This chapter divides into two distinct movements. The first (vv.1-12) is a triumphant call for Zion to awake, put on her strength, and receive the messenger who brings good news of God's reign. The LORD bares His holy arm before all nations. The second movement (vv.13-15) begins the Fourth Servant Song — the most theologically contested passage in the Hebrew Bible — introducing a Servant who will be exalted and lifted up, yet whose appearance was marred beyond human semblance.
What Makes This Chapter Remarkable
Verse 7, with its image of beautiful feet on the mountains bringing good news, has become one of the most quoted verses in both Jewish and Christian liturgical traditions. The Fourth Servant Song beginning at verse 13 presents the sharpest paradox in Isaiah: the Servant is simultaneously exalted (yarum, venissa, vegavah — three verbs of elevation) and horrifyingly disfigured. This juxtaposition of glory and suffering is unprecedented in ancient literature.
Translation Friction
The division between chapters 52 and 53 is artificial — the Fourth Servant Song runs from 52:13 through 53:12 as a single literary unit. We preserve the chapter division for reference purposes while noting its inadequacy. The Hebrew of 52:14-15 is notoriously difficult; the verb yazzeh in verse 15 may mean sprinkle (a priestly act) or startle/cause to leap up. We have rendered it with a note on both possibilities.
Connections
How beautiful on the mountains (v.7) is quoted in Romans 10:15 and Nahum 1:15. The LORD baring His arm (v.10) continues the arm of the LORD theme from 51:5, 9 and anticipates the pivotal question of 53:1. The three verbs of exaltation in 52:13 echo Isaiah 6:1 (the LORD high and lifted up) — language otherwise reserved for God alone. The nations and kings of 52:15 connect to 49:7 and anticipate the kings of 53:12.
Awake, awake, put on your strength, O Zion!
Put on your beautiful garments,
O Jerusalem, the holy city!
For the uncircumcised and the unclean
shall enter you no more.
KJV Awake, awake; put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city: for henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
The double imperative uri uri (awake, awake!) echoes 51:9 (addressed to God's arm) and 51:17 (addressed to Jerusalem). Now Zion is told to exchange her mourning rags for garments of splendor. The exclusion of the uncircumcised and unclean envisions a purified, restored Jerusalem.
Shake yourself from the dust; arise!
Take your seat, O Jerusalem.
Loose the bonds from your neck,
O captive daughter of Zion.
KJV Shake thyself from the dust; arise, and sit down, O Jerusalem: loose thyself from the bands of thy neck, O captive daughter of Zion.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
The command shevi (sit/take your seat) is a wordplay — in context it means not to sit passively but to be enthroned, to resume a position of dignity. The captive (sheviyah) is told to become the one seated in honor (yoshevet).
For this is what the LORD says:
You were sold for nothing,
and you shall be redeemed without money.
KJV For thus saith the LORD, Ye have sold yourselves for nought; and ye shall be redeemed without money.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
The economics of redemption are paradoxical: Israel was sold for no price (chinnam, gratis) and will be bought back for no price. The verb tigga'elu (shall be redeemed) uses the go'el root — God as kinsman-redeemer pays no ransom because no legitimate transaction ever occurred.
For this is what the Lord GOD says:
My people went down to Egypt at first
to sojourn there,
and Assyria oppressed them for nothing.
KJV For thus saith the Lord GOD, My people went down aforetime into Egypt to sojourn there; and the Assyrian oppressed them without cause.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
God surveys the history of Israel's oppression: Egypt (voluntary sojourn turned slavery) and Assyria (unprovoked aggression). Both served no legitimate purpose (be'efes, for nothing) — establishing that Israel's suffering was unjust exploitation, not divine abandonment.
Now therefore what do I have here, declares the LORD,
seeing that my people are taken away for nothing?
Their rulers wail, declares the LORD,
and continually all the day my name is despised.
KJV Now therefore, what have I here, saith the LORD, that my people is taken away for nought? they that rule over them make them to howl, saith the LORD; and my name continually every day is blasphemed.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
God's question what do I have here? expresses divine restlessness — He will not tolerate the status quo of His people in bondage. The desecration of God's name (shemi minno'ats) among the nations is a major motivating factor in Ezekiel's theology of restoration (Ezekiel 36:20-23).
Therefore my people shall know my name.
Therefore in that day they shall know
that it is I who speak:
Here I am.
KJV Therefore my people shall know my name: therefore they shall know in that day that I am he that doth speak: behold, it is I.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
The revelation climaxes with hinneni (Here I am) — God's own self-disclosure. The same word Abraham spoke in response to God (Genesis 22:1) is now spoken by God in response to His people. The reversal is breathtaking.
How beautiful upon the mountains
are the feet of him who brings good news,
who publishes peace,
who brings good news of good,
who publishes salvation,
who says to Zion,
"Your God reigns!"
KJV How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!
Notes & Key Terms
1 term
Key Terms
מְבַשֵּׂרmevasser
"the one who brings good news"—herald, bearer of good tidings, evangelist
The mevasser ('herald of good news') on the mountains announces shalom, good, and salvation — 'Your God reigns!' The word is the verbal form of the root b-s-r, from which besorah ('good news, gospel') derives. Paul cites this verse in Romans 10:15.
