Wake up, wake up!
Put on the strength of the Lord’s power.
Wake up as in days past,
as in generations of long ago.
Wasn’t it You who hacked Rahab to pieces,(A)
who pierced the sea monster?(B)
10 Wasn’t it You who dried up the sea,(C)
the waters of the great deep,
who made the sea-bed into a road
for the redeemed to pass over?(D)
11 And the redeemed of the Lord will return(E)
and come to Zion with singing,
crowned with unending joy.
Joy and gladness will overtake them,
and sorrow and sighing will flee.

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“Awake! Awake! Clothe yourself with strength,
    you arm[a] of the Lord!
Awake, as in days gone by,
    as in generations of long ago.
Was it not you who split apart[b] Rehob,[c]
    who pierced that sea monster through?[d]
10 Was it not you who dried up the sea,
    the waters of the great deep,
who made a road in[e] the depths of the sea
    so that the redeemed could cross over?”

A Promise of Return to the Land

11 “The scattered ones[f] of the Lord will return,
    and they will enter Zion with singing.
Everlasting joy will be upon their heads;
    they will attain joy and gladness,
        and[g] sorrow and sighing will flee away.[h]

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Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 51:9 I.e. the Messiah
  2. Isaiah 51:9 So 1QIsaa 4QIsac Vulg (cf. Job 26:12). MT LXXmss read cut in pieces
  3. Isaiah 51:9 So 1QIsaa MT qere reads Rahab
  4. Isaiah 51:9 So 1QIsaa 4QIsac MT Vulg; LXX lacks Was it…through?
  5. Isaiah 51:10 So 1QIsaa; MT LXX lack in
  6. Isaiah 51:11 So 1QIsaa; MT LXX read ransomed ones; 1QIsaa corrector wrote redeemed then erased and wrote scattered ones
  7. Isaiah 51:11 So 1QIsaa 4QIsac LXX; MT LXX lack and
  8. Isaiah 51:11 So 1QIsaa MTms (sing.); cf Isa 51:3; MT (pl.)