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The Inheritance of the Slaves of Yahweh

54 (A)Shout for joy, O barren woman, who has not given birth;
Break forth into joyful shouting and cry aloud, you who have not been in [a]labor;
For (B)more numerous are the sons of the (C)desolate one
Than the sons of the married woman,” says Yahweh.
(D)Enlarge the place of your tent;
[b]Stretch out the curtains of your dwellings, do not hold back;
Lengthen your (E)cords
And strengthen your (F)pegs.
For you will (G)spread abroad to the right and to the left.
And your seed will (H)possess nations
And will (I)resettle the desolate cities.

“Do not be afraid, for you will (J)not be put to shame;
And do not feel dishonored, for you will not be humiliated;
But you will forget the (K)shame of your virginity,
And the (L)reproach of your widowhood you will remember no more.
For your (M)husband is your Maker,
Whose name is Yahweh of hosts;
And your (N)Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel,
Who is called the (O)God of all the earth.
For Yahweh has called you,
Like a wife (P)forsaken and grieved in spirit,
Even like a wife of one’s youth when she is rejected,”
Says your God.
[c]For a (Q)brief moment I forsook you,
But with great compassion I will (R)gather you.
In [d]a (S)flood of fury
I hid My face from you for a moment,
But with everlasting (T)lovingkindness I will (U)have compassion on you,”
Says Yahweh your (V)Redeemer.

“For [e]this is like the days of Noah to Me,
When I swore that the waters of Noah
Would (W)not [f]overflow the earth again;
So I have sworn that I will (X)not be furious with you
Nor will I rebuke you.
10 For the (Y)mountains may be removed and the hills may shake,
But My lovingkindness will not be removed from you,
And My (Z)covenant of peace will not be shaken,”
Says (AA)Yahweh who has compassion on you.

11 “O (AB)afflicted one, storm-tossed, and (AC)not comforted,
Behold, I will lay your stones in antimony,
And your foundations I will (AD)set in [g](AE)sapphires.
12 Moreover, I will make your battlements of [h]rubies,
And your gates of [i]crystal,
And your entire [j]wall of [k]precious stones.
13 (AF)All your sons will be [l]taught of Yahweh;
And the peace of your sons will be (AG)great.
14 In (AH)righteousness you will be established;
You will be far from (AI)oppression, for you will (AJ)not fear,
And from (AK)terror, for it will not come near you.
15 If anyone fiercely attacks you it will not be from Me.
(AL)Whoever attacks you will fall because of you.
16 Behold, I Myself have created the craftsman who blows the fire of coals
And brings out a weapon for its work;
And I have created the bringer of ruin to wreak destruction.
17 (AM)No weapon that is formed against you will succeed;
And (AN)every tongue that [m]accuses you in judgment you will condemn.
This is the inheritance of the [n]slaves of Yahweh,
And their (AO)righteousness is from Me,” declares Yahweh.

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 54:1 Or labor pains
  2. Isaiah 54:2 Lit Let them stretch out
  3. Isaiah 54:7 Lit In
  4. Isaiah 54:8 Lit an overflowing
  5. Isaiah 54:9 Some mss the waters of Noah this is to Me
  6. Isaiah 54:9 Lit cross over
  7. Isaiah 54:11 Or lapis lazuli
  8. Isaiah 54:12 Bright red
  9. Isaiah 54:12 Or carbuncles
  10. Isaiah 54:12 Lit border, boundary
  11. Isaiah 54:12 Lit desirable
  12. Isaiah 54:13 Or disciples
  13. Isaiah 54:17 Lit rises against
  14. Isaiah 54:17 Or servants

The Future Glory of Zion

54 “Sing, barren woman,(A)
    you who never bore a child;
burst into song, shout for joy,(B)
    you who were never in labor;(C)
because more are the children(D) of the desolate(E) woman
    than of her who has a husband,(F)
says the Lord.
“Enlarge the place of your tent,(G)
    stretch your tent curtains wide,
    do not hold back;
lengthen your cords,
    strengthen your stakes.(H)
For you will spread out to the right and to the left;
    your descendants(I) will dispossess nations(J)
    and settle in their desolate(K) cities.

“Do not be afraid;(L) you will not be put to shame.(M)
    Do not fear disgrace;(N) you will not be humiliated.
You will forget the shame of your youth(O)
    and remember no more the reproach(P) of your widowhood.(Q)
For your Maker(R) is your husband(S)
    the Lord Almighty is his name—
the Holy One(T) of Israel is your Redeemer;(U)
    he is called the God of all the earth.(V)
The Lord will call you back(W)
    as if you were a wife deserted(X) and distressed in spirit—
a wife who married young,(Y)
    only to be rejected,” says your God.
“For a brief moment(Z) I abandoned(AA) you,
    but with deep compassion(AB) I will bring you back.(AC)
In a surge of anger(AD)
    I hid(AE) my face from you for a moment,
but with everlasting kindness(AF)
    I will have compassion(AG) on you,”
    says the Lord your Redeemer.(AH)

“To me this is like the days of Noah,
    when I swore that the waters of Noah would never again cover the earth.(AI)
So now I have sworn(AJ) not to be angry(AK) with you,
    never to rebuke(AL) you again.
10 Though the mountains be shaken(AM)
    and the hills be removed,
yet my unfailing love(AN) for you will not be shaken(AO)
    nor my covenant(AP) of peace(AQ) be removed,”
    says the Lord, who has compassion(AR) on you.

11 “Afflicted(AS) city, lashed by storms(AT) and not comforted,(AU)
    I will rebuild you with stones of turquoise,[a](AV)
    your foundations(AW) with lapis lazuli.(AX)
12 I will make your battlements of rubies,
    your gates(AY) of sparkling jewels,
    and all your walls of precious stones.
13 All your children will be taught by the Lord,(AZ)
    and great will be their peace.(BA)
14 In righteousness(BB) you will be established:(BC)
Tyranny(BD) will be far from you;
    you will have nothing to fear.(BE)
Terror(BF) will be far removed;
    it will not come near you.
15 If anyone does attack you, it will not be my doing;
    whoever attacks you will surrender(BG) to you.

16 “See, it is I who created the blacksmith(BH)
    who fans the coals into flame
    and forges a weapon(BI) fit for its work.
And it is I who have created the destroyer(BJ) to wreak havoc;
17     no weapon forged against you will prevail,(BK)
    and you will refute(BL) every tongue that accuses you.
This is the heritage of the servants(BM) of the Lord,
    and this is their vindication(BN) from me,”
declares the Lord.

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 54:11 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.