The Bible — World English Bible
Isaiah 52
In brief
Isaiah 52 speaks to Jerusalem, still in captivity, and calls her to wake up, shake off her dust and put on her festive clothes. God reminds her that his people were sold for nothing and will be redeemed without money. The chapter then celebrates the announcement of the good news: your God reigns. The watchmen sing, the ruins break out in joy, the Lord comforts his people. From verse 13 the text turns to God's servant, who introduces the famous song of Isaiah 53.
The chapter in 4 parts
1Awake, awake! Put on your strength, Zion. Put on your beautiful garments, Jerusalem, the holy city: for from now on the uncircumcised and the unclean will no more come into you.
2Shake yourself from the dust! Arise, sit up, Jerusalem! Release yourself from the bonds of your neck, captive daughter of Zion!
3For Yahweh says, “You were sold for nothing; and you will be redeemed without money.”
4For the Lord Yahweh says: “My people went down at the first into Egypt to live there: and the Assyrian has oppressed them without cause.
5“Now therefore, what do I do here,” says Yahweh, “seeing that my people are taken away for nothing? Those who rule over them mock,” says Yahweh, “and my name is blasphemed continually all day long.
6Therefore my people shall know my name. Therefore they shall know in that day that I am he who speaks. Behold, it is I.”
7How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news, who proclaims salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns!”
8Your watchmen lift up their voice. Together they sing; for they shall see eye to eye when Yahweh returns to Zion.
9Break out into joy! Sing together, you waste places of Jerusalem; for Yahweh has comforted his people. He has redeemed Jerusalem.
10Yahweh has made his holy arm bare in the eyes of all the nations. All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.
11Depart! Depart! Go out from there! Touch no unclean thing! Go out from among her! Cleanse yourselves, you who carry Yahweh’s vessels.
12For you shall not go out in haste, neither shall you go by flight: for Yahweh will go before you; and the God of Israel will be your rear guard.
13Behold, my servant will deal wisely. He will be exalted and lifted up, and will be very high.
14Just as many were astonished at you— his appearance was marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men—
15so he will cleanse many nations. Kings will shut their mouths at him; for they will see that which had not been told them, and they will understand that which they had not heard.
Key verses
Awake, awake! Put on your strength, Zion. Put on your beautiful garments, Jerusalem, the holy city: for from now on the uncircumcised and the unclean will no more come into you.
The double call to wake up is addressed to a downcast people. Zion must rise and put on her dignity, because God has changed her situation.
For Yahweh says, “You were sold for nothing; and you will be redeemed without money.”
The people were sold without God receiving any money, so they will be redeemed without any price paid to their oppressors. Redemption is a free act of God.
How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news, who proclaims salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns!”
The messenger's whole message is in this sentence: peace, salvation, your God reigns. Paul takes up this verse in Ephesians 6 and Romans 10 about proclaiming the gospel.
Behold, my servant will deal wisely. He will be exalted and lifted up, and will be very high.
God presents his servant as wise and greatly exalted. This verse opens the fourth servant song, which Christians read with the cross and the resurrection of Jesus in mind.
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Frequently asked questions about Isaiah 52
What does it mean that the feet of the one who brings good news are beautiful on the mountains?
In verse 7, the messenger runs over the mountains to announce to Jerusalem peace, salvation and the reign of her God. It is his feet, the sign of his arrival, that are declared beautiful. Paul takes up the image for those who proclaim the gospel, which explains why the verse is so often quoted.
What is the main message of Isaiah 52?
God calls captive Jerusalem to wake up, because he redeems his people for free, returns to Zion and reigns. He asks those who carry his vessels to cleanse themselves and leave. The chapter ends with the servant, greatly exalted, who introduces the song of Isaiah 53.
What is the link between Isaiah 52 and Isaiah 53?
The passage about the servant begins at Isaiah 52:13 and continues to 53:12: it is the fourth servant song. Christians read in it the announcement of the suffering and exaltation of Jesus. The division into chapters came later, which explains this unusual cut.
Articles quoting Isaiah 52
World English Bible translation — public domain.