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54 “Sing, barren, you who didn’t give birth;
    break out into singing, and cry aloud, you who didn’t travail with child:
    for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife,” says Yahweh.
“Enlarge the place of your tent,
    and let them stretch out the curtains of your habitations;
    don’t spare: lengthen your cords, and strengthen your stakes.
For you will spread out on the right hand and on the left;
    and your offspring will possess the nations
    and settle in desolate cities.

“Don’t be afraid, for you will not be ashamed.
    Don’t be confounded, for you will not be disappointed.
For you will forget the shame of your youth.
    You will remember the reproach of your widowhood no more.
For your Maker is your husband; Yahweh of Armies is his name.
    The Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer.
    He will be called the God of the whole earth.
For Yahweh has called you as a wife forsaken and grieved in spirit,
    even a wife of youth, when she is cast off,” says your God.

“For a small moment I have forsaken you,
    but I will gather you with great mercies.
In overflowing wrath I hid my face from you for a moment,
    but with everlasting loving kindness I will have mercy on you,” says Yahweh your Redeemer.

“For this is like the waters of Noah to me;
    for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah will no more go over the earth,
    so I have sworn that I will not be angry with you, nor rebuke you.
10 For the mountains may depart,
    and the hills be removed;
but my loving kindness will not depart from you,
    and my covenant of peace will not be removed,”
    says Yahweh who has mercy on you.

11 “You afflicted, tossed with storms, and not comforted,
    behold, I will set your stones in beautiful colors,
    and lay your foundations with sapphires.
12 I will make your pinnacles of rubies,
    your gates of sparkling jewels,
    and all your walls of precious stones.
13 All your children will be taught by Yahweh;
    and your children’s peace will be great.
14 You will be established in righteousness.
    You will be far from oppression,
    for you will not be afraid,
    and far from terror,
    for it shall not come near you.
15 Behold, they may gather together, but not by me.
    Whoever gathers together against you will fall because of you.

16 “Behold, I have created the blacksmith who fans the coals into flame,
    and forges a weapon for his work;
    and I have created the destroyer to destroy.
17 No weapon that is formed against you will prevail;
    and you will condemn every tongue that rises against you in judgment.
This is the heritage of Yahweh’s servants,
    and their righteousness is of me,” says Yahweh.

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 desolate one will be more
than the children of the married woman,”(B)
says the Lord.
“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.
For you will spread out to the right and to the left,(D)
and your descendants will dispossess nations
and inhabit the desolate cities.

“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)
Indeed, your husband is your Maker(G)
his name is the Lord of Armies—
and the Holy One of Israel(H) is your Redeemer;(I)
he is called the God of the whole earth.
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.
“I deserted you for a brief moment,(L)
but I will take you back with abundant compassion.
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.
“For this is like the days[a] of Noah to me:
when I swore that the water 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 lapis lazuli.(R)
12 I will make your fortifications[c] 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[d]
raised against you in court.
This is the heritage of the Lord’s servants,(T)
and their vindication is from me.”(U)

This is the Lord’s declaration.

Footnotes

  1. 54:9 DSS, Cairo Geniza; MT, LXX read waters
  2. 54:11 Lit in antimony
  3. 54:12 Lit suns; perhaps shields; Ps 84:11
  4. 54:17 Lit refute every tongue