Your watchmen lift up their voice. Together they sing; for they shall see eye to eye when Yahweh returns to Zion.
Parallel Translations
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Your watchmen lift up their voice. Together they sing; for they shall see eye to eye when Yahweh returns to Zion.
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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.
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Hark, thy watchmen! they lift up the voice, together do they sing; for they shall see, eye to eye, the LORD returning to Zion.
Cross-references (31)
Passages linked to Isaiah 52:8 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- Isaiah 62:6 I have set watchmen on your walls, Jerusalem. They will never be silent day nor night. You who call on Yahweh, take no rest,
- Jeremiah 32:39 I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear me forever, for their good, and the good of their children after them.
- Ezekiel 33:7 “So you, son of man: I have set you a watchman to the house of Israel. Therefore hear the word from my mouth, and give them warnings from me.
- Isaiah 30:26 Moreover the light of the moon will be like the light of the sun, and the light of the sun will be seven times brighter, like the light of seven days, in the day that Yahweh binds up the fracture of his people, and heals the wound they were struck with.
- Isaiah 35:10 Then Yahweh’s ransomed ones will return, and come with singing to Zion; and everlasting joy will be on their heads. They will obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.”
- Isaiah 40:9 You who tell good news to Zion, go up on a high mountain. You who tell good news to Jerusalem, lift up your voice with strength! Lift it up! Don’t be afraid! Say to the cities of Judah, “Behold, your God!”
- Isaiah 48:20 Leave Babylon! Flee from the Chaldeans! With a voice of singing announce this, tell it even to the end of the earth: say, “Yahweh has redeemed his servant Jacob!”
- Isaiah 56:10 His watchmen are blind. They are all without knowledge. They are all mute dogs. They can’t bark— dreaming, lying down, loving to slumber.
- Isaiah 58:1 “Cry aloud! Don’t spare! Lift up your voice like a trumpet! Declare to my people their disobedience, and to the house of Jacob their sins.
- Jeremiah 6:17 I set watchmen over you, saying, ‘Listen to the sound of the trumpet!’ But they said, ‘We will not listen!’
- Jeremiah 33:11 the voice of joy and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the voice of those who say, ‘Give thanks to Yahweh of Armies, for Yahweh is good, for his loving kindness endures forever;’ who bring thanksgiving into Yahweh’s house. For I will cause the captivity of the land to be reversed as at the first,” says Yahweh.
- Ezekiel 3:17 “Son of man, I have made you a watchman to the house of Israel. Therefore hear the word from my mouth, and warn them from me.
- Zephaniah 3:9 For then I will purify the lips of the peoples, that they may all call on Yahweh’s name, to serve him shoulder to shoulder.
- Zechariah 12:8 In that day Yahweh will defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem. He who is feeble among them at that day will be like David, and David’s house will be like God, like Yahweh’s angel before them.
- 1 Corinthians 1:10 Now I beg you, brothers, through the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfected together in the same mind and in the same judgment.
- 1 Corinthians 13:12 For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I will know fully, even as I was also fully known.
- Song of Solomon 3:3 The watchmen who go about the city found me; “Have you seen him whom my soul loves?”
- Song of Solomon 5:7 The watchmen who go about the city found me. They beat me. They bruised me. The keepers of the walls took my cloak away from me.
- Isaiah 12:4-6 In that day you will say, “Give thanks to Yahweh! Call on his name. Declare his doings among the peoples. Proclaim that his name is exalted! Sing to Yahweh, for he has done excellent things! Let this be known in all the earth! Cry aloud and shout, you inhabitant of Zion; for the Holy One of Israel is great among you!”
- Isaiah 24:14 These shall lift up their voice. They will shout for the majesty of Yahweh. They cry aloud from the sea.
- Isaiah 26:1 In that day, this song will be sung in the land of Judah: “We have a strong city. God appoints salvation for walls and bulwarks.
- Isaiah 27:2 In that day, sing to her, “A pleasant vineyard!
- Jeremiah 31:6-7 For there will be a day that the watchmen on the hills of Ephraim cry, ‘Arise! Let’s go up to Zion to Yahweh our God.’ ” For Yahweh says, “Sing with gladness for Jacob, and shout for the chief of the nations. Publish, praise, and say, ‘Yahweh, save your people, the remnant of Israel!’
- Acts 2:1 Now when the day of Pentecost had come, they were all with one accord in one place.
- Acts 2:46-47 Day by day, continuing steadfastly with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread at home, they took their food with gladness and singleness of heart, praising God, and having favor with all the people. The Lord added to the assembly day by day those who were being saved.
