Isaiah 52:3

Context

52:3 For this is what the Lord says:

“You were sold for nothing,

and you will not be redeemed for money.”

Isaiah 50:1

Context

50:1 This is what the Lord says:

“Where is your mother’s divorce certificate

by which I divorced her?

Or to which of my creditors did I sell you?¹

Look, you were sold because of your sins;²

because of your rebellious acts I divorced your mother.³

Isaiah 24:2

Context

24:2 Everyone will suffer – the priest as well as the people,⁴

the master as well as the servant,⁵

the elegant lady as well as the female attendant,⁶

the seller as well as the buyer,⁷

the borrower as well as the lender,⁸

the creditor as well as the debtor.⁹

[50:1] ¹sn The Lord challenges the exiles (Zion’s children) to bring incriminating evidence against him. The rhetorical questions imply that Israel accused the Lord of divorcing his wife (Zion) and selling his children (the Israelites) into slavery to pay off a debt.

[50:1] ²sn The Lord admits that he did sell the Israelites, but it was because of their sins, not because of some debt he owed. If he had sold them to a creditor, they ought to be able to point him out, but the preceding rhetorical question implies they would not be able to do so.

[50:1] ³sn The Lord admits he did divorce Zion, but that too was the result of the nation’s sins. The force of the earlier rhetorical question comes into clearer focus now. The question does not imply that a certificate does not exist and that no divorce occurred. Rather, the question asks for the certificate to be produced so the accuser can see the reason for the divorce in black and white. The Lord did not put Zion away arbitrarily.

[24:2] ¹tn Heb “and it will be like the people, like the priest.”

[24:2] ²tn Heb “like the servant, like his master.”

[24:2] ³tn Heb “like the female servant, like her mistress.”

[24:2] ⁴tn Heb “like the buyer, like the seller.”

[24:2] ⁵tn Heb “like the lender, like the borrower.”

[24:2] ⁶tn Heb “like the creditor, just as the one to whom he lends.”