Isaiah 49:14-26

Contemporary English Version

¹⁴ The people of Zion said,
“The Lord has turned away
    and forgotten us.”

¹⁵ The Lord answered,
“Could a mother forget a child
    who nurses at her breast?
Could she fail to love an infant
    who came from her own body?
Even if a mother could forget,
    I will never forget you.
¹⁶ A picture of your city
    is drawn on my hand.
You are always in my thoughts!

¹⁷ “Your city will be built faster
    than it was destroyed^[a]—
those who attacked it
    will retreat and leave.
¹⁸ Look around! You will see
    your people coming home.
As surely as I live,
    I, the Lord, promise
that your city with its people
will be as lovely as a bride
    wearing her jewelry.”

²⁰ Jerusalem is a woman
    whose children were born
while she was in deep sorrow^[b]
    over the loss of her husband.
Now those children
will come and seek room
    in the crowded city,
²¹ and Jerusalem will ask,
    “Am I really their mother?
How could I have given birth
when I was still mourning
    in a foreign land?
Who raised these children?
Where have they come from?”

^22 (A) The Lord God says:
“I will soon give a signal
    for the nations
to return your sons
and your daughters
    to the arms of Jerusalem.
²³ The kings and queens
    of those nations
where they were raised
    will come and bow down.
They will take care of you
just like a slave
    taking care of a child.
Then you will know
    that I am the Lord.
You won't be disappointed
    if you trust me.”