- Acts 4:32 The multitude of those who believed were of one heart and soul. Not one of them claimed that anything of the things which he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common.
- Ephesians 1:17-18 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope of his calling, and what are the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,
- Revelation 5:8-10 Now when he had taken the book, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each one having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. They sang a new song, saying, “You are worthy to take the book and to open its seals: for you were killed, and bought us for God with your blood out of every tribe, language, people, and nation, and made us kings and priests to our God, and we will reign on the earth.”
- Revelation 18:20 “Rejoice over her, O heaven, you saints, apostles, and prophets; for God has judged your judgment on her.”
- Revelation 19:4 The twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who sits on the throne, saying, “Amen! Hallelujah!”
- Hebrews 13:17 Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they watch on behalf of your souls, as those who will give account, that they may do this with joy, and not with groaning, for that would be unprofitable for you.
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (16 sources)
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Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain The Prophets which are thy watchmen shall publish this…
The Prophets which are thy watchmen shall publish this thy deliverance: this was begun under Zerubbabel, Ezra, and Nehemiah, but was accomplished under Christ.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain Isa 52:8 Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice;…
Isa 52:8 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.
Ver. 8. Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice.] Heb., The voice of thy watchmen - sc., " Thy God reigneth"; or, as in the following verse, "Break forth into joy," &c.
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They lift up the voice, they sing together.] As having "no greater joy than that their children walk in the truth," {2Jn 1:4 1Th 3:8} and the contrary.
For they shall {a} see eye to eye.] And be able to say, as 1Jn 1:1, "That which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon" (and what so sure as sight?) "declare we unto you."
{a} Id est cominus evidentisaime, ut Num 14:14. - Jun.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain Thy watchmen, thy ministers, who shall descry the approach…
Thy watchmen, thy ministers, who shall descry the approach and coming of this heavenly King and kingdom, shall lift up the voice; partly to give notice to all people of these glad tidings; and partly by way of exultation, to sing forth the praises of God for this glorious day and mercy, as it here follows.
They shall see; they shall understand, and so be able to teach, Divine mysteries.
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Eye to eye; very distinctly, and clearly, and familiarly, their eyes beholding the eyes of this King of glory; as it is said of Zedekiah, Jer 34:3,
Thine eyes shall behold the eyes of the king of Babylon; and as it is said, mouth to mouth, Num 12:8, and face to face, Gen 32:30; Exo 33:11; Num 14:14. They shall see with their bodily eyes the King of the church, or the Word made flesh, as they are said to have done, Joh 1:14; 1Jo 1:1. They shall be eye and ear witnesses of the words and works of Christ, and therefore their testimony of these things shall be more certain and valuable.
When the Lord shall bring again Zion; when God shall complete the work of bringing his church out of captivity; which was begun at the return out of Babylon, and perfected by Christ’s coming into the world.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain The watchmen shall lift up the voice,.... Not the…
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 Isa 62:6. 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,
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"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 (n) applied to the times of the Messiah, and to the resurrection of the dead (o).
(n) Pesikta in Kettoreth Hassammim in Targ. in Numb. fol. 25. 4. (o) T. Bab. Sanhedrhin. fol. 91. 2.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain Thy watchmen - Thy ministers, who descry the approach…
Thy watchmen - Thy ministers, who descry the approach of this heavenly king. Lift up thy voice - To give notice to all people of these glad tidings; and by way of exultation, to sing forth the praises of God for this glorious day. Eye - Distinctly and familiarly, their eyes beholding the eyes of this king of glory. They shall be eye and ear-witnesses of the words and works of Christ, and therefore their testimony shall be more certain and valuable. Bring again - When God shall complete the work of bringing his church out of captivity.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain Verse 8. Thy watchmen lift up the voice -…
Verse 8. Thy 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 way that is easy and natural. I am persuaded there is a mistake in the present text, and that the true reading is כל צפיך col tsophayich, all thy watchmen, instead of קול צפיך kol tsophayich, the voice of thy watchmen. The mistake was easy from the similitude in sound of the two letters כ caph and ק koph. And in one MS. the ק koph is upon a rasure. This correction perfectly rectifies the sense and the construction. - L.
They shall see eye to eye] May not this be applied to the prophets and apostles; the one predicting, and the other discovering in the prediction the truth of the prophecy. The meaning of both Testaments is best understood by bringing them face to face.
