New Living Translation
Isaiah 52:8
8The watchmen shout and sing with joy, for before their very eyes they see the Lord returning to Jerusalem.
Isaiah 52:8 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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.
- New International Version (NIV)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.
- English Standard Version (ESV)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 King James Version (NKJV)Your watchmen shall lift up their voices, With their voices they shall sing together; For they shall see eye to eye When the Lord brings back Zion.
Context of Isaiah 52:8
6But I will reveal my name to my people, and they will come to know its power. Then at last they will recognize that I am the one who speaks to them.” 7How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of the messenger who brings good news, the good news of peace and salvation, the news that the God of Israel reigns! The watchmen shout and sing with joy, for before their very eyes they see the Lord returning to Jerusalem. 9Let the ruins of Jerusalem break into joyful song, for the Lord has comforted his people. He has redeemed Jerusalem. 10The Lord has demonstrated his holy power before the eyes of all the nations. All the ends of the earth will see the victory of our God.
Read all of Isaiah 52Isaiah 52:8 word by word
ק֥וֹל צֹפַ֛יִךְ נָ֥שְׂאוּ ק֖וֹל יַחְדָּ֣ו יְרַנֵּ֑נוּ כִּ֣י עַ֤יִן בְּעַ֙יִן֙ יִרְא֔וּ בְּשׁ֥וּב יְהוָ֖ה צִיּֽוֹן׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Thy watchmenצָפָהtsâphâh · to watchH6822
- shall lift upנָשָׂאnâώâ' nâsâh · to lift: loudH5375
- the voiceקוֹלqôl qôl · voiceH6963
- togetherיָחְדָּוyachad · togetherH3162
- shall they singרָנַןrânan · to singH7442
- for they shall seeרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
- eyeעַ֫יִן‛ayin · eyeH5869
- when the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- shall bring againשׁוּבshûb · to return: returnH7725
- Zionצִיּוֹןtsîyôn · ZionH6726
Cross-references for Isaiah 52:8
- Isaiah 56:10For the leaders of my people— the Lord’s watchmen, his shepherds— are blind and ignorant. They are like silent watchdogs that give no warning when danger comes. They love to lie around, sleeping and dreaming.
- Isaiah 62:6O Jerusalem, I have posted watchmen on your walls; they will pray day and night, continually. Take no rest, all you who pray to the Lord.
- Jeremiah 6:17I posted watchmen over you who said, ‘Listen for the sound of the alarm.’ But you replied, ‘No! We won’t pay attention!’
- Jeremiah 31:6The day will come when watchmen will shout from the hill country of Ephraim, ‘Come, let us go up to Jerusalem to worship the Lord our God.’”
- Ezekiel 3:17“Son of man, I have appointed you as a watchman for Israel. Whenever you receive a message from me, warn people immediately.
- Ezekiel 33:7“Now, son of man, I am making you a watchman for the people of Israel. Therefore, listen to what I say and warn them for me.
- Hebrews 13:17Obey your spiritual leaders, and do what they say. Their work is to watch over your souls, and they are accountable to God. Give them reason to do this with joy and not with sorrow. That would certainly not be for your benefit.
- Isaiah 24:14But all who are left shout and sing for joy. Those in the west praise the Lord’s majesty.
- Isaiah 40:9O Zion, messenger of good news, shout from the mountaintops! Shout it louder, O Jerusalem. Shout, and do not be afraid. Tell the towns of Judah, “Your God is coming!”
- Isaiah 58:1“Shout with the voice of a trumpet blast. Shout aloud! Don’t be timid. Tell my people Israel of their sins!
- Isaiah 12:4In that wonderful day you will sing: “Thank the Lord! Praise his name! Tell the nations what he has done. Let them know how mighty he is!
- Isaiah 26:1In that day, everyone in the land of Judah will sing this song: Our city is strong! We are surrounded by the walls of God’s salvation.
- Isaiah 27:2“In that day, sing about the fruitful vineyard.
- Isaiah 35:10Those who have been ransomed by the Lord will return. They will enter Jerusalem singing, crowned with everlasting joy. Sorrow and mourning will disappear, and they will be filled with joy and gladness.
- Isaiah 48:20Yet even now, be free from your captivity! Leave Babylon and the Babylonians. Sing out this message! Shout it to the ends of the earth! The Lord has redeemed his servants, the people of Israel.
- Jeremiah 33:11the sounds of joy and laughter. The joyful voices of bridegrooms and brides will be heard again, along with the joyous songs of people bringing thanksgiving offerings to the Lord. They will sing, ‘Give thanks to the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, for the Lord is good. His faithful love endures forever!’ For I will restore the prosperity of this land to what it was in the past, says the Lord.
Commentaries on Isaiah 52:8
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8Thy watchmen lift up the voice "All thy watchmen lift up their voice" - There is a difficulty in the construction of this place which, I think, none of the ancient versions or modern interpreters have cleared up satisfactorily. Rendered word for word it stands thus: "The voice of thy watchmen: they lift up their voice." The sense of the first member, considered as elliptical, is variously supplied by various expositors; by none, as it seems to me, in any…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8Thy watchmen - This language is taken from the custom of placing watchmen on the walls of a city, or on elevated towers, who could see if an enemy approached, and who of course would be the first to discern a messenger at a distance who was coming to announce good news. The idea is, that there would be as great joy at the announcement of the return of the exiles, as if they who were stationed on the wall should see the long-expected herald on the distant…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 8The watchmen were those seeking news of Zion's redemption. the LORD returns to Zion: The sin of those who lived in the city had driven God away.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 88. watchmen--set on towers separated by intervals to give the earliest notice of the approach of any messenger with tidings (compare Is 21:6-8). The Hebrew is more forcible than English Version, "The voice of thy watchmen" (exclamatory as in So 2:8). "They lift up their voice! together they sing." eye to eye--that is, close at hand, and so clearly [Gesenius]; Nu 14:14, "face to face"; Nu 12:8, "mouth to mouth." Compare 1Co 13:12; Re 22:4, of which…Read the comment
Topics related to Isaiah 52:8
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Isaiah 52
- 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
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