Isaiah moves away from a description using metaphors to a more nonfigurative portrayal of the sorry state of Judah. The historical events of 701 B.C. probably form the background to this passage. In that year an Assyrian army occupied Judah and besieged Jerusalem. This was toward the end of Isaiah’s ministry. It is also possible, but less likely, that the reference is to the invasion by Syria and Israel (the northern kingdom) in 735 B.C., during King Ahaz’s reign (see chapter 7).

Some translations leave a blank line (Revised Standard Version) or begin a new paragraph (Good News Translation) with this verse. Since there is only a change from metaphor to realism without a change in meaning, however, verses 7-9 do not need to be separated from verses 5-6.

The Hebrew of this verse repeats the nouns for “desolation/ruin” (desolate in Revised Standard Version) and “foreigners/strangers” (aliens). This repetition emphasizes the sad situation in Israel. Translators could keep it and even make it obvious, depending on the stylistic requirements of the receptor language. Good News Translation avoids the repetition. In the Hebrew there is another obvious pattern. There are three nouns, each in an emphatic position with the second person plural pronominal suffix. They are translated “Your country … your cities … your land….” This repetition also plays its part in giving emphasis to the picture of destruction.

Your country lies desolate describes the land of Israel, or more precisely, Judah. It lies in ruins. Nobody lives in the countryside anymore, crops and houses are destroyed, and people have fled. For desolate “abandoned” and “empty” are good equivalents. For this line Bible en français courant has “Your land is deserted.”

Your cities are burned with fire: This parallel line also indicates complete devastation. The passive verb form here may require an active form in some languages; for example, this line may be rendered “aliens [or, foreign enemies] have burned your cities.”

In your very presence aliens devour your land: In your very presence is literally “to your front.” New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh and Revised English Bible have “Before your eyes.” The figurative language here is clear: while Israel watches (helplessly), foreigners literally eat up their land, which is a reference to enemies capturing and taking over the country. Good News Translation says “While you look on, foreigners take over your land,” and New Jerusalem Bible has “your soil, foreigners lay it waste before your eyes.” For the last two lines of this verse Contemporary English Version offers “Foreigners and strangers take and destroy your land while you watch.” All these are valid models.

Aliens comes from the same Hebrew root as the verb “estranged” in verse 4; it refers to those who are not part of someone’s own ethnic group. They are the foreign troops, who sacked the country. “Foreigners” is a good equivalent. If the receptor language has no word for foreigners that is suitable, translators could say “[enemy] people/armies/troops from other countries.”

It is desolate, as overthrown by aliens: This repeated reference to devastation and foreigners emphasizes the destruction of the land. Repetition is an important feature of the verse and should be retained in translation where possible. In English this kind of repetition is awkward, and that is probably why it is not kept by Good News Translation or Contemporary English Version (see above). Some translations emend the text so that it refers not to aliens but to “Sodom” (Revised English Bible, New American Bible). New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh mentions this in a footnote. This suggestion is based on the fact that the verb “overthrow” is often used in connection with the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. Hebrew Old Testament Text Project, however, firmly rejects this reading. The present Hebrew text does not need emendation because it is supported by all the ancient manuscripts. As overthrown by aliens means “just like an area that has been devastated by an invading enemy army.”

Translation models for this verse are:

• Your country is in ruins, your cities torched,
your land swallowed up by foreigners right before your eyes;
it lies in ruins, destroyed by foreigners.

• In ruins is your country, burned to the ground your towns,
before your eyes aliens devour your land;
in ruins it lies, devastated by aliens.

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 .