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When the Lord shall bring again Zion - "When JEHOVAH returneth to Zion"] So the Chaldee: כד יתיב שכנתיה לציון cad yethib shechinteih letsiyon, "when he shall place the shechinah in Zion." God is considered as having deserted his people during the captivity; and at the restoration, as returning himself with them to Zion, his former habitation. See Ps 60:1; Isa 40:9, and note.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain Isa 52:8. Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice…
Isa 52:8. Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice — Partly to give notice to all people of these glad tidings, and partly by way of exultation, to sing forth the praises of God for this glorious season and exercise of mercy. If we consider this passage as referring to the deliverance from Babylon, by the watch-men here, we must understand those prophets who prophesied at or after the time of that deliverance, such as Haggai and Zechariah: but if the good tidings be interpreted of the publication of peace and salvation by the gospel, then by the watchmen its ministers are meant, and especially the apostles and evangelists, and other first messengers of Christ. For they shall see eye to eye — Those prophets that shall witness the release of the Jews from captivity shall see an exact agreement and correspondence between the prophecy and the event whereby it is accomplished, between the promise and the performance. It may still be affirmed with more propriety, that the preachers of the gospel saw eye to eye when the Messiah was manifested in the flesh, and they saw his glory, the glory of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth, Joh 1:14; when they saw with their eyes, looked upon, and their hands handled the word of life; when the life was manifested, and they saw it and bore witness, and could show unto others that eternal life which was with the Father, and was manifested unto men, 1Jn 1:2. And being eye and ear witnesses of the words and works of Christ, their testimony became more certain and more valuable. Add to this, that true gospel ministers in general, and even ordinary Christians, who receive the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, (Eph 1:17,) have a more distinct and clear view of the grace of God in Christ than the Old Testament saints could have. When the Lord shall bring again Zion — When God shall complete the work of bringing his church out of captivity, which was begun at the return out of Babylon, and perfected by Christ’s coming into the world. Bishop Lowth, however, reads the clause, When Jehovah returneth to Zion; a translation which the Hebrew text will certainly bear. Thus the Chaldee: When he shall bring back his presence to Zion. “God is considered as having deserted his people during their captivity; and, at the restoration, as returning himself with them to Zion, his former habitation.” But in a much higher degree was God present in his church, when he was manifested in the flesh, and they could call him, Immanuel, God with us.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain Thy watchmen - This language is taken from the…
Thy 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 hills, coming to announce that they were about to return, and that the city and temple were about to be rebuilt. It was originally applicable to the return from Babylon. But it contains also the general truth that they who are appointed to watch over Zion and its interests, will rejoice at all the tokens of God’s favor to his people, and especially when he comes to bless them after long times of darkness, depression, and calamity. It is by no means, therefore, departing from the spirit of this passage, to apply it to the joy of the ministers of religion in the visits of divine mercy to a church and people. ‘Shall lift up the voice.’ That is, with rejoicing.
With the voice together shall they sing - They shall mingle their praises and thanksgivings. The idea is, that all who are appointed to guard Zion, should feel a common interest in her welfare, and rejoice when the Lord comes to visit and bless his people. The Hebrew here is more abrupt and emphatic than our common translation would make it. It is literally, ‘The voice of thy watchmen! They lift up the voice together; they sing’ - as if the prophet suddenly heard a shout. It is the exultling shout of the watchmen of Zion; and it comes as one voice, with no discord, no jarring.
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For they shall see eye to eye - Lowth renders this, ‘For face to face shall they see.’ Noyes, ‘For with their own eyes shall they behold.’ Jerome renders it, Oculo ad oculum - ‘Eye to eye.’ The Septuagint renders it, Ὀφθαλμοὶ πρός ὀφθαλμοὺς, κ.τ.λ. Ophthalmoi pros ophthalmous, etc. ‘Eyes shall look to eyes when the Lord shall have mercy upon Zion.’ Interpreters have been divided in regard to its meaning. The sense may be, either that they shall see face to face, that is, distinctly, clearly, as when one is near another; or it may mean that they shall be united - they shall contemplate the same object, or look steadily at the same thing. Rosenmuller, Gesenius, Forerius, Junius. and some others, understand it in the former sense. So the Chaldee, ‘For they shall see with their own eyes the great things which the Lord will do when he shall bring back his own glory to Zion.’ The phrase in Hebrew occurs in no other place, except in Num 14:14, which our translators have rendered, ‘For thou, Lord, art seen face to face.’ Hebrew, ‘Eye to eye;’ that is, near, openly, manifestly, without any veil or interposing medium.
The expression, ‘face to face,’ meaning openly, plainly, manifestly, as one sees who is close to another, occurs frequently in the Bible (see Gen 32:30; Exo 33:11; Deu 5:4; Deu 34:10; Jdg 6:22; Pro 27:19; Eze 20:35; Act 25:16; 1Co 13:12; 2Jo 1:12; 3Jo 1:14). So the phrase, ‘mouth to mouth,’ occurs in a similar sense Num 12:8. And there can be but little doubt, it seems to me, that this is the sense here, and that the prophet means to say, that the great and marvelous doings of Yahweh would be seen openly and manifestly, and that the watchmen would thence have occasion to rejoice. Another reason for this opinion, besides the fact that it accords with the common usage, is, that the phrase, ‘to see eye to eye,’ in the sense of being united and harmonious, is not very intelligible. It is not easy to form an image or conception of the watchman in this attitude as denoting harmony. To look into the eyes of each other does not of necessity denote harmony, for people oftentimes do this for other purposes. The idea therefore is, that when Yahweh should bring back and bless his people, the watchmen would have a full and glorious exhibition of his mercy and goodness, and the result would be, that they would greatly rejoice, and unitedly celebrate his name. According to this interpretation, it does not mean that the ministers of religion would have the same precise views, or embrace the same doctrines, however true this may be, or however desirable in itself, but that they would have an open, clear, and bright manifestation of the presence of God, and would lift up their voices together with exultation and praise.
When the Lord shall bring again Zion - Zion here denotes the people who dwelt in Jerusalem; and the idea is, when the Lord shall again restore them to their own land. It is not a departure from the sense of the passage, however, to apply it in a more general manner, and to use it as demonstrating that any signal interposition of God in favor of his people should be the occasion of joy, and shall lead the ministers of religion to exult in God, and to praise his name.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain Watchmen, prophets. The angels sung at the birth of…
Watchmen, prophets. The angels sung at the birth of Christ, Luke ii. 14.
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain watchmen--set on towers separated by intervals to give the…
watchmen--set on towers separated by intervals to give the earliest notice of the approach of any messenger with tidings (compare Isa 21:6-8). The Hebrew is more forcible than English Version, "The voice of thy watchmen" (exclamatory as in Sol 2:8). "They lift up their voice! together they sing."
eye to eye--that is, close at hand, and so clearly [GESENIUS]; Num 14:14, "face to face"; Num 12:8, "mouth to mouth." Compare Co1 13:12; Rev 22:4, of which Simeon's sight of the Saviour was a prefiguration (Luk 2:30). The watchmen, spiritually, are ministers and others who pray for the peace of Jerusalem (Isa 62:6-7),
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bring again--that is, restore. Or else, "return to" [MAURER].
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain 8. Thy watchmen… lift… voice — Watchtowers along the…
8. Thy watchmen… lift… voice — Watchtowers along the line are here supposed, on which runs, from one to the other, the shouts of the coming caravans.
They shall see eye to eye — This means, that so near to each other are the watchmen that they all in succession see face to face, not only of one another, but also of the exile columns as they advance and pass on their way. Other explanations are given of this phrase, but the scene is one of poetic movement, and no other explanation seems so well to fit it.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 8. Thy watchmen … sing] Render, Hark, thy watchmen!…
8. Thy watchmen … sing] Render, Hark, thy watchmen! they lift up the voice, together do they sing (see R.V.). Although the prophets are often called “watchmen” (ch. Isa_56:10; Hab_2:1; Jer_6:17; Eze_33:2 ff.) there is no reason to suppose that they are referred to here. Prophets are no longer required after the herald of salvation has arrived and Jehovah Himself is at hand. The word is used in its ordinary sense of the watchmen posted on the city walls, who are naturally represented as the first to see and announce the actual approach of the King.
