In 49.19 there is a description of the devastation that the Babylonians had inflicted on the land of Judah. In 51.3 God promised to restore all that had been left as a wilderness. In verses 10-11 the community reminds God again of the situation they face, leading to their final plea for help in verse 12. Verse 10 describes the destruction of the towns of Judah, including Jerusalem.

Thy holy cities have become a wilderness: Thy holy cities refers to the cities of Judah that belong to Yahweh and is an expression not found elsewhere (compare “holy city” in 48.2 and 52.1). It could refer to all the cities of Judah, or only to those in which there were sanctuaries to worship Yahweh. Since the whole land was considered holy, the phrase probably refers to every city. Because the Babylonians destroyed the cities, the people lament that these cities are now a wilderness. The Hebrew word for wilderness is used figuratively here for a place that lies in ruins (see the comments on 14.17, where the same term is rendered “desert”).

Zion has become a wilderness and Jerusalem a desolation are synonymous parallel lines. Judah’s capital, Jerusalem, was part of the devastation. For the parallel names Zion and Jerusalem, see the comments on 1.8. Translators should not give the impression that there are two different places here. Good News Translation avoids the risk of ambiguity by using only the better-known name “Jerusalem,” which other languages may find helpful. For the Hebrew word rendered desolation, see the comments on 1.7, where it is translated “desolate” (see also 62.4).

For the translation of this verse consider the following examples:

• Your sacred towns are a wilderness,
Zion is a wilderness,
Jerusalem is in desolate.

• Your sacred cities are a barren waste,
Jerusalem is a barren waste,
that has been left desolate/abandoned.

Quoted with permission from Ogden, Graham S. and Sterk, Jan. A Handbook on Isaiah. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2011. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .