Isaiah 52 · Verse 5

Isaiah 52:5

Now therefore, what have I here, saith the Lord, that my people is taken away for nought? they that rule over them make them to howl, saith the Lord; and my name continually every day is blasphemed.
Isaiah 52:5, King James Version

Isaiah 52:5 in other translations

BSBAnd now what have I here? declares the LORD. For My people have been taken without cause; those who rule them taunt, declares the LORD, and My name is blasphemed continually all day long.
WEB“Now therefore, what do I do here,” says the LORD, “seeing that my people are taken away for nothing? Those who rule over them mock,” says the LORD, “and my name is blasphemed continually all day long.
ASVNow therefore, what do I here, saith Jehovah, seeing that my people is taken away for nought? they that rule over them do howl, saith Jehovah, and my name continually all the day is blasphemed.
YLTAnd now, what--to Me here, An affirmation of Jehovah, That taken is My people for nought? Its rulers cause howling, --an affirmation of Jehovah, And continually all the day My name is despised.
DARBYand now, what have I here, saith Jehovah, that my people hath been taken away for nought? They that rule over them make them to howl, saith Jehovah; and continually all the day is my name scorned.
BBENow then, what have I here? says the Lord, for my people are taken away without cause; they are made waste and give cries of sorrow, says the Lord, and all the day the nations put shame on my name.
WebsterNow therefore, what have I here, saith the LORD, that my people is taken away for naught? they that rule over them make them to howl, saith the LORD; and my name continually every day is blasphemed.

What does Isaiah 52:5 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
5. what have I here--that is, what am I called on to do? The fact "that My people is taken away (into captivity; Is 49:24, 25) for naught" (by gratuitous oppression, Is 52:4; also Is 52:3, and see on Is 52:3) demands My interposition. they that rule--or "tyrannize," namely, Babylon, literal and mystical. make ... to howl--or, raise a cry of exultation over them [Maurer]. blasphemed--namely, in Babylon: God's reason for delivering His people, not their goodness, but for the sake of His holy name (Eze 20:9, 14).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 5 They that rule over them "They that are lords over them" - For משלו moshelo, singular, in the text, more than a hundred and twenty MSS. (De Rossi says, codices innumeri, "numberless copies") have משליו moshelaiv plural, according to the Masoretical correction in the margin; which shows that the Masoretes often superstitiously retained apparent mistakes in the text, even when they had sufficient evidence to authorize the introduction of the true reading. Make them to howl "Make their boast of it" - For יהילילו yeheililu, "make them to howl," five MSS., (two ancient), have יהללו yehalelu, "make their boast;" which is confirmed by the Chaldee paraphrast, who renders it משתבחין mishtabbechin. Ulaloo is not only the cry itself, but also the name of the funeral song of the Irish. The Arabs have a cry very much resembling this.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Isaiah 52:1-12

The welcome news of Christ's kingdom. (Is. 52:1-12) The humiliation of the Messiah. (Is. 52:13-15) Verses 1-12 The gospel proclaims liberty to those bound with fears. Let those weary and heavy laden under the burden of sin, find relief in Christ, shake themselves from the dust of their doubts and fears, and loose themselves from those bands. The price paid by the Redeemer for our salvation, was not silver or gold…

Read the full comment on Isaiah 52:1-12 →

Isaiah 52:5 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וְעַתָּ֤הve.'a.Tahand thereforeH6258
מַה\־mi-what?H4100
לִּיli-[belongs] to me
פֹה֙fohhereH6311
נְאֻם\־ne.'um-[the] utterance ofH5002
יְהוָ֔הYah.wehYahwehH3068
כִּֽי\־ki-thatH3588
לֻקַּ֥חlu.Kachit was takenH3947
עַמִּ֖י'a.Mipeople myH5971
חִנָּ֑םchi.Namfor nothingH2600
מֹשְׁלָ֤יוmo.she.lovrulers itsH4910
יְהֵילִ֙ילוּ֙ye.hei.Li.luthey wailH3213
נְאֻם\־ne.'um-[the] utterance ofH5002
יְהוָ֔הYah.wehYahwehH3068
וְתָמִ֥ידve.ta.Midand continuallyH8548
כָּל\־kol-allH3605
הַיּ֖וֹםhai.Yomthe dayH3117
שְׁמִ֥יshe.Miname myH8034
מִנֹּאָֽץ\׃mi.no.'Atz[is] reviledH5006

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Isaiah 52:5

  • Romans 2:24

    For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written.

  • Isaiah 22:16

    What hast thou here? and whom hast thou here, that thou hast hewed thee out a sepulchre here, as he that heweth him out a sepulchre on high, and that graveth an habitation for himself in a rock?

  • Psalms 44:16

    For the voice of him that reproacheth and blasphemeth; by reason of the enemy and avenger.

  • Isaiah 37:6

    And Isaiah said unto them, Thus shall ye say unto your master, Thus saith the Lord, Be not afraid of the words that thou hast heard, wherewith the servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed me.

  • Psalms 44:12

    Thou sellest thy people for nought, and dost not increase thy wealth by their price.

  • Lamentations 5:13-15

    They took the young men to grind, and the children fell under the wood. The elders have ceased from the gate, the young men from their musick. The joy of our heart is ceased; our dance is turned into mourning.

  • Ezekiel 36:20-23

    And when they entered unto the heathen, whither they went, they profaned my holy name, when they said to them, These are the people of the Lord, and are gone forth out of his land. But I had pity for mine holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the heathen, whither they went. Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord God; I do not this for your sakes, O house of Israel, but for mine holy name’s sake, which ye have profaned among the heathen, whither ye went. And I will sanctify my great name, which was profaned among the heathen, which ye have profaned in the midst of them; and the heathen shall know that I am the Lord, saith the Lord God, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes.

  • Psalms 74:22-23

    Arise, O God, plead thine own cause: remember how the foolish man reproacheth thee daily. Forget not the voice of thine enemies: the tumult of those that rise up against thee increaseth continually.

  • Jeremiah 50:17

    Israel is a scattered sheep; the lions have driven him away: first the king of Assyria hath devoured him; and last this Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon hath broken his bones.

  • Ezekiel 20:9

    But I wrought for my name’s sake, that it should not be polluted before the heathen, among whom they were, in whose sight I made myself known unto them, in bringing them forth out of the land of Egypt.

  • Isaiah 37:28

    But I know thy abode, and thy going out, and thy coming in, and thy rage against me.

  • Lamentations 1:21

    They have heard that I sigh: there is none to comfort me: all mine enemies have heard of my trouble; they are glad that thou hast done it: thou wilt bring the day that thou hast called, and they shall be like unto me.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
what.
22:16; Jud 18:3
people.
3; Ps 44:12
make.
47:6; 51:20,23; Ex 1:13-16; 2:23,24; 3:7; Ps 137:1,2; Jer 50:17
La 1:21; 2:3; 5:13-15; Zep 1:10
my name.
37:6,28; Ps 44:16; 74:10,18,22,23; Eze 20:9,14; 36:20-23; Ro 2:24

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Isaiah 52:4

    For thus saith the Lord God, My people went down aforetime into Egypt to sojourn there; and the Assyrian oppressed them without cause.

  • Isaiah 52:5

    Now therefore, what have I here, saith the Lord, that my people is taken away for nought? they that rule over them make them to howl, saith the Lord; and my name continually every day is blasphemed.

  • Isaiah 52:6

    Therefore my people shall know my name: therefore they shall know in that day that I am he that doth speak: behold, it is I.

Read all of Isaiah 52

Isaiah 52:5 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Y ahora ¿qué á mí aquí, dice Jehová, ya que mi pueblo sea llevado sin por qué? Y los que en él se enseñorean, lo hacen aullar, dice Jehová, y continuamente es blasfemado mi nombre todo el día.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
et maintenant, qu’ai-je à faire ici, dit l’ Éternel, que mon peuple ait été enlevé gratuitement? Ceux qui dominent sur lui le font hurler, dit l’ Éternel, et mon nom est continuellement blasphémé tout le jour.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Und nun, was habe ich hier zu schaffen? spricht Jehova. Denn mein Volk ist umsonst hinweggenommen; seine Beherrscher jauchzen, spricht Jehova, und beständig, den ganzen Tag, wird mein Name gelästert.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Et nunc quid mihi est hic, dicit Dominus, quoniam ablatus est populus meus gratis? Dominatores ejus inique agunt, dicit Dominus, et jugiter tota die nomen meum blasphematur.