for they shall see &c.] Rather, for eye to eye do they look upon Jehovah’s return to Zion. The expression eye to eye occurs only once again, in Num_14:14, where Jehovah is said to be “seen eye to eye” in Israel; i.e. He is visibly present there (cf. Jer_32:4, “his eyes shall look on the eyes of Nebuchadnezzar”). The idea here must be similar; Jehovah shall be seen in person when He comes to Zion, as closely and clearly as when two men look one another in the face. The phrase certainly has not in Hebr. the sense of harmony and unity which it has come to bear in English. But it can hardly mean merely that the watchmen shall form a dense throng, looking each other in the face! That is a thought quite irrelevant in the context.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain (8) Thy watchmen . . .—The sentinels see the…
(8) Thy watchmen . . .—The sentinels see the heralds from their watch-towers (Isa_21:6; Hab_2:1), and sing out for joy, as they see, not only afar off, but “eye to eye,” the presence of the God who has become the King.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice; literally, The…
Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice; literally, The voice of thy watchers. They have lifted up the voice; they sing (or, shout joyfully, Kay) together. The "watchmen" are regarded by some as the prophets of the Captivity-time (Delitzsch), by others as the faithful who "waited for the redemption of Israel" (Kay); but are considered by the best critics (Cheyne, Alexander) to be "supersensible beings," or, in other words, angels, who "watch" over the fortunes of Israel, and sympathize with their weal and woe. (see Dan_4:13, Dan_4:17, Dan_4:23, etc.) These "watchers" now "sing" or "shout" with joy. They shall see eye to eye. (compare the "face to face" of Num_14:14 Deu_34:10) The "watchers" would watch closely God"s dealings with his Church, and would see them as clearly as a man sees his friend when he leeks into his face. When the Lord shall bring again Zion. It is, perhaps, best to translate, with Houbigant and Mr. Cheyne, "When the Lord shall return to Zion." The prophet sees God as the Leader of his people, not merely by his providence bringing them back, but "returning" at their head (comp. ver. 12).
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Biblical Illustrator 1887 · Public Domain Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice
Isa_52:8-12
Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice
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The return from exile
From the glowing periods of this paragraph we can reconstruct the picture of the return from exile, as it presented itself to the seer.
It was notably the return of the Lord to Zion (Isa_52:8, R.V.). The stately procession moves slowly and fearlessly. It is not the escape of a band of fugitive slaves, dreading pursuit and recapture: Ye shall not go out in haste, neither shall ye go by flight. Before it speed the messengers, appearing on the sky-line of the mountains of Zion, with good tidings of good, publishing peace, and publishing salvation. The main body is composed of white-robed priests, bearing with reverent care the holy vessels, which Nebuchadnezzar carried from the temple, which Belshazzar introduced with mockery into his feast, but which Cyrus restored. Their number and weight are carefully specified, 5, 400 in all (Ezr_1:7-11). As the procession emerges from its four months of wilderness march on the mountains which were about Jerusalem, her watchmen, who had long waited for the happy moment, lift up their voice; with the voice together do they sing. They see eye to eye. And the waste places of Jerusalem, with their charred wood and scorched stones, break forth into joy and sing together. The valleys and hills become vocal, constituting an orchestra of praise; and the nations of the world are depicted as coming to behold, and acknowledge that the Lord had made bare His holy arm. But they do not see--what is hidden from all but anointed eyes--that the Lord goes before His people, and comes behind as their rearward; so that their difficulties are surmounted by Him before they reach them, and no foe can attack them from behind. The literal fulfilment of this splendid prevision is described in the Book of Ezra. There we find the story of the return of a little band of Jews, 1,700 only in number. They halted at the River Ahava, the last station before they entered the desert, for three days, to put themselves with fasting and prayer into Gods hand. They had no experience of desert marching. Their caravan was rendered unwieldy by the number of women and children in it. They had to thread a district infested by wild bands of robbers. But they scorned to ask for an escort of soldiers and horsemen to protect them, so sure were they that their God went before them to open up the way, and came behind to defend against attack. In the midst of the march were priests and Levites, with their sacred charge of which Ezra had said, Watch and keep them, until ye weigh them in the chambers of the house of the Lord. (F. B. Meyer, B.A.)
Expectation and accomplishment
In several respects there seems a falling short between the radiant expectations of the prophet, and the actual accomplishment in the story of Ezra: but we must remember that it is the business of the historian to record the facts, rather than the emotions that coloured them, as the warm colours of the sun colour the hard, grey rocks. And is it not always so, that through our want of faith and obedience we come short of the fulness of blessing which our God has prepared for us? (F. B.Meyer, B. A. )
Eye to eye
Eye to eye do they behold the Lord s return to Zion. Eye to eye is face to face with the event. (A. B. Davidson, D. D.)
Eye to eye
The expression plainly intimates the clear and satisfying manifestations of the presence and glory of Jehovah to be enjoyed by His servants at the period wherein the foundations of the Messiahs kingdom were to be laid. (R. Macculloch.)
The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 52:8 The watchmen were those looking for the news…
52:8 The watchmen were those looking for the news of Zion’s redemption. • the Lord returning to Jerusalem: The sin of the city’s inhabitants had driven God away.
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.