Isaiah 49:14-21
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
14 But Zion said, “The Lord has forsaken me;
my Lord has forgotten me.”(A)
15 Can a woman forget her nursing child
or show no compassion for the child of her womb?
Even these might forget,
yet I will not forget you.(B)
16 See, I have inscribed you on the palms of my hands;
your walls are continually before me.(C)
17 Your builders outdo your destroyers,[a]
and those who laid you waste go away from you.(D)
18 Lift up your eyes all around and see;
they all gather; they come to you.
As I live, says the Lord,
you shall put all of them on like an ornament,
and like a bride you shall bind them on.(E)
19 For your wastelands, your desolate places,
and your devastated land—
now you will be too crowded for your inhabitants,
and those who swallowed you up will be far away.(F)
20 The children born in the time of your bereavement
will yet say in your hearing:
“The place is too crowded for me;
make room for me to settle.”(G)
21 Then you will say in your heart,
“Who has borne me these?
I was bereaved and barren,
exiled and put away—
so who has reared these?
I was left all alone—
where, then, have these come from?”(H)
Footnotes
- 49.17 Or Your children come swiftly; your destroyers
Isaiah 49:14-21
English Standard Version
14 But Zion said, (A)“The Lord has forsaken me;
my Lord has forgotten me.”
15 (B)“Can a woman forget her nursing 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, (C)I have engraved you on the palms of my hands;
your walls are continually before me.
17 Your builders make haste;[a]
(D)your destroyers and those who laid you waste go out from you.
18 (E)Lift up your eyes around and see;
they all gather, they come to you.
(F)As I live, declares the Lord,
(G)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—
(H)surely now you will be too narrow for your inhabitants,
and those who swallowed you up will be far away.
20 (I)The children of your bereavement
will yet say in your ears:
(J)‘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?
(K)I was bereaved and barren,
exiled and put away,
but who has brought up these?
Behold, I was left alone;
from where have these come?’”
Footnotes
- Isaiah 49:17 Dead Sea Scroll; Masoretic Text Your children make haste
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
