Isaiah 52
ืืฉืขืืื ืคืจืง ื ืดื
Section: ื ืืืืื ยท ื ืืืืื ืืืจืื ืื | Book: Isaiah | Chapter: 52 of 66 | Day: 199 of 742
Date: August 29, 2026
ืงืืืื ืขื ืื ืดื
Chapter 52 continues the great cycle of consolation (nechamot) that dominates the second half of Sefer Yeshayahu, and it opens with one of the most stirring summonses in all of prophecy: โAwake, awake, put on your strength, O Zion; put on your beautiful garments, O Jerusalemโ (ืขืืจื ืขืืจื ืืืฉื ืขืื ืฆืืื). This double imperative deliberately answers an earlier double cry directed at God (โAwake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the Lordโ in 51:9); now the movement reverses, and it is Zion who is roused from her stupor of grief. Metzudat David reads the summons as a call to rise from the sleep of sorrow and re-clothe herself in the might and splendor she once possessed, while Radak identifies the โuncircumcised and impureโ who will no longer enter her as the two long-dominant powers over Jerusalem, promising that after the redemption they will pass through her no more. The imagery of shaking off the dust (ืืชื ืขืจื ืืขืคืจ) and loosing the bonds of the neck in verse 2 completes the picture: the captive daughter of Zion, who according to Radak had lain as one wallowing in the earth, is commanded to sit enthroned and free herself from the yoke of exile.
The theological heart of the chapterโs first movement is the paradox of redemption without price. โYou were sold for nothing, and you shall be redeemed without moneyโ (ืื ื ื ืืืจืชื ืืื ืืืกืฃ ืชืืืื) reframes the entire exile: Israel was not sold to satisfy any creditor, and so no ransom of silver is required to bring her back. Rashi understands the selling โfor nothingโ as the consequence of worthless pursuits, the evil inclination that yields no reward, and the redemption โwithout moneyโ as coming through repentance (teshuvah) rather than payment. The prophet then reaches back into history, recalling that Israel first went down to Egypt as sojourners seeking refuge, whereas Assyria (understood by Radak and Metzudat David as encompassing the later Babylonian oppressor) seized them by naked force, โfor nothingโ and without just claim. The scandal of the exile is that Godโs name is continually reviled among the nations as long as His people languish; the resolution comes in verse 6, where at the moment of redemption Israel and the nations alike will finally know His name and recognize that the One who long ago promised is now at hand.
The chapter then rises to its lyrical climax with the figure of the herald, the mevaser: โHow beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of the herald of good tidings, announcing peaceโฆ saying to Zion, Your God reigns!โ (ืื ื ืืื ืขื ืืืจืื ืจืืื ืืืฉืจโฆ ืืืจ ืืฆืืื ืืื ืืืืื). Metzudat David explains that the herald ascends the mountains so his voice will carry far, and that the threefold repetition of โpeace,โ โgood,โ and โsalvationโ corresponds to the abundance of the good news; Radak adds that only in that hour will Godโs kingship be manifest to all, as it is written โand the Lord shall be King over all the earth.โ The watchmen (tzofim) upon the walls, whom Radak identifies as the prophets, lift their voices as one in song, for they behold โeye to eyeโ the return of the Lord to Zion, and even the ruins of Jerusalem are called to break into shouts of joy. The movement culminates in the universal disclosure of verse 10: God bares His holy arm before all the nations, and the farthest ends of the earth witness the salvation of our God.
The second summons of the chapter (verses 11-12) turns from proclamation to the practical mode of departure. โDepart, depart, go out from there, touch no unclean thingโ (ืกืืจื ืกืืจื ืฆืื ืืฉื ืืื ืื ืชืืขื) calls those who leave the exile to go forth in purity, and Rashi notes that โyou who bear the vessels of the Lordโ addresses the priests and Levites, while Metzudat David and Radak reinterpret the โvesselsโ as the weapons of Torah and mitzvot rather than sword or spear. The prophet then draws a pointed contrast with the first redemption: โFor you will not go out in haste, nor will you leave in flightโ (ืื ืื ืืืคืืื ืชืฆืื ืืืื ืืกื ืื ืชืืืื). As Radak observes, the Egyptian exodus was one of urgent flight, the people hurried out by their terrified oppressors, but this final redemption unfolds in calm and dignity, for the Lord marches before them and the God of Israel is their rear guard (meโasef), gathering in the weak and the stragglers so that none is left behind.
