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Zion’s Joyful Future

35 The wilderness and the dry land will be glad;
The Arabah (desert) will shout in exultation and blossom
Like the [a]autumn crocus.

It will blossom abundantly
And rejoice with joy and singing.
The glory of Lebanon will be given to it,
The majesty of [Mount] Carmel and [the plain] of Sharon.
They will see the glory of the Lord,
The majesty and splendor of our God.

Encourage the exhausted, and make staggering knees firm.(A)

Say to those with an anxious and panic-stricken heart,
“Be strong, fear not!
Indeed, your God will come with vengeance [for the ungodly];
The retribution of God will come,
But He will save you.”

Then the eyes of the blind will be opened
And the ears of the deaf will be unstopped.

Then the lame will leap like a deer,
And the tongue of the mute will shout for joy.
For waters will break forth in the wilderness
And streams in the desert.(B)

And the burning sand (mirage) will become a pool [of water]
And the thirsty ground springs of water;
In the haunt of jackals, [b]where they lay resting,
Grass becomes reeds and [c]rushes.

A highway will be there, and a roadway;
And it will be called the Holy Way.
The unclean will not travel on it,
But it will be for those who walk on the way [the redeemed];
And fools will not wander on it.

No lion will be there,
Nor will any predatory animal come up on it;
They will not be found there.
But the redeemed will walk there.
10 
And the ransomed of the Lord will return
And come to Zion with shouts of jubilation,
And everlasting joy will be upon their heads;
They will find joy and gladness,
And sorrow and sighing will flee away.

Sennacherib Invades Judah

36 Now in the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah, Sennacherib king of Assyria came up against all the fortified cities of Judah and conquered them.(C) And the king of Assyria sent the Rabshakeh [his military commander] from Lachish [the Judean fortress commanding the road from Egypt] to King Hezekiah at Jerusalem with a large army. And he stood by the canal of the Upper Pool on the highway to the Fuller’s Field. Then Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, who was in charge of the [royal] household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph, the recording historian, came out to [meet] him.

Then the Rabshakeh said to them, “Say to Hezekiah, ‘This is what the great king, the king of Assyria says, “What is [the reason for] this confidence that you have? I say, ‘Your plan and strength for the war are only [d]empty words.’ Now in whom do you trust and on whom do you rely, that you have rebelled against me?(D) Listen carefully, you rely on the staff of this broken reed, Egypt, which will pierce the hand of any man who leans on it. So is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who rely on him. But if you say to me, ‘We trust in and rely on the Lord our God,’ is it not He whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah has taken away, saying to Judah and to Jerusalem, ‘You shall worship before this altar’?(E) So now, exchange pledges with my master the king of Assyria and I will give you two thousand horses, if you are able on your part to put riders on them. How then can you repulse [the attack of] a single [e]commander of the least of my master’s servants, and rely on Egypt for chariots and for horsemen? 10 Moreover, is it without the Lord that I have now come up against this land to destroy it? The Lord said to me, ‘Go up against this land and destroy it.’”’”

11 Then Eliakim and Shebna and Joah said to the Rabshakeh, “Please, speak to your servants in Aramaic, because we understand it; and do not speak to us in Judean (Hebrew) in the hearing of the people who are [stationed] on the wall.” 12 But the Rabshakeh said, “Has my master sent me to speak these words only to your master and to you, and not to the men sitting on the wall, doomed to eat their own dung and drink their own urine with you?”

13 Then the Rabshakeh stood and called out with a loud voice in Judean (Hebrew): “Hear the words of the great king, the king of Assyria. 14 This is what the king says, ‘Do not let Hezekiah deceive you, for he will not be able to rescue you; 15 nor let Hezekiah make you trust in the Lord, saying, “The Lord will most certainly rescue us; this city will not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.” 16 Do not listen to Hezekiah,’ for this is what the king of Assyria says, ‘Make peace with me and come out to me, and each one of you will eat from his own vine and each from his own fig tree and each [one of you] drink from the water of his own cistern, 17 until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, a land of grain and new wine, a land of bread and vineyards. 18 Beware that Hezekiah does not mislead you by saying, “The Lord will rescue us.” Has any one of the gods of the nations [ever] rescued his land from the hand of the king of Assyria? 19 Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad [in Aram]? Where are the gods of [f]Sepharvaim? And when have they rescued Samaria from my hand? 20 Who among all the gods of these lands have rescued their land from my hand, that [you should think that] the Lord would rescue Jerusalem from my hand?’”

21 But they kept silent and did not say a word to him in reply, for King Hezekiah’s command was, “Do not answer him.” 22 Then Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, who was in charge of the household, and Shebna the scribe and Joah the son of Asaph, the recording historian, came to Hezekiah with their clothes torn [in grief], and told him the words of the Rabshakeh [the Assyrian commander].

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 35:1 Or asphodel (lily).
  2. Isaiah 35:7 Lit its resting place.
  3. Isaiah 35:7 Lit papyrus.
  4. Isaiah 36:5 Lit a word of lips.
  5. Isaiah 36:9 Lit governor.
  6. Isaiah 36:19 An area from which the Assyrians brought colonists to inhabit Samaria, the capital city of the ten northern tribes of Israel, after it was evacuated.

Joy of the Redeemed

35 The desert(A) and the parched land will be glad;
    the wilderness will rejoice and blossom.(B)
Like the crocus,(C) it will burst into bloom;
    it will rejoice greatly and shout for joy.(D)
The glory of Lebanon(E) will be given to it,
    the splendor of Carmel(F) and Sharon;(G)
they will see the glory(H) of the Lord,
    the splendor of our God.(I)

Strengthen the feeble hands,
    steady the knees(J) that give way;
say(K) to those with fearful hearts,(L)
    “Be strong, do not fear;(M)
your God will come,(N)
    he will come with vengeance;(O)
with divine retribution
    he will come to save(P) you.”

Then will the eyes of the blind be opened(Q)
    and the ears of the deaf(R) unstopped.
Then will the lame(S) leap like a deer,(T)
    and the mute tongue(U) shout for joy.(V)
Water will gush forth in the wilderness
    and streams(W) in the desert.
The burning sand will become a pool,
    the thirsty ground(X) bubbling springs.(Y)
In the haunts where jackals(Z) once lay,
    grass and reeds(AA) and papyrus will grow.

And a highway(AB) will be there;
    it will be called the Way of Holiness;(AC)
    it will be for those who walk on that Way.
The unclean(AD) will not journey on it;
    wicked fools will not go about on it.
No lion(AE) will be there,
    nor any ravenous beast;(AF)
    they will not be found there.
But only the redeemed(AG) will walk there,
10     and those the Lord has rescued(AH) will return.
They will enter Zion with singing;(AI)
    everlasting joy(AJ) will crown their heads.
Gladness(AK) and joy will overtake them,
    and sorrow and sighing will flee away.(AL)

Sennacherib Threatens Jerusalem(AM)

36 In the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah’s(AN) reign, Sennacherib(AO) king of Assyria attacked all the fortified cities of Judah and captured them.(AP) Then the king of Assyria sent his field commander with a large army from Lachish(AQ) to King Hezekiah at Jerusalem. When the commander stopped at the aqueduct of the Upper Pool, on the road to the Launderer’s Field,(AR) Eliakim(AS) son of Hilkiah the palace administrator,(AT) Shebna(AU) the secretary,(AV) and Joah(AW) son of Asaph the recorder(AX) went out to him.

The field commander said to them, “Tell Hezekiah:

“‘This is what the great king, the king of Assyria, says: On what are you basing this confidence of yours? You say you have counsel and might for war—but you speak only empty words. On whom are you depending, that you rebel(AY) against me? Look, I know you are depending(AZ) on Egypt,(BA) that splintered reed(BB) of a staff, which pierces the hand of anyone who leans on it! Such is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who depend on him. But if you say to me, “We are depending(BC) on the Lord our God”—isn’t he the one whose high places and altars Hezekiah removed,(BD) saying to Judah and Jerusalem, “You must worship before this altar”?(BE)

“‘Come now, make a bargain with my master, the king of Assyria: I will give you two thousand horses(BF)—if you can put riders on them! How then can you repulse one officer of the least of my master’s officials, even though you are depending on Egypt(BG) for chariots(BH) and horsemen[a]?(BI) 10 Furthermore, have I come to attack and destroy this land without the Lord? The Lord himself told(BJ) me to march against this country and destroy it.’”

11 Then Eliakim, Shebna and Joah(BK) said to the field commander, “Please speak to your servants in Aramaic,(BL) since we understand it. Don’t speak to us in Hebrew in the hearing of the people on the wall.”

12 But the commander replied, “Was it only to your master and you that my master sent me to say these things, and not to the people sitting on the wall—who, like you, will have to eat their own excrement and drink their own urine?(BM)

13 Then the commander stood and called out in Hebrew,(BN) “Hear the words of the great king, the king of Assyria!(BO) 14 This is what the king says: Do not let Hezekiah deceive(BP) you. He cannot deliver you! 15 Do not let Hezekiah persuade you to trust in the Lord when he says, ‘The Lord will surely deliver(BQ) us; this city will not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.’(BR)

16 “Do not listen to Hezekiah. This is what the king of Assyria says: Make peace with me and come out to me. Then each of you will eat fruit from your own vine and fig tree(BS) and drink water from your own cistern,(BT) 17 until I come and take you to a land like your own(BU)—a land of grain and new wine,(BV) a land of bread and vineyards.

18 “Do not let Hezekiah mislead you when he says, ‘The Lord will deliver us.’ Have the gods of any nations ever delivered their lands from the hand of the king of Assyria? 19 Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad?(BW) Where are the gods of Sepharvaim?(BX) Have they rescued Samaria(BY) from my hand? 20 Who of all the gods(BZ) of these countries have been able to save their lands from me? How then can the Lord deliver Jerusalem from my hand?”(CA)

21 But the people remained silent and said nothing in reply, because the king had commanded, “Do not answer him.”(CB)

22 Then Eliakim(CC) son of Hilkiah the palace administrator, Shebna the secretary and Joah son of Asaph the recorder(CD) went to Hezekiah, with their clothes torn,(CE) and told him what the field commander had said.

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 36:9 Or charioteers

35 The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose.

It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing: the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon, they shall see the glory of the Lord, and the excellency of our God.

Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees.

Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence; he will come and save you.

Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.

Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert.

And the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water: in the habitation of dragons, where each lay, shall be grass with reeds and rushes.

And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein.

No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon, it shall not be found there; but the redeemed shall walk there:

10 And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

36 Now it came to pass in the fourteenth year of king Hezekiah, that Sennacherib king of Assyria came up against all the defenced cities of Judah, and took them.

And the king of Assyria sent Rabshakeh from Lachish to Jerusalem unto king Hezekiah with a great army. And he stood by the conduit of the upper pool in the highway of the fuller's field.

Then came forth unto him Eliakim, Hilkiah's son, which was over the house, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah, Asaph's son, the recorder.

And Rabshakeh said unto them, Say ye now to Hezekiah, Thus saith the great king, the king of Assyria, What confidence is this wherein thou trustest?

I say, sayest thou, (but they are but vain words) I have counsel and strength for war: now on whom dost thou trust, that thou rebellest against me?

Lo, thou trustest in the staff of this broken reed, on Egypt; whereon if a man lean, it will go into his hand, and pierce it: so is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all that trust in him.

But if thou say to me, We trust in the Lord our God: is it not he, whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah hath taken away, and said to Judah and to Jerusalem, Ye shall worship before this altar?

Now therefore give pledges, I pray thee, to my master the king of Assyria, and I will give thee two thousand horses, if thou be able on thy part to set riders upon them.

How then wilt thou turn away the face of one captain of the least of my master's servants, and put thy trust on Egypt for chariots and for horsemen?

10 And am I now come up without the Lord against this land to destroy it? the Lord said unto me, Go up against this land, and destroy it.

11 Then said Eliakim and Shebna and Joah unto Rabshakeh, Speak, I pray thee, unto thy servants in the Syrian language; for we understand it: and speak not to us in the Jews' language, in the ears of the people that are on the wall.

12 But Rabshakeh said, Hath my master sent me to thy master and to thee to speak these words? hath he not sent me to the men that sit upon the wall, that they may eat their own dung, and drink their own piss with you?

13 Then Rabshakeh stood, and cried with a loud voice in the Jews' language, and said, Hear ye the words of the great king, the king of Assyria.

14 Thus saith the king, Let not Hezekiah deceive you: for he shall not be able to deliver you.

15 Neither let Hezekiah make you trust in the Lord, saying, The Lord will surely deliver us: this city shall not be delivered into the hand of the king of Assyria.

16 Hearken not to Hezekiah: for thus saith the king of Assyria, Make an agreement with me by a present, and come out to me: and eat ye every one of his vine, and every one of his fig tree, and drink ye every one the waters of his own cistern;

17 Until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, a land of corn and wine, a land of bread and vineyards.

18 Beware lest Hezekiah persuade you, saying, the Lord will deliver us. Hath any of the gods of the nations delivered his land out of the hand of the king of Assyria?

19 Where are the gods of Hamath and Arphad? where are the gods of Sepharvaim? and have they delivered Samaria out of my hand?

20 Who are they among all the gods of these lands, that have delivered their land out of my hand, that the Lord should deliver Jerusalem out of my hand?

21 But they held their peace, and answered him not a word: for the king's commandment was, saying, Answer him not.

22 Then came Eliakim, the son of Hilkiah, that was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah, the son of Asaph, the recorder, to Hezekiah with their clothes rent, and told him the words of Rabshakeh.