Isaiah 52

1Awake, awake, put on your strength, Zion! Put on your beautiful garments, Jerusalem, the holy city! For the uncircumcised and the unclean will never enter you again.

2Shake yourself free from the dust; rise up and take your seat, Jerusalem. Loose the chains from your neck, captive daughter Zion.

3For this is what Yahweh says: You were sold for nothing, and you will be redeemed without money.

4For this is what the Lord Yahweh says: At first my people went down to Egypt to live there as foreigners; then Assyria oppressed them for no reason.

5And now what do I have here? declares Yahweh. For my people have been taken away for nothing; their rulers howl, declares Yahweh, and all day long my name is continually despised.

6Therefore my people will know my name; therefore on that day they will know that I am the one 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!”

8Listen! Your watchmen lift up their voices; together they shout for joy, for with their own eyes they will see Yahweh return to Zion.

9Break out together into songs of joy, you ruins of Jerusalem, for Yahweh has comforted his people; he has redeemed Jerusalem.

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

11Depart, depart, go out from there! Touch nothing unclean; go out from the midst of her; keep yourselves pure, you who carry the vessels of Yahweh.

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

13Look, my servant will act wisely; he will rise high, be lifted up, and be greatly exalted.

14Just as many were horrified at you—so marred was his appearance, more than any man’s, and his form more than any human being’s—

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