The chapter closes by opening the fourth and most famous of the Servant Songs (52:13-15), which continues without break into chapter 53. โIndeed, My servant shall prosper, be exalted and raised to great heightsโ (ืื ื ืืฉืืื ืขืืื ืืจืื ืื ืฉื ืืืื ืืื) introduces the exalted servant, whom the classical Jewish commentators read as Israel personified, or the righteous within her, vindicated at the end of days. Rashi glosses the servant as Jacob, the righteous among the people; Metzudat David explicitly names the servant as Israel, called in the singular as Scripture often does; and Radak roots the reading in the prophetโs own idiom, โyou Israel My servant, Jacob whom I have chosen.โ The paradox that governs the passage is that the very nations who were once appalled at the servantโs marred and disfigured appearance in his humiliation will be startled into silence at his ultimate elevation, kings shutting their mouths in astonishment because they see and grasp what was never told or heard. Read within Tanakh and the tradition of Chazal, this is the arc of Israelโs own story: the people scorned and abased in exile are the same people whose vindication will one day leave the kings of the earth speechless.
ืคืจืง ื ืดื ยท Chapter 52
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 1
Hebrew:
ืขืึผืจึดึฅื ืขืึผืจึดึื ืึดืึฐืฉืึดึฅื ืขึปืึผึตึืึฐ ืฆึดืึผึืึนื ืึดืึฐืฉืึดึฃืโื ืึผึดืึฐืึตึฃื ืชึดืคึฐืึทืจึฐืชึผึตึืึฐ ืึฐืจืึผืฉืึธืึทึอึดืึ ืขึดึฃืืจ ืึทืงึผึนึืึถืฉื ืึผึดึฃื ืึนึฅื ืืึนืกึดึืืฃ ืึธืึนืึพืึธึฅืึฐ ืขึืึนื ืขึธืจึตึฅื ืึฐืึธืึตึฝืื
English:
Awake, awake, O Zion!Clothe yourself in splendor;Put on your robes of majesty,Jerusalem, holy city!For the uncircumcised and the impureShall never enter you again.
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 2
Hebrew:
ืึดืชึฐื ึทืขึฒืจึดึงื ืึตืขึธืคึธึืจ ืงึฅืึผืึดื ืฉืึผึฐืึดึื ืึฐืจืึผืฉืึธืึธึอึดื (ืืชืคืชืื) [ืึดึฝืชึฐืคึผึทืชึผึฐืึดืึ] ืืึนืกึฐืจึตึฃื ืฆึทืึผึธืืจึตึืึฐ ืฉืึฐืึดืึผึธึื ืึผึทืชึพืฆึดืึผึฝืึนืืย {ืก}ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย
English:
Arise, shake off the dust,Sit [on your throne], Jerusalem!Loose the bonds from your neck,O captive one, Fair Zion!
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 3
Hebrew:
ืึผึดืึพืึนืึ ืึธืึทึฃืจ ืึฐืึนืึธึื ืึดื ึผึธึื ื ึดืึฐืึผึทืจึฐืชึผึถึื ืึฐืึนึฅื ืึฐืึถึืกึถืฃ ืชึผึดืึผึธืึตึฝืืึผืย {ืก}ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย
English:
For thus said GOD:You were sold for no price,And shall be redeemed without money.
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 4
Hebrew:
ืึผึดึฃื ืึนึคื ืึธืึทืจึ ืึฒืึนื ึธึฃื ืึฑืึนืึดึื ืึดืฆึฐืจึทึืึดื ืึธึฝืจึทืึพืขึทืึผึดึฅื ืึธืจึดึฝืืฉืึนื ึธึื ืึธืึฃืึผืจ ืฉืึธึื ืึฐืึทืฉืึผึืึผืจ ืึผึฐืึถึฅืคึถืก ืขึฒืฉืึธืงึฝืึนื
English:
For thus said my Sovereign GOD:Of old, My people went downTo Egypt to sojourn there;But Assyria has robbed them,Giving nothing in return.aWhereas the Israelites themselves sought hospitality in Egypt, Assyria (i.e., the Chaldean Empire) has exiled them by force.
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 5
Hebrew:
ืึฐืขึทืชึผึธึคื ืึทืึพืึผึดืึพืคึนืึ ื ึฐืึปืึพืึฐืึนืึธึื ืึผึดึฝืึพืึปืงึผึทึฅื ืขึทืึผึดึื ืึดื ึผึธึื ืึนืฉืึฐืึธึคื ืึฐืึตืืึดึืืืึผึ ื ึฐืึปืึพืึฐืึนืึธึื ืึฐืชึธืึดึฅืื ืึผืืึพืึทืึผึืึนื ืฉืึฐืึดึฅื ืึดื ึผึนืึธึฝืฅื
English:
What therefore do I gain here?โdeclares GODโFor My people has been carried off for nothing,Their mockers howlโdeclares GODโAnd constantly, unceasingly,My name is reviled.
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 6
Hebrew:
ืึธืึตึื ืึตืึทึฅืข ืขึทืึผึดึื ืฉืึฐืึดึื ืึธืึตืึ ืึผึทืึผึฃืึนื ืึทืึืึผื ืึผึดึฝืึพืึฒื ึดืึพืึฅืึผื ืึทึฝืึฐืึทืึผึตึืจ ืึดื ึผึตึฝื ึดืืย {ืก}ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย
English:
Assuredly, My people shall learn My name,Assuredly [they shall learn] on that dayThat I, the One who promised,Am now at hand.
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 7
Hebrew:
ืึทืึพื ึผึธืืึจืึผ ืขึทืึพืึถืึธืจึดึืื ืจึท๏ฟฝ๏ฟฝึฐืึตึฃื ืึฐืึทืฉืึผึตึืจ ืึทืฉืึฐืึดึงืืขึท ืฉืึธืึืึนื ืึฐืึทืฉืึผึตึฅืจ ืึืึนื ืึทืฉืึฐืึดึฃืืขึท ืึฐืฉืืึผืขึธึื ืึนืึตึฅืจ ืึฐืฆึดืึผึืึนื ืึธืึทึฅืึฐ ืึฑืึนืึธึฝืึดืึฐื
English:
How welcome on the mountainAre the footsteps of the heraldAnnouncing happiness,Heralding good fortune,Announcing victory,Telling Zion, โYour God reigns!โ
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 8
Hebrew:
ืงึฅืึนื ืฆึนืคึทึืึดืึฐ ื ึธึฅืฉืึฐืืึผ ืงึืึนื ืึทืึฐืึผึธึฃื ืึฐืจึทื ึผึตึื ืึผ ืึผึดึฃื ืขึทึคืึดื ืึผึฐืขึทึืึดืึ ืึดืจึฐืึืึผ ืึผึฐืฉืึฅืึผื ืึฐืึนืึธึื ืฆึดืึผึฝืึนืื
English:
Hark!Your lookouts raise their voices,As one they shout for joy;For every eye shall behold GOD โs return to Zion.
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 9
Hebrew:
ืคึผึดืฆึฐืึคืึผ ืจึทื ึผึฐื ืึผึ ืึทืึฐืึผึธึื ืืืจึฐืึืึนืช ืึฐืจืึผืฉืึธืึธึอึดื ืึผึดึฝืึพื ึดืึทึคื ืึฐืึนืึธืึ ืขึทืึผึืึน ืึผึธืึทึื ืึฐืจืึผืฉืึธืึธึฝอึดืื
English:
Raise a shout together,O ruins of Jerusalem!For GOD will comfort this people,Will redeem Jerusalem.
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 10
Hebrew:
ืึธืฉืึทึคืฃ ืึฐืึนืึธืึ ืึถืชึพืึฐืจึฃืึนืขึท ืงืืึฐืฉืึืึน ืึฐืขึตืื ึตึื ืึผืืึพืึทืึผืึนืึดึื ืึฐืจึธืืึผึ ืึผืืึพืึทืคึฐืกึตืึพืึธึืจึถืฅ ืึตึืช ืึฐืฉืืึผืขึทึฅืช ืึฑืึนืึตึฝืื ืึผืย {ืก}ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย
English:
GOD will bare a holy armIn the sight of all the nations,And the very ends of earth shall seeThe victory of our God.
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืดื ยท Verse 11
Hebrew:
ืกึคืึผืจืึผ ืกึืึผืจืึผึ ืฆึฐืึฃืึผ ืึดืฉืึผึธึื ืึธืึตึื ืึทืึพืชึผึดืึผึธึืขืึผ ืฆึฐืึฃืึผ ืึดืชึผืึนืึธึืึผ ืึดืึผึธึืจืึผ ื ึนืฉืึฐืึตึื ืึผึฐืึตึฅื ืึฐืึนืึธึฝืื
English:
Turn, turn away, touch naught impureAs you depart from there;Keep pure, as you go forth from there,You who bear the vessels of GOD!bCf. Ezra 1.7โ8; 5.14โ15.
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืดื ยท Verse 12
Hebrew:
ืึผึดึฃื ืึนึคื ืึฐืึดืคึผึธืืึนืึ ืชึผึตืฆึตึืืึผ ืึผืึดืึฐื ืึผืกึธึื ืึนึฃื ืชึตืึตืึืึผื ืึผึดึฝืึพืึนืึตึคืึฐ ืึดืคึฐื ึตืืึถืึ ืึฐืึนืึธึื ืึผืึฐืึทืกึผึดืคึฐืึถึื ืึฑืึนืึตึฅื ืึดืฉืึฐืจึธืึตึฝืืย {ืก}ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย
English:
For you will not depart in haste,Nor will you leave in flight;For GOD is marching before you,The God of Israel is your rear guard.
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืดื ยท Verse 13
Hebrew:
ืึดื ึผึตึฅื ืึทืฉืึฐืึผึดึืื ืขึทืึฐืึผึดึื ืึธืจึงืึผื ืึฐื ึดืฉืึผึธึื ืึฐืึธืึทึืึผ ืึฐืึนึฝืื
English:
โIndeed, My servant shall prosper,Be exalted and raised to great heights.
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืดื ยท Verse 14
Hebrew:
ืึผึทืึฒืฉืึถึจืจ ืฉืึธืึฐืึคืึผ ืขึธืึถึืืึธึ ืจึทืึผึดึืื ืึผึตืึพืึดืฉืึฐืึทึฅืช ืึตืึดึืืฉื ืึทืจึฐืึตึืืึผ ืึฐืชึนืึฒืจึืึน ืึดืึผึฐื ึตึฅื ืึธืึธึฝืื
English:
Just as the many were appalled at himchim Heb. โyou.โโSo marred was his appearance, unlike that of a person,His form, beyond human semblanceโ
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืดื ยท Verse 15
Hebrew:
ืึผึตึคื ืึทืึผึถืึ ืึผืึนืึดึฃื ืจึทืึผึดึืื ืขึธืึธึืื ืึดืงึฐืคึผึฐืฆึฅืึผ ืึฐืึธืึดึืื ืคึผึดืืึถึื ืึผึดึ ื ืึฒืฉืึถึจืจ ืึนึฝืึพืกึปืคึผึทึคืจ ืึธืึถืึ ืจึธืึืึผ ืึทืึฒืฉืึถึฅืจ ืึนืึพืฉืึธืึฐืขึืึผ ืึดืชึฐืึผืึนื ึธึฝื ืึผืย {ืก}ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย
English:
Just so he shall startledstartle Meaning of Heb. uncertain. many nations.Kings shall be silenced because of him,For they shall see what has not been told them,Shall behold what they never have heard.โ