English Standard Version
Isaiah 51:9
9Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the Lord; awake, as in days of old, the generations of long ago. Was it not you who cut Rahab in pieces, who pierced the dragon?
Isaiah 51:9 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the Lord; awake, as in the ancient days, in the generations of old. Art thou not it that hath cut Rahab, and wounded the dragon?
- New International Version (NIV)Awake, awake, arm of the Lord, clothe yourself with strength! Awake, as in days gone by, as in generations of old. Was it not you who cut Rahab to pieces, who pierced that monster through?
- New King James Version (NKJV)Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the Lord! Awake as in the ancient days, In the generations of old. Are You not the arm that cut Rahab apart, And wounded the serpent?
- New Living Translation (NLT)Wake up, wake up, O Lord! Clothe yourself with strength! Flex your mighty right arm! Rouse yourself as in the days of old when you slew Egypt, the dragon of the Nile.
Context of Isaiah 51:9
7"Listen to me, you who know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law; fear not the reproach of man, nor be dismayed at their revilings. 8For the moth will eat them up like a garment, and the worm will eat them like wool, but my righteousness will be forever, and my salvation to all generations." Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the Lord; awake, as in days of old, the generations of long ago. Was it not you who cut Rahab in pieces, who pierced the dragon? 10Was it not you who dried up the sea, the waters of the great deep, who made the depths of the sea a way for the redeemed to pass over? 11And the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
Read all of Isaiah 51Isaiah 51:9 word by word
עוּרִ֨י עוּרִ֤י לִבְשִׁי־עֹז֙ זְר֣וֹעַ יְהוָ֔ה ע֚וּרִי כִּ֣ימֵי קֶ֔דֶם דֹּר֖וֹת עוֹלָמִ֑ים הֲל֥וֹא אַתְּ־הִ֛יא הַמַּחְצֶ֥בֶת רַ֖הַב מְחוֹלֶ֥לֶת תַּנִּֽין׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Awakeעוּר‛ûr · to rouseH5782
- put onלָבֵשׁlâbash lâbêsh · to clotheH3847
- strengthעֹז‛ôz ‛ôz · strengthH5797
- O armזְרוֹעַzerôa‛ zerôa‛ zerô‛âh zerô‛âh · armH2220
- of the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- as in the ancientקֶ֫דֶםqedem qêdmâh · front: oldH6924
- daysיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
- in the generationsדּוֹרdôr dôr · generationH1755
- of oldעוֹלָם‛ôlâm ‛ôlâm · forever: antiquityH5769
- thou not it that hath cutחָצַבchâtsab châtsêb · to hewH2672
- Rahabרַ֫הַבrahab · Rahab monsterH7294
- woundedחָלַלchâlal · to boreH2490
- the dragonתַּנִּיןtannîyn tannîym · serpent: monsterH8577
Cross-references for Isaiah 51:9
- Isaiah 51:17Wake yourself, wake yourself, stand up, O Jerusalem, you who have drunk from the hand of the Lord the cup of his wrath, who have drunk to the dregs the bowl, the cup of staggering.
- Isaiah 27:1In that day the Lord with his hard and great and strong sword will punish Leviathan the fleeing serpent, Leviathan the twisting serpent, and he will slay the dragon that is in the sea.
- Psalms 7:6Arise, O Lord, in your anger; lift yourself up against the fury of my enemies; awake for me; you have appointed a judgment.
- Psalms 44:23Awake! Why are you sleeping, O Lord? Rouse yourself! Do not reject us forever!
- Psalms 59:4for no fault of mine, they run and make ready. Awake, come to meet me, and see!
- Psalms 78:65Then the Lord awoke as from sleep, like a strong man shouting because of wine.
- Habakkuk 2:19Woe to him who says to a wooden thing, Awake; to a silent stone, Arise! Can this teach? Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver, and there is no breath at all in it.
- Isaiah 52:1Awake, awake, put on your strength, O Zion; put on your beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city; for there shall no more come into you the uncircumcised and the unclean.
- Isaiah 59:17He put on righteousness as a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation on his head; he put on garments of vengeance for clothing, and wrapped himself in zeal as a cloak.
- Psalms 21:13Be exalted, O Lord, in your strength! We will sing and praise your power.
- Psalms 74:13You divided the sea by your might; you broke the heads of the sea monsters on the waters.
- Psalms 93:1The Lord reigns; he is robed in majesty; the Lord is robed; he has put on strength as his belt. Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved.
- Revelation 11:17saying, "We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, who is and who was, for you have taken your great power and begun to reign.
- Isaiah 51:5My righteousness draws near, my salvation has gone out, and my arms will judge the peoples; the coastlands hope for me, and for my arm they wait.
- Isaiah 53:1Who has believed what he has heard from us? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?
- Isaiah 59:16He saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no one to intercede; then his own arm brought him salvation, and his righteousness upheld him.
Commentaries on Isaiah 51:9
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 9Awake, awake - This verse commences a new subject (see the analysis of the chapter). It is the solemn and impassioned entreaty of those who were in exile that God would interpose in their behalf, as he did in behalf of his people when they were suffering in cruel bondage in Egypt. The word awake‘ here, which is addressed to the arm of Jehovah, is a petition that it might be roused from its apparent stupor and inactivity, and its power exerted in their…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 9-16Verses 9-16 The people whom Christ has redeemed with his blood, as well as by his power, will obtain joyful deliverance from every enemy. He that designs such joy for us at last, will he not work such deliverance in the mean time, as our cases require? In this world of changes, it is a short step from joy to sorrow, but in that world, sorrow shall never come in view. They prayed for the display of God's power; he answers them with consolations of his…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 9-10Awake, awake: God does not sleep. This prayer asks God to act immediately to save his people (see Isaiah 52:1; see especially God’s military clothing in 59:17). in generations of old: The exodus from Egypt was an act of redemption. It showed God’s power as he made a path of escape (Isaiah 51:10) for his people (see also 11:15).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 99. Impassioned prayer of the exiled Jews. ancient days--(Psa 44:1). Rahab--poetical name for Egypt (see on Is 30:7). dragon--Hebrew, tannin. The crocodile, an emblem of Egypt, as represented on coins struck after the conquest of Egypt by Augustus; or rather here, "its king," Pharaoh (see on Is 27:1; Psa 74:13, 14; Eze 32:2, Margin; Eze 29:3).Read the comment
Topics related to Isaiah 51:9
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Isaiah 51
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries