1 For Zion's sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth.
2 And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory: and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the Lord shall name.
3 Thou shalt also be a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God.
4 Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken; neither shall thy land any more be termed Desolate: but thou shalt be called Hephzibah, and thy land Beulah: for the Lord delighteth in thee, and thy land shall be married.
5 For as a young man marrieth a virgin, so shall thy sons marry thee: and as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee.
6 I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never hold their peace day nor night: ye that make mention of the Lord, keep not silence,
7 And give him no rest, till he establish, and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth.
8 The Lord hath sworn by his right hand, and by the arm of his strength, Surely I will no more give thy corn to be meat for thine enemies; and the sons of the stranger shall not drink thy wine, for the which thou hast laboured:
9 But they that have gathered it shall eat it, and praise the Lord; and they that have brought it together shall drink it in the courts of my holiness.
10 Go through, go through the gates; prepare ye the way of the people; cast up, cast up the highway; gather out the stones; lift up a standard for the people.
11 Behold, the Lord hath proclaimed unto the end of the world, Say ye to the daughter of Zion, Behold, thy salvation cometh; behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him.
12 And they shall call them, The holy people, The redeemed of the Lord: and thou shalt be called, Sought out, A city not forsaken.
<html><b>For the sake of Zion</b> I will do, and I will not be silent concerning what they did to her. <b>I will not rest</b> There will be no peace before Me until her righteousness comes out like brilliance.</html>
<html><b>shall pronounce</b> Heb. יִקֳּבֶנּוּ, shall pronounce.</html>
<html><b>“inhabited”</b> Heb. בְּעוּלָה, [lit. possessed,] inhabited.</html>
<html><b>As a young man lives with a virgin, etc.</b> As a young man lives with a virgin, so shall your children live in you [after Jonathan].</html>
<html><b>On your walls, O Jerusalem</b> Our Rabbis expounded it according to its apparent meaning as referring to the angels who remind the Lord concerning its destruction, to build it. What do they say? (Ps. 102:14) “You shall rise, You shall have mercy on Zion”; (ibid. 132:13) “For the Lord has chosen Zion.” As is found in the Tractate Menahoth (87a, Rashi ad loc.). Jonathan, [however,] renders “your walls,” the early forefathers, who protect us like a wall. <b>I have appointed watchmen</b> to inscribe a book of remembrances, that their merit be not forgotten from before Me. <b>they shall never be silent</b> not to mention their merit before Me. <b>those who remind the Lord</b> of the merit of the forefathers. <b>be not silent</b> Heb. אַל-דֳּמִי לָכֶם, [lit. let there be no silence to you,] be not silent.</html>
<html><b>shall eat it</b> This refers back to “your grain.” <b>shall drink it</b> This refers back to “your wine.”</html>
<html><b>Pass, pass through the portals</b> Said the prophet, “Pass and return in the portals; turn the heart of the people to the proper path” [after Jonathan]. <b>pave, pave the highway</b> Heb. סֹלּוּ. Pave the road, batec lokemin in O.F., beat down the road. סֹלּוּ is the same root as מְסִלָּה. <b>clear it of stones</b> Clear the highway of stones and cast the stumbling blocks to the sides. <b>clear it of stones</b> Heb. סַקְּלוּ, espedrec in O.F., to rid of stones. <b>of stones</b> of there being there a stone, and he is alluding to the evil inclination. It may also be interpreted as referring to the repairs of the road for the ingathering of the exiles. <b>lift up a banner</b> A staff, perche in French. That is a sign, that they gather to Me and bring Me those exiled beside them [i.e., those exiled in their land].</html>
<html><b>Behold his reward</b> [that is prepared] to give to His servants is prepared with Him. <b>and His wage</b> [Lit. His deed.] The reward for the deed they did with Him, is before Him, prepared to give.</html>