Zion’s Happy Future

35 The (A)wilderness and the desert will rejoice,
And the [a](B)desert will shout for joy and blossom;
Like the crocus
It will (C)blossom profusely
And (D)rejoice with joy and jubilation.
The (E)glory of Lebanon will be given to it,
The majesty of (F)Carmel and Sharon.
They will see the (G)glory of the Lord,
The majesty of our God.
(H)Strengthen the [b]exhausted, and make the [c]feeble strong.
Say to those with (I)anxious heart,
“Take courage, fear not.
Behold, your God will come with (J)vengeance;
The (K)retribution of God will come,
But He will (L)save you.”
Then the (M)eyes of those who are blind will be opened,
And the ears of those who are deaf will be unstopped.
Then those who (N)limp will leap like a deer,
And the (O)tongue of those who cannot speak will shout for joy.
For waters will burst forth in the (P)wilderness,
And streams in the [d]desert.
The [e]scorched land will become a pool
And the thirsty ground (Q)springs of water;
In the (R)haunt of jackals, its resting place,
Grass becomes reeds and rushes.
(S)A highway will be there, (T)a roadway,
And it will be called the Highway of (U)Holiness.
The unclean will not travel on it,
But it will be for the one who walks that way,
And (V)fools will not wander on it.
No (W)lion will be there,
Nor will any vicious animal go up on it;
[f]They will not be found there.
But (X)the redeemed will walk there,
10 And (Y)the redeemed of the Lord will return
And come to Zion with joyful shouting,
And everlasting joy will be on their heads.
They will obtain gladness and joy,
And (Z)sorrow and sighing will flee away.

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Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 35:1 Or Arabah
  2. Isaiah 35:3 Lit slack hands
  3. Isaiah 35:3 Lit tottering knees
  4. Isaiah 35:6 Or Arabah
  5. Isaiah 35:7 Or mirage
  6. Isaiah 35:9 Lit It

The Greatness of God

40 (A)Comfort, comfort My people,” says your God.
(B)Speak [a]kindly to Jerusalem;
And call out to her, that her [b](C)warfare has ended,
That her [c](D)guilt has been removed,
That she has received of the Lords hand
(E)Double for all her sins.”

(F)The voice of one calling out,
(G)Clear the way for the Lord in the wilderness;
Make [d]straight in the desert a highway for our God.
Let every valley be lifted up,
And every mountain and hill be made low;
And let the uneven ground become a plain,
And the rugged terrain a broad valley;
[e]Then the (H)glory of the Lord will be revealed,
And (I)all flesh will see it together;
For the (J)mouth of the Lord has spoken.”
A voice says, “Call out.”
Then [f]he answered, “What shall I call out?”
(K)All flesh is grass, and all its [g]loveliness is like the flower of the field.
The (L)grass withers, the flower fades,
[h]When the (M)breath of the Lord blows upon it;
The people are indeed grass!
The grass withers, the flower fades,
But (N)the word of our God stands forever.

Go up on a (O)high mountain,
Zion, messenger of (P)good news,
Raise your voice forcefully,
Jerusalem, messenger of good news;
Raise it up, do not fear.
Say to the (Q)cities of Judah,
(R)Here is your God!”
10 Behold, the Lord [i]God will come (S)with might,
With His (T)arm ruling for Him.
Behold, His (U)compensation is with Him,
And His reward before Him.
11 Like a shepherd He will (V)tend His flock,
In His arm He will gather the lambs
And carry them in the fold of His robe;
He will gently lead the nursing ewes.

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Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 40:2 Lit to the heart of
  2. Isaiah 40:2 Or hard service
  3. Isaiah 40:2 Or penalty of guilt accepted as paid off
  4. Isaiah 40:3 Or smooth
  5. Isaiah 40:5 Or In order that the
  6. Isaiah 40:6 Another reading is I said
  7. Isaiah 40:6 Or constancy
  8. Isaiah 40:7 Or Because
  9. Isaiah 40:10 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord

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