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Isaiah 52:8

8 Listen! Your watchmen lift up their voices; together they shout for joy. When the LORD returns to Zion, they will see it with their own eyes.

Isaiah 52:8 in Other Translations

King James Version (KJV)
8 Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice; with the voice together shall they sing: for they shall see eye to eye, when the LORD shall bring again Zion.
English Standard Version (ESV)
8 The voice of your watchmen--they lift up their voice; together they sing for joy; for eye to eye they see the return of the LORD to Zion.
New Living Translation (NLT)
8 The watchmen shout and sing with joy, for before their very eyes they see the LORD returning to Jerusalem.
The Message Bible (MSG)
8 Voices! Listen! Your scouts are shouting, thunderclap shouts, shouting in joyful unison. They see with their own eyes God coming back to Zion.
American Standard Version (ASV)
8 The voice of thy watchmen! they lift up the voice, together do they sing; for they shall see eye to eye, when Jehovah returneth to Zion.
GOD'S WORD Translation (GW)
8 Listen! Your watchmen raise their voices and shout together joyfully. When the LORD brings Zion back, they will see it with their own eyes.
Holman Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
8 The voices of your watchmen- they lift up their voices, shouting for joy together; for every eye will see when the Lord returns to Zion.
New International Reader's Version (NIRV)
8 Listen! Those on guard duty are shouting out the message. With their own eyes they see the LORD returning to Zion. So they shout with joy.

Isaiah 52:8 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 52:8

The watchmen shall lift up the voice
Not the Levites in the temple, nor the prophets of the Old Testament; rather the evangelists and apostles of Christ; best of all Gospel ministers in the latter day, so called in allusion to watch men on the walls of cities looking out, and giving notice of approaching danger; see ( Isaiah 62:6 Isaiah 62:7 ) . The words may be rendered, "the voice of the watchmen; they shall lift up the voice; together shall they sing"; that is, this is the voice of the watchmen, namely, the voice of peace and salvation, which the bringer of good tidings, the same with these watchmen, publish. "Lifting up" their "voice" denotes the publicness of their ministrations, the vehemency of them, and their importance; "singing together", their joy and cheerfulness, their harmony and unity. For they shall see eye to eye;
most clearly, Zion's King reigning before his ancients gloriously; the great doctrines of peace and salvation published by them; and the great and wonderful things God will do for his church, in fulfilling prophecies relating thereunto. So the Targum,

``for with their eyes they shall see the great things which the Lord will do;''
and as their light and discerning will be most clear, like the light of seven days, so it will be alike in them; their sentiments and doctrines will exactly agree; there will be no difference nor dissension among them: when the Lord shall bring again Zion:
return his church and people to their former state, from whence they were declined; restore them as at the beginning; revive his work among them; cause his Gospel and ordinances to be professed and observed in their purity; call in his ancient people the Jews, and bring in the fulness of the Gentiles; pour out his spirit in a plentiful manner on them, and grant his gracious presence to them; so the Targum,
``when he shall return his Shechinah or divine Majesty to Zion.''
This text is by the Jews F14 applied to the times of the Messiah, and to the resurrection of the dead F15.
FOOTNOTES:

F14 Pesikta in Kettoreth Hassammim in Targ. in Numb. fol. 25. 4.
F15 T. Bab. Sanhedrhin. fol. 91. 2.

Isaiah 52:8 In-Context

6 Therefore my people will know my name; therefore in that day they will know that it is I who foretold it. Yes, it is I.”
7 How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, “Your God reigns!”
8 Listen! Your watchmen lift up their voices; together they shout for joy. When the LORD returns to Zion, they will see it with their own eyes.
9 Burst into songs of joy together, you ruins of Jerusalem, for the LORD has comforted his people, he has redeemed Jerusalem.
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.

Cross References 5

  • 1. S 1 Samuel 14:16; Isaiah 56:10; Isaiah 62:6; Jeremiah 6:17; Jeremiah 31:6; Ezekiel 3:17; Ezekiel 33:7
  • 2. Isaiah 40:9
  • 3. S Isaiah 12:6
  • 4. S Numbers 10:36
  • 5. Isaiah 59:20; Zechariah 8:3
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