Commentary for Isaiah 52:1

"Awaken,awaken" (this is also said in response to what is written above, "Awaken, awaken, dress yourself with strength, O arm of the Lord" And He responds - you awake, upon you the thing depends, you dress yourself with strength Zion, as was explained above)

All agree that this prophecy has reference to the time yet to come, notwithstanding the passage Depart ye, etc. (ver. 11), which is adduced by R. Moses Hakkohen, though in error, as I shall prove, in answer to this opinion. How could this prophecy be referred to the deliverance and return of the captives in Babylon, when it is said, the uncircumcised and unclean shall no more come unto thee (ver. 1.); for this is as the waters of Noah, etc. (54:1); thus have I sworn (ibid.); such expressions characterise an irrevocable decree.¹Since these prophecies are described as irrevocable decrees, but have not been verified at the return of the Israelites from the Babylonian exile, they are still to be fulfilled, and refer therefore to the days of Messiah.

"put on your strength, O Zion" In the stronghold of Zion, the City of David, there resided the Holy Temple,the priesthood, the Sanhedrin and the kingship which are the inner strength - in reference to this the verse says 'put on your strength, O Zion.' But in Jerusalem, which is the wholeness of the city, resided the outer garments - the clothes of glory which are wealth and a populous people and are physical success. In reference to this it says

לא יוסיף יבוא Shall no more come. As to יבוא and יוסיף following each other without conjunction, comp: אל תרבו תדברו talk no more. The conjunction שֶׁ ²That is אֲשֶׁר; I. E. says שֶׁ, because he is more used to it than to the full form אשר, although in the Bible the syncopated form is very rare. is omitted by poetical license.³The omission of the conjunction between words and sentences is often met with in poetry or in poetical prose (oratory), but is very rare in the usual prose.

"put on the garments of your beauty, Jerusalem the Holy City, for no longer shall there come into you the uncircumcised" into Jerusalem

"and the unclean" into Zion