Isaiah — Chapter 52

Awake, awake, O Zion!Clothe yourself in splendor;Put on your robes of majesty,Jerusalem, holy city!For the uncircumcised and the impureShall never enter you again.

Arise, shake off the dust,Sit [on your throne], Jerusalem!Loose the bonds from your neck,O captive one, Fair Zion!

For thus said GOD:You were sold for no price,And shall be redeemed without money.

For thus said my Sovereign GOD:Of old, My people went downTo Egypt to sojourn there;But Assyria has robbed them,Giving nothing in return.aWhereas the Israelites themselves sought hospitality in Egypt, Assyria (i.e., the Chaldean Empire) has exiled them by force.

What therefore do I gain here?—declares GOD—For My people has been carried off for nothing,Their mockers howl—declares GOD—And constantly, unceasingly,My name is reviled.

Assuredly, My people shall learn My name,Assuredly [they shall learn] on that dayThat I, the One who promised,Am now at hand.

How welcome on the mountainAre the footsteps of the heraldAnnouncing happiness,Heralding good fortune,Announcing victory,Telling Zion, “Your God reigns!”

Hark!Your lookouts raise their voices,As one they shout for joy;For every eye shall behold GOD ’s return to Zion.

Raise a shout together,O ruins of Jerusalem!For GOD will comfort this people,Will redeem Jerusalem.

GOD will bare a holy armIn the sight of all the nations,And the very ends of earth shall seeThe victory of our God.

Turn, turn away, touch naught impureAs you depart from there;Keep pure, as you go forth from there,You who bear the vessels of GOD!bCf. Ezra 1.7–8; 5.14–15.

For you will not depart in haste,Nor will you leave in flight;For GOD is marching before you,The God of Israel is your rear guard.

“Indeed, My servant shall prosper,Be exalted and raised to great heights.

Just as the many were appalled at himchim Heb. “you.”—So marred was his appearance, unlike that of a person,His form, beyond human semblance—

Just so he shall startledstartle Meaning of Heb. uncertain. many nations.Kings shall be silenced because of him,For they shall see what has not been told them,Shall behold what they never have heard.”