Both Good News Translation and Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch begin this verse with “The LORD says” to indicate who is speaking here. Translators may add these words for clarity. See the comments on verse 11 for the extent of the LORD’s words in verses 9-22.

Behold, I am stirring up the Medes against them: As in the previous subsection (verses 9-16), the prophet also begins here with the attention-getting word Behold. In Hebrew it has a first person singular suffix and is followed by a participle to indicate something about to take place. This line is literally “Behold [or, Look at] me stirring up [or, about to stir up] the Medes.” I am stirring up means that Yahweh will cause something to happen (see also 41.2, 25). In this case he will cause the nation of the Medes to become powerful and carry out his plans. The verb stirring up underlines the notion of Yahweh being active in international affairs and in control of what happens on earth. If this verb is difficult to translate literally, Contemporary English Version provides a suitable model for the line: “I’m sending them [the Medes] to attack Babylonia.”

The Medes originated in the northwest of what is today called Iran (Persia), northeast of Babylonia. They were allies of the Persians at the time of Emperor Cyrus, and together they conquered Babylon in 539 B.C. The Persian people lived to the southeast of Babylonia, the nation referred to by the pronoun them. Good News Translation uses the name “Babylon” instead of the pronoun for clarity.

Who have no regard for silver and do not delight in gold: These words describe the Medes, not the Babylonians. The two objects, silver and gold, are placed before the verbs in the Hebrew text. This unusual pattern draws special attention to the two metals. In these two lines the prophet is saying the Medes do not have money or material gain as the reason for their attack. Hence they have to be feared more than other armies. Revised English Bible and Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch interpret these lines to mean that the Medes are not open to bribes. They will attack and cannot be tempted by money or gifts to turn aside. Contemporary English Version‘s interpretation is the same: “The Medes can’t be bought off with silver or gold.”

For the translation of this verse consider the following examples:

• The LORD says, “Look! I am raising up the Medes against Babylon[ia]. The Medes do not care for silver or worry about gold.

• Look! I am about to stir up the Median army against Babylon[ia], and it is not silver and gold that the Medes care about.

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 .