God’s people whom he rescues from exile will return safely on the Holy Road to Zion.

No lion shall be there, nor shall any ravenous beast come up on it: There will be no threats from wild animals along this road. For lion see 5.29. Any ravenous beast refers to any other dangerous wild animals. The singular words lion and ravenous beast are collective nouns, referring to all those animals. Good News Translation speaks of “fierce animals.” The verb phrase come up on it could mean “go up [to Zion] by way of the road,” since the Hebrew verb here is often linked to going up to Zion. It may be rendered “go up by it.” Good News Translation‘s interpretation is also valid: “pass that way.” For these two lines Contemporary English Version provides a helpful model with “No lions or other wild animals will come near that road.”

They shall not be found there refers back to the lions and other fierce animals. This line emphasizes the absence of any dangerous animals on the road. Good News Translation combines it with the first two lines.

But the redeemed shall walk there: The connector but introduces a contrast with the previous line about the lack of dangerous animals on the Holy Road. In some languages this positive final line may fit better at the beginning of the verse (see first example below). The redeemed are those whom Yahweh will bring back from captivity, not only from Babylonia but from all the places where they have been scattered. In some contexts the Hebrew verb translated redeemed carries the idea that a payment is made in order to buy something back (see Ruth 4.4). This sense cannot be applied to Yahweh since he does not pay anyone for those he releases from captivity. Therefore in this setting redeemed is better rendered “rescued” or “brought back.” It is found frequently in the second half of the book, often linked to the rescue of the Israelites from Egypt at the time of the Exodus (see 51.10), so it may also be translated “liberated.” For this whole line Good News Translation has “Those whom the LORD has rescued will travel home by that road.”

Translation possibilities for this verse are:

• Those who are brought back will travel there,
but no lion will be there,
and no other fierce animal will go up by it;
none will be found there.

• No lion will be there,
nor any fierce animal be on it;
none will be found there,
but those who are rescued [by the LORD] will travel it.

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 .