Isaiah 52:8

“The watchmen shall lift up the voice, &c.] Not the Levites in the temple, nor the prophets of the Old Testament; rather the evangelists and apostles of Christ; best of all Gospel ministers in the latter day, so called in allusion to watch men on the walls of cities looking out, and giving notice of approaching danger; (see <236206>Isaiah 62:6,7). The words may be rendered, “the voice of the watchmen; they shall lift up the voice; together shall they sing”; that is, this is the voice of the watchmen, namely, the voice of peace and salvation, which the bringer of good tidings, the same with these watchmen, publish. “Lifting up” their “voice” denotes the publicness of their ministrations, the…”

“watchmen--set on towers separated by intervals to give the earliest notice of the approach of any messenger with tidings (compare Isa 21:6-8). The Hebrew is more forcible than English Version, "The voice of thy watchmen" (exclamatory as in Sol 2:8). "They lift up their voice! together they sing." eye to eye--that is, close at hand, and so clearly [GESENIUS]; Num 14:14, "face to face"; Num 12:8, "mouth to mouth." Compare Co1 13:12; Rev 22:4, of which Simeon's sight of the Saviour was a prefiguration (Luk 2:30). The watchmen, spiritually, are ministers and others who pray for the peace of Jerusalem (Isa 62:6-7), bring again--that is, restore. Or else, "return to" [MAURER].”

“Thy watchmen - This language is taken from the custom of placing watchmen on the walls of a city, or on elevated towers, who could see if an enemy approached, and who of course would be the first to discern a messenger at a distance who was coming to announce good news. The idea is, that there would be as great joy at the announcement of the return of the exiles, as if they who were stationed on the wall should see the long-expected herald on the distant hills, coming to announce that they were about to return, and that the city and temple were about to be rebuilt. It was originally applicable to the return from Babylon. But it contains also the general truth that they who are appointed to…”

“Thy watchmen - Thy ministers, who descry the approach of this heavenly king. Lift up thy voice - To give notice to all people of these glad tidings; and by way of exultation, to sing forth the praises of God for this glorious day. Eye - Distinctly and familiarly, their eyes beholding the eyes of this king of glory. They shall be eye and ear - witnesses of the words and works of Christ, and therefore their testimony shall be more certain and valuable. Bring again - When God shall complete the work of bringing his church out of captivity. Isaiah 52:11”

“52:8 The watchmen were those looking for the news of Zion’s redemption. • the Lord returning to Jerusalem: The sin of the city’s inhabitants had driven God away.”

“Thy: Isa 56:10, Isa 62:6; Sol 3:3, Sol 5:7; Jer 6:17, Jer 31:6, Jer 31:7; Eze 3:17, Eze 33:7; Heb 13:17 lift: Isa 24:14, Isa 40:9, Isa 58:1 with: Isa 12:4-6, Isa 26:1, Isa 27:2, Isa 35:10, Isa 48:20; Jer 33:11; Act 2:46, Act 2:47; Rev 5:8-10; Rev 18:20, Rev 19:4 see: Isa 30:26; Jer 32:39; Zep 3:9; Zac 12:8; Act 2:1, Act 4:32; Co1 1:10, Co1 13:12; Eph 1:17, Eph 1:18 Isaiah 52:9”

“How will the prophets rejoice, when they see bodily before them what they have already seen from afar! "Hark, thy watchers! They lift up the voice together; they rejoice: for they see eye to eye, how Jehovah bringeth Zion home." קול followed by a genitive formed an interjectional clause, and had almost become an interjection itself (see Gen 4:10). The prophets are here called tsōphı̄m, spies, as persons who looked into the distance as if from a watch-tower (specula, Isa 21:6; Hab 2:1) just as in Isa 56:10. It is assumed that the people of the captivity would still have prophets among them: in fact, the very first word in these prophecies ( Isa 40:1) is addressed to them. They who saw the…”