Isaiah 54
Living Bible
54 Sing, O childless woman! Break out into loud and joyful song, Jerusalem,[a] for she who was abandoned has more blessings now than she whose husband stayed! 2 Enlarge your house; build on additions; spread out your home! 3 For you will soon be bursting at the seams! And your descendants will possess the cities left behind during the exile and rule the nations that took their lands.
4 Fear not; you will no longer live in shame. The shame of your youth and the sorrows of widowhood will be remembered no more, 5 for your Creator will be your “husband.” The Lord Almighty is his name; he is your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, the God of all the earth. 6 For the Lord has called you back from your grief—a young wife abandoned by her husband. 7 For a brief moment I abandoned you. But with great compassion I will take you back. 8 In a moment of anger I turned my face a little while; but with everlasting love I will have pity on you, says the Lord, your Redeemer.
9 Just as in the time of Noah I swore that I would never again permit the waters of a flood to cover the earth and destroy its life, so now I swear that I will never again pour out my anger on you. 10 For the mountains may depart and the hills disappear, but my kindness shall not leave you. My promise of peace for you will never be broken, says the Lord who has mercy upon you.
11 O my afflicted people, tempest-tossed and troubled, I will rebuild you on a foundation of sapphires and make the walls of your houses from precious jewels. 12 I will make your towers of sparkling agate and your gates and walls of shining gems. 13 And all your citizens shall be taught by me, and their prosperity shall be great. 14 You will live under a government that is just and fair. Your enemies will stay far away; you will live in peace. Terror shall not come near. 15 If any nation comes to fight you, it will not be sent by me to punish you. Therefore, it will be routed, for I am on your side.[b] 16 I have created the smith who blows the coals beneath the forge and makes the weapons of destruction. And I have created the armies that destroy. 17 But in that coming day, no weapon turned against you shall succeed, and you will have justice against every courtroom lie. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord. This is the blessing I have given you, says the Lord.
Footnotes
- Isaiah 54:1 Jerusalem, implied. blessings, literally, “children.”
- Isaiah 54:15 for I am on your side, literally, “because of you.”
Isaiah 54
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Future Glory for Israel
54 “Rejoice, childless one, who did not give birth;
burst into song and shout,
you who have not been in labor!(A)
For the children of the forsaken one will be more
than the children of the married woman,”(B)
says the Lord.
2 “Enlarge the site of your tent,
and let your tent curtains be stretched out;(C)
do not hold back;
lengthen your ropes,
and drive your pegs deep.
3 For you will spread out to the right and to the left,(D)
and your descendants will dispossess nations
and inhabit the desolate cities.
4 “Do not be afraid, for you will not be put to shame;(E)
don’t be humiliated, for you will not be disgraced.
For you will forget the shame of your youth,
and you will no longer remember
the disgrace of your widowhood.(F)
5 Indeed, your husband is your Maker(G)—
His name is Yahweh of Hosts—
and the Holy One of Israel(H) is your Redeemer;(I)
He is called the God of all the earth.
6 For the Lord has called you,
like a wife deserted and wounded in spirit,(J)
a wife of one’s youth(K) when she is rejected,”
says your God.
7 “I deserted you for a brief moment,(L)
but I will take you back with great compassion.
8 In a surge of anger
I hid My face(M) from you for a moment,
but I will have compassion on you
with everlasting love,”(N)
says the Lord your Redeemer.
9 “For this is like the days[a] of Noah to Me:
when I swore that the waters of Noah
would never flood the earth again,(O)
so I have sworn that I will not be angry with you
or rebuke you.(P)
10 Though the mountains move
and the hills shake,
My love will not be removed from you
and My covenant of peace(Q) will not be shaken,”
says your compassionate Lord.
11 “Poor Jerusalem, storm-tossed, and not comforted,
I will set your stones in black mortar,[b]
and lay your foundations in sapphires.[c](R)
12 I will make your fortifications[d] out of rubies,
your gates out of sparkling stones,
and all your walls out of precious stones.
13 Then all your children will be taught by the Lord,(S)
their prosperity will be great,
14 and you will be established
on a foundation of righteousness.
You will be far from oppression,
you will certainly not be afraid;
you will be far from terror,
it will certainly not come near you.
15 If anyone attacks you,
it is not from Me;
whoever attacks you
will fall before you.
16 Look, I have created the craftsman
who blows on the charcoal fire
and produces a weapon suitable for its task;
and I have created the destroyer to cause havoc.
17 No weapon formed against you will succeed,
and you will refute any accusation[e]
raised against you in court.
This is the heritage of the Lord’s servants,(T)
and their righteousness is from Me.”(U)
This is the Lord’s declaration.
Footnotes
- Isaiah 54:9 DSS, Cairo Geniza; MT, LXX read waters
- Isaiah 54:11 Lit in antimony
- Isaiah 54:11 Or lapis lazuli
- Isaiah 54:12 Lit suns; perhaps shields; Ps 84:11
- Isaiah 54:17 Lit refute every tongue
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