Isaiah 52

1Awake, awake; put on your strength, Zion; put on your beautiful garments, Jerusalem, the holy city. For no longer shall the uncircumcised and the unclean enter you again.

2Shake yourself from the dust; rise up, sit down, Jerusalem. Loosen the bonds of your neck, captive daughter Zion.

3For thus says Yahweh: “You were sold for nothing, and you will be redeemed without money.”

4For thus says the Lord GOD: My people went down at first to Egypt to sojourn there, and Assyria oppressed them without cause.

5And now, what do I have here? declares Yahweh. For my people have been taken away for nothing; those who rule over them wail, declares Yahweh, and continually, all day long, my name is despised.

6Therefore my people will know my name; therefore on that day they will know that I am he who speaks: Here I am.

7How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of the one who brings good news, who announces peace, who brings good news of good things, who announces salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns.”

8The voice of your watchmen—they lift up their voice; together they shout for joy, for they will see eye to eye when Yahweh returns to Zion.

9Break forth, sing together, you ruins of Jerusalem, for Yahweh has comforted his people; he has redeemed Jerusalem.

10Yahweh has bared his holy arm before the eyes of all the nations, and all the ends of the earth will see the salvation of our God.

11Turn away, turn away; go out from there. Touch no unclean thing. Go out from her midst; purify yourselves, you who carry the vessels of Yahweh.

12For you will not go out in haste, and you will not go in flight; for Yahweh is going before you, and the God of Israel is your rear guard.

13Behold, my servant will act wisely; he will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted.

14Just as many were appalled at you—so disfigured was his appearance, beyond that of a man, and his form beyond the sons of man—

15So he will sprinkle many nations; kings will shut their mouths because of him. For they will see what had not been told to them, and they will understand what they had not heard.