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Promise to Zion

14 But Zion said, “Yahweh has forsaken me,
And the Lord has forgotten me.”
15 “Can a woman forget her infant
And have no compassion on the son of her womb?
Even these may forget, but (A)I will not forget you.
16 Behold, I have (B)inscribed you on the palms of My hands;
Your (C)walls are continually before Me.
17 Your [a]builders hurry;
Your (D)destroyers and devastators
Will depart from you.
18 (E)Lift up your eyes and look around;
(F)All of them gather together; (G)they come to you.
(H)As I live,” declares Yahweh,
“You will surely (I)put on all of them as [b]jewels and bind them on as a bride.
19 For (J)your [c]devastated and desolate places and your destroyed land—
Surely now you will be (K)too cramped for the inhabitants,
And those who (L)swallowed you will be far away.
20 The (M)children of [d]whom you were bereaved will yet say in your ears,
‘The place is too cramped for me;
Make room for me that I may live here.’
21 Then you will (N)say in your heart,
‘Who has borne these for me?
Indeed, I have been bereaved of my children
And am (O)barren, an (P)exile and a wanderer.
And who has reared these?
Behold, I (Q)remained alone;
[e](R)From where did these come?’”

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Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 49:17 As in DSS and ancient versions; M.T. sons
  2. Isaiah 49:18 Lit an ornament
  3. Isaiah 49:19 Or waste
  4. Isaiah 49:20 Lit your bereavement
  5. Isaiah 49:21 Lit These, where are they?

14 But Zion said, “The Lord has forsaken me,
    my Lord has forgotten me.”
15 “Can a woman forget her sucking child,
    that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb?
Even these may forget,
    yet I will not forget you.
16 Behold, I have graven you on the palms of my hands;
    your walls are continually before me.
17 Your builders outstrip your destroyers,
    and those who laid you waste go forth from you.
18 Lift up your eyes round about and see;
    they all gather, they come to you.
As I live, says the Lord,
    you shall put them all on as an ornament,
    you shall bind them on as a bride does.

19 “Surely your waste and your desolate places
    and your devastated land—
surely now you will be too narrow for your inhabitants,
    and those who swallowed you up will be far away.
20 The children born in the time of your bereavement
    will yet say in your ears:
‘The place is too narrow for me;
    make room for me to dwell in.’
21 Then you will say in your heart:
    ‘Who has borne me these?
I was bereaved and barren,
    exiled and put away,
    but who has brought up these?
Behold, I was left alone;
    whence then have these come?’”

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14 But Zion(A) said, “The Lord has forsaken(B) me,
    the Lord has forgotten me.”

15 “Can a mother forget the baby at her breast
    and have no compassion on the child(C) she has borne?
Though she may forget,
    I will not forget you!(D)
16 See, I have engraved(E) you on the palms of my hands;
    your walls(F) are ever before me.
17 Your children hasten back,
    and those who laid you waste(G) depart from you.
18 Lift up your eyes and look around;
    all your children gather(H) and come to you.
As surely as I live,(I)” declares the Lord,
    “you will wear(J) them all as ornaments;
    you will put them on, like a bride.

19 “Though you were ruined and made desolate(K)
    and your land laid waste,(L)
now you will be too small for your people,(M)
    and those who devoured(N) you will be far away.
20 The children born during your bereavement
    will yet say in your hearing,
‘This place is too small for us;
    give us more space to live in.’(O)
21 Then you will say in your heart,
    ‘Who bore me these?(P)
I was bereaved(Q) and barren;
    I was exiled and rejected.(R)
    Who brought these(S) up?
I was left(T) all alone,(U)
    but these—where have they come from?’”

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