The final verse of this magnificent book speaks of punishment and destruction. The positive tone of the previous verse is lost in this negative view. Verse 24 returns to the theme with which the book began in 1.2, that of rebellion. This suggests to many commentators that the final verse was written expressly to close the entire message. The verse also has a strong apocalyptic tone in its second half, which provides a link to the preceding verse.
New Jerusalem Bible notes that it was the custom in synagogues when reading this passage, to repeat the promise of verse 23 after verse 24, rather than finish with these negative words. New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh actually does this in its text.
And they shall go forth and look on the dead bodies of the men that have rebelled against me: The pronoun they refers to God’s faithful people, who could include both Jews and foreigners. The text does not state from where they shall go forth. It could be from the Temple or from the city of Jerusalem. Good News Translation suggests that they will leave the Temple after worship by beginning this verse with “As they leave.” They will go to look to view the corpses of those who have rebelled against the LORD. Look on has the sense of gloating over or enjoying in this context. If they are coming from Jerusalem, the corpses of the rebels are probably in the rubbish dump of the Hinnom Valley just outside the city (see the comments on 30.33).
For their worm shall not die, their fire shall not be quenched: This graphic, apocalyptic picture of the endless fate of the rebels contrasts with the endless worship offered by the faithful (verse 23). Although the rebels have died, they will continue to suffer. Mark 9.48 copies this imagery. The Hebrew particle ki rendered for may be a logical connector or an emphatic marker here. Good News Translation and New International Version leave it implied. Their worm shall not die pictures the physical decomposition of the rebels’ corpses as a process that goes on forever. The Hebrew word for worm refers to maggots in this context. Their fire shall not be quenched pictures their corpses burning forever on the rubbish heap. Good News Translation renders these two lines clearly by saying “The worms that eat them will never die, and the fire that burns them will never be put out” (similarly Bible en français courant).
And they shall be an abhorrence to all flesh means that everyone will detest their corpses. The Hebrew noun rendered abhorrence refers to something that is hated. For this clause Revised English Bible has “All mankind will view them with horror,” and Good News Translation says “The sight of them will be disgusting to all people.”
For the translation of this verse consider the following examples:
• “People will go outside and observe the corpses
of those who rebelled against me;
for the worms that consume these corpses will not die,
the fire that burns them will never go out,
and they will be hated by everyone.”
• “People will go out to view the corpses
of those who rebelled against me.
The worms that eat the corpses will never die,
the fire that burns them will never go out,
and everyone will detest them.”
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 .