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Before she goes into labor, she gives birth!
Before her contractions begin, she delivers a boy!
Who has ever heard of such a thing?
Who has ever seen this?
Can a country[a] be brought forth in one day?
Can a nation be born in a single moment?
Yet as soon as Zion goes into labor she gives birth to sons!
Do I bring a baby to the birth opening and then not deliver it?”
asks the Lord.
“Or do I bring a baby to the point of delivery and then hold it back?”
asks your God.[b]
10 “Be happy for Jerusalem
and rejoice with her, all you who love her!
Share in her great joy,
all you who have mourned over her!
11 For[c] you will nurse from her satisfying breasts and be nourished;[d]
you will feed with joy from her milk-filled breasts.[e]

12 For this is what the Lord says:

“Look, I am ready to extend to her prosperity that will flow like a river,
the riches of nations will flow into her like a stream that floods its banks.[f]
You will nurse from her breast[g] and be carried at her side;
you will play on her knees.
13 As a mother consoles a child,[h]
so I will console you,
and you will be consoled over Jerusalem.”
14 When you see this, you will be happy,[i]
and you will be revived.[j]
The Lord will reveal his power to his servants
and his anger to his enemies.[k]

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Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 66:8 tn Heb “land,” but here אֶרֶץ (ʾerets) stands metonymically for an organized nation (see the following line).
  2. Isaiah 66:9 sn The rhetorical questions expect the answer, “Of course not!”
  3. Isaiah 66:11 tn Or “in order that”; ASV, NRSV “that.”
  4. Isaiah 66:11 tn Heb “you will suck and be satisfied from her comforting breast.”
  5. Isaiah 66:11 tn Heb “you will slurp and refresh yourselves from her heavy breast.”sn Zion’s residents will benefit from and enjoy her great material prosperity. See v. 12.
  6. Isaiah 66:12 tn Heb “Look, I am ready to extend to her like a river prosperity [or “peace”], and like an overflowing stream, the riches of nations.”
  7. Isaiah 66:12 tn The words “from her breast” are supplied in the translation for clarification (see v. 11).
  8. Isaiah 66:13 tn Heb “like a man whose mother comforts him.”
  9. Isaiah 66:14 tn “and you will see and your heart will be happy.”
  10. Isaiah 66:14 tn Heb “and your bones like grass will sprout.”
  11. Isaiah 66:14 tn Heb “and the hand of the Lord will be made known to his servants, and anger to his enemies.”

“Before she goes into labor,(A)
    she gives birth;
before the pains come upon her,
    she delivers a son.(B)
Who has ever heard of such things?
    Who has ever seen(C) things like this?
Can a country be born in a day(D)
    or a nation be brought forth in a moment?
Yet no sooner is Zion in labor
    than she gives birth to her children.(E)
Do I bring to the moment of birth(F)
    and not give delivery?” says the Lord.
“Do I close up the womb
    when I bring to delivery?” says your God.
10 “Rejoice(G) with Jerusalem and be glad for her,
    all you who love(H) her;
rejoice greatly with her,
    all you who mourn(I) over her.
11 For you will nurse(J) and be satisfied
    at her comforting breasts;(K)
you will drink deeply
    and delight in her overflowing abundance.”(L)

12 For this is what the Lord says:

“I will extend peace(M) to her like a river,(N)
    and the wealth(O) of nations like a flooding stream;
you will nurse and be carried(P) on her arm
    and dandled on her knees.
13 As a mother comforts her child,(Q)
    so will I comfort(R) you;
    and you will be comforted over Jerusalem.”

14 When you see this, your heart will rejoice(S)
    and you will flourish(T) like grass;
the hand(U) of the Lord will be made known to his servants,(V)
    but his fury(W) will be shown to his foes.

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