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“Before she travailed, she gave birth.
    Before her pain came, she delivered a son.
Who has heard of such a thing?
    Who has seen such things?
Shall a land be born in one day?
    Shall a nation be born at once?
For as soon as Zion travailed,
    she gave birth to her children.
Shall I bring to the birth, and not cause to be delivered?” says Yahweh.
    “Shall I who cause to give birth shut the womb?” says your God.

10 “Rejoice with Jerusalem, and be glad for her, all you who love her.
    Rejoice for joy with her, all you who mourn over her;
11 that you may nurse and be satisfied at the comforting breasts;
    that you may drink deeply,
    and be delighted with the abundance of her glory.”

12 For Yahweh says, “Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river,
    and the glory of the nations like an overflowing stream;
    and you will nurse.
You will be carried on her side,
    and will be dandled on her knees.
13 As one whom his mother comforts,
    so I will comfort you.
    You will be comforted in Jerusalem.”

14 You will see it, and your heart shall rejoice,
    and your bones will flourish like the tender grass.
Yahweh’s hand will be known among his servants;
    and he will have indignation against his enemies.

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Zion’s Delivery

Before she was in labor she gave birth;
    before labor pains[a] came to her, she gave birth to a son.
Who has heard anything like this?
    Who has seen anything like these things?
Can a land be born in one day?
    Or can a nation be born in a moment?

Yet when she was in labor, Zion indeed gave birth to her children.

Shall I myself I break open and not deliver?”[b] says Yahweh,
“or I who delivers[c] lock up the womb?” says your God.
10 “Rejoice with Jerusalem
    and shout in exultation with her, all those who love her!
    Rejoice with her in joy, all those who mourn over her,
11 so that you may suck and be satisfied from her consoling breast,[d]
    so that you may drink deeply and refresh yourselves from her heavy breast.”[e]

12 For thus says Yahweh:

“Look! I am about to spread prosperity out to her like a river,
    and the wealth of the nations like an overflowing stream,
and you shall suck and be carried on the hip;
    and you shall you shall be played with on the knees.
13 As a man whose mother comforts him, so I myself will comfort you,
    and you shall be comforted in Jerusalem.

Yahweh’s Final Judgment

14 And you shall see and your heart shall rejoice,
    and your bones shall flourish[f] like the grass,
and the hand of Yahweh shall make itself known to[g] his servants,
    and he shall curse his enemies.

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Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 66:7 Hebrew “pain”
  2. Isaiah 66:9 Literally “cause to bring forth”
  3. Isaiah 66:9 Literally “causes to bring forth”
  4. Isaiah 66:11 Literally “breast of consolation”
  5. Isaiah 66:11 Literally “breast of heaviness “
  6. Isaiah 66:14 Literally “sprout”
  7. Isaiah 66:14 Literally “with”