This also comes from the LORD of hosts: Not only does the LORD teach the farmer how to grow crops (verse 26), he also teaches him how to harvest them. The pronoun This refers to the farmer’s practical knowledge of what to do in order to harvest a crop successfully. Good News Translation clarifies this by saying “All this wisdom.” We could also say “This knowledge.” The source of this wisdom is the LORD of hosts. For this title see 1.9.

He is wonderful in counsel is literally “he makes wonderful advice.” It may be rendered “his counsel/advice is wonderful.” The Hebrew noun for counsel is an important wisdom term, but it has various meanings depending on the context; see Jer 18.18 for its special association with the wise person. See also 5.19 (where Revised Standard Version has “purpose”); 11.2; and 19.3 (where Revised Standard Version has “plans”) for other uses of this term in Isaiah.

And excellent in wisdom is literally “and he makes great wisdom,” which is parallel to the previous line. The Hebrew term for wisdom is not the regular one but the one used in Pro 2.7 and 3.21, where Revised Standard Version renders it “sound wisdom.”

For the translation of this verse consider the following examples:

• Such wisdom also comes from Yahweh of hosts;
his advice is marvelous,
his wisdom great.

• This knowledge is also a gift from the LORD of hosts;
marvelous is his counsel,
superb is his wisdom.

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 .