“‘Do not fear!
You worm Jacob!
You insects of Israel!
I will help you!’
Says Yahweh.
Your Redeemer!
The Holy One of Israel!
‘Now I will make of you
A threshing sledge,
Sharp,
New,
Having teeth.
You shall thresh the mountains.
You shall crush them.
You shall make the hills
Like chaff.
You shall winnow them.
The wind shall carry them away.
The tempest shall scatter them.
You shall rejoice in Yahweh!
You shall glory in the Holy One of Israel!’”
Once again, Yahweh assumes the first person singular in Second Isaiah. He seems a little derogatory at first calling the Israelites the worm Jacob and the insect Israel. However, it is clear that he is here to help. He was going to be the Redeemer and the Holy One of Israel, no questions asked. He was going to make the Israelites strong, new, and sharp. They would be a teeth threshing sledge to beat up the crop. Instead of crops, they would go out and crush the mountains and the hills until they become like useless chaff. In other words they were to winnow or separate the grain from the chaff. Then they were to let the wind and the storms carry this chaff away and scatter it. They were to rejoice and glory in Yahweh, the Holy One of Israel.