Commentary for Isaiah 1:27

shall be redeemed through justice Since there will be in it people who practice justice.

Zion – This begins a new section now that the prophet has finished the prophecy which he spoke about Yehudah and Jerusalem from the beginning of the book until now. If you look carefully you will see that the rebuke which he delivered from the beginning of the book until the twenty first verse, which is the prophecy that particularly concerns Yehudah, was about acts between the people and Gd – sacrifices, repentance and prayer. Then most of the rebuke which he gives from the verse “How has she become a harlot…” (Isaiah 1:21) is dealing with matters between people like forgery, fraud and the perversion of justice. This is because sins against Gd were more common among the people of Yehudah who lived outside of Jerusalem, but in the capitol city of Jerusalem sins between people were more common because of the amount of business and trade done there. Now the seer closed his words by saying that each one will find his reparation through the sin he himself committed, and by fixing his crookedness he will return to his place.

Zion shall be redeemed, etc. Zion will, in consequence of her justice, be redeemed out of the hand of Sennacherib.

shall be redeemed from her iniquities.

Zion – The capitol city which sinned through perverting justice. Shall be redeemed through justice – the moment you repent and do justice, you will be saved and redeemed.

And her returning people.⁴⁹A. V., And her converts. The people that will repent. Supply יפדו will be redeemed.

and her penitent those penitent among them. (through righteousness through those who make themselves righteousthrough justice and through righteousness—that are in her midst [or,] among them.)

And her penitent through righteousness – This is referring to the tribe of Yehudah who returned to Zion from the exile, whose sin was in perverting righteousness between man and Gd. They will be redeemed through righteousness – by showing the righteousness of their actions before their Maker and Creator.

"With righteousness." With those within her who justify themselves with justice and righteousness.