The prophet reveals more here about the offensive actions committed by the citizens of Jerusalem and Judah. Revised Standard Version places a blank line before this verse, but this should not be not done since this verse continues the thought of verse 8.

Their partiality witnesses against them: This is an idiom, the sense of which is not obvious. It only occurs here in the Bible. The Hebrew says literally “The appearance of their faces answers against them.” This could refer to the evil expression on their faces, implying a defiant attitude against God (so New Revised Standard Version, Revised English Bible, New International Version). Revised English Bible has “The look on their faces testifies against them.” Instead of “The look on their faces,” Revised Standard Version says Their partiality, which is the interpretation also accepted by Bible en français courant, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh (“Their partiality in judgment”), and Good News Translation (“Their prejudices”). Translators may choose either interpretation. If partiality is chosen, it should be clear that it refers to a basic perversion of justice; when judgments are made, one person is favored over another. Many languages may have a special idiom for this, but if no precise expression is available, a longer rendering may be used; for example, Their partiality may be rendered “The way they judge unjustly” or “Their crooked judgments.”

The sense of the verb phrase witnesses against them is “shows what they really are like.” Good News Translation has “will be held against them,” which may be a simpler way of rendering these words. New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh and Bible en français courant say “accuses them.”

They proclaim their sin like Sodom: This does not mean that their sins were the same as those of the people of Sodom, but that they made no secret of their sinful way of life like the people of Sodom. Although the Hebrew word for sin is singular, it does not refer to a single sinful act but rather to a lifestyle that was sinful. Proclaim their sin could be rendered “speak openly about their sins,” but in this context it probably is used figuratively to mean “show they are sinful by how they live.” Their lifestyle rather than just their words indicates clearly their sinful ways. This line may be rendered “They openly show/disclose/reveal/expose their sins, as [the people of] Sodom did.” For Sodom see 1.9.

They do not hide it: Their sinful ways are clear for everyone to see. They did not care if other people saw or heard about the bad things they were doing.

Woe to them expresses dismay (compare “Ah” in 1.4, 24). The Hebrew word for Woe here and in verse 11 is not the same as that found in 5.8, 11, 18. However, it clearly serves the same function and expresses a profound sadness, perhaps even a message of judgment. Woe to them is rather old and dated expression in English. Good News Translation has “They are doomed,” while New Jerusalem Bible says “all the worse for them.” Another suitable equivalent in English is “Too bad for them!”

For they have brought evil upon themselves: The connector For introduces the reason they are under judgment. Their own actions are the reason for the trouble that is about to come. The Hebrew says literally “For they reward themselves [with] evil,” which is an ironic truth. It is also possible that the Hebrew word translated For is used here to draw attention to the words that follow, in which case it may be rendered “Indeed” or “Surely.” The word evil here has a general meaning of “disaster” or “trouble,” pointing in the present context to “punishment.” The specific punishment is the loss of leadership spoken of in verses 1-7. For this line Bible en français courant has “they prepare their own misfortune,” and Revised English Bible says “They have earned the disaster that strikes them.”

Alternative models for this verse are:

• The look on their faces tells what they are really like.
Their sinfulness is obvious, like that of Sodom;
they do not try to hide it.
Woe to them! They have brought disaster on themselves.

• Their partiality in giving judgments speaks against them;
like the people of Sodom their sinfulness is plain;
they make no attempt to hide it.
Too bad for them because this disaster is something they brought on themselves.

• The look on their faces is testimony against them.
Like Sodom, their sin is open,
they cannot hide it.
Punishment will be theirs,
for they are the cause of their own suffering.

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 .