Madmenah is in flight: Madmenah was another town north of Jerusalem along the route of the enemy advance. Its inhabitants are fleeing from the Assyrians. The choice of the unusual Hebrew verb rendered is in flight seems to depend on the poet’s desire to play with the root word ndd. The town name sounds like the verb.

The inhabitants of Gebim flee for safety: Gebim was another town close to Jerusalem. Its people also have run away to a safe place.

Translation examples for this verse are:

• The population of Madmenah has fled,
those in Gebim have run to safety.

• The people in Madmenah have fled, those in Gebim have sought a safe refuge.

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 .