Isaiah 12

This chapter stands at the close of chapters 1–12, the opening section of the book of Isaiah. Isaiah 11 promises a king who will come forth from the stem of Jesse and foretells a way by which the scattered people will return, as at the Exodus. This chapter follows with a song to be sung "in that day" when that promise is fulfilled.

Structure

• Verses 1–2: "In that day" a single person ("thou") sings, giving thanks that the LORD, who was once angry, has now turned away His anger and brings comfort. The singer declares that God is his salvation and that he will trust and not be afraid.
• Verse 3: The promise is given that "ye" will draw water with joy from the wells of salvation.
• Verses 4–6: "In that day" the community ("ye") joins in a hymn of praise. They are urged to give thanks to the LORD, call upon His name, and declare His doings among the nations. Finally, the inhabitants of Zion are called to cry out and shout, because the Holy One of Israel is great in their midst.

Key Verses

• Isaiah 12:2 "The LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation" — This wording is nearly identical to the Song of Moses (Exodus 15:2). It celebrates a new salvation by likening it to the Exodus.
• Isaiah 12:3 "Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation" — A widely quoted verse that compares salvation to water that never runs dry.
• Isaiah 12:6 "Great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee" — The song closes with a divine title favored throughout the book of Isaiah.

Figures and Places

• The LORD: The one to whom the song offers thanks and praise. He is also called "the Holy One of Israel."
• Zion: A name for Jerusalem. In verse 6 it is addressed as the place summoned to sing.

Points to Consider

• On the basis of the singular "thou" in verse 1 and the plural "ye" in verse 4, scholars commonly read this chapter in two parts: an individual song of thanksgiving and a communal hymn of praise.
• Verse 2 recalls the song sung after the crossing of the Red Sea in Exodus 15. For this reason the chapter is often read as a response to the promise of a "second exodus" in chapter 11.
• The word "salvation" in verses 2–3 (Hebrew yeshuah) is said to share the same root as the name Isaiah, which means "the LORD is salvation."
• Jewish tradition is said to have connected verse 3 with the water-drawing ceremony of the Feast of Tabernacles. Christian interpreters sometimes read it alongside the scene in which Jesus invited the thirsty to come to Him on the last day of that feast (John 7:37–38).
• The following chapter, Isaiah 13, begins the oracles against the nations, starting with Babylon.