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17 Your eyes will see the king in all his splendor,
    and you will see a land that stretches into the distance.
18 You will think back to this time of terror, asking,
“Where are the Assyrian officers
    who counted our towers?
Where are the bookkeepers
    who recorded the plunder taken from our fallen city?”
19 You will no longer see these fierce, violent people
    with their strange, unknown language.

20 Instead, you will see Zion as a place of holy festivals.
    You will see Jerusalem, a city quiet and secure.
It will be like a tent whose ropes are taut
    and whose stakes are firmly fixed.
21 The Lord will be our Mighty One.
    He will be like a wide river of protection
that no enemy can cross,
    that no enemy ship can sail upon.
22 For the Lord is our judge,
    our lawgiver, and our king.
    He will care for us and save us.
23 The enemies’ sails hang loose
    on broken masts with useless tackle.
Their treasure will be divided by the people of God.
    Even the lame will take their share!
24 The people of Israel will no longer say,
    “We are sick and helpless,”
    for the Lord will forgive their sins.

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17 Your eyes will see the king(A) in his beauty(B)
    and view a land that stretches afar.(C)
18 In your thoughts you will ponder the former terror:(D)
    “Where is that chief officer?
Where is the one who took the revenue?
    Where is the officer in charge of the towers?(E)
19 You will see those arrogant people(F) no more,
    people whose speech is obscure,
    whose language is strange and incomprehensible.(G)

20 Look on Zion,(H) the city of our festivals;
    your eyes will see Jerusalem,
    a peaceful abode,(I) a tent(J) that will not be moved;(K)
its stakes will never be pulled up,
    nor any of its ropes broken.
21 There the Lord will be our Mighty(L) One.
    It will be like a place of broad rivers and streams.(M)
No galley with oars will ride them,
    no mighty ship(N) will sail them.
22 For the Lord is our judge,(O)
    the Lord is our lawgiver,(P)
the Lord is our king;(Q)
    it is he who will save(R) us.

23 Your rigging hangs loose:
    The mast is not held secure,
    the sail is not spread.
Then an abundance of spoils will be divided
    and even the lame(S) will carry off plunder.(T)
24 No one living in Zion will say, “I am ill”;(U)
    and the sins of those who dwell there will be forgiven.(V)

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