Translator Notes
One of the most celebrated verses in all of Scripture. The herald runs across the mountains — visible from Jerusalem — bringing the announcement that God has acted. The fourfold description (peace, good, salvation, God reigns) builds to the climactic declaration malakh elohayikh (Your God reigns!). Paul quotes this in Romans 10:15; Nahum 1:15 contains a parallel.
Listen! Your watchmen lift up their voices;
together they sing for joy,
for eye to eye they see
the return of the LORD to Zion.
KJV Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice; with the voice together shall they sing: for they shall see eye to eye, when the LORD shall bring again Zion.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
The watchmen (tsofayikh) stationed on Jerusalem's walls see the LORD's return with their own eyes — ayin be'ayin (eye to eye), meaning face to face, without mediation. This is direct, unobstructed vision of God's saving action.
Break forth together into singing,
you ruins of Jerusalem,
for the LORD has comforted His people;
He has redeemed Jerusalem.
KJV Break forth into joy, sing together, ye waste places of Jerusalem: for the LORD hath comforted his people, he hath redeemed Jerusalem.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
Even the ruins (chorvot) are summoned to sing — the destroyed stones themselves participate in the celebration. The verb ga'al (redeemed) is the go'el verb: God has acted as kinsman-redeemer for the city itself.
The LORD has bared His holy arm
before the eyes of all the nations,
and all the ends of the earth shall see
the salvation of our God.
KJV The LORD hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.
Notes & Key Terms
1 term
Key Terms
זְרוֹעַ קָדְשׁוֹzeroa qodsho
"His holy arm"—holy arm, sacred arm, arm of holiness
The zeroa ('arm') is God's instrument of power — bared (chasaf) for all nations to see. The 'holy arm' combines divine power with divine purity. The image of God rolling up His sleeve for battle runs through Isaiah (40:10, 51:9, 53:1).
Translator Notes
God rolls up His sleeve, so to speak — the baring of the arm is a warrior's gesture before battle. This arm, called to awaken in 51:9, is now displayed before all nations. The phrase yeshu'at elohenu (the salvation of our God) shares its root with the name Yeshua/Joshua. Luke 3:6 quotes this verse.
Depart, depart, go out from there!
Touch no unclean thing!
Go out from the midst of her;
purify yourselves, you who bear the vessels of the LORD.
KJV Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch no unclean thing; go ye out of the midst of her; be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the LORD.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
The double imperative suru suru (depart, depart!) commands a new exodus — this time from Babylon. Those carrying the temple vessels (kelei YHWH, cf. Ezra 1:7-11) must be ritually pure. Unlike the first exodus, which was hurried (Exodus 12:11), this departure will be orderly (v.12).
For you shall not go out in haste,
and you shall not go in flight,
for the LORD will go before you,
and the God of Israel will be your rear guard.
KJV For ye shall not go out with haste, nor go by flight: for the LORD will go before you; and the God of Israel will be your rereward.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
This new exodus surpasses the first: no haste (chippazom, the very word used of the Passover departure in Exodus 12:11), no flight — because God Himself serves as both vanguard and rear guard. The people are completely enclosed in divine protection.
Behold, my servant shall prosper;
he shall be high and lifted up,
and shall be exceedingly exalted.
KJV Behold, my servant shall deal prudently, he shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high.
Notes & Key Terms
1 term
Key Terms
עַבְדִּיavdi
"my servant"—my servant, my slave, my worker
The Fourth Servant Song begins: avdi ('my servant') will prosper (yaskil), be raised and lifted up (yarum venissa), and be very high (gavah me'od). The three verbs of exaltation are among the strongest in Hebrew — the same language used for God's own exaltation in 6:1 (Isaiah's throne vision).
Translator Notes
This verse begins the Fourth Servant Song (52:13-53:12), the most theologically contested passage in the Hebrew Bible. The verb yaskil can mean prosper or act wisely — both senses may be intended. The three ascending verbs of exaltation (yarum, venissa, vegavah) are extraordinary: in Isaiah 6:1, ram venissa describes God Himself on His throne. Jewish tradition has generally read the Servant as Israel personified; Christian tradition as messianic prophecy. We present the text without privileging either reading.
As many were astonished at him —
his appearance was so marred, beyond human semblance,
and his form beyond that of the children of men —
KJV As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men:
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
The paradox is staggering: the one exalted above all (v.13) is disfigured beyond recognition as human. The word mishchat (marred/disfigured) suggests destruction of form itself. The shift from second person (at thee) to third person (his appearance) is jarring in Hebrew and may indicate editorial layering or dramatic perspective shifts.
so shall he startle many nations.
Kings shall shut their mouths because of him,
for what had not been told them they shall see,
and what they had not heard they shall understand.
KJV So shall he sprinkle many nations; the kings shall shut their mouths at him: for that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
The verb yazzeh is highly debated. The traditional rendering sprinkle (from nazah, a priestly purification act) would make the Servant a priest who purifies nations. An alternative reading startle/cause to leap up (from an Arabic cognate) better parallels kings shutting their mouths in astonishment. Both readings carry theological weight; we have followed the contextual sense of astonishment while noting the priestly alternative. Paul quotes the second half of this verse in Romans 15:21.