refuge / shelter

The Hebrew that is translated as “shelter” or “refuge” or similar in English is translated in Vidunda as “place to run to.” (Source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)

complete verse (Isaiah 4:6)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Isaiah 4:6:

  • Kupsabiny: “The power of God will put up a barrier for people when the sun burns, and protect them when there is rain from a storm.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “His glory will make a shadow to protect those in the city from the sunlight during the day and a hiding place to protect [them] from the whirlwind and the rain.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “And this is like a shelter/small-hut that will-give shade from the heat of the sun and a shelter if there is a storm and rain.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Isaiah 4:6

It will be for a shade by day from the heat: As noted in the comments on Isa 4.5, the words “and a pavilion” belong to this verse in Hebrew. The beginning of this verse is literally “and there will be a pavilion for a shade by day from the heat.” The pronoun It is not found in the Hebrew text. So this verse presents the same problem as the end of verse 5: either the “pavilion” refers to (1) the presence of God (symbolized by the cloud, smoke and fire) over the glory of a restored Jerusalem (so Revised Standard Version; our preferred view) or (2) the glory of God over Jerusalem (so Good News Translation). If translators follow Revised Standard Version‘s interpretation, the pavilion is the shade by day. If they follow Good News Translation, then it is God’s glory. The Hebrew word for “pavilion” comes from a root meaning “to cover.” It is the same word translated “booth” in 1.8 (see the comments there). It refers to a small, temporary, outdoor shelter, built with branches. Like “canopy” in verse 5, it is a metaphor for protection. A shade by day from the heat is a figure for God’s protection from the threats to life.

And for a refuge and a shelter from the storm and rain: This clause is parallel with the previous one. It also says that Yahweh will provide protection for his people. Refuge and shelter are synonymous terms for places of safety from harm and danger. Here the storm and rain are additional figurative terms for threats to life.

The thought in this verse is similar to that found in 25.4, where Yahweh is described in almost the same terms. The language is highly poetic, so a literal translation will probably preserve the poetry better than an attempt to interpret it.

For translation of this verse we suggest:

• It [Yahweh’s presence] will be a pavilion/booth/hut that will provide a covering to protect [the people] from the sun’s heat and be a shelter from storm and rain.

If “glory” in verse 5 is understood to refer to God’s glory, then this is a possible model:

• Yahweh’s glory will protect and shelter the people like a booth/hut from heat and from rainstorms.

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 .