The relationship between this verse and the previous one is not clear. One link is the phrase my name in both verses. The conjunction Therefore occurs twice in this verse, which suggests it gives a result of what precedes it. Good News Translation and Contemporary English Version omit this conjunction both times, making verse 6 an independent statement. New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh also makes this verse independent by rendering the conjunction both times as “Assuredly” to emphasize that God’s people will acknowledge him in the future.

However, it is possible to place verse 6 within the developing thought of the subsection. In verses 3-5 the LORD notes how his people have been treated badly in the past, and even now are being oppressed. Moreover, their leaders (or the leaders of the oppressors) despise the LORD. According to verse 6, despite the humiliation of Israel and the contempt for the LORD, the LORD will triumph in the end. His people will acknowledge him and know that he has spoken to them. Revised English Bible begins verse 6 with the conjunction “But,” which is a valid option. For this understanding of verse 6 in the context, see the model for the whole subsection at the end of the discussion.

Therefore my people shall know my name: If translators follow the understanding of this verse mentioned in the previous paragraph, it is better to begin with the connector “But” (Revised English Bible) instead of Therefore. The verb know does not simply mean to know about Yahweh, but to have a vital relationship with him (see the comments on 1.3). Good News Translation says “acknowledge,” which is a good model. As in the previous verse, my name refers to Yahweh himself.

Therefore in that day they shall know that it is I who speak: God’s people will also know that he has spoken to them. Some versions omit the conjunction therefore, making this clause an independent statement (so Bible en français courant, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch). Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version, and Revised English Bible use the connector “and,” which fits well. In that day is a typical prophetic phrase found more than forty times in the first part of this book (see, for example, 2.11, 17, 20), but Second Isaiah uses it only here. It refers to some future, undefined moment in time rather than to one specific day. Good News Translation says “In time to come,” and New Jerusalem Bible has “when the day comes.” Revised Standard Version supplies they shall know from the previous clause. It is implied in Hebrew. What God’s people will know is that it is I who speak, which refers to what God has just said. This clause may be rendered “that it is I who make this promise.” The Hebrew expression rendered it is I recalls those passages in chapters 40–48 in which it is central to the divine self-disclosure (see, for example, 41.4 and 43.10, where it is translated “I am He”).

Here am I (literally “behold [it is] I”) is one word in Hebrew. It assures the people of Yahweh’s presence with them. New International Version says “Yes, it is I,” and Revised English Bible has “here I am.” Many translations treat this clause as an independent one, but it is also possible to link it with the preceding verb; for example, New Jerusalem Bible renders the last half of this verse as “because of this they will know when the day comes, that it is I saying, Here I am!” (similarly Bible en français courant).

Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version, Revised English Bible, and Bible en français courant arrange the contents of this verse differently from Revised Standard Version. They either omit the two occurrences of Therefore or combine into one. They also place in that day near the beginning of the verse. For this whole verse Bible en français courant has “That is why, one of these days, my people will know who I am; they will know that it is I who says: I am here!” and Good News Translation says “In time to come you will acknowledge that I am God and that I have spoken to you.” These are valid models, as well as the more formal literal rendering of Revised Standard Version. Other possible examples for this verse are:

• My people will know my name;
in the future they will know it is I,
the one who promises, ‘Here I am!’”

• Then my people will know who I am;
then they will know it is I who have spoken to them.
I promise to be there.”

• So my people will know my name, Yahweh;
so in the time to come they will know
it is I who say to them, ‘Here I am!’”

Here is a possible model for rendering the whole subsection in a fairly meaningful, coherent way:

3 Thus says the LORD: “You were sold for nothing, and you will be rescued without money being paid.” 4 And thus says my Lord Yahweh again: “At the beginning my people went down to Egypt to live there as foreigners. Subsequently/Later [or, For no reason] the Assyrians oppressed them. 5 And now, today, what do I have? I, the LORD declare it: my people have been taken captive without money being paid; their leaders wail in sorrow [or, those who oppress them boast]; continually my name is being despised. 6 But be sure that my people will know my name; in the days ahead they will know that it is I who say: ‘I am God [or, Here I am]!’”

Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch provides the following helpful model for verses 4-6 as a separate section, entitled “God liberates his people from Babylon”:

4 The LORD, the mighty God, says: “At the beginning my people went to Egypt and were forced to live there as foreigners. Later the Assyrians came and oppressed them without reason. 5 And how is it now? They were taken away as slaves and nothing was paid for them. Their oppressors boast of that, without interruption they despise me and draw my name through the mud. 6 Therefore I will intervene, and my people will recognize who I am. They will experience that I am present!”

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 .