The same call, which was addressed in Isaiah 51:9 to the arm of Jehovah that was then represented as sleeping, is here addressed to Jerusalem, which is represented as a sleeping woman. "Awake, awake; clothe thyself in thy might, O Zion; clothe thyself in thy state dresses, O Jerusalem, thou holy city: for henceforth there will no more enter into thee one uncircumcised and unclean! Shake thyself from the dust; arise, sit down, O Jerusalem: loose thyself from the chains of thy neck, O captive daughter of Zion!" Jerusalem is lying upon the ground stupefied with the wrath of God, and exhausted with grief; but this shameful prostration and degradation will now come to an end. She is to rise up and put on her might, which has long been broken down, and apparently has altogether disappeared, but which can and must be constantly renewed, because it rests upon the foundation of an inviolable promise. She is to wake up and recover her ancient power, and put on her state robes, i.e., her priestly and royal ornaments, which belong to her as a "royal city," i.e., as the city of Jehovah had His anointed one. For henceforth she will be what she was always intended to be, and that without any further desecration. Heathen, uncircumcised, and those who were unclean in heart and flesh (Ezekiel 44:9), had entered her by force, and desecrated her: heathen, who had no right to enter the congregation of Jehovah as they were (Lamentations 1:10). But she should no longer be defiled, not to say conquered, by such invaders as these (Joel 3:17; Nahum 2:1; compare Joel 3:7 with Nahum 2:1). On the construction non perget intrabit equals intrare, see Ges. 142, 3, c. In Isaiah 52:2 the idea of the city falls into the background, and that of the nation takes its place. ירולשׁם שׁבי does not mean "captive people of Jerusalem," however, as Hitzig supposes, for this would require שׁביה in accordance with the personification, as in Isaiah 52:2. The rendering supported by the lxx is the true one, "Sit down, O Jerusalem;" and this is also the way in which it is accentuated. The exhortation is the counterpart of Isaiah 47:1. Jerusalem is sitting upon the ground as a prisoner, having no seat to sit upon; but this is only that she may be the more highly exalted; - whereas the daughter of Babylon is seated as a queen upon a throne, but only to be the more deeply degraded. The former is now to shake herself free from the dust, and to rise up and sit down (viz., upon a throne, Targum). The captive daughter of Zion (shebhiyyâh, αἰχμάλωτος, Exodus 12:29, an adjective written first for the sake of emphasis, as in Isaiah 10:30; Isaiah 53:11) is to undo for herself (sibi laxare according to p. 62, note, like hithnachēl, Isaiah 14:2, sibi possidendo capere) the chains of her neck (the chethib התפתחו, they loosen themselves, is opposed to the beautiful parallelism); for she who was mourning in her humiliation is to be restored to honour once more, and she who was so shamefully laden with fetters to liberty.

Isaiah 52:7 Parallel Commentaries

how beautiful. This is a highly poetical expression, for, How welcome is his arrival! how agreeable are the tidings which he brings!

Isaiah 40:9 O Zion, that bring good tidings, get you up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, that bring good tidings...

Isaiah 61:1-3 The Spirit of the Lord GOD is on me; because the LORD has anointed me to preach good tidings to the meek...

Nahum 1:15 Behold on the mountains the feet of him that brings good tidings, that publishes peace! O Judah, keep your solemn feasts...

Luke 2:10 And the angel said to them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

Romans 10:12-15 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich to all that call on him...

publisheth

Psalm 68:11 The Lord gave the word: great was the company of those that published it.

Songs 2:8 The voice of my beloved! behold, he comes leaping on the mountains, skipping on the hills.

Mark 13:10 And the gospel must first be published among all nations.

Mark 16:15 And he said to them, Go you into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

Luke 24:47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

Acts 10:36-38 The word which God sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (he is Lord of all:)...

Revelation 14:6 And I saw another angel fly in the middle of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to them that dwell on the earth...

Thy God

Isaiah 24:23 Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed, when the LORD of hosts shall reign in mount Zion, and in Jerusalem...

Isaiah 33:22 For the LORD is our judge, the LORD is our lawgiver, the LORD is our king; he will save us.

Psalm 59:13 Consume them in wrath, consume them, that they may not be: and let them know that God rules in Jacob to the ends of the earth. Selah.

Psalm 93:1 The LORD reigns, he is clothed with majesty; the LORD is clothed with strength, with which he has girded himself...

Psalm 96:10 Say among the heathen that the LORD reigns: the world also shall be established that it shall not be moved...

Psalm 97:1 The LORD reigns; let the earth rejoice; let the multitude of isles be glad thereof.

Psalm 99:1 The LORD reigns; let the people tremble: he sits between the cherubim; let the earth be moved.

Micah 4:7 And I will make her that halted a remnant, and her that was cast far off a strong nation...

Zechariah 9:9 Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, your King comes to you: he is just...

Matthew 25:34 Then shall the King say to them on his right hand, Come, you blessed of my Father...

Matthew 28:18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, All power is given to me in heaven and in earth.

Revelation 11:15 And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying...