This verse returns to the theme of Yahweh’s anger, as in verses 27-28. It is pictured as a loud voice, a powerful arm, fire, and a heavy storm. This mixture of metaphors is quite common in poetry, but there are more of them than usual here. However, it is possible to see a single picture of a heavy thunderstorm here, which is a traditional symbol of the LORD manifesting himself. The LORD’s voice is the thunder, and the descending blow of his arm is the lightning, which are accompanied by fire, rain and hail. The phrase devouring fire is repeated from verse 27. Another rhetorical feature is the assonance in Hebrew at the end of the verse through the use of the three nouns nefets wazerem weʾeven (with a cloudburst and tempest and [hail]stones). These nouns depict the storm and the assonance may be an attempt to evoke its fierce sounds.

Since the theme changes here, Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version, and Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch add a paragraph break, while Bible en français courant has a stanza break. Other languages may find this helpful.

And the LORD will cause his majestic voice to be heard: As in Good News Translation, translators may omit the connector And, especially if they add a paragraph or stanza break here. His majestic voice is literally “the splendor of his voice.” In the context “splendor” probably refers to the powerful effect of Yahweh’s voice. As noted above, voice could be a metaphor for thunder. For languages that cannot use the passive verb to be heard, this clause may be rendered “And Yahweh will cause people to hear his powerful voice.”

And the descending blow of his arm to be seen is another metaphor for Yahweh’s power. Perhaps it refers to lightning (see above). The descending blow of his arm refers to his arm coming down heavily to attack his enemies. To be seen is literally “he will cause to be seen,” which is parallel with the LORD will cause … to be heard. This passive expression can also be made active by rendering the clause as “and let them see his arm come crashing down.”

In furious anger and a flame of devouring fire: Yahweh will act in great anger. Furious anger is literally “rage of anger [nose],” which is a very strong expression for anger (compare “burning with his anger” in verse 27). His anger will be like a flame of devouring fire (see verse 27).

With a cloudburst and tempest and hailstones: Yahweh’s anger will also be like a fierce storm. A cloudburst is a very heavy rainstorm; a tempest refers to a violent windstorm usually accompanied by rain; hailstones come as part of a thunderstorm (see 28.2).

Translation examples for this verse are:

• Yahweh will cause people to hear his powerful voice
and see his arm come crashing down,
in fierce anger and the flames of a consuming fire,
with blinding rain, a strong wind, and hailstones.

• Yahweh will make people hear his glorious voice
and witness the blow as his arm smashes down,
with storming anger and a consuming flame,
with flooding rain, a huge wind, and hail.

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 .