complete verse (Isaiah 7:24)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Isaiah 7:24:

  • Kupsabiny: “People will go hunting there with their arrows, because the bush and thornbushes will have many leaves in the whole land.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Since it has only weeds and thorn bushes, people will go there taking bows and arrows.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “People will-hunt there with their bows-and-arrows and spears, because this is now thick-brush and filled with thorny bushes.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “There will be only briers and thorns in the entire land, and wild animals, with the result that men will take their bows and arrows and go there to hunt and kill animals.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Isaiah 7:24

With bow and arrows men will come there: The use of bow and arrows in what used to be well-cultivated vineyards means that these places are now dangerous (probably because of wild animals; so NJPSV footnote|prj:NJPS.Isa 7.24), or that they are now good places for hunting (so Good News Translation, Revised English Bible, Bible en français courant). It should normally not be necessary to make it explicit that the bow and arrows are for hunting, but translators should be aware of their audience and may add the information if required. For bow and arrows, see 5.28. Men in this context probably refers to males rather than to “people” in general.

For all the land will be briers and thorns: This clause mostly repeats the last clause of verse 23. The Hebrew particle ki rendered for probably is an emphatic marker here (so Good News Translation “Yes”), but some translations believe it introduces a reason (so Nouvelle Bible Segond “because”).

Translation examples for this verse are:

• Men will come there to hunt with bows and arrows. Yes, the land will be nothing but briers and thorns.

• With bows and arrows men will come there to hunt. Indeed, the whole land will be covered with briers and thornbushes.

• Since the whole land will be full of briers and thornbushes, men will go there to hunt with their bows and arrows.

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 .