Isaiah 51:9

⁷ Listen to Me, you who know what is right, you people with My law in your hearts: Do not fear the scorn of men; do not be broken by their insults.

⁸ For the moth will devour them like a garment, and the worm will eat them like wool. But My righteousness will last forever, My salvation through all generations.”

Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the LORD. Wake up as in days past, as in generations of old. Was it not You who cut Rahab to pieces, who pierced through the dragon?

¹⁰ Was it not You who dried up the sea, the waters of the great deep, who made a road in the depths of the sea for the redeemed to cross over?

¹¹ So the redeemed of the LORD will return and enter Zion with singing, crowned with everlasting joy. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee.

This was said to Israel at a particular time, so it is wise to read it together with the surrounding text. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the LORD. Wake up as in days past, as in generations of old. Was it not You who cut Rahab to pieces, who pierced through the dragon?
KJV: Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the LORD; awake, as in the ancient days, in the generations of old. Art thou not it that hath cut Rahab, and wounded the dragon?
WEB: Awake, awake, put on strength, arm of the LORD! Awake, as in the days of old, the generations of ancient times. Isn’t it you who cut Rahab in pieces, who pierced the monster?
ASV: Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of Jehovah; awake, as in the days of old, the generations of ancient times. Is it not thou that didst cut Rahab in pieces, that didst pierce the monster?
DARBY: Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of Jehovah; awake, as in the days of old, [as in] the generations of passed ages. Is it not thou that hath hewn Rahab in pieces, [and] pierced the monster?
BLB: Awake, awake! Put on strength, O arm of YHWH! Awake, as in the days of old, the generations of old! [Was] it not You cutting apart Rahab [and] piercing through the dragon?

ÅB: Våkn opp, våkn opp, klæ deg i styrke, du Herrens arm! Våkn opp som i gamle dager, som i fordums tid! Var det ikke du som felte Rahab[^1], som gjennomboret havuhyret?
OTB: Våkn opp, våkn opp, Herrens arm, kle deg med styrke! Våkn opp, som i gamle dager, de eldgamle generasjoner. Var det ikke du som hogg Rahab i stykker, som gjennomboret dragen?
B1930: Våkn op, våkn op, klæ dig i styrke, du Herrens arm! Våkn op som i gamle dager, som i fordums tid! Var det ikke du som felte Rahab, som gjennemboret havuhyret? / < Egypten. 2MO 14, 14; 6, 6; 15, 12. SLM 74, 13. 14; 89, 11. JES 27, 1; 30, 7. ESK 29, 3 fg.>

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Psalms 74:13–14
You divided the sea by Your strength; You smashed the heads of the dragons of the sea;
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Isaiah 52:1
Awake, awake, clothe yourself with strength, O Zion! Put on your garments of splendor, O Jerusalem, holy city! For the uncircumcised and unclean will no longer enter you.
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Psalms 89:10
You crushed Rahab like a carcass; You scattered Your enemies with Your mighty arm.
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Isaiah 27:1
In that day the LORD will take His sharp, great, and mighty sword, and bring judgment on Leviathan the fleeing serpent —Leviathan the coiling serpent—and He will slay the dragon of the sea.
Read in context
Isaiah 30:7
Egypt’s help is futile and empty; therefore I have called her Rahab Who Sits Still.
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Ezekiel 29:3
Speak to him and tell him that this is what the Lord GOD says: Behold, I am against you, O Pharaoh king of Egypt, O great monster who lies among his rivers, who says, ‘The Nile is mine; I made it myself.’
Read in context
Psalms 44:1
We have heard with our ears, O God; our fathers have told us the work You did in their days, in the days of old.
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Job 26:12
By His power He stirred the sea; by His understanding He shattered Rahab.
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