Then he remembered the days of old: The pronoun he could refer either to God or to the people of Israel as a collective body (so most commentators and versions). Good News Translation uses the pronoun “they” in place of he and adds a footnote to explain the change. New International Version and Bible en français courant have “his people.” The days of old repeats the expression from verse 9.

Of Moses his servant: Instead of Moses his servant, Masoretic Text has “Moses his people.” The Septuagint omits this line. Some Hebrew manuscripts have “Moses his servant,” the preferred reading in RSV/NRSV, Good News Translation, New Jerusalem Bible, and New American Bible. But Hebrew Old Testament Text Project considers this an emendment, made deliberately to fit with a phrase often used of Moses. New International Version retains Masoretic Text but adds a conjunction by rendering this line as “the days of Moses and his people.” De~Waard prefers the solution that takes “his people” to be the subject of the verb remembered. Bible en français courant follows the same interpretation by rendering the first two lines of this verse as “Then his people recalled past history, with Moses.” We recommend the option preferred by de~Waard and found in Bible en français courant.

What follows are two questions, the second of which has four parts and extends through the opening line of verse 13. These questions are the people’s call for help. Both questions literally ask where the LORD is who helped them in the past. Each one is introduced by the Hebrew particle ʾayyeh rendered Where, followed by a participle that describes the LORD. Good News Translation introduces the questions with the quote frame “and they asked” and places quote marks around them to indicate that they are direct questions from the people. Other languages may find this helpful. The questions are rhetorical. Languages that do not favor the use of such questions may replace them with strong statements that express the same feelings; for example, they may begin with “and they said, ‘We surely do not see him [or, the LORD], who saved….’”

Where is he who brought up out of the sea the shepherds of his flock? is the first question. It implies that the person described here is not present, but should be. By using this question the people call on that person to come forward and act as he did in the past. Good News Translation and Contemporary English Version make it clear that the person in view is the LORD.

There are two problems in this question, one is exegetical and the other is textual. The exegetical problem involves the function of the Hebrew particle ʾeth attached to the word for shepherds: it could mark shepherds as the object of the verb brought up (so Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation), or it could be the preposition “with” (so New Revised Standard Version, New International Version, Bible en français courant). New Revised Standard Version renders the question as “Where is the one who brought them up out of the sea with the shepherds of his flock?” Both views are grammatically possible.

The textual problem concerns the word shepherds. It is plural in Masoretic Text, but many versions render it as a singular (so New International Version, Revised English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, New American Bible, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch). Hebrew Old Testament Text Project and de~Waard prefer the plural form. If it is plural, then it refers to Israel’s leaders, including Moses. If it is singular, then it probably refers to Moses as their leader. Whether shepherds is singular or plural, it is a metaphor for leadership (see the comments on 44.28 and 56.11), and his flock is a metaphor for God’s people.

The sea probably refers to the Reed Sea (or, Red Sea), from which the LORD rescued the Israelites (see Exo 14). Revised English Bible and Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch believe it points to the Nile River, from which Moses was brought out (see Exo 2.1-10). Of course, these versions use the singular “shepherd.”

Translation examples for verse 11a are:

• Then his people remembered the ancient past,
the time of Moses.
Where is the one who brought them up out of the sea
with the shepherds of his flock?

• Then his people recalled what happened
in the distant past, with Moses.
They asked, “Where is the LORD who saved his people from the sea
with their leaders?

Verses 11b-13a present the second question of God’s people. It has four parts. n Hebrew each part depends on the particle rendered Where, and has a participle that describes the past actions of the LORD.

Where is he who put in the midst of them his holy Spirit…?: The pronoun he refers to the LORD, which Good News Translation makes explicit. In the midst of them is literally “in the midst of him.” The masculine singular pronoun “him” probably has a collective sense referring back to the “shepherds” in the previous line, not the “flock,” which renders a feminine noun in Hebrew. Like Revised Standard Version, New Revised Standard Version also uses the plural pronoun “them.” Revised English Bible has the pronoun “him” as a reference back to Moses. Good News Translation makes this explicit. For his holy Spirit, see the comments on the previous verse. Here it refers to the power or ability that God provides for the leaders in order for them to carry out their tasks.

Who caused his glorious arm to go at the right hand of Moses is the second part of the second question. It is a figurative statement that means Yahweh used his magnificent power to accomplish great things through Moses. His glorious arm is literally “the arm of his glory.” As in verse 5, arm is a metaphor for power. His glorious arm refers to the LORD’s great and awe-inspiring power. The right hand represents the place of honor and authority (see the comments on 41.10). Caused … to go is rendered “caused … to march” in New Revised Standard Version (similarly Contemporary English Version), and “sent … to walk” in Revised English Bible. These versions retain the sense of movement, but it may be best to render the whole statement in terms of the LORD giving power to Moses to act. Good News Translation‘s nonfigurative model expresses it well: “who by his power did great things through Moses.”

