¶ O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; lift [it] up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God!
O Zion {H6726}, that bringest good tidings {H1319}, get thee up {H5927} into the high {H1364} mountain {H2022}; O Jerusalem {H3389}, that bringest good tidings {H1319}, lift up {H7311} thy voice {H6963} with strength {H3581}; lift it up {H7311}, be not afraid {H3372}; say {H559} unto the cities {H5892} of Judah {H3063}, Behold your God {H430}!
You who bring good news to Tziyon, get yourself up on a high mountain; you who bring good news to Yerushalayim, cry out at the top of your voice! Don't be afraid to shout out loud! Say to the cities of Y'hudah, "Here is your God!
Go up on a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good news. Raise your voice loudly, O Jerusalem, herald of good news. Lift it up, do not be afraid! Say to the cities of Judah, “Here is your God!”
O thou that tellest good tidings to Zion, get thee up on a high mountain; O thou that tellest good tidings to Jerusalem, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold, your God!
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Isaiah 52:7
¶ How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth! -
Isaiah 52:8
Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice; with the voice together shall they sing: for they shall see eye to eye, when the LORD shall bring again Zion. -
Isaiah 12:2
Behold, God [is] my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH [is] my strength and [my] song; he also is become my salvation. -
Isaiah 25:9
¶ And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this [is] our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this [is] the LORD; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation. -
Ephesians 6:19
¶ And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, -
Isaiah 61:1
¶ The Spirit of the Lord GOD [is] upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to [them that are] bound; -
Luke 24:47
And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
Isaiah 40:9 is a powerful call to proclamation, marking a pivotal shift in the book of Isaiah from messages of judgment to those of comfort and hope. It personifies Zion and Jerusalem as heralds tasked with delivering glorious news to the surrounding cities of Judah.
Context
This verse opens the second major section of Isaiah (chapters 40-55), often called "The Book of Comfort" or "The Book of Consolation." Following prophecies of judgment and the impending Babylonian exile in earlier chapters, Isaiah 40 begins with a promise of God's restoration and comfort for His people. The voice crying in the wilderness (Isaiah 40:3) prepares the way for the Lord's coming, and verse 9 instructs Zion (representing Jerusalem and God's people) to boldly announce this great news. It speaks to a future return from exile, but also looks forward to a greater spiritual deliverance.
Key Themes
Linguistic Insights
The Hebrew word for "good tidings" is besorah (בְּשׂוֹרָה), which carries the meaning of bringing good news, glad tidings, or even a reward for good news. In the New Testament, the Greek equivalent euangelion (εὐαγγέλιον) is translated as "gospel," highlighting the profound redemptive nature of the good news proclaimed in Christ. The command to "lift up thy voice with strength" uses the Hebrew verb rum (רוּם), meaning to be high or exalted, emphasizing the need for a loud, clear, and unhindered proclamation from a prominent position ("high mountain").
Related Scriptures
The call to proclaim "good tidings" resonates throughout Scripture, particularly in the New Testament where it points to the gospel of Jesus Christ. The instruction to "be not afraid" is a recurring theme of comfort and assurance from God, echoed often in Isaiah, such as in Isaiah 41:10. The declaration "Behold your God!" sets the stage for the description of God's majestic coming in the very next verse, Isaiah 40:10.
Practical Application
This verse remains a powerful call to action for believers today. Just as ancient Zion was to proclaim God's presence and deliverance, so too are Christians called to be heralds of the good news of Jesus Christ. We are to announce His sovereignty, His redemptive work, and His ultimate return, doing so boldly and without fear, trusting in His accompanying presence. Our message is not simply about what God will do, but about who He is: "Behold your God!" This encourages us to live in light of His active presence and share that hope with a world in need of comfort and truth.