Isaiah 52
52
Awake, holy Zion
1Awake, awake,
put on your strength, Zion!
Put on your splendid clothing,
Jerusalem, you holy city;
for the uncircumcised and unclean
will no longer come into you.
2Shake the dust off yourself;
rise up; sit enthroned, Jerusalem.
Loose the bonds from your neck,
captive Daughter Zion!
3The LORD proclaims:
You were sold for nothing,
and you will be redeemed without money.
4The LORD God proclaims:
Long ago my people went down
to reside in Egypt.
Moreover, Assyria has oppressed them without cause.
5And now what have I here? says the LORD.
My people are taken away for nothing.
Their rulers wail, says the LORD,
and continually all day long my name is despised.
6Therefore, my people will know my name on that day;
I’m the one who promises it; I’m here.
Your God rules
7How beautiful upon the mountains
are the feet of a messenger
who proclaims peace,
who brings good news,
who proclaims salvation,
who says to Zion, “Your God rules!”
8Listen! Your lookouts lift their voice;
they sing out together!
Right before their eyes they see the LORD returning to Zion.
9Break into song together, you ruins of Jerusalem!
The LORD has comforted his people and has redeemed Jerusalem.
10The LORD has bared his holy arm in view of all the nations;
all the ends of the earth have seen our God’s victory.
11Depart! Depart! Go out from there!
Unclean! Don’t touch!
Get out of that place; purify yourselves,
carriers of the LORD’s equipment!
12You won’t go out in a rush,
nor will you run away,
because the one going before you is the LORD;
your rear guard is the God of Israel.
Suffering servant
13Look, my servant will succeed.
He will be exalted and lifted very high.
14Just as many were appalled by you,
he too appeared disfigured, inhuman,
his appearance unlike that of mortals.
15But he will astonish#52.15 Or sprinkle many nations.
Kings will be silenced because of him,
because they will see what they haven’t seen before;
what they haven’t heard before, they will ponder.
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Isaiah 52: CEB
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2011 Common English Bible. All rights reserved.
Isaiah 52
52
Let Zion Rejoice
1Awake, awake!
Put on your strength, Zion;
Put on your glorious garments,
Jerusalem, holy city.
Never again shall the uncircumcised
or the unclean enter you.
2Arise, shake off the dust,
sit enthroned, Jerusalem;
Loose the bonds from your neck,
captive daughter Zion!
3For thus says the Lord:
For nothing you were sold,
without money you shall be redeemed.
4For thus says the Lord God:
To Egypt long ago my people went down,
to sojourn there;
Assyria, too, oppressed them for nought.
5But now, what am I to do here?
—oracle of the Lord.
My people have been taken away for nothing;
their rulers mock, oracle of the Lord;
constantly, every day, my name is reviled.
6Therefore my people shall know my name
on that day, that it is I who speaks: Here I am!
7How beautiful upon the mountains#God leads the people back from Babylon to Zion, from whose ruined walls sentinels greet the returning exiles.
are the feet of the one bringing good news,
Announcing peace, bearing good news,
announcing salvation, saying to Zion,
“Your God is King!”#Is 40:9; Rom 10:15.
8Listen! Your sentinels raise a cry,
together they shout for joy,
For they see directly, before their eyes,
the Lord’s return to Zion.#Is 62:6.
9Break out together in song,
O ruins of Jerusalem!
For the Lord has comforted his people,
has redeemed Jerusalem.
10The Lord has bared his holy arm
in the sight of all the nations;
All the ends of the earth can see
the salvation of our God.
11Depart, depart, go out from there,
touch nothing unclean!
Out from there!#From there: from Babylon. Vessels of the Lord: taken to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar, now carried back by the exiles returning in procession to Zion; cf. Ezr 1:7. Purify yourselves,
you who carry the vessels of the Lord.
12But not in hurried flight will you go out,
nor leave in headlong haste,
For the Lord goes before you,
and your rear guard is the God of Israel.#Ex 12:11.
Suffering and Triumph of the Servant of the Lord#52:13–53:12] The last of the “servant of the Lord” oracles (see note on 42:1–4). Taken together, these oracles depict a figure of one called by God for a vocation to Israel and the nations (42:4; 49:5–6); the servant’s exaltation both opens and closes the passage (52:13; 53:12). The servant responded in fidelity but has suffered opposition (50:4–6). In this fourth oracle the servant is characterized as “a man of suffering” (53:3) and appears to be unjustly put to death (53:8–9). Those who have witnessed his career somehow recognize that he is innocent, has undergone suffering for their sins (53:4–6), and his death is referred to as a reparation offering (see note on 53:10–11). The servant is described in ways that identify him with Israel (which is frequently referred to as “servant” in the context of Second Isaiah—e.g., 41:8, 9; 44:2, 21; 43:4) and is designated as “Israel” in 49:3; yet Israel outside the “servant of the Lord” oracles is not presented as sinless, but rather in exile because of sin (40:2; 42:21–25) and even as servant as deaf and blind (42:18–19). The servant is thus both identified with Israel and distinguished from it. As with the previous servant poems, this chapter helped the followers of Jesus to interpret his suffering, death, and resurrection; see especially the passion narratives.
13See, my servant shall prosper,
he shall be raised high and greatly exalted.
14Even as many were amazed at him—
so marred were his features,
beyond that of mortals
his appearance, beyond that of human beings—#Ps 69:8.
15So shall he startle many nations,
kings shall stand speechless;
For those who have not been told shall see,
those who have not heard shall ponder it.#Mi 7:16.
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