Isaiah



Chapter 52

   1 Wake up! Wake up! Clothe yourself with strength, O Zion! Put on your beautiful clothes, O Jerusalem, holy city! For uncircumcised and unclean pagans will no longer invade you.
   2 Shake off the dirt! Get up, captive Jerusalem! Take off the iron chains around your neck, O captive daughter Zion!
   3 For this is what the LORD says: "You were sold for nothing, and you will not be redeemed for money."
   4 For this is what the sovereign LORD says: "In the beginning my people went to live temporarily in Egypt; Assyria oppressed them for no good reason.
   5 And now, what do we have here?" says the LORD. "Indeed my people have been carried away for nothing, those who rule over them taunt," says the LORD, "and my name is constantly slandered all day long.
   6 For this reason my people will know my name, for this reason they will know at that time that I am the one who says, 'Here I am.'"
   7 How delightful it is to see approaching over the mountains the feet of a messenger who announces peace, a messenger who brings good news, who announces deliverance, who says to Zion, "Your God reigns!"
   8 Listen, your watchmen shout; in unison they shout for joy, for they see with their very own eyes the LORD's return to Zion.
   9 In unison give a joyful shout, O ruins of Jerusalem! For the LORD consoles his people; he protects Jerusalem.
   10 The LORD reveals his royal power in the sight of all the nations; the entire earth sees our God deliver.
   11 Leave! Leave! Get out of there! Don't touch anything unclean! Get out of it! Stay pure, you who carry the LORD's holy items!
   12 Yet do not depart quickly or leave in a panic. For the LORD goes before you; the God of Israel is your rear guard.

The LORD Will Vindicate His Servant

   13 "Look, my servant will succeed! He will be elevated, lifted high, and greatly exalted -
   14 (just as many were horrified by the sight of you) he was so disfigured he no longer looked like a man;
   15 his form was so marred he no longer looked human - so now he will startle many nations. Kings will be shocked by his exaltation, for they will witness something unannounced to them, and they will understand something they had not heard about.