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Before she was in labor
    she gave birth;
before her pain came upon her
    she delivered a son.(A)
Who has heard of such a thing?
    Who has seen such things?
Shall a land be born in one day?
    Shall a nation be delivered in one moment?
Yet as soon as Zion was in labor
    she delivered her children.(B)
Shall I open the womb and not deliver?
    says the Lord;
shall I, the one who delivers, shut the womb?
    says your God.

10 Rejoice with Jerusalem, and be glad for her,
    all you who love her;
rejoice with her in joy,
    all you who mourn over her—(C)
11 that you may nurse and be satisfied
    from her consoling breast,
that you may drink deeply with delight
    from her glorious bosom.(D)

12 For thus says the Lord:
I will extend prosperity to her like a river
    and the wealth of the nations like an overflowing stream,
and you shall nurse and be carried on her arm
    and bounced on her knees.(E)
13 As a mother comforts her child,
    so I will comfort you;
    you shall be comforted in Jerusalem.(F)

The Reign and Indignation of God

14 You shall see, and your heart shall rejoice;
    your bodies[a] shall flourish like the grass,
and it shall be known that the power of the Lord is with his servants,
    and his indignation is against his enemies.(G)

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Footnotes

  1. 66.14 Heb bones

“Before she was in labor, (A)she delivered;
Before her pain came, (B)she gave birth to a boy.
(C)Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things?
Can a land be [a]born in one day?
Can a nation be given birth all at once?
As soon as Zion was in labor, she also delivered her sons.
Shall I bring to the point of birth but (D)not give delivery?” says the Lord.
“Or shall I who gives delivery shut the womb?” says your God.

Joy in Jerusalem’s Future

10 “Be (E)joyful with Jerusalem and rejoice for her, all you who (F)love her;
Be exceedingly (G)glad with her, all you who mourn over her,
11 So that you may nurse and (H)be satisfied with her comforting breasts,
So that you may drink fully and be delighted with her (I)bountiful breasts.”
12 For this is what the Lord says: “Behold, I extend (J)peace to her like a river,
And the (K)glory of the nations like an overflowing stream;
And you will [b]be nursed, you will be (L)carried on the [c]hip and rocked back and forth on the knees.
13 As one whom his mother comforts, so I will (M)comfort you;
And you will be comforted in Jerusalem.”
14 Then you will (N)see this, and your (O)heart will be glad,
And your (P)bones will flourish like the new grass;
And the (Q)hand of the Lord will be made known to His servants,
But He will be (R)indignant toward His enemies.

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Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 66:8 Lit born through labor-pains
  2. Isaiah 66:12 Lit nurse
  3. Isaiah 66:12 Lit side