Isaiah 52

How beautiful are the feet

ake up, wake up, O Zion! Clothe yourself with strength. Put on your beautiful clothes, O holy city of Jerusalem, for unclean and godless people will enter your gates no longer.a ²Rise from the dust, O Jerusalem. Sit in a place of honor. Remove the chains of slavery from your neck, O captive daughter of Zion. ³For this is what the Lord says: “When I sold you into exile, I received no payment. Now I can redeem you without having to pay for you.” ⁴This is what the Sovereign Lord says: “Long ago my people chose to live in Egypt. Now they are oppressed by Assyria.

⁵What is this?” asks the Lord. “Why are my people enslaved again? Those who rule them shout in exultation. My name is blasphemed all day long.b ⁶But I will reveal my name to my people, and they will come to know its power. Then at last they will recognize that I am the one who speaks to them.”c ⁷How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of the messenger who brings good news, the good news of peace and salvation, the news that the God of Israel reigns!d

⁸The watchmen shout and sing with joy, for before their very eyes they see the Lord returning to Jerusalem. ⁹Let the ruins of Jerusalem break into joyful song, for the Lord has comforted his people. He has redeemed Jerusalem. ¹⁰The Lord has demonstrated his holy power before the eyes of all the nations. All the ends of the earth will see the victory of our God.e

¹¹Get out! Get out and leave your captivity, where everything you touch is unclean. Get out of there and purify yourselves, you who carry home the sacred objects of the Lord.f ¹²You will not leave in a hurry, running for your lives. For the Lord will go ahead of you; yes, the God of Israel will protect you from behind.g

My servant will be lifted up

¹³See, my servant will prosper; he will be highly exalted.h ¹⁴But many were amazed when they saw him. His face was so disfigured he seemed hardly human, and from his appearance, one would scarcely know he was a man.i ¹⁵And he will startle many nations. Kings will stand speechless in his presence. For they will see what they had not been told; they will understand what they had not heard about.j

Commentary

Isaiah 52 is a hinge chapter in the book of Isaiah, pivoting from judgment toward redemption. It opens with a call for Zion to awake and put on strength, signaling the end of exile and the beginning of restoration. The chapter then shifts dramatically to the Suffering Servant, wh

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Bible Dictionary· Isaiah 52(10)

Assyria Egypt Face Honor Israel Jerusalem Place Saw Strength Why

References· Isaiah 52

a: v.1 — Revelation 21:27, Isaiah 51:17, Zechariah 3:4, Revelation 21:2, Isaiah 51:9, Isaiah 35:8, Ephesians 6:10, Isaiah 48:2, Nahum 1:15, Matthew 4:5
b: v.5 — The name of God blasphemed: Romans 2:24; Romans 2:24, Isaiah 22:16, Isaiah 37:6, Ezekiel 20:9, Exodus 2:23-24, Exodus 3:7, Psalms 74:10, Zephaniah 1:10, Ezekiel 36:20-23, Psalms 137:1-2
c: v.6 — Ezekiel 37:13-14, Ezekiel 20:44, Zechariah 10:9-12, Hebrews 8:10-11, Ezekiel 39:27-29, Exodus 33:19, Numbers 23:19, Psalms 48:10, Hebrews 6:14-18, Exodus 34:5-7
d: v.7 — How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news: Romans 10:15; Romans 10:12-15, Nahum 1:15, Mark 16:15, Isaiah 61:1-3, Isaiah 40:9, Ephesians 6:15, Psalms 93:1, Matthew 28:18, Isaiah 24:23, Psalms 68:11
e: v.10 — Luke 3:6, Revelation 14:6, Revelation 15:4, Isaiah 51:9, Psalms 98:1-3, Acts 2:5-11, Acts 13:47, Isaiah 49:6, Isaiah 66:18-19, Revelation 11:15-17
f: v.11 — Come out from her midst: 2 Corinthians 6:17; 2 Corinthians 6:17, Zechariah 2:6-7, Isaiah 48:20, Ephesians 5:11, Isaiah 1:16, Leviticus 10:3, Ezra 1:7-11, Haggai 2:13-14, Leviticus 11:26-27, Ezra 8:25-30
g: v.12 — Isaiah 58:8, Deuteronomy 20:4, Exodus 14:19-20, Exodus 13:21-22, Isaiah 45:2, Exodus 12:11, Micah 2:13, Numbers 10:25, 1 Chronicles 14:15, Judges 4:14
h: v.13 — My servant will proceed with prudence: Philippians 2:9; Matthew 28:18, Philippians 2:7-11, Isaiah 42:1, John 3:31, Jeremiah 23:5, Revelation 5:6-13, Isaiah 9:6-7, John 5:22-23, Isaiah 53:10-11, Zechariah 3:8
i: v.14 — His disfigured appearance: Mark 15:17; Isaiah 50:6, Matthew 26:67, Isaiah 53:2-5, Psalms 22:17, Psalms 22:6-7, Matthew 27:14, Luke 22:64, Matthew 27:29-30, Psalms 22:15, Luke 5:26
j: v.15 — He will sprinkle many nations: Romans 15:21; Romans 15:20-21, Isaiah 49:7, Psalms 72:9-11, 1 Peter 1:2, Isaiah 55:5, Ezekiel 36:25, Acts 2:33, Ephesians 3:5-9, Hebrews 10:22, Titus 3:5-6

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