BOOK 23 OF 66 · MAJOR PROPHETS · KING JAMES BIBLE

Isaiah 52

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Isaiah 52 Overview

Zion is told to awake, rise from the dust, and leave captivity because the LORD will redeem without money; the good-news messenger announces God’s reign, and the chapter turns to the exalted yet shockingly marred Servant.

IsaiahBook

52Chapter

15Verses

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Before you read Isaiah 52

Coming from

Isaiah repeatedly calls the faithful to listen, remember Abraham, awaken to God’s ancient saving power, and stop fearing mortal oppressors; Zion is promised comfort, restored joy, and the removal of the cup of wrath.

In this chapter

Leads into

The Servant is despised and rejected, bears others’ griefs and sins, is wounded for their transgressions, dies though innocent, is buried with the rich, then lives to see the fruit of His sacrificial work and is exalted.

Key understandingExplore deeper

The chapter moves from restored Zion to the opening lines of the final and most detailed Servant Song, which continues through Isaiah 53.

The interpretive center of Isaiah 52 is the chapter’s own movement: redemption is god’s action, not a commercial transaction. Read its poetry, signs, historical references, and later biblical connections from that center rather than treating isolated phrases as detached slogans.

Major truths in this chapterExplore deeper

Redemption is God’s action, not a commercial transaction

Israel was sold for nothing and will be redeemed without money.

Good news centers on God’s reign and return to Zion

The messenger announces peace, salvation, and 'thy God reigneth.'

The Servant’s exaltation is reached through astonishing humiliation

He is high and lifted up, yet His appearance shocks nations.

Connections to the rest of ScriptureExplore deeper

Romans 10:15

Paul quotes Isaiah 52:7 concerning beautiful feet bringing good news.

2 Corinthians 6:17

Paul echoes Isaiah 52:11’s call to come out and be separate in a New Testament holiness context.

Philippians 2:8-11

Christ’s humiliation followed by supreme exaltation parallels the Servant’s pattern here and in Isaiah 53.

What is clear, and where care is neededExplore deeper

Do not stop the Servant Song at the chapter boundary.

Isaiah 52:13–53:12 is one continuous unit.

Do not reduce 'good tidings' to improved circumstances.

The core announcement is the LORD’s salvation and reign.

Read Isaiah 52 watching for…

Zion awakening and putting on strength

redemption without money

the herald of good tidings

the watchmen seeing the LORD’s return

the Servant exalted yet marred

Chapter outline3 sections

1-6Zion is called to awake and arise from bondage because the LORD will redeem freely 7-12Good tidings announce peace and salvation, and the LORD leads his people out in purity 13-15The LORD’s servant will be exalted after suffering that astonishes the nations

Awake, 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.

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

For thus saith the LORD, Ye have sold yourselves for nought; and ye shall be redeemed without money.

For thus saith the Lord GOD, My people went down aforetime into Egypt to sojourn there; and the Assyrian oppressed them without cause.

Now 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.

Therefore my people shall know my name: therefore they shall know in that day that I am he that doth speak: behold, it is I.

How 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!

Thy 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.

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

The 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.

Depart 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.

For 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.

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

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

So 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.

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Isaiah 52:9

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