For before the child knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good: This temporal clause sets the time frame for the main clause that follows. It repeats the last half of the previous verse, so Contemporary English Version combines verses 15-16 to avoid this repetition, saying “Even before the boy is old enough to know how to choose between right and wrong, he will eat yogurt and honey, and the countries of the two kings you fear will be destroyed.” The Hebrew particle ki rendered For functions here as an emphatic marker, so Good News Translation translates it “Even.” Translators may omit it.

The land before whose two kings you are in dread will be deserted: This means the people who live on the land will disappear. The qualifying expression before whose two kings you are in dread describes which land it is. It is the two nations of Syria and Ephraim with their two kings, Rezin and Pekah, of whom Ahaz is afraid. The pronoun you is singular here. Dread is a strong or deep fear. This message is intended to bring comfort to the people of Judah because the enemy threat will be eliminated.

For the translation of this verse we suggest:

• For even before the child knows how to refuse evil and choose what is good, the land of those two kings you fear will be deserted.

• The land of those two kings you fear will be desolate before that child even knows the difference between right and wrong.

The second example places the main clause before the temporal clause, which may be more natural in some languages.

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 .