Isaiah 59:20

20 “The Redeemer will come to Jerusalem to buy back those in Israel who have turned from their sins,” says the LORD .

Isaiah 59:20 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 59:20

And the Redeemer shall come to Zion
Not Cyrus, as some; but the Messiah, as it is applied in the Talmud F13 and in other Jewish writers F14, and as Aben Ezra rightly interprets it; and so Kimchi, who also understands by the enemy, in the preceding verse, Gog and Magog; and this must be understood not of the first coming of Christ to redeem his people by his blood from sin, Satan, and the law; but of his spiritual coming to Zion to the church of God in the latter day, at the time of the conversion of the Jews, as appears from the quotation, and application of it by the apostle, ( Romans 11:25 Romans 11:26 ) (See Gill on Romans 11:25) (See Gill on Romans 11:26) and with it compare ( Revelation 14:1 ) : and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the Lord;
that is, to such among the Jews, the posterity of Jacob, who repent of their sins, and turn from them; and particularly their sin of the rejection of the Messiah, and the disbelief of him, and turn to him, and believe in him as their Saviour and King. The Targum is,

``and the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and to turn the transgressors of the house of Jacob to the law;''
but rather the turn will be to the Gospel of Christ.
FOOTNOTES:

F13 T. Bab. Sanhedrin, fol. 98. l. & Yoma, fol. 86. 2.
F14 Echa Rabbati, fol. 47. 2.

Isaiah 59:20 In-Context

18 He will repay his enemies for their evil deeds. His fury will fall on his foes. He will pay them back even to the ends of the earth.
19 In the west, people will respect the name of the LORD ; in the east, they will glorify him. For he will come like a raging flood tide driven by the breath of the LORD .
20 “The Redeemer will come to Jerusalem to buy back those in Israel who have turned from their sins,” says the LORD .
21 “And this is my covenant with them,” says the LORD . “My Spirit will not leave them, and neither will these words I have given you. They will be on your lips and on the lips of your children and your children’s children forever. I, the LORD, have spoken!

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. Hebrew The Redeemer will come to Zion / to buy back those in Jacob / who have turned from their sins. Greek version reads The one who rescues will come on behalf of Zion, / and he will turn Jacob away from ungodliness. Compare Rom 11:26 .
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