Turn, turn, turn

“I will turn My hand against you,” Yahweh says (Isaiah 1:25).

Then, “I will turn your judges as at the first” (Isaiah 1:26).  Despite the difference in English translation, the Hebrew verb is the same in both verses ( shub ).

Then, Zion’s “turned ones” will be redeemed with righteousness.  Same verb again.

Yahweh turns hand to turn judges to turn people.  Turn is repentance; turn is return, restoration from exile, restoration from alienation from Yahweh.

And the turn, turn, turning turns Judah’s rulers back to the way they were “at the first,” or “in the beginning.”  Yahweh’s turn, turn, turning turns Judah’s clock back to the beginning, to a new creation.

There’s a neat chiasm in verse 27. Zion’s restoration is described with four terms: (a) with-judgment, (b) redeemed, (b’) turned-ones, (a’) with-justice.  The redeemed and the turned ones are the same.  Redemption is being turned by the fiery hand of Yahweh, being turned back to the beginning, being returned from exile.