en_tn_condensed/isa/07/20.md

# General Information:

Isaiah continues to describe the time when the army of Assyria will attack Israel.

# the Lord will shave with a razor that was hired beyond the Euphrates River—the king of Assyria

The word "razor" is a metaphor for the king of Assyria and his army, and Yahweh speaks of the king as if the king were a man who would do Yahweh's work and then receive money from Yahweh. Alternate translation: "the Lord will call the king of Assyria from beyond the Euphrates River to work for him to shave you" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor]])

# that was hired

This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: "that he bought" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-activepassive]])

# the head ... the hair of the legs ... also ... the beard

It was bad to have someone shave the top of the head; it was worse to have someone shave "the hair of the legs"; it was worst of all to have someone shave the beard.

# the head ... the hair of the legs ... the beard

Isaiah does not say whose head, hair, and beard the Lord is going to shave, but Ahaz and the reader would understand that this is a man; the man is a metaphor for the people living in the land of Judah. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor]])

# the head

Here "the head" represents the hair that grows on it. Alternate translation: "the hair on the head" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metonymy]])

# the hair of the legs

Possible meanings are 1) this is a polite way to speak of the hair on the lower body or 2) this speaks of the hair on the legs. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-euphemism]])

# it will also sweep

"the razor will also sweep." If your language requires a person to be the subject of "will ... sweep," you can say, "the Lord will also sweep."