I will wait for the LORD … I will hope in him: These two clauses are parallel and close to being synonymous. The Hebrew verb rendered wait for carries a sense of longing for something; the verb hope is similar (see Psa 37.9). These verbs often express the same idea in the Psalms where the worshipers tell of their firm belief that God will rescue them from trouble (see Psa 25.5). Both these verb clauses seem to indicate that Isaiah is going to wait patiently for Yahweh to act after passing on his message. Isaiah is fully confident that Yahweh will carry out what he has promised, both in judgment and rescue. For this reason hope may be rendered “trust” (Contemporary English Version, New International Version). Both Contemporary English Version and Bible en français courant have added the word “patiently.” For these two clauses Bible en français courant has “I wait for the Lord … patiently I count on him.”

Who is hiding his face from the house of Jacob means the LORD refuses to look upon or to listen to the people. This idiom is also found in the Lament Psalms (see, for example, Psa 10.11; 13.1). We may use a comparable idiom, such as “who has turned his back on….” The house of Jacob could refer only to the northern kingdom of Israel, but it probably includes Judah here as well, especially in light of verse 14 (see the comments on 2.5). Perhaps the general rendering “Israel” will be most appropriate.

A translation example that combines the main clauses of this verse for emphasis is:

• I long for Yahweh and I trust in him even though he has turned his back on the people of Israel.

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 .