52:4 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.
52:5 And now, what do we have here?” 1 says the Lord.
“Indeed my people have been carried away for nothing,
those who rule over them taunt,” 2 says the Lord,
“and my name is constantly slandered 3 all day long.
52:6 For this reason my people will know my name,
for this reason they will know 4 at that time 5 that I am the one who says,
‘Here I am.’”
52:7 How delightful it is to see approaching over the mountains 6
the feet of a messenger who announces peace,
a messenger who brings good news, who announces deliverance,
who says to Zion, “Your God reigns!” 7
52:8 Listen, 8 your watchmen shout;
in unison they shout for joy,
for they see with their very own eyes 9
the Lord’s return to Zion.
52:9 In unison give a joyful shout,
O ruins of Jerusalem!
For the Lord consoles his people;
he protects 10 Jerusalem.
1 tn Heb “and now what [following the marginal reading (Qere)] to me here?”
2 tn The verb appears to be a Hiphil form from the root יָלַל (yalal, “howl”), perhaps here in the sense of “mock.” Some emend the form to יְהוֹלָּלוֹ (yÿhollalo) and understand a Polel form of the root הָלַל meaning here “mock, taunt.”
3 tn The verb is apparently a Hitpolal form (with assimilated tav, ת) from the root נָאַץ (na’ats), but GKC 151-52 §55.b explains it as a mixed form, combining Pual and Hitpolel readings.
4 tn The verb is understood by ellipsis (note the preceding line).
5 tn Heb “in that day” (so KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV).
6 tn Heb “How delightful on the mountains.”
7 tn Or “has become king.” When a new king was enthroned, his followers would give this shout. For other examples of this enthronement formula (Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular מָלַךְ [malakh], followed by the name of the king), see 2 Sam 15:10; 1 Kgs 1:11, 13, 18; 2 Kgs 9:13. The Lord is an eternal king, but here he is pictured as a victorious warrior who establishes his rule from Zion.
8 tn קוֹל (qol, “voice”) is used at the beginning of the verse as an interjection.
9 tn Heb “eye in eye”; KJV, ASV “eye to eye”; NAB “directly, before their eyes.”
10 tn Or “redeems.” See the note at 41:14.