The section 1.10-20 concludes here, as does the speech of Yahweh that began in verse 11. It comes to a close with a threat. This final verse has some interesting rhetorical features. First there is the play-on-words with the verb “eat.” This verb occurs in both the promise in verse 19 and the threat in this verse. In the promise the people will eat, but in the threat they will be eaten. This feature is not so evident even in Revised Standard Version. A second feature is the use of mouth in the last line. Usually it is the “mouth” of the sword that devours, but here it is the “mouth” of Yahweh that bears the promise and the threat.

But if you refuse and rebel: In contrast to the possibility of obedience, this conditional clause raises the possibility of disobeying Yahweh. The contrastive connector But is important in marking this change. If renders the same Hebrew particle as at the beginning of verse 19 and has the same function here (see the comments there). Refuse and rebel are synonyms, thus emphasizing a deliberate decision to reject the need for change. One verb in the sense of rebel is acceptable here; Good News Translation has “defy.” The Hebrew verb forms for refuse and rebel stress an ongoing rebellion, so they may be rendered “continue to refuse and rebel.” The object of these verbs may need to be specified, in which case a possible rendering for the whole line is “But if you continue to refuse to obey me and [continue] to rebel against me.”

You shall be devoured by the sword: This idiom carries the threat of national disaster. It usually refers to defeat by enemies, so the sword may be expanded to “the sword of your enemies.” In cultures where the sword is not used in battle or where it cannot be used as a figure for war, translators may say “war.” The passive verb be devoured may not be suitable in some languages, so this line may be rendered “the sword will devour you.” If understanding the idiom itself is a problem, then translators may use a nonfigurative expression like “your enemies will conquer you” or “you are doomed to die” (Good News Translation). It is recommended, however, that translators try and retain the play-on-words in verses 19-20 with the verb “eat.” In many languages this verb can have as wide a range of meanings as in Hebrew. Translators should make use of these possibilities. Sometimes even a literal translation here will be understood correctly, although it may not be a common expression in the receptor language.

For the mouth of the LORD has spoken: This formula ends the divine speech that began in verse 18 (and before that, in verse 11) with a similar opening formula. The Hebrew particle rendered for stresses that the warning just issued comes from the LORD himself. It may be rendered “Indeed,” but most translations omit it. The mouth … has spoken is solemn and emphatic in Hebrew, but the mention of mouth may be redundant and even unnatural in some languages. It is possible to catch the tone of the formula by saying “The LORD himself has spoken.” Because the passage from verse 11 to this point is presented as Yahweh speaking, it may be best to refer to him here with a first person pronoun; for example, “I, the LORD, have spoken” (Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version) or “I, Yahweh, tell you this.” Another example is “I, the LORD, promise you this,” since the words above indicate that the LORD is stating what he intends to do.

Translators can consider the following examples for this verse:

• However, if you continue to refuse and to rebel against me,
then the enemy’s sword will consume you.”
This is Yahweh’s word.

• But if you refuse to change and keep rebelling against me,
then your enemies will devour you.
This is what I, Yahweh, promise.”

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 .