52 “Wake up, wake up;
put on your strength, Zion!
Put on your beautiful garments,(A)
Jerusalem, the holy city!(B)
For the uncircumcised and the unclean
will no longer enter you.(C)
Stand up, shake the dust off yourself!
Take your seat, Jerusalem.
Remove the bonds[a] from your neck,
captive Daughter Zion.”
For this is what the Lord says:
“You were sold for nothing,
and you will be redeemed without silver.”(D)
For this is what the Lord God says:
“At first my people went down to Egypt to reside there,(E)
then Assyria oppressed them without cause.[b]
So now what have I here”—
this is the Lord’s declaration—
“that my people are taken away for nothing?
Its rulers wail”—
this is the Lord’s declaration—
“and my name is continually blasphemed all day long.(F)
Therefore my people will know my name;(G)
therefore they will know on that day
that I am he who says,
‘Here I am.’”

How beautiful on the mountains
are the feet of the herald,
who proclaims peace,
who brings news of good things,(H)
who proclaims salvation,
who says to Zion, “Your God reigns!” (I)
The voices of your watchmen(J)
they lift up their voices,
shouting for joy together;
for every eye will see
when the Lord returns to Zion.
Be joyful, rejoice together,
you ruins of Jerusalem!(K)
For the Lord has comforted his people;(L)
he has redeemed Jerusalem.
10 The Lord has displayed his holy arm
in the sight of all the nations;(M)
all the ends of the earth will see
the salvation of our God.(N)

11 Leave, leave, go out from there!(O)
Do not touch anything unclean;
go out from her, purify yourselves,(P)
you who carry the vessels of the Lord.
12 For you will not leave in a hurry,(Q)
and you will not have to take flight;
because the Lord is going before you,(R)
and the God of Israel is your rear guard.(S)

The Servant’s Suffering and Exaltation

13 See, my servant[c](T) will be successful;[d]
he will be raised and lifted up and greatly exalted.(U)
14 Just as many were appalled at you[e]
his appearance was so disfigured
that he did not look like a man,
and his form did not resemble a human being—
15 so he will sprinkle many nations.[f](V)
Kings will shut their mouths because of him,
for they will see what had not been told them,
and they will understand what they had not heard.(W)

53 Who has believed what we have heard?[g]
And to whom has the arm of the Lord(X) been revealed?(Y)
He grew up before him like a young plant(Z)
and like a root out of dry ground.
He didn’t have an impressive form
or majesty that we should look at him,
no appearance that we should desire him.(AA)
He was despised and rejected by men,(AB)
a man of suffering who knew what sickness was.(AC)
He was like someone people turned away from;[h]
he was despised, and we didn’t value him.

Yet he himself bore our sicknesses,
and he carried our pains;(AD)
but we in turn regarded him stricken,
struck down by God,(AE) and afflicted.
But he was pierced because of our rebellion,(AF)
crushed because of our iniquities;(AG)
punishment(AH) for our peace was on him,
and we are healed by his wounds.(AI)
We all went astray like sheep;(AJ)
we all have turned to our own way;
and the Lord has punished him
for[i] the iniquity(AK) of us all.(AL)

He was oppressed and afflicted,
yet he did not open his mouth.
Like a lamb led to the slaughter
and like a sheep silent before her shearers,
he did not open his mouth.(AM)
He was taken away because of oppression and judgment,
and who considered his fate?[j]
For he was cut off from the land of the living;
he was struck because of my people’s rebellion.
He was assigned a grave with the wicked,
but he was with a rich man at his death,(AN)
because he had done no violence
and had not spoken deceitfully.(AO)

10 Yet the Lord was pleased(AP) to crush him severely.[k](AQ)
When[l] you make him a guilt offering,(AR)
he will see his seed, he will prolong his days,
and by his hand, the Lord’s pleasure will be accomplished.(AS)
11 After his anguish,
he will see light[m] and be satisfied.
By his knowledge,
my righteous(AT) servant(AU) will justify many,(AV)
and he will carry their iniquities.
12 Therefore I will give him[n] the many as a portion,
and he will receive[o] the mighty as spoil,
because he willingly submitted to death,(AW)
and was counted among the rebels;(AX)
yet he bore the sin of many(AY)
and interceded for the rebels.(AZ)

Future Glory for Israel

54 “Rejoice, childless one, who did not give birth;
burst into song and shout,
you who have not been in labor!(BA)
For the children of the desolate one will be more
than the children of the married woman,”(BB)
says the Lord.
“Enlarge the site of your tent,
and let your tent curtains be stretched out;(BC)
do not hold back;
lengthen your ropes,
and drive your pegs deep.
For you will spread out to the right and to the left,(BD)
and your descendants will dispossess nations
and inhabit the desolate cities.

“Do not be afraid, for you will not be put to shame;(BE)
don’t be humiliated, for you will not be disgraced.
For you will forget the shame of your youth,
and you will no longer remember
the disgrace of your widowhood.(BF)
Indeed, your husband is your Maker(BG)
his name is the Lord of Armies—
and the Holy One of Israel(BH) is your Redeemer;(BI)
he is called the God of the whole earth.
For the Lord has called you,
like a wife deserted and wounded in spirit,(BJ)
a wife of one’s youth(BK) when she is rejected,”
says your God.
“I deserted you for a brief moment,(BL)
but I will take you back with abundant compassion.
In a surge of anger
I hid my face(BM) from you for a moment,
but I will have compassion on you
with everlasting love,”(BN)
says the Lord your Redeemer.
“For this is like the days[p] of Noah to me:
when I swore that the water of Noah
would never flood the earth again,(BO)
so I have sworn that I will not be angry with you
or rebuke you.(BP)
10 Though the mountains move
and the hills shake,
my love will not be removed from you
and my covenant of peace(BQ) will not be shaken,”
says your compassionate Lord.

11 “Poor Jerusalem, storm-tossed, and not comforted,
I will set your stones in black mortar,[q]
and lay your foundations in lapis lazuli.(BR)
12 I will make your fortifications[r] out of rubies,
your gates out of sparkling stones,
and all your walls out of precious stones.
13 Then all your children will be taught by the Lord,(BS)
their prosperity will be great,
14 and you will be established
on a foundation of righteousness.
You will be far from oppression,
you will certainly not be afraid;
you will be far from terror,
it will certainly not come near you.
15 If anyone attacks you,
it is not from me;
whoever attacks you
will fall before you.
16 Look, I have created the craftsman
who blows on the charcoal fire
and produces a weapon suitable for its task;
and I have created the destroyer to cause havoc.
17 No weapon formed against you will succeed,
and you will refute any accusation[s]
raised against you in court.
This is the heritage of the Lord’s servants,(BT)
and their vindication is from me.”(BU)

This is the Lord’s declaration.

Footnotes

  1. 52:2 Alt Hb tradition reads The bonds are removed
  2. 52:4 Or them at last, or them for nothing
  3. 52:13 Tg adds the Messiah
  4. 52:13 Or will act wisely
  5. 52:14 Some Hb mss, Syr, Tg read him
  6. 52:15 LXX reads so many nations will marvel at him
  7. 53:1 Or believed our report
  8. 53:3 Lit And like a hiding of faces from him
  9. 53:6 Or has placed on him; lit with
  10. 53:8 Or and as for his generation, who considered him?
  11. 53:10 Or him; he made him sick.
  12. 53:10 Or If
  13. 53:11 DSS, LXX; MT omits light
  14. 53:12 Or him with
  15. 53:12 Or receive with
  16. 54:9 DSS, Cairo Geniza; MT, LXX read waters
  17. 54:11 Lit in antimony
  18. 54:12 Lit suns; perhaps shields; Ps 84:11
  19. 54:17 Lit refute every tongue

52 Awake, awake,(A) Zion,
    clothe yourself with strength!(B)
Put on your garments of splendor,(C)
    Jerusalem, the holy city.(D)
The uncircumcised(E) and defiled(F)
    will not enter you again.(G)
Shake off your dust;(H)
    rise up,(I) sit enthroned, Jerusalem.
Free yourself from the chains on your neck,(J)
    Daughter Zion,(K) now a captive.

For this is what the Lord says:

“You were sold for nothing,(L)
    and without money(M) you will be redeemed.(N)

For this is what the Sovereign Lord says:

“At first my people went down to Egypt(O) to live;
    lately, Assyria(P) has oppressed them.

“And now what do I have here?” declares the Lord.

“For my people have been taken away for nothing,
    and those who rule them mock,[a]
declares the Lord.
“And all day long
    my name is constantly blasphemed.(Q)
Therefore my people will know(R) my name;(S)
    therefore in that day(T) they will know
that it is I who foretold(U) it.
    Yes, it is I.”

How beautiful on the mountains(V)
    are the feet of those who bring good news,(W)
who proclaim peace,(X)
    who bring good tidings,
    who proclaim salvation,
who say to Zion,
    “Your God reigns!”(Y)
Listen! Your watchmen(Z) lift up their voices;(AA)
    together they shout for joy.(AB)
When the Lord returns(AC) to Zion,(AD)
    they will see it with their own eyes.
Burst into songs of joy(AE) together,
    you ruins(AF) of Jerusalem,
for the Lord has comforted(AG) his people,
    he has redeemed Jerusalem.(AH)
10 The Lord will lay bare his holy arm(AI)
    in the sight of all the nations,(AJ)
and all the ends of the earth(AK) will see
    the salvation(AL) of our God.

11 Depart,(AM) depart, go out from there!
    Touch no unclean thing!(AN)
Come out from it and be pure,(AO)
    you who carry the articles(AP) of the Lord’s house.
12 But you will not leave in haste(AQ)
    or go in flight;
for the Lord will go before you,(AR)
    the God of Israel will be your rear guard.(AS)

The Suffering and Glory of the Servant

13 See, my servant(AT) will act wisely[b];
    he will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted.(AU)
14 Just as there were many who were appalled(AV) at him[c]
    his appearance was so disfigured(AW) beyond that of any human being
    and his form marred beyond human likeness(AX)
15 so he will sprinkle(AY) many nations,[d]
    and kings(AZ) will shut their mouths(BA) because of him.
For what they were not told, they will see,
    and what they have not heard, they will understand.(BB)

53 Who has believed our message(BC)
    and to whom has the arm(BD) of the Lord been revealed?(BE)
He grew up before him like a tender shoot,(BF)
    and like a root(BG) out of dry ground.
He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him,
    nothing in his appearance(BH) that we should desire him.
He was despised and rejected by mankind,
    a man of suffering,(BI) and familiar with pain.(BJ)
Like one from whom people hide(BK) their faces
    he was despised,(BL) and we held him in low esteem.

Surely he took up our pain
    and bore our suffering,(BM)
yet we considered him punished by God,(BN)
    stricken by him, and afflicted.(BO)
But he was pierced(BP) for our transgressions,(BQ)
    he was crushed(BR) for our iniquities;
the punishment(BS) that brought us peace(BT) was on him,
    and by his wounds(BU) we are healed.(BV)
We all, like sheep, have gone astray,(BW)
    each of us has turned to our own way;(BX)
and the Lord has laid on him
    the iniquity(BY) of us all.

He was oppressed(BZ) and afflicted,
    yet he did not open his mouth;(CA)
he was led like a lamb(CB) to the slaughter,(CC)
    and as a sheep before its shearers is silent,
    so he did not open his mouth.
By oppression[e] and judgment(CD) he was taken away.
    Yet who of his generation protested?
For he was cut off from the land of the living;(CE)
    for the transgression(CF) of my people he was punished.[f]
He was assigned a grave with the wicked,(CG)
    and with the rich(CH) in his death,
though he had done no violence,(CI)
    nor was any deceit in his mouth.(CJ)

10 Yet it was the Lord’s will(CK) to crush(CL) him and cause him to suffer,(CM)
    and though the Lord makes[g] his life an offering for sin,(CN)
he will see his offspring(CO) and prolong his days,
    and the will of the Lord will prosper(CP) in his hand.
11 After he has suffered,(CQ)
    he will see the light(CR) of life[h] and be satisfied[i];
by his knowledge[j] my righteous servant(CS) will justify(CT) many,
    and he will bear their iniquities.(CU)
12 Therefore I will give him a portion among the great,[k](CV)
    and he will divide the spoils(CW) with the strong,[l]
because he poured out his life unto death,(CX)
    and was numbered with the transgressors.(CY)
For he bore(CZ) the sin of many,(DA)
    and made intercession(DB) for the transgressors.

