Discovery BoxIsaiah 52:7-8 
Context52:7 How delightful it is to see approaching over the mountains 1
the feet of a messenger who announces peace,
a messenger who brings good news, who announces deliverance,
who says to Zion, “Your God reigns!” 2
52:8 Listen, 3 your watchmen shout;
in unison they shout for joy,
for they see with their very own eyes 4
the Lord’s return to Zion.
1 tn Heb “How delightful on the mountains.”
2 tn Or “has become king.” When a new king was enthroned, his followers would give this shout. For other examples of this enthronement formula (Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular מָלַךְ [malakh], followed by the name of the king), see 2 Sam 15:10; 1 Kgs 1:11, 13, 18; 2 Kgs 9:13. The Lord is an eternal king, but here he is pictured as a victorious warrior who establishes his rule from Zion.
3 tn קוֹל (qol, “voice”) is used at the beginning of the verse as an interjection.
4 tn Heb “eye in eye”; KJV, ASV “eye to eye”; NAB “directly, before their eyes.”
