The Syrians on the east and the Philistines on the west: Isaiah now gives specific information about the enemies mentioned in the previous verse. They are two neighbors of Israel: the Syrians and the Philistines. Translators consulting a map will find Syria to the northeast of Israel, and Philistia to its southwest. For “Syria” see the comments on 7.1-8; for “Philistia” see 2.6. For the translation of east and west, see the comments at 2.6.

Devour Israel with open mouth: Devour or eat is a common image for destruction (see, for example, 1.7, 20; 3.14). Here the adverbial phrase with open mouth (literally “with every mouth”) expresses emphatically the aggressive manner of the attack. This whole idiom implies serious devastation. If a literal translation here is not meaningful in the receptor language, translators may try to find a corresponding idiom, or they may describe the situation nonfiguratively by using verbs such as “conquer,” “defeat,” and “take [complete] control of.” Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch translates “They greedily invade Israel and tear large pieces from her.” Revised Standard Version uses a present tense for devour, while for Good News Translation and New Jerusalem Bible the action has not yet started. However, it is probably better to use a past tense, as in Contemporary English Version, New International Version, and Bible en français courant. For the first two lines of this verse Contemporary English Version has “He [the LORD] sent the Arameans from the east and the Philistines from the west, and they swallowed up Israel.” Using a past tense here fits better with the concluding refrain in the next two lines.

For the refrain we offer different translation models in the examples below. It is important, however, that translators use the same rendering here and later in 9.17, 21, and 10.4.

For all this points back to the actions of God in sending enemies who attacked Israel. This initial phrase may be rendered “Despite all this,” “Even though he did all that,” or “But for all that” (Bible en français courant).

His anger is not turned away: The pronoun his refers to God, and this may need to be made explicit, as Good News Translation has done. This whole clause means that God remains angry with his people because of their arrogance and failure to learn the lessons of history. We may say “the LORD is still angry with them.” Bible en français courant has “the anger of the Lord does not cease.”

And his hand is stretched out still: As in 5.25 (see the comments there), this idiom means that God’s judgment is not yet complete. He will punish Israel even more. In translation it will be helpful to state the meaning as clearly as possible; for example, Good News Translation says “his hand is still stretched out to punish.” We may also say “he will continue to punish [Israel].” Bible en français courant uses an idiom, saying “and his clenched fist remains threatening.”

For the translation of this verse consider the following:

• The Syrians from the east and the Philistines from the west have attacked and devastated Israel. Despite that, God is still angry and will continue to punish Israel.

• Syrian armies from the east and Philistines from the west have devastated Israel. Even so, God’s anger is not complete; he will yet punish 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 .