Isaiah 52 9

Isaiah 52:9 kjv

Break forth into joy, sing together, ye waste places of Jerusalem: for the LORD hath comforted his people, he hath redeemed Jerusalem.

Isaiah 52:9 nkjv

Break forth into joy, sing together, You waste places of Jerusalem! For the LORD has comforted His people, He has redeemed Jerusalem.

Isaiah 52:9 niv

Burst into songs of joy together, you ruins of Jerusalem, for the LORD has comforted his people, he has redeemed Jerusalem.

Isaiah 52:9 esv

Break forth together into singing, you waste places of Jerusalem, for the LORD has comforted his people; he has redeemed Jerusalem.

Isaiah 52:9 nlt

Let the ruins of Jerusalem break into joyful song,
for the LORD has comforted his people.
He has redeemed Jerusalem.

Isaiah 52 verses

Isaiah 52 9 meaning

Isaiah 52:9 is a resounding call for joyful acclamation and collective praise, particularly from the desolate ruins of Jerusalem. The prophet exhorts the ravaged city to burst into singing because the covenant Lord, YHWH, has definitively intervened to bring comfort and complete redemption to His chosen people and their capital. It announces the assured end of their suffering and captivity, promising divine restoration and a new era of blessing and presence.

Isaiah 52 9 Context

Isaiah 52:9 appears within a section of Isaiah (chapters 40-55), often referred to as the "Book of Comfort" or "Second Isaiah," primarily addressing the exiled Israelites in Babylon. These chapters promise deliverance from captivity, comfort for their suffering, and the glorious restoration of Jerusalem and Zion. The immediate verses of chapter 52 prior to verse 9 establish the expectation of God's action: Jerusalem is urged to "Awake, awake," "shake off your dust" (v.1-2) because God will act to free His people without price (v.3-4). The arrival of a messenger bearing "good news" (v.7) and the watchmen proclaiming God's return to Zion (v.8) set the stage for this exuberant call for celebration, signifying that God's powerful redemptive work is now being witnessed. Following this, the chapter moves into the call for departure from Babylon (v.11-12) and then introduces the profound prophecy of the Suffering Servant (v.13-15), whose redemptive work is the ultimate fulfillment. Historically, the verse points to the imminent return of the Jewish exiles from Babylon (c. 539 BCE), yet prophetically, it extends to the full spiritual redemption of God's people through the Messiah.

Isaiah 52 9 Word analysis

• "Break forth" (פַּצְחוּ, paṣḥu): A strong imperative, meaning "burst forth," "open up," or "erupt." It conveys an uncontainable, unrestrained expression of joy, a sudden and powerful release of sound. This is not a polite request but a forceful command to unleash pent-up emotions of jubilation.

• "into joy" (רִנָּה, rinnah): Refers to a ringing cry, a shout of joy, gladness, or triumph. It suggests an audible, vocal expression of delight, often associated with a public celebration or victory.

• "sing together" (רַנְּנוּ, rannᵉnū): Another imperative, related to rinnah, meaning "sing joyfully," "shout for joy," or "exult." The repetition of the root word for joyous shouting emphasizes the collective and emphatic nature of the praise demanded. It indicates a chorus, a united sound of celebration.

• "ye waste places" (חָרְבֹות, ḥorbôt): From ḥārāb, meaning "desolate," "laid waste," "ruined." This is a stark contrast to the command for joy. It literally refers to the destroyed areas of Jerusalem left in rubble after the Babylonian siege. This choice of address is highly significant, commanding joy from the most unlikely and mournful places.

• "of Jerusalem" (יְרוּשָׁלַיִם, Yerushalayim): The specific address. Jerusalem, though desecrated and desolate, remains the symbolic heart of God's covenant with His people, destined for restoration.

• "for" (כִּי, kî): A conjunction introducing the reason or cause. It grounds the call to joy in the preceding divine action. The jubilation is not without basis; it is a response to what God has already done.

• "the LORD" (יהוה, YHWH): The unchangeable, covenant-keeping God of Israel. His personal name assures that the promised actions are from the one true sovereign.

• "hath comforted" (נִחַם, niḥam): A perfect tense verb (completed action), implying that the comfort is already effectively provided or absolutely guaranteed. It means to console, pity, repent (of an action, or here, relent from judgment), or grant relief. It signals an end to affliction and mourning.

• "his people" (עַמּוֹ, ʿammō): God's chosen people, Israel, His possession with whom He has a covenant. The comfort is specifically directed and intimately personal.

• "he hath redeemed" (גָּאַל, gāʾal): A perfect tense verb, like niḥam, indicating a completed and decisive act. It means "to act as a kinsman-redeemer," to buy back, deliver, set free, avenge, or protect. It speaks of rescue from bondage and reclaiming ownership through powerful intervention, often involving a price or strength.

• Words-group by words-group analysis:

  • "Break forth into joy, sing together": A dual, urgent command for spontaneous and united vocal expression of triumph. It is not quiet rejoicing, but an overflowing, audible declaration. This doubled command signifies the intensity and widespread nature of the coming gladness.
  • "ye waste places of Jerusalem": This personification is highly poetic and profound. It calls upon the very ruins and desolation of the city to participate in the joy. This implies a complete transformation: the place of sorrow will become the epicenter of jubilation, highlighting the magnitude of God's restoration. The fact that the desolate places, usually associated with silence and grief, are called to sing, underscores the miraculous and all-encompassing nature of God's comfort and redemption.
  • "for the LORD hath comforted his people, he hath redeemed Jerusalem": This phrase provides the immutable divine warrant for the commanded joy. The use of two perfect tense verbs ("hath comforted," "hath redeemed") stresses the certainty and efficacy of God's actions. It signifies a decisive and complete work. "Comforted his people" addresses their spiritual and emotional suffering, while "redeemed Jerusalem" points to both the physical restoration of the city and the release of its inhabitants from bondage, demonstrating God's sovereign care for both His people and His holy city.

Isaiah 52 9 Bonus section

The juxtaposition of "waste places" with a command to "break forth into joy" serves as a powerful theological paradox, signifying that God's restorative power transforms utter despair into overflowing praise. This illustrates that genuine spiritual joy is not dependent on present circumstances but on the assured faithfulness and finished work of God. The concept of God "redeeming" is rich with meaning, echoing the Hebrew law of the go'el or kinsman-redeemer (Lev 25:25, Ruth 4:4-10). Just as a near relative would buy back property or free a family member from slavery, YHWH acts as the ultimate go'el for Israel, not out of obligation, but out of covenant love and sovereign power. This redemption is holistic, encompassing freedom from physical captivity and restoration to God's presence and blessing. This verse is thus not merely an encouraging word for exiles, but a prophetic declaration of God's unchanging nature to restore and ultimately make all things new, a promise finding its ultimate realization in the atoning work of Jesus Christ.

Isaiah 52 9 Commentary

Isaiah 52:9 encapsulates the core message of Isaiah's "Book of Comfort" for the exiles: despite the depths of devastation, God's definitive actions of comfort and redemption necessitate overwhelming joy. The command for the "waste places of Jerusalem" to burst forth in song is a radical counterpoint to their physical reality of ruin and spiritual experience of despair. It highlights God's initiative; the reason for the celebration isn't human effort or expectation, but God's completed work of deliverance. This dual action—comforting His people and redeeming Jerusalem—speaks to a comprehensive restoration that addresses both the emotional anguish and the physical subjugation. The passage looks forward to the historical return from Babylon but points to a grander spiritual redemption through the Suffering Servant introduced immediately after, culminating in the New Jerusalem, where all desolation is banished forever.