Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the LORD; awake, as in days of old, the generations of long ago. Was it not you who cut Rahab in pieces, who pierced the dragon?
English Standard Version (ESV)
The verse challenges us to recognize God's power not just in abstract terms, but by recalling specific, ancient acts of divine intervention. The vivid imagery of "cutting Rahab" and "piercing the dragon" refers to God's decisive defeat of Egypt, reminding us that the same God who conquered powerful nations in the past is capable of acting on our behalf today.
Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the LORD; awake, as in days of old, the generations of long ago. Was it not you who cut Rahab in pieces, who pierced the dragon?
English Standard Version (ESV)
The prophet, in a moment of crisis for God's people, cries out to God to remember His past mighty acts. This plea directly follows God's promise of comfort and restoration, urging God to act with the same power He displayed when He rescued Israel from Egypt by conquering its powerful king, symbolized as the "dragon" and "Rahab." The passage is thus an impassioned prayer, rooted in historical precedent, for present deliverance.
When things feel impossible, where do we turn? This verse is a powerful cry from the heart of a people in deep distress, calling out to the Almighty.
A Prayer in Crisis
The prophet, on behalf of God's suffering people, makes a passionate appeal to God. It's not just a gentle request, but an urgent, repeated call: "Awake, awake!"
This imagery of God being "asleep" isn't literal. It's a poetic way to express the people's perception of God's seeming inactivity in their time of crisis. They feel abandoned and desperately need to see God's power at work again.
"Put on strength, O arm of the LORD"
This isn't about God lacking strength, but about Him manifesting His strength. The "arm of the LORD" is a biblical symbol for God's power in action – His might in delivering and saving His people. The prophet is praying for a visible display of that divine power.
The prophet doesn't just ask God to remember His past actions, but reminds Him of specific, mythic victories over powerful forces of chaos.
Defeating "Rahab" and "the Dragon"
The prophet invokes two ancient, symbolic enemies: "Rahab" and "the dragon."
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The prophet is reminding God of His decisive victory over these mighty, almost cosmic, forces during the Exodus – specifically, the parting of the Red Sea and the destruction of Pharaoh's army. These weren't just historical events; they were seen as God conquering the very forces of chaos that threatened His creation and His people.
The core of this plea isn't just a reminder of past events, but an assertion about the unchanging nature of the God who performed them.
The Same God, The Same Power
The prophet's argument is brilliant: God's past actions are not relics of history; they are evidence of His eternal character and power.
By reminding God of how He "cut Rahab" and "wounded the dragon" – defeating Egypt and Pharaoh – the prophet is essentially saying:
This isn't a lesson in human persuasion; it's a declaration of faith. The prophet believes that because God acted so powerfully in the past, He is fully capable and, by His nature, inclined to act similarly in the present crisis. The past is the blueprint for future hope.
Understand the original words
zeroa · Hebrew Noun
A powerful, metaphorical reference to the manifestation of God’s active power, agency, and intervention in human history to save His people or judge His enemies.
Rahab · Hebrew Noun
A mythical sea monster often used in the Old Testament as a symbolic representation of chaos, rebellion, or the historical enemies of God (such as Egypt) that God decisively defeats.
This passage calls on God to act powerfully, drawing a parallel between His past deliverance of Israel from Egypt (symbolized by 'Rahab' and 'the dragon') and the present need for liberation from Babylonian exile.
c. 1550-1070 BC
New Kingdom of Egypt
This period saw Egypt as a major world power, often referred to metaphorically as 'Rahab' or 'the dragon' due to its strength and perceived arrogance.
c. 14th-13th century BC
Potential Exodus Period
The traditional timeframe for the Israelites' liberation from Egyptian bondage under Moses, a pivotal event in their history.
c. 8th century BC
Assyrian Dominance
The rising power of the Assyrian Empire exerted significant influence and threat over the region, impacting Judah.
c. 701 BC
Assyrian Invasion of Judah
King Sennacherib of Assyria invades Judah, besieging Jerusalem. This was a major crisis for the people of Judah.
c. 605-586 BC— this verse
Babylonian Conquest of Judah
The Babylonian Empire rises to power, leading to the destruction of Jerusalem and the exile of many Judeans.
c. 550-539 BC
Persian Empire Rises
Cyrus the Great founds the Persian Empire, which would eventually conquer Babylon and allow the exiles to return.
This passage describes God parting the Red Sea, a monumental act of divine strength that the prophet Isaiah recalls in chapter 51 as the 'arm of the Lord' awakening to save his people.
Psalm 74:13-14Here, God is praised for crushing the heads of sea monsters and the dragon, imagery that directly parallels Isaiah's reference to God's past victory over 'Rahab' and the 'dragon,' symbolizing destructive powers.
Psalm 87:4This psalm mentions Rahab alongside Egypt and Babylon, reinforcing the symbolic use of 'Rahab' in Isaiah 51:9 to represent a powerful, prideful nation that God has subdued.
Ezekiel 29:3Ezekiel refers to Pharaoh as 'the great dragon that lieth in the midst of his rivers,' providing a clear link to Isaiah's symbolic language for the Egyptian ruler and his power.
Revelation 12:3The 'great red dragon' in Revelation is identified with the ancient serpent, Satan, showing how the ancient imagery of conquering monstrous beasts continues into New Testament eschatology as a symbol of God's ultimate victory over evil.
bensonIsaiah 51:9: "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 51:9-11 . Awake, awake, &c. — The prophet, by an elegant figure, addresses himself to God, to stir up and exert his power in behalf of his oppressed people, as he did in former times, when he delivered them out of the Egyptian bondage. Awake, as in the ancient days — That is, act for us now as thou didst fo…
wesleyIsaiah 51:9: "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?"
51:9 Put on - Put forth thy strength. Rahab - Egypt, from its pride or strength. The dragon - Pharaoh so called, Psa 74:13.
The verse challenges us to recognize God's power not just in abstract terms, but by recalling specific, ancient acts of divine intervention. The vivid imagery of "cutting Rahab" and "piercing the dragon" refers to God's decisive defeat of Egypt, reminding us that the same God who conquered powerful nations in the past is capable of acting on our behalf today.
The prophet, in a moment of crisis for God's people, cries out to God to remember His past mighty acts. This plea directly follows God's promise of comfort and restoration, urging God to act with the same power He displayed when He rescued Israel from Egypt by conquering its powerful king, symbolized as the "dragon" and "Rahab." The passage is thus an impassioned prayer, rooted in historical precedent, for present deliverance.
The prophet, in a moment of crisis for God's people, cries out to God to remember His past mighty acts. This plea directly follows God's promise of comfort and restoration, urging God to act with the same power He displayed when He rescued Israel from Egypt by conquering its powerful king, symbolized as the "dragon" and "Rahab." The passage is thus an impassioned prayer, rooted in historical precedent, for present deliverance.
"Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the LORD; awake, as in days of old, the generations of long ago. Was it not you who cut Rahab in pieces, who pierced the dragon?" — The verse challenges us to recognize God's power not just in abstract terms, but by recalling specific, ancient acts of divine intervention. The vivid imagery of "cutting Rahab" and "piercing the dra…
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Last reviewed October 2026