Isaiah Chapter 52

Updated: September 14, 2025

Deliverance for Jerusalem

1Awake, 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.

2Shake thyself from the dust; arise, and sit down, O Jerusalem: loose thyself from the bands of thy neck, O captive daughter of Zion.

3For thus saith the LORD, Ye have sold yourselves for nought; and ye shall be redeemed without money. 4For thus saith the Lord GOD, My people went down aforetime into Egypt to sojourn there; and the Assyrian oppressed them without cause. 5Now 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. 6Therefore my people shall know my name: therefore they shall know in that day that I am he that doth speak: behold, it is I.

7How 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!

8Thy 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.

9Break forth into joy, sing together, ye waste places of Jerusalem: for the LORD hath comforted his people, he hath redeemed Jerusalem.

10The 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.

11Depart 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.

12For 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.

The Servant Exalted

(Philippians 2:5-11)

13Behold, my servant shall deal prudently, he shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high.

14As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men:

15So 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.

King James Bible

Text courtesy of BibleProtector.com.

Deliverance for Jerusalem

1 Awake, awake, put on your strength, Zion; put on your beautiful garments, Jerusalem, the holy city: for henceforth there shall no more come into you the uncircumcised and the unclean.

2 Shake yourself from the dust! Arise, sit up, Jerusalem! Release yourself from the bonds of your neck, captive daughter of Zion!

3 For thus says Yahweh, “You were sold for nothing; and you shall be redeemed without money.” 4 For thus says the Lord Yahweh, “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 continually all the day is blasphemed. 6 Therefore my people shall know my name. Therefore they shall know in that day that I am he who speaks; behold, it is I.”

7 How beautiful on 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!”

8 The voice of your watchmen! they lift up the voice, together do they sing; for they shall see eye to eye, when Yahweh returns to Zion.

9 Break forth into joy, sing together, you waste places of Jerusalem; for Yahweh has comforted his people, he has redeemed Jerusalem.

10 Yahweh has made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

11 Depart, depart, go out from there, touch no unclean thing! Go out of the midst of her! Cleanse yourselves, you who bear the vessels of Yahweh.

12 For 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.

The Servant Exalted
(Philippians 2:5–11)

13 Behold, my servant shall deal wisely, he shall be exalted and lifted up, and shall be very high.

14 Like as many were astonished at you (his appearance was marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men),

15 so shall he sprinkle many nations; 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 understand.

Deliverance for Jerusalem

1 Awake, awake,

clothe yourself with strength, O Zion!

Put on your garments of splendor,

O Jerusalem, holy city!

For the uncircumcised and unclean

will no longer enter you.

2 Shake off your dust!

Rise up and sit on your throne, O Jerusalem.

Remove the chains from your neck,

O captive Daughter of Zion.

3 For this is what the LORD says:

“You were sold for nothing,

and without money you will be redeemed.”

4 For this is what the Lord GOD says:

“At first My people went down to Egypt to live,

then Assyria oppressed them without cause.

5 And now what have I here?

declares the LORD.

For My people have been taken without cause;

those who rule them taunt, a

declares the LORD,

and My name is blasphemed continually

all day long. b

6 Therefore My people will know My name;

therefore they will know on that day

that I am He who speaks.

Here I am!”

7 How beautiful on the mountains

are the feet of those who bring good news, c

who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings,

who proclaim salvation,

who say to Zion, “Your God reigns!”

8 Listen! Your watchmen lift up their voices,

together they shout for joy.

For every eye will see

when the LORD returns to Zion.

9 Break forth in joy, sing together,

O ruins of Jerusalem,

for the LORD has comforted His people;

He has redeemed Jerusalem.

10 The LORD has bared His holy arm

in the sight of all the nations;

all the ends of the earth will see

the salvation of our God.

11 Depart, depart, go out from there!

Touch no unclean thing; d

come out from it, purify yourselves,

you who carry the vessels of the LORD.

12 For you will not leave in a hurry

nor flee in haste,

for the LORD goes before you,

and the God of Israel is your rear guard.

The Servant Exalted
(Philippians 2:5–11)

13 Behold, My Servant will prosper; e

He will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted.

14 Just as many were appalled at Him f—

His appearance was disfigured beyond that of any man,

and His form was marred beyond human likeness—

15 so He will sprinkle g many nations.

Kings will shut their mouths because of Him.

For they will see what they have not been told,

and they will understand what they have not heard. h

Footnotes:

5 a DSS and Vulgate; MT wail
5 b LXX —on account of you My name is blasphemed continually among the Gentiles ; cited in Romans 2:24
7 c Cited in Romans 10:15
11 d Cited in 2 Corinthians 6:17
13 e Or will act wisely
14 f Syriac; Hebrew at You
15 g Or startle
15 h LXX For those who were not told will see, and those who have not heard will understand.  Cited in Romans 15:21

Deliverance for Jerusalem

1Awake, awake, put on thy strength, O Zion, Put on the garments of thy beauty, Jerusalem -- the Holy City; For enter no more into thee again, Do the uncircumcised and unclean.

2Shake thyself from dust, arise, sit, O Jerusalem, Bands of thy neck have loosed themselves, O captive, daughter of Zion.

3For thus said Jehovah: 'For nought ye have been sold, And not by money are ye redeemed.' 4For thus said the Lord Jehovah: 'To Egypt My people went down at first to sojourn there, And Asshur -- for nought he hath oppressed it. 5And now, what -- to Me here, An affirmation of Jehovah, That taken is My people for nought? Its rulers cause howling, -- an affirmation of Jehovah, And continually all the day My name is despised. 6Therefore doth My people know My name, Therefore, in that day, Surely I am He who is speaking, behold Me.'

7How comely on the mountains, Have been the feet of one proclaiming tidings, Sounding peace, proclaiming good tidings, Sounding salvation, Saying to Zion, 'Reigned hath thy God.'

8The voice of thy watchmen! They have lifted up the voice, together they cry aloud, Because eye to eye they see, in Jehovah's turning back to Zion.

9Break forth, sing together, O wastes of Jerusalem, For Jehovah hath comforted His people, He hath redeemed Jerusalem.

10Jehovah hath made bare His holy arm Before the eyes of all the nations, And seen have all the ends of the earth, The salvation of our God.

11Turn aside, turn aside, go out thence, The unclean touch not, go out from her midst, Be ye pure, who are bearing the weapons of Jehovah.

12For not in haste do ye go out, Yea, with flight ye go not on, For going before you is Jehovah, And gathering you is the God of Israel!

The Servant Exalted

(Philippians 2:5-11)

13Lo, My servant doth act wisely, He is high, and hath been lifted up, And hath been very high.

14As astonished at thee have been many, (So marred by man his appearance, And his form by sons of men.)

15So doth he sprinkle many nations. Concerning him kings shut their mouth, For that which was not recounted to them they have seen, And that which they had not heard they have understood!

New Bible Challenges and Quizzes being added regularly.

Begin a Bible Quiz

The F.O.G Commentary

When God Rolls Up His Sleeves

What’s Isaiah 52 about?

This is God’s wake-up call to His people – time to shake off the dust, put on your best clothes, because the most stunning rescue mission in history is about to unfold. It’s part victory song, part mysterious servant poem, and completely life-changing.

The Full Context

Picture this: You’re living in exile in Babylon around 550 BC. Your grandparents told you stories about Jerusalem – the golden temple, the bustling streets, the sense that God actually lived there. But all you’ve ever known is foreign soil, foreign gods, and the nagging question of whether God has forgotten His promises. Then along comes this prophet with words that sound too good to be true.

Isaiah 52 sits right in the heart of what scholars call “Deutero-Isaiah” (chapters 40-55), a section bursting with hope for exiled Israel. This chapter serves as the dramatic crescendo before the famous “Suffering Servant” passage in Isaiah 53. It’s structured like a divine drama in three acts: God’s call to Zion to wake up (verses 1-6), the messenger’s beautiful feet announcing salvation (verses 7-10), and the mysterious introduction to God’s servant who will accomplish this impossible rescue (verses 11-15). The theological purpose? To show that God’s salvation isn’t just a nice idea – it’s a historical reality that will transform everything.

What the Ancient Words Tell Us

The opening Hebrew word uri (“Wake up!”) appears twice in the first verse, creating this urgent, almost desperate energy. But here’s what’s fascinating – this isn’t God frantically trying to wake up a sleepy people. The Hebrew construction suggests more of a celebration shout, like “Rise and shine!” on Christmas morning when the presents are waiting downstairs.

Grammar Geeks

The phrase “put on your strength” uses the Hebrew verb labash, which means to clothe yourself completely. But when paired with “strength” (oz), it creates this image of putting on strength like a royal robe. God isn’t just asking Zion to try harder – He’s offering divine strength as clothing.

The word for “beautiful” in verse 7 – na’wah – doesn’t just mean pretty. It carries the idea of something being perfectly suited for its purpose, like a key that fits exactly right. The messenger’s feet aren’t beautiful because they’ve had a pedicure; they’re beautiful because they’re bringing exactly what the world desperately needs.

When we hit verse 10, God “bares his holy arm” – the Hebrew chasaph means to strip for action, like rolling up your sleeves before heavy lifting. This is God getting ready to work, and the whole earth gets a front-row seat to watch.

What Would the Original Audience Have Heard?

The F.O.G Bible Project

This page has a unique origin story and vision. Find out why your visit today is about more than words.

What is the F.O.G?

For Jews in Babylonian exile, these words would have hit like lightning. “No longer will the uncircumcised and defiled enter you” (verse 1) – after decades of watching pagan soldiers trample through their holy city, this promise of restored purity would have brought tears.

The image of putting on “garments of splendor” would have resonated powerfully with people who had been stripped of everything – their land, their temple, their dignity. In ancient Near Eastern culture, clothing represented status and identity. God is essentially saying, “You’re going to dress like royalty again because that’s who you really are.”

Did You Know?

The phrase “beautiful feet” in verse 7 became so iconic that Paul quotes it in Romans 10:15 when talking about gospel messengers. What started as a promise about return from exile became the model for all good news announcements.

The call to “depart, depart” without haste in verse 11 would have sounded paradoxical to the original audience. How do you leave urgently but not in haste? The answer lies in the Hebrew – this isn’t about speed, it’s about dignity. They won’t flee like refugees; they’ll process like a royal procession because “the Lord will go before you, the God of Israel will be your rear guard.”

But Wait… Why Did They Need to “Depart”?

Here’s something that puzzles many readers: if this is about returning from Babylonian exile, why all the emphasis on leaving unclean things behind? Wouldn’t they want to bring everything they could carry back to a devastated homeland?

The answer reveals something profound about how God works. This isn’t just about geographical movement – it’s about spiritual transformation. The Israelites had been in Babylon so long that Babylonian ways of thinking had seeped into their souls. God is essentially saying, “I’m not just changing your address; I’m changing your identity.”

The reference to not carrying “vessels of the Lord” hastily connects back to how the Babylonians had looted the temple treasures. But now, the people themselves are the holy vessels that need careful handling.

Wrestling with the Text

The most challenging part of Isaiah 52 comes in verses 13-15, which introduce the “Suffering Servant” without explanation. Here’s this abrupt shift from celebration to this mysterious figure who will be “raised and lifted up and highly exalted” but also somehow “marred beyond human semblance.”

Who is this servant? The original audience might have thought of Israel collectively, or perhaps a future king. But the description doesn’t quite fit either category cleanly. The servant will “sprinkle many nations” – language usually reserved for priests performing purification rituals. Yet this servant will also be rejected and wounded.

Wait, That’s Strange…

The Hebrew word for “marred” (mishchat) appears only here in the entire Old Testament. It’s so unusual that some ancient translators struggled with it. The idea seems to be disfigurement so severe that the person barely looks human anymore.

This tension between exaltation and suffering, between priestly function and royal status, between individual and collective identity, creates what scholars call “productive ambiguity.” Maybe Isaiah intentionally left it mysterious because no single category could contain what God was planning to do.

How This Changes Everything

Isaiah 52 doesn’t just predict a historical return from exile – it establishes the pattern for how God works in the world. Every verse reveals something crucial about divine salvation:

God initiates rescue. The chapter opens with God calling to Zion, not Zion crying out to God. This isn’t humanity climbing up to heaven; it’s heaven coming down to earth.

Salvation has both immediate and ultimate dimensions. Yes, this spoke to returning exiles in the 6th century BC. But the language reaches beyond any single historical event. The “ends of the earth” seeing God’s salvation suggests something cosmic in scope.

God’s salvation transforms identity, not just circumstances. The emphasis on putting on new clothes, avoiding unclean things, and processing with dignity shows that God doesn’t just change our situation – He changes who we are.

“When God rolls up His sleeves to work, the whole earth becomes His audience and every nation gets invited to the show.”

The servant figure in verses 13-15 becomes the key that unlocks everything else. This isn’t just about political liberation or religious reform – it’s about a person who will somehow absorb the consequences of human rebellion and transform it into worldwide restoration.

Key Takeaway

God’s salvation isn’t just about getting you out of trouble – it’s about putting royal robes on you and making you part of His cosmic restoration project, where your beautiful feet become messengers of hope to a world that desperately needs good news.

Isaiah Chapter 52

Add Comment

God's Word is too vast for a single perspective. We all have a story, and as believers we all carry the Holy Spirit who is the Revealer. With this in mind - I would love to read your comments.