Bible Strands
Isaiah 40:9
Go up on a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good news. Raise your voice loudly, O Jerusalem, herald of good news. Lift it up, do not be afraid! Say to the cities of Judah, “Here is your God!”
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The prophet addresses Zion and Jerusalem immediately after declaring the permanence of God’s word and just before describing the Lord’s coming with might. The command functions as a public summons to announce a decisive divine intervention.
The words — מְבַשֶּׂ֣רֶת (me.va.Se.ret) literally means “O bearer of news of” [H1319], and גָּבֹ֤הַ (ga.Vo.ha) means “high” [H1364]. These terms frame the announcement as a formal proclamation delivered from an elevated position.
The thread — The motif of mountain heralds reappears in Isaiah 52:7, which praises the feet of those who bring good tidings. The command to not fear echoes the trust declaration in Isaiah 12:2, while the public proclamation aligns with the apostolic request in Ephesians 6:19 to speak the mystery boldly.
Why it lands — The text commands the city to elevate its voice and declare God’s presence to Judah’s urban centers without hesitation. A reader must recognize that the announcement demands audible, unafraid witness rather than private reflection.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God!
Cross-references
- Isaiah 52:7 How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, “Your God reigns!”
- Isaiah 12:2 Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. For the LORD GOD is my strength and my song, and He also has become my salvation.”
- Ephesians 6:19 Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will boldly make known the mystery of the gospel,
- Isaiah 25:9 And in that day it will be said, “Surely this is our God; we have waited for Him, and He has saved us. This is the LORD for whom we have waited. Let us rejoice and be glad in His salvation.”
- Isaiah 61:1 The Spirit of the Lord GOD is on Me, because the LORD has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent Me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and freedom to the prisoners,
- Acts 2:14 Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, lifted up his voice, and addressed the crowd: “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen carefully to my words.
- Judges 9:7 When this was reported to Jotham, he climbed to the top of Mount Gerizim, raised his voice, and cried out: “Listen to me, O leaders of Shechem, and may God listen to you.
- 1 Samuel 26:13 Then David crossed to the other side and stood atop the mountain at a distance; there was a wide gulf between them.
- 2 Chronicles 13:4 Then Abijah stood on Mount Zemaraim in the hill country of Ephraim and said, “Hear me, O Jeroboam and all Israel!
- Ezra 1:1 In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, to fulfill the word of the LORD spoken through Jeremiah, the LORD stirred the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia to send a proclamation throughout his kingdom and to put it in writing as follows: