In this verse Yahweh assures his people that he will help them by making three promises (first one in positive form, last two in negative form). In verses 12-13 he addressed them directly, but here he speaks about them, using third person pronouns.

He who is bowed down shall speedily be released is the first promise. God’s oppressed people will soon be free. He who is bowed down renders a Hebrew participle in the active voice, so it is literally “he who bows down.” It implies bending under a load. Here the weight of oppression is in view since this clause refers to those living in fear of oppressors in verses 12-13. New International Version has “The cowering prisoners,” and New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh says “the crouching one.” New Jerusalem Bible translates “The despairing captive,” while Bible en français courant uses “the troubled prisoner.” Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch says simply “the prisoners” (similarly Good News Translation). He who is bowed down is singular in Hebrew, but it has a collective sense referring to all God’s oppressed people, so translators may use the plural (so Good News Translation, New International Version, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch). Be released is literally “be opened,” so it gives the picture of prison doors opening to allow prisoners to escape. Good News Translation, New International Version, and Revised English Bible render shall speedily be released as “will soon be set free.” For languages that prefer a verb in the active voice here, an alternative model is “will soon go/be free.” God is probably the actor here, but it is better to leave this implicit.

He shall not die and go down to the Pit is the second promise. The Hebrew term rendered Pit can refer to the place of burial (see 38.17) or a pit dug as a trap to catch wild animals. This line probably does not imply physical death and burial, but refers figuratively to being put in a dungeon (a dark, usually underground, prison). New International Version, Revised English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, and Bible en français courant adopt this view explicitly; for example, New International Version has “they will not die in their dungeon,” and Bible en français courant says “He will not die in his prison cell.”

Neither shall his bread fail: This third statement promises an unending supply of food. The reference to unfailing food shows that the mention of death in the previous line is a metaphor for being in a difficult situation. For this line Good News Translation has “and have all the food they need,” while Contemporary English Version translates “and never go hungry.” For the last two lines Revised English Bible says “he will not be consigned to a dungeon and die there lacking food.”

For the translation of this verse consider the following examples:

• Those who are bowed under oppression will soon be released;
they will not be sent to the grave,
and they will not lack food.

• Those who suffer oppression will soon be free;
they will not die in their prison;
they will never go without food.

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 .