OET interlinear ISA 17:9

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / possession

עָרֵ֣י מָעֻזּ֗⁠וֹ

cities_of his_refuge_of,his

Isaiah is using the possessive form to describe cities that are characterized by his strength. If a speaker of your language would not use the possessive form for this, you could express this idea in another way. Alternate translation: [his fortified cities] or [his strong cities]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / nominaladj

יִהְי֣וּ ׀ עָרֵ֣י מָעֻזּ֗⁠וֹ כַּ⁠עֲזוּבַ֤ת הַ⁠חֹ֨רֶשׁ֙ וְ⁠הָ֣⁠אָמִ֔יר

be cities_of his_refuge_of,his like,the_forsaken_[place]_of of,the_forest and,the,top

Isaiah is using the passive verbal form abandoned, which functions here as an adjective, as a noun to mean a certain kind of city. Your language may use adjectives in the same way. If not, you can translate this adjective with an equivalent phrase. Alternate translation: [the cities of his strength will be like the cities that people abandoned to the forest and the bough]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / hendiadys

הַ⁠חֹ֨רֶשׁ֙ וְ⁠הָ֣⁠אָמִ֔יר

of,the_forest and,the,top

The phrase the forest and the bough expresses a single idea. The word bough tells more about forest. If it would be more natural in your language, you could express this meaning in a different way. Alternate translation: [the boughs of the forest]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

מִ⁠פְּנֵ֖י בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל

from=face/in_front_of sons_of Yisrael

Isaiah is using from the face of as a common expression of the culture to mean “because of” or “on account of.” If this phrase does not have that meaning for your readers, you could use a comparable expression from your language that does have that meaning, or you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [because of the sons of Israel] or [because the sons of Israel conquered them]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

שְׁמָמָֽה

desolation

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea of desolation, you could express the same idea in another way. Alternate translation: [a desolate place]