Bible is more abstract with “An eschatological discourse.”

Verses 18-21 speak about foreigners. They will come to Jerusalem and acknowledge Yahweh’s glory. These foreigners will survive God’s judgment, and he will send some of them on a mission among the nations.

For I know their works and their thoughts, and I am coming to gather all nations and tongues: In the Hebrew text of Masoretic Text these two clauses are literally “And I their works and their thoughts she is coming to gather all nations and tongues.” For renders the common Hebrew conjunction, which is better rendered “And” (New International Version) or omitted (so Good News Translation) in this context. There are two textual problems in this first half of the verse. The first problem concerns the pronoun “I.” In Masoretic Text this pronoun is not connected grammatically to what follows. Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation, and most other translations add the verb “know,” which follows some ancient versions. However, New Jerusalem Bible and New American Bible take the words “their works and their thoughts” from this verse and place them at the end of the previous verse, so that what “shall come to an end” are the people’s deeds and thoughts. This is an attractive option that translators may prefer to follow. The second textual issue concerns the phrase “she is coming.” Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation, and most other versions emend the text to read “I am coming.” Hebrew Old Testament Text Project favors retaining Masoretic Text for both cases, and suggests the following rendering: “As for me, given their deeds and their thoughts, [time] has come to gather….” Bible en français courant (1997) also follows Masoretic Text by saying “Given their practices and their plans, says the Lord, the moment has come for me to gather the nations of all languages.” Translators are free to follow the majority opinion, as done in Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation.

I know their works and their thoughts means the LORD is aware of people’s actions and thoughts, but who is the referent for the pronoun their? From the previous context it appears to refer to those who have followed Canaanite religious practices (so Good News Translation, Revised English Bible, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh). However, the following context makes it clear that the nations are in view with this pronoun (so Bible en français courant [1997]). The LORD knows everything about them.

And I am coming to gather all nations and tongues presents an apocalyptic vision of Yahweh bringing all the nations to Jerusalem (compare 2.2-3; 56.1-8). The phrase all nations and tongues is a hyperbole within the vision. It means “people from every nation and every language group,” rather than every human being. Revised English Bible renders this clause as “I am coming to gather peoples of every tongue.”

And they shall come and shall see my glory: Yahweh will assemble the nations in Jerusalem to show them his glory (compare 60.1-3; 62.2). This implies that he will establish his kingdom with Jerusalem as its center. The Temple and the Covenant Box will be the location of Yahweh’s presence in the world. For God’s glory, see the comments on 6.3. Good News Translation renders it “power,” and Bible en français courant (1997) has “glorious presence.”

For the translation of this verse consider the following examples:

• “I know what they do and what they think. I am coming to bring together people from all nations and languages. They will come and witness my glorious presence.

• “I know what the people of the nations do and think. I will gather them from every nation and language group to come and witness my glory.

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 .