Isaiah 52:12

12 But you will not leave in haste or go in flight; for the LORD will go before you, the God of Israel will be your rear guard.

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Isaiah 52:12 in Other Translations

KJV

12 For ye shall not go out with haste, nor go by flight: for the LORD will go before you; and the God of Israel will be your rereward.

ESV

12 For you shall not go out in haste, and you shall not go in flight, for the LORD will go before you, and the God of Israel will be your rear guard.

NLT

12 You will not leave in a hurry, running for your lives. For the LORD will go ahead of you; yes, the God of Israel will protect you from behind.

MSG

12 ut you don't have to be in a hurry. You're not running from anybody! God is leading you out of here, and the God of Israel is also your rear guard. It Was Our Pains He Carried

CSB

12 For you will not leave in a hurry, and you will not have to take flight; because the Lord is going before you, and the God of Israel is your rear guard.

Isaiah 52:12 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 52:12

For ye shall not go out with haste, nor go by flight
As persons afraid of their enemies, of being pursued, overtaken, and detained by them; privily or by stealth, like fugitives, as the Oriental versions render it; in like manner as the Israelites went out of Egypt: but it signifies, that they should go out openly, boldly, quietly, and safely, and without fear of their enemies; yea, their enemies rather being afraid of them. So the witnesses, when they shall rise, will ascend to heaven in the sight of their enemies; which will be followed with a great slaughter of some, and the terror of others, ( Revelation 11:12 Revelation 11:13 ) : for the Lord will go before you, and the God of Israel will be your
rearward;
the Lord will be their Captain, and will lead the van, so that they shall follow in order, and without any tumult or fear; and though they shall make all necessary dispatch, yet no more haste than good speed; the Lord, going before, will check all tumultuous and disorderly motions; and he also will bring up the rear, so that they shall be in no fear of the enemy attacking them behind, and where generally the weaker and more feeble part are; but the Lord will be gathering them up, or closing them, as the word ^F17 signifies; so that they shall be in the utmost safety, and march out of Babylon with the greatest ease and freedom, without any molestation or disturbance. The allusion may be to the Lord's going before, and sometimes behind Israel, in a pillar of fire and cloud by night and day, as they passed through the wilderness.

FOOTNOTES:

F17 (Mkpoam) , (o episunagwn umav) , Sept.; "colligens vos", Montanus; "congregabit vos", V. L. Syr. Ar.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Isaiah 52:12 In-Context

10 The LORD will lay bare his holy arm in the sight of all the nations, and all the ends of the earth will see the salvation of our God.

11 Depart, depart, go out from there! Touch no unclean thing! Come out from it and be pure, you who carry the articles of the LORD’s house.

12 But you will not leave in haste or go in flight; for the LORD will go before you, the God of Israel will be your rear guard.

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

14 Just as there were many who were appalled at him — his appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any human being and his form marred beyond human likeness—