Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation interpret verses 13-14 differently. For Revised Standard Version the people of Dedan hide as fugitives in the bushes, while the people of Tema provide water and food for them (also New Revised Standard Version, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, Bible en français courant, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch). For Good News Translation the Dedanites, who camp in the bushes, are to provide water for thirsty refugees, while the people of Tema are to give food to hungry fugitives (also Contemporary English Version, New International Version, Revised English Bible). The text allows for both possibilities, so translators have a choice.

The oracle concerning Arabia is literally “The oracle with [or, in/by] Arabia.” This is the only oracle title that uses the preposition “with” in conjunction with the name of the target. It is not easy to determine whether this is significant. For oracle see the introductory comments on 13.1—23.18. The Hebrew word for Arabia can be translated as a geographical term, rather than as a proper name; for example, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh and Bible en français courant have “steppe,” which is a desert-like wasteland, New Revised Standard Version uses “desert plain,” and New Jerusalem Bible says “wastelands.” Normally, the rendering for Arabia here will also be used in the next line.

In the thickets in Arabia you will lodge, O caravans of Dedanites: Thickets are areas with dense but relatively small bushes where a person or animal could hide. The Hebrew word here is rendered “forest” in 10.18-19, but forests would not fit this geographical context. Many versions use “[thick] scrub” (New Revised Standard Version, Revised English Bible, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh). Another possibility is “bushes.” The Hebrew verb rendered lodge comes from a root that refers to spending the night somewhere. It indicates a temporary stay rather than a long-term residency. The verb “shelter” conveys the sense well. A caravan is a group of camels and/or donkeys that carry goods, usually through desert areas. Normally there will be many animals, and many people leading them. The caravans in view here carried goods from Arabia to Israel and beyond. If the receptor language has no word for caravans, translators could say “camel-trains,” but “groups of travelers” would also be acceptable in this context. Dedanites refers to the people from the town of Dedan in northwest Arabia. Travelers from that town are addressed here, which Revised Standard Version indicates through the use of the interjection O. Instead of O caravans of Dedanites, New International Version uses “You caravans of Dedanites” to mark the direct address.

Two possible translation models are given for this verse. The first one follows the interpretation in Revised Standard Version and the second one reflects Good News Translation.

• An oracle concerning the wastelands.
You Dedanites and your camel-trains,
you will shelter in the scrub in the wastelands.

• An oracle about Arabia.
You camel-trains from Dedan,
who shelter in the bush of Arabia….

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 .