Yeshayahu 62 | "For Zion’s Sake I Cannot Be Silent"

Commentators are divided over the identity of the speaker in the opening verse of this chapter: “For Zion’s sake, I cannot be silent, for Jerusalem’s I cannot be still” (62:1). Are these the words of God, promising to care for Jerusalem and to persist until it is redeemed? Or are they the words of the prophet, pledging to continue praying for Jerusalem's sake?

This question — whether the words are God’s or the prophet’s — shapes how we interpret the rest of the prophecy. Is this a divine assurance, that God will redeem Zion until “until righteousness emerges bursts forth shining” (62:1) and she becomes “You will be a crown of glory in the Lord’s hand” (62:3), no longer called "Abandoned" (62:4)? Or perhaps it reflects the prophet’s commitment to pray tirelessly until these promises are fulfilled.

As the prophecy continues, it becomes clear that the prophet himself speaks, urging the watchmen of Jerusalem to persist in their prayers, to beg God without pause until He fulfills His oath and redeems Jerusalem.

One of the prophet’s roles is intercession. A prophet is not merely an interpreter of divine will to the people, but also serves as a conduit of communication between God and His people. This connection flows in two directions: prophecies descending from above, and prayers ascending from below.

Beyond the prophet’s capacity for prayer, already mentioned in the Torah (Bereishit 20:7), the prophet has an additional advantage: the ability to convey God’s response. Thus, the prophet concludes this chapter with an assurance: “Behold: the Lord resounding to the earth’s end; tell Daughter Zion, ‘your rescue is come!’” (62:11).