The Future Glory of Zion

54 “Sing, barren woman,(DC)
    you who never bore a child;
burst into song, shout for joy,(DD)
    you who were never in labor;(DE)
because more are the children(DF) of the desolate(DG) woman
    than of her who has a husband,(DH)
says the Lord.
“Enlarge the place of your tent,(DI)
    stretch your tent curtains wide,
    do not hold back;
lengthen your cords,
    strengthen your stakes.(DJ)
For you will spread out to the right and to the left;
    your descendants(DK) will dispossess nations(DL)
    and settle in their desolate(DM) cities.

“Do not be afraid;(DN) you will not be put to shame.(DO)
    Do not fear disgrace;(DP) you will not be humiliated.
You will forget the shame of your youth(DQ)
    and remember no more the reproach(DR) of your widowhood.(DS)
For your Maker(DT) is your husband(DU)
    the Lord Almighty is his name—
the Holy One(DV) of Israel is your Redeemer;(DW)
    he is called the God of all the earth.(DX)
The Lord will call you back(DY)
    as if you were a wife deserted(DZ) and distressed in spirit—
a wife who married young,(EA)
    only to be rejected,” says your God.
“For a brief moment(EB) I abandoned(EC) you,
    but with deep compassion(ED) I will bring you back.(EE)
In a surge of anger(EF)
    I hid(EG) my face from you for a moment,
but with everlasting kindness(EH)
    I will have compassion(EI) on you,”
    says the Lord your Redeemer.(EJ)

“To me this is like the days of Noah,
    when I swore that the waters of Noah would never again cover the earth.(EK)
So now I have sworn(EL) not to be angry(EM) with you,
    never to rebuke(EN) you again.
10 Though the mountains be shaken(EO)
    and the hills be removed,
yet my unfailing love(EP) for you will not be shaken(EQ)
    nor my covenant(ER) of peace(ES) be removed,”
    says the Lord, who has compassion(ET) on you.

11 “Afflicted(EU) city, lashed by storms(EV) and not comforted,(EW)
    I will rebuild you with stones of turquoise,[m](EX)
    your foundations(EY) with lapis lazuli.(EZ)
12 I will make your battlements of rubies,
    your gates(FA) of sparkling jewels,
    and all your walls of precious stones.
13 All your children will be taught by the Lord,(FB)
    and great will be their peace.(FC)
14 In righteousness(FD) you will be established:(FE)
Tyranny(FF) will be far from you;
    you will have nothing to fear.(FG)
Terror(FH) will be far removed;
    it will not come near you.
15 If anyone does attack you, it will not be my doing;
    whoever attacks you will surrender(FI) to you.

16 “See, it is I who created the blacksmith(FJ)
    who fans the coals into flame
    and forges a weapon(FK) fit for its work.
And it is I who have created the destroyer(FL) to wreak havoc;
17     no weapon forged against you will prevail,(FM)
    and you will refute(FN) every tongue that accuses you.
This is the heritage of the servants(FO) of the Lord,
    and this is their vindication(FP) from me,”
declares the Lord.

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 52:5 Dead Sea Scrolls and Vulgate; Masoretic Text wail
  2. Isaiah 52:13 Or will prosper
  3. Isaiah 52:14 Hebrew you
  4. Isaiah 52:15 Or so will many nations be amazed at him (see also Septuagint)
  5. Isaiah 53:8 Or From arrest
  6. Isaiah 53:8 Or generation considered / that he was cut off from the land of the living, / that he was punished for the transgression of my people?
  7. Isaiah 53:10 Hebrew though you make
  8. Isaiah 53:11 Dead Sea Scrolls (see also Septuagint); Masoretic Text does not have the light of life.
  9. Isaiah 53:11 Or (with Masoretic Text) 11 He will see the fruit of his suffering / and will be satisfied
  10. Isaiah 53:11 Or by knowledge of him
  11. Isaiah 53:12 Or many
  12. Isaiah 53:12 Or numerous
  13. Isaiah 54:11 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.