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So listen to the word of Yahweh

"So listen to Yahweh's message"

We have made a covenant with death, and with Sheol we have reached an agreement

Both of these statements mean basically the same thing. Possible meanings are 1) the leaders of Jerusalem have used magic or sorcery to try to make an agreement with the gods of the place of the dead so that these gods would protect them from dying or 2) this is a metaphor that speaks of the leaders having made an agreement with the leaders of Egypt. The leaders of Jerusalem were so confident that the Egyptians would protect that it was like they had made an agreement with the gods of the place of the dead. (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-parallelism and rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor)

So when the overwhelming whip passes through, it will not reach us

This speaks of Yahweh's judgment and punishment as if it were a whip that would strike the people. And the whip is spoken of as if it were a flood that would pass through Jerusalem. AT: "As a result, when everyone else is suffering and dying, nothing will harm us" (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor)

For we have made a lie our refuge, and taken shelter in falsehood

These two phrases mean basically the same thing. A "lie" and "falsehood" are spoken of as if they were places where a person could go to hide. The leaders in Jerusalem would not have said they trust in a lie. They believed they were truly safe. But Isaiah knows they are not safe, because they trust in lies. AT: "For lies and falsehoods have become like a place where we can hide from danger" (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-parallelism and rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor)

a lie our refuge ... taken shelter in falsehood

Possible meanings are 1) the leaders trust in their own lies that they have said in order to protect themselves or 2) the leaders trust that the covenant they have made with the false gods of the place of the dead will keep them safe or 3) the leaders trust that the agreement they have made with the Egyptians will keep them safe.

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