The prophet adds more examples of harmony. This time he describes the absence of danger for very young children. He implies this since he does not state explicitly what may happen if children play where there are poisonous snakes. The readers know, of course. Translators may include the sense of “not being harmed” (or, “not being bitten”), as Good News Translation has done.

The sucking child shall play over the hole of the asp: A sucking child is a newborn baby of up to a year or so, still being breast-fed. The parallel expression, weaned child, refers to someone who is now eating solid foods and probably a year or two old. These children often play outside on the ground, so snakes could well harm them. Although the English verb form shall play suggests an event that is certain, this verse refers more to a situation that could possibly happen. Good News Translation conveys that sense with the use of “if.” It is implied that no harm will come to the child. We may say “A little baby [or, Little babies] can play safely near….” The hole refers to where the snake lives. Snakes can live in various nesting places, so translators may use an appropriate term here. Asp is a species of poisonous snake. A number of English translations say “cobra” (New International Version, Revised English Bible, New American Bible).

And the weaned child shall put his hand on the adder’s den is parallel to the previous line, using a slightly older child and a different type of poisonous snake. The sense of these two lines is identical; Good News Translation collapses both lines into one. Instead of shall put, translators may say “can put [safely].”

In the rare cases where (poisonous) snakes are not known to the target community, this verse may be rendered with a general sense, for example, “A little baby will be able to play where it is now very dangerous [or, near the holes of dangerous animals].” It needs to be clear that danger no longer exists.

For this verse we may say:

• Even a tiny baby can play safely near a cobra’s nest; even near a snake’s hole a young child will be safe.

• If a tiny baby were to play near the cobra’s hole or a young child put its hand into a snake’s nest, it will not be harmed.

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 .