Who divided the waters before them to make for himself an everlasting name is the third part of the question. It clearly refers to the time when Yahweh divided the Reed Sea so that the Israelites could walk across and be saved from the Egyptians who pursued them (Exo 14.21-22). He did it to make for himself an everlasting name, which means he made himself famous forever by saving his people in this way. This idea of “making a name/reputation” also occurs in verse 14.

Who led them through the depths is the fourth part of the question. It is an additional reference to the LORD leading his people safely through the Reed Sea. See the comments on 51.10.

Bible en français courant offers a helpful model for languages that do not favor the use of rhetorical questions by rendering verses 12-13a as follows: “12 At the right hand side of Moses, it is he who stretched out his majestic arm. He split the waters before them and thus obtained for himself an eternal title of glory. 13 It is he who made them go forward through the bottom of the sea” (see also the second example below).

For the translation of verses 11b-13a consider the following examples:

• Where is the one who gave these shepherds his holy spirit,
12 who through Moses accomplished great things,
who divided the waters [of the Reed Sea] for them,
making a reputation for himself for all time,
13 who led them through the deep waters?

• Where is the LORD who placed his sacred power within these leaders?
12 He is the one who helped Moses with majestic power.
He is the one who divided the waters for them [to cross],
thus earning an eternal reputation for himself.
13 He is the one who led them through the deep waters.

The following example combines verses 12-13 since it inverts the last line verse 12 and the first line of verse 13, as in Good News Translation. It also begins each part of the question with “Where is…?:

• Where is the LORD who placed his sacred power within these leaders?
12-13 Where is the one who helped Moses with majestic power?
Where is the one who divided the waters for the people [to cross]?
Where is the one who led them through the deep waters,
thus earning an eternal reputation for himself?

Like a horse in the desert, they did not stumble: This is the first of two similes that describe the results of the LORD leading his people. This simile says they were as surefooted as horses in open country. They did not stumble when they traveled through the desert on their way to Canaan. Revised English Bible links this simile to the people passing through the Reed Sea mentioned in the previous line by rendering the whole verse as “who brought them through the deep sure-footed as horses in open country” (similarly Bible en français courant). However, the comparison with a surefooted horse appears to refer to their travels through the desert toward Canaan. For a horse in the desert, Good News Translation has “wild horses,” but there is no justification for this. New International Version expresses it well with “a horse in open country” (similarly Revised English Bible). For desert see the comments on 14.7.

Like cattle that go down into the valley, the Spirit of the LORD gave them rest: This second simile compares the people’s past history with that of cattle (see 30.23) going down into a valley where there is green grass and water. However, the precise meaning of the comparison is unclear. It appears to set the scene for speaking of the people’s rest. This term carries a clear association with the “rest” that is found in the Promised Land after the Israelites’ desert wanderings (see, for example, Exo 33.14; Deut 12.10). The Spirit of the LORD refers to Yahweh himself and his power (see the comments on verses 10-11). Good News Translation says simply “the LORD,” which is valid (see also the first example below). Instead of gave … rest, Revised English Bible has “guided” (similarly New American Bible). This follows a variant reading in some early versions. The Hebrew verb for “guided” comes from a root that is similar to the root for the verb rendered gave … rest, so copyists may have confused them. Bible en français courant seems to combine both verbs by rendering the second line as “The Spirit of the Lord guided them toward [the place of] rest.” Hebrew Old Testament Text Project recommends keeping gave … rest.

So thou didst lead thy people, to make for thyself a glorious name: This summary statement links with the last line of verse 12, repeating the theme that God made a great reputation (glorious name) for himself by leading his people. In the Hebrew there is a sudden change here from third person to second person references to the LORD (thou, thy, thyself) as the prophet addresses him. This kind of grammatical person switch is common in Hebrew poetry. Good News Translation changes the second person references to third person for consistency, which other languages may find helpful.

For the translation of verses 13b-14 consider the following examples:

• Like a horse crossing the desert,
the people did not stumble.
14 Like cattle that go into a valley to rest,
so the LORD’s spirit gave the people rest.
You led your people
and earned a great reputation for yourself.

• The people never stumbled;
they were like horses crossing the desert.
14 Like animals going down into a valley,
the people enjoyed the rest that the LORD’s spirit gave.
The LORD led his people
and made for himself a wonderful reputation.

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 .