Isaiah 59:20–21

Context

Isaiah 59 opens by declaring that salvation is delayed not because God is powerless but because of the people's sins (59:1–2). A passage follows in which the people confess their sins (59:9–15). Then the LORD, seeing that there is no one to do justice, puts on righteousness as armor and goes forth himself (59:16–19). Paul draws on the imagery of this scene in Ephesians 6:10–18. Verses 20–21 form the chapter's concluding promise of salvation and lead into the proclamation of restoration in chapter 60: "Arise, shine." Critical scholarship treats chapters 56–66 as a separate unit, "Third Isaiah" (Trito-Isaiah), dating them after the return from exile. Conservative scholarship generally regards them as the prophecy of the one prophet Isaiah.

The word "Redeemer" in verse 20 translates the Hebrew go'el. The term denotes a close kinsman who pays the price to recover a relative who has fallen into poverty or been sold; Boaz in the book of Ruth is the classic example. Those to whom the Redeemer comes are limited to "them that turn from transgression in Jacob," that is, those who have turned away from sin. Verse 21 sets out the content of the covenant God makes with them. It promises that God's Spirit and the words he has put in their mouth will not depart from their descendants from generation to generation. The "thee" of verse 21 is singular in Hebrew, and interpreters therefore differ over whether it refers to the people as a whole or to the prophet or the "Servant of the LORD."

Interpretation

• Historical reading: This reading treats the passage as a promise of restoration given to the postexilic community and connects salvation with repentance.
• New Testament reading: In Romans 11:26–27, Paul declares, "And so all Israel shall be saved," quoting this passage together with Isaiah 27:9. Christian interpreters generally identify the Redeemer as Jesus Christ.
• Reading as a covenant of Spirit and Word: This reading connects verse 21 with the new covenant of Jeremiah 31 and understands it as a promise that the Holy Spirit, together with the Word, will abide in believers and in the church. The verse is also seen as a counterpart to Isaiah 51:16, "I have put my words in thy mouth."
• Jewish reading: Jewish tradition reads the passage as a promise of messianic redemption. The verse is known to be recited at the opening of the U-va le-Tziyon ("And a redeemer shall come to Zion") in the morning prayers.

Debates and Issues

• Textual differences: In the Hebrew text, the Redeemer comes "to Zion" and "unto them that turn from transgression." The Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Old Testament) has him coming "for the sake of Zion" and says he "shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob." Romans 11:26 reads "There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer," differing from both texts. One explanation is that Paul, working from the Septuagint, blended in wording from other passages such as Psalm 14:7. Another holds that he deliberately reworded the text in light of the Christ event.
• The "all Israel" debate: Dispensationalism takes this quotation as grounds for the restoration of ethnic Israel at the Second Coming. Within the Reformed tradition, views fall into three groups. One view anticipates a future large-scale conversion of the Jewish people; another holds that it refers to the full number of elect Jews throughout history. A third view, held by Calvin among others, takes it as the whole people of God, Jews and Gentiles together. This last view is connected with "the Israel of God" in Galatians 6:16.
• Translation: The Korean Revised Version's rendering "나의 신(神)" (na-ui sin) uses an older Korean term meaning "spirit." The Revised New Korean Version changed it to "나의 영" (na-ui yeong, "my Spirit").

In the Korean Church

The words of verse 21, "shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed's seed," are frequently quoted in sermons on passing the faith down through the generations and on educating the next generation. They are also cited when encouraging family worship. Some point out, however, that in its original context this promise was given to the entire repentant covenant community, and so it should not be read merely as a guarantee of blessing for individual households.

Related Passages

• Romans 11:26–27
• Isaiah 27:9
• Isaiah 51:16
• Jeremiah 31:31–34
• Ezekiel 36:25–27