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?

ISAIAH 51:9KJV
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Isaiah 51:9 (KJV)

What does Isaiah 51:9 mean?

Isaiah 51:9 is a prayer calling on God’s power to act again as in the past, asking the “arm of the LORD” to awaken and show strength like in ancient times when God defeated great enemies. The verse remembers God’s past victories, mentioning the cutting of “Rahab” and the wounding of “the dragon,” as symbols of chaos or powerful foes.

In this verse, the prophet Isaiah is speaking to God on behalf of the people of Israel, who are feeling discouraged and longing for deliverance. Isaiah uses poetic language to remind God—and the people—of the mighty acts God performed long ago, encouraging faith that God can save them again. The mention of “Rahab” and “the dragon” points to legendary enemies or forces of chaos that God overcame, reinforcing the hope that God’s power has not changed.

The Hebrew behind Isaiah 51:9

  • “Awake” (עוּרִי, ‘uri): This word is repeated three times, emphasizing urgency and a desperate plea for God to take action, as if God’s power has been dormant.
  • “Arm” (זְרוֹעַ, zeroa‘): In Hebrew thought, the “arm” of the LORD is a symbol for God’s strength and ability to save, not a literal body part.
  • “Rahab” (רַהַב, Rahav): Here, “Rahab” is not the woman from Jericho but a poetic name for a mythical sea monster or a symbol of Egypt, representing chaos or a powerful enemy God defeated.
  • “Dragon” (תַּנִּין, tannin): This word refers to a great sea creature or dragon, another symbol of chaos or evil that God conquered in ancient stories.

Why Isaiah 51:9 matters

  • Isaiah 51:9 helps clear up that “Rahab” in this verse is a symbol for a chaotic force or Egypt, not a person, which can be confusing since the same name appears elsewhere in the Bible.
  • The verse emphasizes that God’s power is not just a thing of the past; it invites readers to trust that God can still act with the same strength today.
  • This verse connects to the wider passage by setting up a theme of remembering God’s faithfulness in history as a reason for hope in the present struggles of the people.

Where else these words appear

“Rahab” Hebrew H7294 · used in 3 verses

  • Psalms 87:4 I will make mention of Rahab and Babylon to them that know me: behold Philistia, and Tyre, with Ethiopia; this man was born there.
  • Psalms 89:10 Thou hast broken Rahab in pieces, as one that is slain; thou hast scattered thine enemies with thy strong arm.

“cut” Hebrew H2672 · used in 22 verses

  • Deuteronomy 6:11 And houses full of all good things, which thou filledst not, and wells digged, which thou diggedst not, vineyards and olive trees, which thou plantedst not; when thou shalt have eaten and be full;
  • 2 Chronicles 2:18 And he set threescore and ten thousand of them to be bearers of burdens, and fourscore thousand to be hewers in the mountain, and three thousand and six hundred overseers to set the people a work.
  • Proverbs 9:1 Wisdom hath builded her house, she hath hewn out her seven pillars:

“dragon” Hebrew H8577 · used in 28 verses

  • Genesis 1:21 And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good.
  • Psalms 74:13 Thou didst divide the sea by thy strength: thou brakest the heads of the dragons in the waters.
  • Jeremiah 10:22 Behold, the noise of the bruit is come, and a great commotion out of the north country, to make the cities of Judah desolate, and a den of dragons.

“Awake” Hebrew H5782 · used in 65 verses

  • Deuteronomy 32:11 As an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings:
  • Psalms 73:20 As a dream when one awaketh; so, O Lord, when thou awakest, thou shalt despise their image.
  • Isaiah 52:1 Awake, awake; put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city: for henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean.