Isaiah 52:3

"For thus saith Jehovah, Ye were sold for naught; and ye shall be redeemed without money. For thus saith the Lord Jehovah, My people went down at the first into Egypt to sojourn there; and the Assyrians have oppressed them without cause. Now therefore, what do I here?, saith Jehovah, seeing that my people is taken away for naught? They that rule over them do howl, saith Jehovah, and my name continually all the day is blasphemed. Therefore my people shall know my name: therefore they shall know in that day that I am he that doth speak."

The prophecies in these verses correspond exactly with what Isaiah had already written in Isaiah 45:13, and that the Lord would redeem them out of concern for his name in Isaiah 42:8, so where is there any evidence of another author? As noted in dozens of places, this corresponds exactly with that pattern of "here a little, there a little, line upon line," etc. which our prophet laid down in Isaiah 28:10,13.

Was Israel indeed redeemed without money? Yes indeed; as a matter of fact, Cyrus himself, their liberator paid many of the expenses himself. As Barnes noted:

"There is no way that Babylon could have been induced to surrender Israel; therefore God designed to raise up Cyrus, a mild, just and equitable prince; and to induce him to let the exiles depart, and to aid them in their return to their own land. Thus they were rescued without money and without price."[4]

"The fulfillment of this prophecy also continued the authority of God's holy word."<5a>

"Into Egypt to sojourn there ..." (Isaiah 52:4). "Israel went down into Egypt by invitation, but the sacred right of hospitality was basely violated."[5]

"Ye were sold for naught." (Isaiah 52:3). This is a reference to the sinful and illegal manner in which both Assyria and Babylon had inflicted their ravages upon the chosen people; and all of these things together, coupled with the arrogant contempt of the pagans for God's people, were challenges for, "God to live up to his covenant name, Jehovah, the Holy One of Israel, and to demonstrate by Babylons overthrow his continuing sovereignty."[6]

"And now therefore, what do I here ...?" (Isaiah 52:5). These words do not refer to any alleged visit of God to Babylon, because his absence from fellowship with the captives was the very essence of their sorrow and discouragement. The words are a reference to what seemed like the idleness and unconcern of God in heaven for the terrible situation in which the captives languished. This is the basis of God's decision here to rescue them. "God must return to Jerusalem (the chosen people), because otherwise his gracious purpose would be frustrated; but in the present state of his people, God cannot continue in the achievement of his purpose; therefore Jerusalem (the righteous remnant) must rise from their humiliation."[7]

"They that rule over them do howl ..." (Isaiah 52:5). Some think the "howl" here means the cries of the oppressed captives; but our text clearly states that it is the rulers who "howl." The word suggests the howls of some animal exulting over its prey. "Their rulers, the Babylonians, do howl, speaking harshly to them, ridiculing their God, for his weakness, blaspheming his name."[8]

"My people shall know my name ... in that day ..." (Isaiah 52:6). Here again we find that expression used so frequently by Isaiah, almost always indicating the times of the New Covenant, including also an eschatalogical glimpse of the final judgment. "An Israel that knows God's name and responds to him when he says,' Behold me,' is an Israel in covenant with God and assured of deliverance."[9] This, of course, is the fundamental reason why the marvelous blessings throughout this latter portion of Isaiah are promised especially to the "righteous remnant," and to no other.