The connector Therefore introduces this verse as the result of the disobedience of the Israelite leaders. Good News Translation begins with “That is why.”

The word of the LORD will be to them precept upon precept … there a little: There is strong sarcasm here. Yahweh’s speech to the Israelite leaders will be the same unintelligible baby talk of which they accused the prophet (verse 10). The point is not that Yahweh will speak nonsense, but that it will seem like nonsense to the people. We can say “So Yahweh’s word will become for them nothing more than baby talk.” The words of verse 10 should be rendered in the same way here, so the repetition is made obvious.

That they may go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken: The connector that introduces the disastrous result when the people perceive Yahweh’s words as meaningless babble. It may be rendered “so that.” Five consecutive verbs are used here to highlight the result. There is a progression in these verbs, from going forward initially, to being taken captive at the end. The first verb go may refer to Israel going to Egypt for help against Assyria (so NJPSV footnote|prj:NJPS.Isa 28.13). For the next four verbs see the comments on 8.15, where the same verbs are used. Fall backward, and be broken means they will be attacked and defeated. Snared, and taken speaks of them being trapped and captured.

We offer the following translation models for this verse:

• So Yahweh’s word to them will become a jumble of meaningless words, so that they will continue on, be overthrown, shattered, trapped, and captured.

• That is why Yahweh’s word to them will be nothing more than the babbling of a baby. Then they will go, but they will stumble and be shattered, trapped, and captured.

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 .