Isaiah / Chapter 51

Isaiah 51

23 verses • Westminster Leningrad Codex 1 tradition available

Translator's Introduction

What This Chapter Is About

Three calls to listen (vv.1, 4, 7) structure the first half of this chapter, summoning those who pursue righteousness to remember Abraham and Sarah, to receive God's Torah-light to the nations, and to fear God rather than mortals. The chapter's second half turns to the arm of the LORD — summoned to awake as in the days of old when it split Rahab and dried the sea. God then identifies Himself as the sole comforter of Israel and announces the transfer of the cup of wrath from Jerusalem to her oppressors.

What Makes This Chapter Remarkable

The appeal to look to the rock from which you were hewn (v.1) and to Abraham and Sarah (v.2) is unique in the prophets — grounding future hope in ancestral memory. The Rahab/dragon mythology in verses 9-10 is striking: Isaiah appropriates ancient Near Eastern combat myth (God defeating the sea monster) and historicizes it as the Exodus, then projects it forward as future redemption.

Translation Friction

The identity of the speaker shifts frequently: God speaks (vv.1-8), the prophet calls upon God's arm (vv.9-11), God responds in first person (vv.12-16), and then addresses Jerusalem directly (vv.17-23). We have preserved these shifts rather than harmonizing them. The mythological language of Rahab and tannin (dragon/sea monster) in verse 9 reflects genuine ancient Israelite engagement with broader Near Eastern cosmology.

Connections

The arm of the LORD (vv.5, 9) becomes the central image of 52:10 and 53:1. The cup of wrath (vv.17, 22) connects to Jeremiah 25:15-29 and Revelation 14:10. The Eden/garden imagery (v.3) echoes Genesis 2 and anticipates Isaiah 55:12-13. The ransomed returning to Zion (v.11) is virtually identical to 35:10. **Tradition comparisons:** The Dead Sea Scrolls (1QIsaiah-a) preserve this chapter with notable variants: Verse 4: the scroll has an important variant reading 'peoples' (plural) versus 'my people' (singular). Verse 6: a minor variant in the verb form. Verse 9: 'Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the LORD' — identical in both. Verse 16: a possible variant in the verb 'to plant.'. See the [DSS Isaiah comparison](/dss-isaiah/51).

Isaiah 51:1

שִׁמְע֥וּ אֵלַ֛י רֹ֥דְפֵי צֶ֖דֶק מְבַקְשֵׁ֣י יְהוָ֑ה הַבִּ֙יטוּ֙ אֶל־צ֣וּר חֻצַּבְתֶּ֔ם וְאֶל־מַקֶּ֥בֶת בּ֖וֹר נֻקַּרְתֶּֽם׃

Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness, you who seek the LORD: look to the rock from which you were hewn, and to the quarry from which you were dug.

KJV Hearken to me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek the LORD: look unto the rock whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The opening summons addresses the faithful remnant. The rock (tsur) from which they were hewn is identified in the next verse as Abraham — Israel's ancestral bedrock. The quarry metaphor emphasizes that God shapes His people from raw material, as a mason carves stone.

Dead Sea Scrolls (1QIsaᵃ, 125 BCE)minor

"righteousness"

Identical consonantal text. 'You who pursue righteousness, you who seek the LORD.'

Isaiah 51:2

הַבִּ֙יטוּ֙ אֶל־אַבְרָהָ֣ם אֲבִיכֶ֔ם וְאֶל־שָׂרָ֖ה תְּחוֹלֶלְכֶ֑ם כִּי־אֶחָ֣ד קְרָאתִ֔יו וַאֲבָרְכֵ֖הוּ וְאַרְבֵּֽהוּ׃

Look to Abraham your father and to Sarah who bore you; for he was but one when I called him, but I blessed him and made him many.

KJV Look unto Abraham your father, and unto Sarah that bare you: for I called him alone, and blessed him, and increased him.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. Both Abraham and Sarah are named — a rare dual invocation of the patriarchal and matriarchal ancestors. The word echad (one/alone) stresses the miracle: from a single, childless man God produced a nation. The implicit argument: if God could multiply one into many then, He can restore the remnant now.
Isaiah 51:3

כִּֽי־נִחַ֨ם יְהוָ֜ה צִיּ֗וֹן נִחַם֙ כָּל־חָרְבֹתֶ֔יהָ וַיָּ֤שֶׂם מִדְבָּרָהּ֙ כְּעֵ֔דֶן וְעַרְבָתָ֖הּ כְּגַן־יְהוָ֑ה שָׂשׂ֤וֹן וְשִׂמְחָה֙ יִמָּ֣צֵא בָ֔הּ תּוֹדָ֖ה וְק֥וֹל זִמְרָֽה׃

For the LORD comforts Zion; He comforts all her waste places and makes her wilderness like Eden, her desert like the garden of the LORD. Joy and gladness shall be found in her, thanksgiving and the sound of song.

KJV For the LORD shall comfort Zion: he will comfort all her waste places; and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the LORD; joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The double use of nicham (comfort) echoes the opening command of Isaiah 40:1. Zion's ruins are transformed into Eden itself — not merely repaired but returned to primordial perfection. The four words of celebration (joy, gladness, thanksgiving, song) overflow the poetic line.
Isaiah 51:4

הַקְשִׁ֤יבוּ אֵלַי֙ עַמִּ֔י וּלְאוּמִּ֖י אֵלַ֣י הַאֲזִ֑ינוּ כִּ֤י תוֹרָה֙ מֵאִתִּ֣י תֵצֵ֔א וּמִשְׁפָּטִ֕י לְא֥וֹר עַמִּ֖ים אַרְגִּֽיעַ׃

Give heed to me, my people, and listen to me, my nation; for a law will go out from me, and I will set my justice as a light to the peoples.

KJV Hearken unto me, my people; and give ear unto me, O my nation: for a law shall proceed from me, and I will make my judgment to rest for a light of the people.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The second listen summons. Torah here means not merely the Mosaic law but God's instruction/teaching that will illumine the nations — anticipating the universal scope of 52:15.

Dead Sea Scrolls (1QIsaᵃ, 125 BCE)moderate

"peoples"

The MT reads ammi ('my people,' singular with possessive suffix). 1QIsaiah-a reads ammim ('peoples,' plural without suffix). This changes 'Give attention to me, my people' to 'Give attention to me, O peoples' — making the address universal rather than directed solely at Israel.

Isaiah 51:5

קָר֤וֹב צִדְקִי֙ יָצָ֣א יִשְׁעִ֔י וּזְרֹעַ֖י עַמִּ֣ים יִשְׁפֹּ֑טוּ אֵלַי֙ אִיִּ֣ים יְקַוּ֔וּ וְאֶל־זְרֹעִ֖י יְיַחֵלֽוּן׃

My righteousness draws near; my salvation has gone out, and my arms will judge the peoples. The coastlands wait for me, and for my arm they hope.

KJV My righteousness is near; my salvation is gone forth, and mine arms shall judge the people; the isles shall wait upon me, and on mine arm shall they trust.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The arm (zeroa) of the LORD becomes a major theme through chapter 53. The coastlands (iyyim) waiting for God's arm connects to the Servant as a light to the nations (49:6). God's saving power and justice are presented as two aspects of the same action.
Isaiah 51:6

שְׂאוּ֩ לַשָּׁמַ֨יִם עֵינֵיכֶ֜ם וְהַבִּ֧יטוּ אֶל־הָאָ֣רֶץ מִתָּ֗חַת כִּֽי־שָׁמַ֜יִם כֶּעָשָׁ֤ן נִמְלָ֙חוּ֙ וְהָאָ֙רֶץ֙ כַּבֶּ֣גֶד תִּבְלֶ֔ה וְיֹשְׁבֶ֖יהָ כְּמוֹ־כֵ֣ן יְמוּת֑וּן וִישׁוּעָתִ֗י לְעוֹלָ֤ם תִּֽהְיֶה֙ וְצִדְקָתִ֖י לֹ֥א תֵחָֽת׃

Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look at the earth beneath; for the heavens will vanish like smoke, the earth will wear out like a garment, and those who dwell on it will die in like manner. But my salvation will be forever, and my righteousness will never be broken.

KJV Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look upon the earth beneath: for the heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a garment, and they that dwell therein shall die in like manner: but my salvation shall be for ever, and my righteousness shall not be abolished.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The created order itself is transient — heavens and earth will pass away — but God's salvation endures. This radical statement about cosmic impermanence is cited in Hebrews 1:10-12 and echoed by Jesus in Mark 13:31.

Dead Sea Scrolls (1QIsaᵃ, 125 BCE)minor

"will wear out"

Identical consonantal text. 'The heavens will vanish like smoke, the earth will wear out like a garment' — this striking cosmological image is the same in both.

Isaiah 51:7

שִׁמְע֤וּ אֵלַי֙ יֹ֣דְעֵי צֶ֔דֶק עַ֖ם תּוֹרָתִ֣י בְלִבָּ֑ם אַל־תִּֽירְאוּ֙ חֶרְפַּ֣ת אֱנ֔וֹשׁ וּמִגִּדֻּפֹתָ֖ם אַל־תֵּחָֽתּוּ׃

Listen to me, you who know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law: do not fear the reproach of mortals, and do not be dismayed at their revilings.

KJV Hearken unto me, ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law; fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be ye afraid of their revilings.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The third listen summons. My law in their heart anticipates Jeremiah's new covenant promise (Jeremiah 31:33). The command not to fear human reproach echoes the Servant's own resolve in 50:7-8.
Isaiah 51:8

כִּ֤י כַבֶּ֙גֶד֙ יֹאכְלֵ֣ם עָ֔שׁ וְכַצֶּ֖מֶר יֹאכְלֵ֣ם סָ֑ס וְצִדְקָתִי֙ לְעוֹלָ֣ם תִּהְיֶ֔ה וִישׁוּעָתִ֖י לְד֥וֹר דּוֹרִֽים׃

For the moth will eat them like a garment, and the worm will eat them like wool; but my righteousness will be forever, and my salvation to all generations.

KJV For the moth shall eat them up like a garment, and the worm shall eat them like wool: but my righteousness shall be for ever, and my salvation from generation to generation.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. Echoing 50:9, the moth-eaten garment imagery contrasts human hostility (which disintegrates) with divine righteousness (which endures). The phrase ledor dorim (to generation of generations) means without end.
Isaiah 51:9

עוּרִ֣י עוּרִ֔י לִבְשִׁי־עֹ֖ז זְר֣וֹעַ יְהוָ֑ה עוּרִי֙ כִּ֣ימֵי קֶ֔דֶם דֹּר֖וֹת עוֹלָמִ֑ים הֲל֤וֹא אַתְּ־הִיא֙ הַמַּחְצֶ֣בֶת רַ֔הַב מְחוֹלֶ֖לֶת תַּנִּֽין׃

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?

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?

Notes & Key Terms 1 term

Key Terms

רַהַב rahab
"Rahab" — Rahab (mythological sea monster), pride, arrogance, storm

Rahab is the primordial sea monster of chaos, not the woman of Jericho. The name represents cosmic opposition to God's order. Here the prophet calls on God's arm to act as it did when it 'cut Rahab to pieces' — a reference to both creation mythology and the Exodus (the sea as chaos defeated).

Translator Notes

  1. The prophet calls upon God's arm to awaken as it did at the Exodus. Rahab and tannin (dragon/sea monster) are figures from ancient Near Eastern mythology that Isaiah historicizes — the mythic battle against chaos is identified with the concrete act of the Red Sea crossing (v.10). This is not polytheism but poetic appropriation.

Dead Sea Scrolls (1QIsaᵃ, 125 BCE)minor

"Awake, awake"

Identical reading. The dramatic doubled imperative 'Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the LORD!' — calling on God's power to act as in the days of old — is the same in both traditions.

Isaiah 51:10

הֲל֤וֹא אַתְּ־הִיא֙ הַמַּחֲרֶ֣בֶת יָ֔ם מֵ֖י תְּה֣וֹם רַבָּ֑ה הַשָּׂ֙מָה֙ מַעֲמַקֵּי־יָ֔ם דֶּ֖רֶךְ לַעֲבֹ֥ר גְּאוּלִֽים׃

Was it not you who dried up the sea, the waters of the great deep, who made the depths of the sea a road for the redeemed to pass over?

KJV Art thou not it which hath dried the sea, the waters of the great deep; that hath made the depths of the sea a way for the ransomed to pass over?

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The mythological Rahab of verse 9 is now clearly identified with the historical event: the drying of the sea (yam) at the Exodus. The word ge'ulim (redeemed/ransomed) uses the go'el root — God as kinsman-redeemer, buying His people back from bondage.
Isaiah 51:11

וּפְדוּיֵ֨י יְהוָ֜ה יְשׁוּב֗וּן וּבָ֤אוּ צִיּוֹן֙ בְּרִנָּ֔ה וְשִׂמְחַ֥ת עוֹלָ֖ם עַל־רֹאשָׁ֑ם שָׂשׂ֤וֹן וְשִׂמְחָה֙ יַשִּׂ֔יגוּ נָ֖סוּ יָג֥וֹן וַאֲנָחָֽה׃

And 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.

KJV Therefore the redeemed of the LORD shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their head: they shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. This verse is nearly identical to Isaiah 35:10, forming a deliberate echo across the book. The ransomed of the LORD (peduyei YHWH) are those redeemed from exile, their return to Zion depicted as a joyous procession with joy literally crowning their heads.
Isaiah 51:12

אָנֹכִ֧י אָנֹכִ֛י ה֖וּא מְנַחֶמְכֶ֑ם מִי־אַ֤תְּ וַתִּֽירְאִי֙ מֵאֱנ֣וֹשׁ יָמ֔וּת וּמִבֶּן־אָדָ֖ם חָצִ֥יר יִנָּתֵֽן׃

I, I am He who comforts you; who are you that you are afraid of man who dies, of the son of man who is made like grass?

KJV I, even I, am he that comforteth you: who art thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die, and of the son of man which shall be made as grass;

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The double anokhi (I, I) is intensely emphatic — God Himself enters the conversation to rebuke Zion's fear of mortals. The contrast between the eternal God and mortal man (enosh — a word emphasizing human frailty) and grass (chatsir, cf. Isaiah 40:6-8) could not be sharper.
Isaiah 51:13

וַתִּשְׁכַּ֞ח יְהוָ֣ה עֹשֶׂ֗ךָ נוֹטֶ֣ה שָׁמַ֙יִם֙ וְיֹ֣סֵד אָ֔רֶץ וַתְּפַחֵ֨ד תָּמִ֜יד כָּל־הַיּ֗וֹם מִפְּנֵי֙ חֲמַ֣ת הַמֵּצִ֔יק כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר כּוֹנֵ֖ן לְהַשְׁחִ֑ית וְאַיֵּ֖ה חֲמַ֥ת הַמֵּצִֽיק׃

You have forgotten the LORD, your Maker, who stretched out the heavens and laid the foundations of the earth, and you fear continually all the day because of the wrath of the oppressor, when he sets himself to destroy. But where is the wrath of the oppressor?

KJV And forgettest the LORD thy maker, that hath stretched forth the heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth; and hast feared continually every day because of the fury of the oppressor, as if he were ready to destroy? and where is the fury of the oppressor?

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The rhetorical question Where is the wrath of the oppressor? implies it has vanished — the one who seemed omnipotent has dissolved. God as Creator (stretching heavens, laying earth's foundations) dwarfs any human tyrant.
Isaiah 51:14

מִהַ֥ר צֹעֶ֖ה לְהִפָּתֵ֑חַ וְלֹא־יָמ֣וּת לַשַּׁ֔חַת וְלֹ֥א יֶחְסַ֖ר לַחְמֽוֹ׃

He who is bowed down shall speedily be released; he shall not die in the pit, nor shall his bread be lacking.

KJV The captive exile hasteneth that he may be loosed, and that he should not die in the pit, nor that his bread should fail.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The tso'eh (one bowed down/captive) will be freed quickly. The three negatives (shall not die, shall not lack bread) form a comprehensive promise of liberation and provision.
Isaiah 51:15

וְאָנֹכִ֛י יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ רֹגַ֣ע הַיָּ֑ם וַיֶּהֱמ֣וּ גַלָּ֔יו יְהוָ֥ה צְבָא֖וֹת שְׁמֽוֹ׃

For I am the LORD your God, who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar — the LORD of hosts is His name.

KJV But I am the LORD thy God, that divided the sea, whose waves roared: The LORD of hosts is his name.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. God reasserts His identity as the one who commands the sea — the same power invoked in verse 10. The LORD of hosts (YHWH tseva'ot) is a military title: commander of all heavenly and earthly armies.
Isaiah 51:16

וָאָשִׂ֤ם דְּבָרַי֙ בְּפִ֔יךָ וּבְצֵ֥ל יָדִ֖י כִּסִּיתִ֑יךָ לִנְטֹ֤עַ שָׁמַ֙יִם֙ וְלִיסֹ֣ד אָ֔רֶץ וְלֵאמֹ֥ר לְצִיּ֖וֹן עַמִּי־אָֽתָּה׃

I have put my words in your mouth and covered you in the shadow of my hand, planting the heavens and laying the foundations of the earth, and saying to Zion, You are my people.

KJV And I have put my words in thy mouth, and I have covered thee in the shadow of mine hand, that I may plant the heavens, and lay the foundations of the earth, and say unto Zion, Thou art my people.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The language of planting heavens and founding earth suggests that God's address to Zion is itself a creative act — the restoration of Israel is presented as a new creation, parallel to Genesis 1. The phrase You are my people (ammi-attah) echoes the covenant formula of Hosea 2:23.

Dead Sea Scrolls (1QIsaᵃ, 125 BCE)moderate

"to plant"

1QIsaiah-a uses plene spelling with vav. The verse 'to plant the heavens and lay the foundations of the earth' is theologically rich — God's creative power is invoked as the basis for hope. Both texts agree on the reading.

Isaiah 51:17

הִתְעוֹרְרִ֣י הִתְעוֹרְרִ֗י ק֚וּמִי יְר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר שָׁתִ֛ית מִיַּ֥ד יְהוָ֖ה אֶת־כּ֣וֹס חֲמָת֑וֹ אֶת־קֻבַּ֛עַת כּ֥וֹס הַתַּרְעֵלָ֖ה שָׁתִ֥ית מָצִֽית׃

Rouse yourself, rouse yourself! Stand up, O Jerusalem, you who have drunk from the hand of the LORD the cup of His wrath — the bowl of the cup of staggering you have drunk; you have drained it.

KJV Awake, awake, stand up, O Jerusalem, which hast drunk at the hand of the LORD the cup of his fury; thou hast drunken the dregs of the cup of trembling, and wrung them out.

Notes & Key Terms 1 term

Key Terms

כּוֹס חֲמָתוֹ kos chamato
"the cup of His wrath" — cup of wrath, cup of staggering, goblet of fury

The kos chamat YHWH ('cup of the LORD's wrath') is a prophetic metaphor for divine judgment experienced as forced intoxication — the nations drink and stagger. Jerusalem has drained this cup (v. 17); now it will be transferred to her oppressors (v. 22-23). The image recurs in Jeremiah 25:15-28 and Revelation 14:10.

Translator Notes

  1. The double imperative hit'or'ri (rouse yourself!) echoes the awake, awake addressed to God's arm in verse 9 — now Jerusalem herself must arise. The cup of wrath is a major prophetic motif: Jerusalem has drunk it completely (shathit, matsit — drunk and drained to the dregs).
Isaiah 51:18

אֵין־מְנַהֵ֣ל לָ֔הּ מִכָּל־בָּנִ֖ים יָלָ֑דָה וְאֵ֤ין מַחֲזִיק֙ בְּיָדָ֔הּ מִכָּל־בָּנִ֖ים גִּדֵּֽלָה׃

There is no one to guide her among all the children she has borne; there is no one to take her by the hand among all the children she has raised.

KJV There is none to guide her among all the sons whom she hath brought forth; neither is there any that taketh her by the hand of all the sons that she hath brought up.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. Jerusalem, personified as a staggering, intoxicated mother, has no child to steady her — the desolation is complete. The pathos deepens: she bore and raised children, yet none remains to support her in her hour of need.
Isaiah 51:19

שְׁתַּ֤יִם הֵ֙נָּה֙ קֹרְאֹתַ֔יִךְ מִ֖י יָנ֣וּד לָ֑ךְ הַשֹּׁ֧ד וְהַשֶּׁ֛בֶר וְהָרָעָ֥ב וְהַחֶ֖רֶב מִ֥י אֲנַחֲמֵֽךְ׃

These two things have befallen you — who will grieve for you? — devastation and destruction, famine and sword — who can comfort you?

KJV These two things are come unto thee; who shall be sorry for thee? desolation, and destruction, and the famine, and the sword: by whom shall I comfort thee?

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The two things are elaborated as two pairs: devastation and destruction (external calamity), famine and sword (their human toll). The question who can comfort you? is rhetorical — only God can, as He declared in verse 12.

Dead Sea Scrolls (1QIsaᵃ, 125 BCE)minor

"two things"

Minor orthographic difference.

Isaiah 51:20

בָּנַ֜יִךְ עֻלְּפ֗וּ שָׁכְב֛וּ בְּרֹ֥אשׁ כָּל־חוּצ֖וֹת כְּת֣וֹא מִכְמָ֑ר הַמְלֵאִ֥ים חֲמַת־יְהוָ֖ה גַּעֲרַ֥ת אֱלֹהָֽיִךְ׃

Your children have fainted; they lie at the head of every street like an antelope in a net, full of the wrath of the LORD, the rebuke of your God.

KJV Thy sons have fainted, they lie at the head of all the streets, as a wild bull in a net: they are full of the fury of the LORD, the rebuke of thy God.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The image of Jerusalem's children collapsed at every intersection, trapped like a wild antelope (to) in a hunter's net, is among the most harrowing in Isaiah. They are full of God's wrath as one is full of drink — the cup metaphor continues.
Isaiah 51:21

לָכֵ֛ן שִׁמְעִי־נָ֥א זֹ֖את עֲנִיָּ֑ה וּשְׁכֻרַ֖ת וְלֹ֥א מִיָּֽיִן׃

Therefore hear this, you afflicted one, drunk, but not with wine:

KJV Therefore hear now this, thou afflicted, and drunken, but not with wine:

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. Jerusalem is drunk — but not from wine. She staggers from the cup of divine wrath. This phrase connects to Isaiah 29:9 and anticipates the reversal that follows.
Isaiah 51:22

כֹּה־אָמַ֞ר אֲדֹנַ֣יִךְ יְהוָ֗ה וֵאלֹהַ֙יִךְ֙ יָרִ֣יב עַמּ֔וֹ הִנֵּ֥ה לָקַ֛חְתִּי מִיָּדֵ֖ךְ אֶת־כּ֣וֹס הַתַּרְעֵלָ֑ה אֶת־קֻבַּ֙עַת֙ כּ֣וֹס חֲמָתִ֔י לֹא־תוֹסִ֥יפִי לִשְׁתּוֹתָ֖הּ עֽוֹד׃

This is what your Lord says, the LORD, your God who pleads the cause of His people: Behold, I have taken from your hand the cup of staggering — the bowl of the cup of my wrath. You shall drink of it no more.

KJV Thus saith thy Lord the LORD, and thy God that pleadeth the cause of his people, Behold, I have taken out of thine hand the cup of trembling, even the dregs of the cup of my fury; thou shalt no more drink it again:

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The turning point: God removes the cup of wrath from Jerusalem's hand. The title sequence is dense — adonayikh YHWH, ve'elohayikh (your Lord, the LORD, your God) — piling up divine names to underscore the authority behind the promise.

Dead Sea Scrolls (1QIsaᵃ, 125 BCE)minor

"my wrath"

Identical consonantal text.

Isaiah 51:23

וְשַׂמְתִּ֙יהָ֙ בְּיַד־מוֹגַ֔יִךְ אֲשֶׁר־אָמְר֥וּ לְנַפְשֵׁ֖ךְ שְׁחִ֑י וְנַעֲבֹ֕רָה וַתָּשִׂ֤ימִי כָאָ֙רֶץ֙ גֵּוֵ֔ךְ וְכַח֖וּץ לַעֹבְרִֽים׃

And I will put it into the hand of your tormentors, who said to you, Bow down, that we may walk over you. And you made your back like the ground, like a street for them to walk on.

KJV But I will put it into the hand of them that afflict thee; which have said to thy soul, Bow down, that we may go over: and thou hast laid thy body as the ground, and as the street, to them that went over.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The cup of wrath is transferred to Israel's oppressors. The image of people forced to lie face-down while conquerors walk over their backs is attested in ancient Near Eastern victory reliefs — a practice of literal humiliation now reversed.
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