52:1 Zion Can refer to the mountain on which the temple was built in Jerusalem or figuratively represent the entire city. The city or land can also metaphorically represent the people who inhabit that city or land—an address to Zion and Jerusalem could be understood as a call to all Israel. Here, the address appears to be directed at the city itself, urging Zion to prepare for the exiles to return. This continues the address begun in Isa 51:17. See note on 1:8; note on 51:3.

the garments of your beauty Representative of ritual purity and preparation to experience the return of the divine presence (see Exod 28:2; Zech 3:1–4). The image of Jerusalem dressed in pure garments reverses the image of stripped and destitute Babylon in Isa 47:1–2.

shall not continue to enter you The sanctity of the land and restoration to ritual purity worthy of the presence of Yahweh is a common motif in oracles of salvation (see 35:8; Joel 3:17). These elements of the prophet’s message are best understood as descriptions of the perfection of the land in the millennial age (see Rev 21:27).

52:3 You were sold for nothing The concepts of debt slavery and redemption were invoked in Isa 50. The debt that needed to be paid was spiritual, not financial. See note on 50:1.

you shall be redeemed without money The redemption of property—including persons sold into slavery—usually required some kind of financial exchange. God did not have to provide anything in exchange. It was His prerogative to redeem. Cyrus is described as setting Israel free without “price or reward” in 45:13; the Servant’s work in 53:12 redeems the people without spending anything—His unjust death pays the debt.

52:4 went down to Egypt in the beginning A brief overview of Israel’s history of oppression: enslaved in Egypt, then exiled by Assyria and Babylon (see Gen 46:6; Exod 1:11–14; 2 Kgs 17:3–6; 24:10–16).

Assyria oppressed him The Assyrians—who conquered the northern kingdom of Israel in 722 bc—were the main oppressors of Israel and Judah in Isa 1–39.

52:5 my name is reviled Yahweh is concerned with His own reputation. He acts to show He is sovereign, despite the appearance of weakness created by the oppression of His people. The same concern is evident in 48:11, where Yahweh declares He will save for the sake of His name and His glory. The perception of divine weakness is described clearly in Ezek 36:20–23. See note on Isa 48:19.

52:6 my people shall know my name A variation on the recognition formula (see note on Ezek 5:13). God shows His power so that all people will recognize Him and know or respect His name. See note on Isa 49:26.

52:7 on the mountains Since Jerusalem was surrounded by mountains, a messenger coming to the city would have to cross over the mountains and descend to the city.

him who brings good news The messenger usually brought news of a victory (compare 2 Sam 18:24–27). This verse is quoted in support of preaching the gospel in Rom 10:15.

who announces salvation The content of the gospel message is “salvation” expressed by the pronouncement that Israel’s God is sovereign.

Your God reigns as a king May signify the restored reign of Yahweh in His temple. The watchmen in Isa 52:8 are looking for this messenger and his announcement that Yahweh is returning to His holy mountain. The phrase is a common refrain in the Psalms (see Pss 93:1; 96:10; 97:1; 99:1).

52:8 Yahweh’s return to Zion The good news is the return of Yahweh to Zion, made possible by the redemption and deliverance that He has accomplished.

52:9 Yahweh has comforted his people God is the one who comforts and saves. See note on Isa 51:12.

52:10 his holy arm See 51:5 and note; 53:1 and note. The arm of Yahweh is the earthly manifestation of His power and might.

the ends of the earth God’s act of saving Israel will have worldwide impact: All will see it and recognize His power (see Psa 98:3).

52:11 You must not touch any unclean thing Unlike the exodus from Egypt, the Israelites are instructed to take nothing as they depart—except for the holy vessels from the temple (see Exod 12:35). Nothing ritually impure or unclean was able to pass over the path Yahweh was making through the wilderness back to Zion (Isa 35:8). See note on v. 1.

the vessels of Yahweh In 2 Kgs 24:13, Nebuchadnezzar is depicted carrying off the treasures of the temple and the royal palace. In Ezra 1:7–11, the temple vessels are returned to the exiles to bring back with them for the temple they plan to rebuild.

52:12 in haste A reversal of their hasty departure from Egypt in the exodus. See Exod 12:11, 33.

your rear guard In the exodus, Yahweh moved behind Israel to guard the rear from Pharaoh’s attack during the crossing of the Red Sea (see Exod 14:19). He also led the way ahead of them through the wilderness. Compare Isa 58:8.

52:13 my Yahweh begins to speak again. This section in vv. 13–15 is a prologue about what the Servant will accomplish and what will happen to him in 53:1–12.

servant In 49:3, the Servant of Yahweh has inherited the role of God’s people, the entire identity of the people of Israel. He is acting on their behalf—carrying out their vocation.

shall achieve success The Servant will act according to Israel’s wisdom traditions, primarily articulated in the book of Proverbs.

Personified Wisdom in the Old Testament

and he shall be lifted up The Servant shares in Yahweh’s role as the restorer of His people and—within the larger context of Isaiah—is the way Yahweh brings reconciliation.

he shall be very high The Servant is being elevated to the status of a king, in respect and renown. The kings will be astonished at this. See note on v. 14.

52:14 many The prophet may view the “many” in a negative light—as a group of people opposed to Yahweh and the Servant. This could also just be a reference to “many” people in general.

were appalled at you Some manuscripts read “him,” while most read “you.” If the reading “him” is selected, people are astonished at what the Servant is capable of. But if the reading “you” is chosen, people are surprised by what Zion is doing.

disfigurement He will not look like other men once he suffers—his physical appearance will be disfigured.

52:15 he shall sprinkle many nations The Hebrew verb used here, nazah, typically refers to sprinkling (Exod 29:21; Lev 4:6,17; 5:9; 6:27). The translator of the Greek Septuagint, however, used a Greek verb denoting astonishment or surprise (thaumazō). The Greek translator may have inferred this meaning for the Hebrew word nazah based on the following parallel phrase about the kings’ silence. However, the translator may also have known of a Hebrew homonym for nazah meaning “startle” since Arabic (a Semitic language related to Hebrew) attests nazah with that meaning.

many nations Or “many peoples”—not just the Israelites, but people from all over the earth.

kings Likely foreign kings; perhaps enemies of Yahweh, His Servant, and His people.

shall shut their mouths Foreshadows Isa 53:7. The graciousness of the Servant’s response to the unjust pain inflicted upon him will shut the mouths of kings.

When Jesus of Nazareth was beaten, kings and rulers shut their mouths. Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor of Judah, refused to act; instead, he symbolically washed his hands of the incident (Matt 27:24–26; John 18:28–32). Likewise, King Herod (of the Jews) was perplexed by Jesus (Luke 9:7–9) and ultimately chose not to issue judgment on Him (Luke 23:6–16).

they shall see Prior to the Servant, the kings had not “seen” in the prophetic sense—they had not understood, or perceived, what God was doing among them. Now, the Servant brings Yahweh’s work to the forefront of their thought: They are confronted with who He is and what He is doing among them.