Isaiah 52:1,2

Isaiah 52:1-2. Here the prophet's imagination takes a higher flight. The cup of indignation having finally passed from her hands, Jerusalem is summoned to shake off her stupor, and array herself in garments befitting her dignity as the bride of Jehovah. The description is influenced by the contrast (evidently intentional) to the taunt-song on the "daughter of Babylon" (ch. Isaiah 47:1 ff.).

put on thy strength Cf. ch. Isaiah 51:9.

the holy city as ch. Isaiah 48:2.

for … there shall no more come &c. Note the correspondence with Isaiah 47:1; Isaiah 47:5.

the uncircumcised and the unclean i.e. not foreigners generally (as Joel 3:17), as if the passage expressed the exclusiveness of later Judaism, but the "destroyers" and "wasters" who at present desecrate her soil; see on Isaiah 49:17. Cf. Nahum 1:15; Zechariah 9:8.

2. ariseand sit down The meaning might be, "arise from the dust, and sit on thy throne," a contrast to Isaiah 47:1.

loose thyself … neck Better perhaps loose for thee the bonds &c.; the reflexive verb having the same force as an ethical dative. The alternative rendering of R.V. marg. "the bands of thy neck are loosed" represents the Hebrew consonantal text. The Qerê, however, is here supported by the Ancient Versions, and is undoubtedly to be preferred.