King James Bible
"Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the LORD’s hand double for all her sins."
God commands his messengers to proclaim tender words of consolation to Jerusalem, personified as a grieving woman. This marks a dramatic shift from judgment to restoration, introducing the second half of Isaiah with a message of hope following the Babylonian exile. The proclamation declares two completed actions: Jerusalem's hard service (like forced military duty) has ended, and her sins have been fully forgiven. These parallel statements emphasize total liberation from both external oppression and internal guilt. This phrase suggests Jerusalem has paid the full penalty for her rebellion—not literally twice what was deserved, but completely and sufficiently according to divine justice. The imagery conveys that the period of punishment is definitively over, clearing the way for restoration.