Isaiah 12:6
in Isaiah 12Cry out and sing, O citizen of Zion, for great among you is the Holy One of Israel.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Cry aloud and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion; for great in the midst of thee is the Holy One of Israel.
KJV
Cry out and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion: for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee.
⋯
This verse in Isaiah 12
Commentary
9 notes on this verse(Verse 6) Rejoice and praise, O dwelling place of Zion, for the Holy One of Israel is great among you. First, it must be said according to the letter: O dwelling place of Zion, rejoice and praise your God, for He who was once considered your God and was enclosed within the narrow bounds of the land of Judaea, now fills the whole earth with His knowledge. Rising from the dead, He reigns over the nations, and the nations shall beseech Him and worship Him.
This site's exposition
Give praise to the LORD
on Isaiah 12:4-6
The confession turns corporate at verse 4: "Make His works known among the peoples," the deeds of the two chapters before now made public praise. The chapter closes on the title "great among you is the Holy One of Israel," the seraphim's word now sung by the remnant.
This site's exposition
O citizen of Zion
Barnes noted that the verb cry out is used of the neighing of a horse in Jeremiah 5:8 and of loud joy here. The Holy One of Israel, Isaiah's own name for God, is great among the people of Zion. Clarke read the citizen of Zion as the whole Church.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church1 voice
390. Rejoice. Here the exhortation to exultation is set out; and first, that there be joy in their hearts: rejoice; second, that there be songs of joy in their mouths, praise; third, the reason for both is set out, for great is he, below: it …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
2 Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the L ORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation. 3 Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — scripture-overlap:95%@v2-3
Cry out, and shout,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
Thou inhabitant of Zion - Not only the Jewish people, to whom his word of salvation was to be sent first; but also all members of the Church of Christ: as in them, and in his Church, the Holy One of Israel dwells. St. Paul, speaking of the mystery which had been proclaimed among the Gentiles, sums it up in these words:” which is Christ in You, the hope of glory; whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus;” Col 1:27, Col 1:
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
inhabitant of Zion--Hebrew, "inhabitress"; so "daughter of Zion," that is, Zion and its people. in the midst of thee--of Jerusalem literally (Jer 3:17;
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase+unbalanced-parens
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Cry out - (צהלי tsahalı̂y). This word is usually applied to the neighing of a horse Jer 5:8; Jer 8:16. It is also used to express joy, pleasure, exultation, by a clear and loud sound of the voice Isa 10:30; Isa 12:6; Isa 14:14; Isa 54:1; Jer 31:7; Jer 50:11. It is here synonymous with the numerous passages in the Psalms, and elsewhere, where the people of God are called on to exult, to shout, to make a noise as expressive of their joy Psa 47:1; Psa 148:1-14; Psa 149:1-9; Isa 42:11; Isa 44:23; Jer 31:7; Zep 3:14; Zec 9:9. And shout - (ורני vāronı̂y). This word properly means to cry aloud Pro 1:20; Pro 8:3; to cry for help Lam 2:19; to raise a shout of joy, to rejoice, or exult Lev 9:24; Job 38:7; to praise, or celebrate with joy Psa 33:1; Psa 51:15; Psa 59:17; Psa 89:13. Here it denotes the joy in view of God’s mercies, which leads to songs of exalted praise. Thou inhabitant of Zion - Thou that dwellest in Zion; that is, thou who art numbered with the people of God (note, Isa 1:8). The margin here is in accordance with the Hebrew - ‘Inhabitress of Zion;’ and the word used here is applicable to the people, rather than to an individual. For great is the Holy One of Israel - That is, God has shown himself great and worthy of praise, by the wonderful deliverance which he has worked for his people. Thus closes this beautiful hymn. It is worthy of the theme - worth to be sung by all. […]
The words behind it
9 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| צַהֲלִ֥י | tzahali | cry aloud | H6670 → | 9 times |
| וָרֹ֖נִּי | varoni | and cry out | H7442 → | 54 times |
| יוֹשֶׁ֣בֶת | yoshevet | O inhabitant[s] of | H3427 → | 1079 times |
| צִיּ֑וֹן | tziyon | Zion | H6726 → | 154 times |
| כִּֽי־ | ki- | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| גָד֥וֹל | gadol | [is] great | H1419 → | 526 times |
| בְּקִרְבֵּ֖ךְ | bekirbekh | in midst your | H7130 → | 227 times |
| קְד֥וֹשׁ | kedoosh | [the] holy [one] of | H6918 → | 116 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ פ | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
צַהֲלִ֥יcry aloud
tzahaliH6670 →9 times
וָרֹ֖נִּיand cry out
varoniH7442 →54 times
יוֹשֶׁ֣בֶתO inhabitant[s] of
yoshevetH3427 →1079 times
צִיּ֑וֹןZion
tziyonH6726 →154 times
כִּֽי־for
ki-H3588 →4482 times
גָד֥וֹל[is] great
gadolH1419 →526 times
בְּקִרְבֵּ֖ךְin midst your
bekirbekhH7130 →227 times
קְד֥וֹשׁ[the] holy [one] of
kedooshH6918 →116 times
יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ פIsrael
yisraelH3478 →2507 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
Zechariah 2:5For I will be a wall of fire around it, declares the LORD, and I will be the glory within it.’”
it leads to
- Isaiah 4:5
Then the LORD will create over all of Mount Zion and over her assemblies a cloud of smoke by day and a glowing flame of fire by night. For over all the glory there…
- Psalms 3:3
But You, O LORD, are a shield around me, my glory, and the One who lifts my head.
- Zechariah 9:8
But I will camp around My house because of an army, because of those who march to and fro, and never again will an oppressor overrun My people, for now I keep watch with…
- Isaiah 60:18–19
No longer will violence be heard in your land, nor ruin or destruction within your borders. But you will name your walls Salvation and your gates Praise.
- Revelation 21:23
And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, because the glory of God illuminates the city, and the Lamb is its lamp.
- Isaiah 4:5
Through
Psalms 9:11Sing praises to the LORD, who dwells in Zion; proclaim His deeds among the nations.
it leads to
- Psalms 107:22
Let them offer sacrifices of thanksgiving and declare His works with rejoicing.
- Psalms 148:1–5
Hallelujah! Praise the LORD from the heavens; praise Him in the highest places.
- Psalms 96:1–2
Sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth.
- Psalms 107:22
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies2
About Isaiah
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
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); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Isaiah.