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35 The wilderness and the dry land will be glad.
    The desert will rejoice and blossom like a rose.
It will blossom abundantly,
    and rejoice even with joy and singing.
    Lebanon’s glory will be given to it,
    the excellence of Carmel and Sharon.
    They will see Yahweh’s glory,
    the excellence of our God.

Strengthen the weak hands,
    and make the feeble knees firm.
Tell those who have a fearful heart, “Be strong!
    Don’t be afraid!
Behold, your God will come with vengeance, God’s retribution.
    He will come and save you.

Then the eyes of the blind will be opened,
    and the ears of the deaf will be unstopped.
Then the lame man will leap like a deer,
    and the tongue of the mute will sing;
    for waters will break out in the wilderness,
    and streams in the desert.
The burning sand will become a pool,
    and the thirsty ground springs of water.
    Grass with reeds and rushes will be in the habitation of jackals, where they lay.
A highway will be there, a road,
    and it will be called “The Holy Way”.
The unclean shall not pass over it,
    but it will be for those who walk in the Way.
    Wicked fools shall not go there.
No lion will be there,
    nor will any ravenous animal go up on it.
    They will not be found there;
    but the redeemed will walk there.
10 Then Yahweh’s ransomed ones will return,
    and come with singing to Zion;
    and everlasting joy will be on their heads.
They will obtain gladness and joy,
    and sorrow and sighing will flee away.”

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The Return of the Redeemed to Zion

35 The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad;
    the desert shall rejoice and blossom;
like the crocus(A) it shall blossom abundantly
    and rejoice with joy and shouting.
The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it,
    the majesty of Carmel and Sharon.
They shall see the glory of the Lord,
    the majesty of our God.]][a](B)

Strengthen the weak hands
    and make firm the feeble knees.(C)
Say to those who are of a fearful heart,
    “Be strong, do not fear!
Here is your God.
    He will come with vengeance,
with terrible recompense.
    He will come and save you.”(D)

Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened,
    and the ears of the deaf shall be opened;(E)
then the lame shall leap like a deer,
    and the tongue of the speechless sing for joy.
For waters shall break forth in the wilderness
    and streams in the desert;(F)
the burning sand shall become a pool
    and the thirsty ground springs of water;
the haunt of jackals shall become a swamp;[b]
    the grass shall become reeds and rushes.(G)

A highway shall be there,[c]
    and it shall be called the Holy Way;
the unclean shall not travel on it,[d]
    but it shall be for God’s people;[e]
    no traveler, not even fools, shall go astray.(H)
No lion shall be there,
    nor shall any ravenous beast come up on it;
they shall not be found there,
    but the redeemed shall walk there.(I)
10 And the ransomed of the Lord shall return
    and come to Zion with singing;
everlasting joy shall be upon their heads;
    they shall obtain joy and gladness,
    and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.(J)

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Footnotes

  1. 34.17–35.2 Q ms lacks 34.17–35.2
  2. 35.7 Cn: Heb in the haunt of jackals is her resting place
  3. 35.8 Q ms Gk Syr: MT A highway and a way shall be there
  4. 35.8 Or pass it by
  5. 35.8 Cn: Heb for them