Isaiah 52:8
in Isaiah 52Listen! Your watchmen lift up their voices, together they shout for joy. For every eye will see when the LORD returns to Zion.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
The voice of thy watchmen! they lift up the voice, together do they sing; for they shall see eye to eye, when Jehovah returneth to Zion.
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.
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This verse in Isaiah 52
Commentary
10 notes on this verse(Verses 7, 8.) How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of the messenger of good news, who announces peace, who brings good news, who announces salvation, who says to Zion, 'Your God reigns.' 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. LXX: As the hour over the mountains, so the feet of the messenger who hears the message of peace, who hears the message of good news, for I will make my salvation heard, saying, 'Zion, your God reigns.'
This site's exposition
How beautiful on the mountains
on Isaiah 52:7-8
The feet of the herald are beautiful for the message they carry, the word to Zion that her God reigns. Paul quotes the verse at Romans 10:15 of preachers sent with the gospel. In verse 8 the watchmen shout, “For every eye will see when the LORD returns to Zion”.
This site's exposition
Your watchmen lift up their voices
The Hebrew opens with the words the voice of your watchmen, and Clarke finds no interpreter who has cleared the construction. The Berean text reads it as a cry, Listen. Wesley takes every eye that will see the LORD return to Zion as the eyewitnesses of Christ.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church1 voice
Second, he describes their joy as to the inspection of their watchmen who saw them returning from there, setting out the voice of exultation, the voice, of joy will resound: with one accord lifted up their voice to God (Acts 4:24); and the reason for …
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
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.
Whereas God had been a God hiding himself, and they could scarcely discern any thing of his favour through the dark cloud of their afflictions, now that the cloud is scattered they shall plainly see it. They shall see Zion's king eye to eye; so it was fulfilled when the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, and there were those that saw his glory ( John i.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
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:
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
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.
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
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 So 2:8). "They lift up their voice! together they sing." eye to eye--that is, close at hand, and so clearly [GESENIUS];
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
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. […]
The words behind it
13 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ק֥וֹל | kol | [the] voice of | H6963 → | 506 times |
| צֹפַ֛יִךְ | tzofayikh | watchmen your | H6822 → | 36 times |
| נָ֥שְׂאוּ | naseu | they will lift up | H5375 → | 656 times |
| ק֖וֹל | kol | a voice | H6963 → | 506 times |
| יַחְדָּ֣ו | yachdav | together | H3162 → | 141 times |
| יְרַנֵּ֑נוּ | yeranenu | they will shout for joy | H7442 → | 54 times |
| כִּ֣י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| עַ֤יִן | ʾayin | eye | H5869 → | 887 times |
| בְּעַ֙יִן֙ | beayin | in eye | H5869 → | 887 times |
| יִרְא֔וּ | yiru | they will see | H7200 → | 1300 times |
| בְּשׁ֥וּב | beshuv | when returns | H7725 → | 1056 times |
| יְהוָ֖ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| צִיּֽוֹן׃ | tziyon | Zion | H6726 → | 154 times |
ק֥וֹל[the] voice of
kolH6963 →506 times
צֹפַ֛יִךְwatchmen your
tzofayikhH6822 →36 times
נָ֥שְׂאוּthey will lift up
naseuH5375 →656 times
ק֖וֹלa voice
kolH6963 →506 times
יַחְדָּ֣וtogether
yachdavH3162 →141 times
יְרַנֵּ֑נוּthey will shout for joy
yeranenuH7442 →54 times
כִּ֣יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
עַ֤יִןeye
ʾayinH5869 →887 times
בְּעַ֙יִן֙in eye
beayinH5869 →887 times
יִרְא֔וּthey will see
yiruH7200 →1300 times
בְּשׁ֥וּבwhen returns
beshuvH7725 →1056 times
יְהוָ֖הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
צִיּֽוֹן׃Zion
tziyonH6726 →154 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
1 Corinthians 13:12Now we see but a dim reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
it leads to
- 1 John 3:2
Beloved, we are now children of God, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that when Christ appears, we will be like Him, for we will see Him as…
- 2 Corinthians 3:18
And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into His image with intensifying glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
- 1 Corinthians 13:9–10
For we know in part and we prophesy in part,
- Philippians 3:12
Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.
- Revelation 22:4
They will see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads.
- 1 John 3:2
Through
Jeremiah 32:39I will give them one heart and one way, so that they will always fear Me for their own good and for the good of their children after them.
it leads to
- Ezekiel 11:19–20
And I will give them singleness of heart and put a new spirit within them; I will remove their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh,
- Ezekiel 11:19–20
Through
Isaiah 62:6On your walls, O Jerusalem, I have posted watchmen; they will never be silent day or night. You who call on the LORD shall take no rest for yourselves,
it leads to
- Ezekiel 3:17–21
“Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel. Whenever you hear a word from My mouth, give them a warning from Me.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Ezekiel 3:17–21
Through
Isaiah 30:26The light of the moon will be as bright as the sun, and the light of the sun will be seven times brighter—like the light of seven days—on the day that the LORD binds…
it leads to
- Isaiah 60:19–20
No longer will the sun be your light by day, nor the brightness of the moon shine on your night; for the LORD will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your…
- Isaiah 60:19–20
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies6
About Isaiah
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the Book of Isaiah; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Commentary on Isaiah; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Isaiah.