Bible Commentaries
Isaiah 52

Verse 1

Awake. Same form as in Isaiah 51:9 ; not the same as in Isaiah 51:17 . Figure of speech Epizeuxis. App-6 .

the holy city. Hebrew "the city of the Sanctuary". See note on Exodus 3:5 .

Verse 2

Shake. See note on Isaiah 33:9 .

sit: i.e. sit as queen. Compare Revelation 18:7 , for usage.

Verse 3

the LORD. Hebrew. Jehovah. App-4 .

redeemed. Hebrew. ga'al. See note on Exodus 6:6 .

without money = not with silver. Compare 1 Peter 1:18 .

Verse 4

My People went down aforetime. Reference to Pentateuch (Genesis 46:6 ). See App-92 .

the Assyrian. This was "another king" (Acts 7:18 ), the first of a new dynasty, the "new king" of Exodus 1:8 , who (of course) "knew not Joseph". See notes on the above passages.

oppressed them . This refers to Exodus 1:0 , and has nothing to do with the later Assyrian carrying away.

without cause = for nothing, groundlessly. This is a Divine comment. See John 15:25 . Hebrew. 'ephes. See note on Isaiah 5:8 .

Verse 5

what have I here . . . ? = what do I here? What He did in the circumstances of Isaiah 52:4 we know. What He will do in these new circumstances we are about to be told.

is = hath been.

My name, &c. Quoted in Romans 2:24 .

Verse 7

How beautiful, &c. Quoted in Romans 10:15 .

the feet. Put by Figure of speech Synecdoche (of Part), for the whole person of the messenger, that we may not think of him, but of his coming as sent by Jehovah (compare Nahum 1:15 ). Fulfilled partially in John and Christ, both of whom were rejected and slain. There will be other messengers of the future coming, even Elijah and others (Malachi 4:5 ).

God. Hebrew. Elohim. App-4 .

Verse 8

sing = shout.

see eye to eye = see face to face, and will be face to face with the coming heralds of the King, yea, with the King Himself. This oft misapplied expression ha? nothing whatever to do with agreement in opinion.

Verse 9

comforted. Compare Isaiah 40:1 .

Verse 10

holy. See note on Exodus 3:5 .

arm. Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Cause), for the wonders wrought by it. Also Figure of speech Anthropopatheia. App-6 .

eyes, &c. = sight, or view. Compare Isaiah 40:5 ; Isaiah 49:26 .

Verse 11

Depart ye. Note the Figure of speech Epizeuxis . Compare Revelation 18:4 . Quoted (in application for us to-day) in 2 Corinthians 6:14-18 .

Verse 12

ye shall not go out with haste. Reference to Pentateuch, where it was otherwise (only here, Exodus 12:33 , Exodus 12:39 , and Deuteronomy 16:3 ).

the God of Israel. See note on Isaiah 29:23 .

rereward = rear-guard. Compare Isaiah 58:8 .

Verse 13

My Servant. The Messiah. See note on Isaiah 37:35 .

humbled .

exalted. extrolled. be very high. Figure of speech Anabasis , for great emphasis = riseth. is lifted up. becometh very high (compare Philippians 1:2 , Philippians 1:9-11 ).

deal prudently = prosper. Compare 1 Samuel 18:14 .

Verse 14

As = According as. This corresponds with the "so" of Isaiah 52:15 (not with the "so" in the next clause, which is parenthetic).

astonied: corresponding with the word rendered "sprinkle" in Isaiah 52:15 . From Old English estonner . Nine times so spelled, from Wycliff and Geneva Bible. Chaucer spells it "astoned"; Spenser, "astownd".

so marred: pointing to the depth of the humiliation, as set forth in detail in Isaiah 53:4-10 . Compare Matthew 26:67 , Matthew 26:68 ; Matthew 27:27-30 .

any man. Hebrew. 'ish . Compare Psalms 22:6 , "I am a worm, and no man".

men. Hebrew. 'adam. App-14 .

Verse 15

SO. Corresponding with the "As" of Isaiah 52:14 .

sprinkle = cause to leap or spring up for joy. Hebrew. nazah . When used of liquids it means to spurt out, as in Isaiah 63:3 , the only other occurrence in Isaiah, and that in judgment (compare 2 Kings 9:33 ). The usual word for ceremonial sprinkling is zrak , not nazah . The astonishment and the joy of many nations is set in contrast with the astonishment of the many people of Isaiah 52:14 . The Septuagint reads "shall admire". Moreover, the verb is in the Hiphil conjugation, and we can say "cause to leap up for joy", but not "cause to sprinkle". With this, Gesenius, Fuerst, Lowth, Parkhurst, and others agree.

shut their mouths: i.e. be dumb with the astonishment.

that which had, &c. = they to whom it had been told shall see.

that which they, &c. = they which had not heard shall consider. Quoted in Romans 15:21 .