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Glorious things are spoken of you,
    O city of God. Selah(A)

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Glorious things are said of you,
    city of God:[a](A)

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 87:3 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 6.

11 and I will multiply humans and animals upon you. They shall increase and be fruitful, and I will cause you to be inhabited as in your former times and will do more good to you than ever before. Then you shall know that I am the Lord.(A) 12 I will lead people upon you—my people Israel—and they shall possess you, and you shall be their inheritance. No longer shall you bereave them of children.

13 Thus says the Lord God: Because they say to you, “You devour people, and you bereave your nation of children,” 14 therefore you shall no longer devour people and no longer bereave your nation of children, says the Lord God, 15 and no longer will I let you hear the insults of the nations; no longer shall you bear the disgrace of the peoples, and no longer shall you cause your nation to stumble, says the Lord God.(B)

The Renewal of Israel

16 The word of the Lord came to me: 17 Mortal, when the house of Israel lived on their own soil, they defiled it with their ways and their deeds; their conduct in my sight was like the uncleanness of a menstrual period.(C) 18 So I poured out my wrath upon them for the blood that they had shed upon the land and for the idols with which they had defiled it.(D) 19 I scattered them among the nations, and they were dispersed through the countries; in accordance with their conduct and their deeds I judged them.(E) 20 But when they came to the nations, wherever they came, they profaned my holy name, in that it was said of them, “These are the people of the Lord, yet they had to go out of his land.”(F) 21 But I had concern for my holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the nations to which they came.(G)

22 Therefore say to the house of Israel: Thus says the Lord God: It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations to which you came.(H) 23 I will sanctify my great name, which has been profaned among the nations and which you have profaned among them, and the nations shall know that I am the Lord, says the Lord God, when through you I display my holiness before their eyes.(I) 24 I will take you from the nations and gather you from all the countries and bring you into your own land.(J) 25 I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you.(K) 26 A new heart I will give you, and a new spirit I will put within you, and I will remove from your body the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.(L) 27 I will put my spirit within you and make you follow my statutes and be careful to observe my ordinances.(M) 28 Then you shall live in the land that I gave to your ancestors, and you shall be my people, and I will be your God.(N) 29 I will save you from all your uncleannesses, and I will summon the grain and make it abundant and lay no famine upon you.(O) 30 I will make the fruit of the tree and the produce of the field abundant, so that you may never again suffer the disgrace of famine among the nations. 31 Then you shall remember your evil ways and your dealings that were not good, and you shall loathe yourselves for your iniquities and your abominable deeds.(P) 32 It is not for your sake that I will act, says the Lord God; let that be known to you. Be ashamed and dismayed for your ways, O house of Israel.(Q)

33 Thus says the Lord God: On the day that I cleanse you from all your iniquities, I will cause the towns to be inhabited, and the waste places shall be rebuilt. 34 The land that was desolate shall be tilled, instead of being the desolation that it was in the sight of all who passed by. 35 And they will say, “This land that was desolate has become like the garden of Eden, and the waste and desolate and ruined towns are now inhabited and fortified.”(R) 36 Then the nations that are left all around you shall know that I, the Lord, have rebuilt the ruined places and replanted that which was desolate; I, the Lord, have spoken, and I will do it.(S)

37 Thus says the Lord God: I will also let the house of Israel ask me to do this for them: to multiply their people like sheep. 38 Like a consecrated flock, like the flock at Jerusalem during her appointed festivals, so shall the ruined towns be filled with flocks of people. Then they shall know that I am the Lord.(T)

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11 I will increase the number of people and animals living on you, and they will be fruitful(A) and become numerous. I will settle people(B) on you as in the past(C) and will make you prosper more than before.(D) Then you will know that I am the Lord. 12 I will cause people, my people Israel, to live on you. They will possess you, and you will be their inheritance;(E) you will never again deprive them of their children.

13 “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Because some say to you, “You devour people(F) and deprive your nation of its children,” 14 therefore you will no longer devour people or make your nation childless, declares the Sovereign Lord. 15 No longer will I make you hear the taunts of the nations, and no longer will you suffer the scorn of the peoples or cause your nation to fall, declares the Sovereign Lord.(G)’”

Israel’s Restoration Assured

16 Again the word of the Lord came to me: 17 “Son of man, when the people of Israel were living in their own land, they defiled it by their conduct and their actions. Their conduct was like a woman’s monthly uncleanness(H) in my sight.(I) 18 So I poured out(J) my wrath on them because they had shed blood in the land and because they had defiled it with their idols. 19 I dispersed them among the nations, and they were scattered(K) through the countries; I judged them according to their conduct and their actions.(L) 20 And wherever they went among the nations they profaned(M) my holy name, for it was said of them, ‘These are the Lord’s people, and yet they had to leave his land.’(N) 21 I had concern for my holy name, which the people of Israel profaned among the nations where they had gone.(O)

22 “Therefore say to the Israelites, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: It is not for your sake, people of Israel, that I am going to do these things, but for the sake of my holy name,(P) which you have profaned(Q) among the nations where you have gone.(R) 23 I will show the holiness of my great name,(S) which has been profaned(T) among the nations, the name you have profaned among them. Then the nations will know that I am the Lord,(U) declares the Sovereign Lord, when I am proved holy(V) through you before their eyes.(W)

24 “‘For I will take you out of the nations; I will gather you from all the countries and bring you back into your own land.(X) 25 I will sprinkle(Y) clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse(Z) you from all your impurities(AA) and from all your idols.(AB) 26 I will give you a new heart(AC) and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone(AD) and give you a heart of flesh.(AE) 27 And I will put my Spirit(AF) in you and move you to follow my decrees(AG) and be careful to keep my laws.(AH) 28 Then you will live in the land I gave your ancestors; you will be my people,(AI) and I will be your God.(AJ) 29 I will save you from all your uncleanness. I will call for the grain and make it plentiful and will not bring famine(AK) upon you. 30 I will increase the fruit of the trees and the crops of the field, so that you will no longer suffer disgrace among the nations because of famine.(AL) 31 Then you will remember your evil ways and wicked deeds, and you will loathe yourselves for your sins and detestable practices.(AM) 32 I want you to know that I am not doing this for your sake, declares the Sovereign Lord. Be ashamed(AN) and disgraced for your conduct, people of Israel!(AO)

33 “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: On the day I cleanse(AP) you from all your sins, I will resettle your towns, and the ruins(AQ) will be rebuilt.(AR) 34 The desolate land will be cultivated instead of lying desolate in the sight of all who pass through it. 35 They will say, “This land that was laid waste has become like the garden of Eden;(AS) the cities that were lying in ruins, desolate and destroyed, are now fortified and inhabited.(AT) 36 Then the nations around you that remain will know that I the Lord have rebuilt what was destroyed and have replanted what was desolate. I the Lord have spoken, and I will do it.’(AU)

37 “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Once again I will yield to Israel’s plea(AV) and do this for them: I will make their people as numerous as sheep,(AW) 38 as numerous as the flocks for offerings(AX) at Jerusalem during her appointed festivals. So will the ruined cities be filled with flocks of people. Then they will know that I am the Lord.(AY)

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27 My dwelling place shall be over them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.(A) 28 Then the nations shall know that I the Lord sanctify Israel, when my sanctuary is among them forevermore.”(B)

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27 My dwelling place(A) will be with them; I will be their God, and they will be my people.(B) 28 Then the nations will know that I the Lord make Israel holy,(C) when my sanctuary is among them forever.(D)’”

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22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering,(A) 23 and to the assembly[a] of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect,(B)

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Footnotes

  1. 12.23 Or angels, and to the festal gathering and assembly

22 But you have come to Mount Zion,(A) to the city(B) of the living God,(C) the heavenly Jerusalem.(D) You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, 23 to the church of the firstborn,(E) whose names are written in heaven.(F) You have come to God, the Judge of all,(G) to the spirits of the righteous made perfect,(H)

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10 And in the spirit[a] he carried me away to a great, high mountain and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God.(A) 11 It has the glory of God and a radiance like a very rare jewel, like jasper, clear as crystal.(B) 12 It has a great, high wall with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and on the gates are inscribed the names that are the names[b] of the twelve tribes of the Israelites:(C) 13 on the east three gates, on the north three gates, on the south three gates, and on the west three gates. 14 And the wall of the city has twelve foundations, and on them are the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.(D)

15 The angel[c] who talked to me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city and its gates and walls.(E) 16 The city has four equal sides, its length the same as its width, and he measured the city with his rod, twelve thousand stadia; its length and width and height are equal. 17 He also measured its wall, one hundred forty-four cubits by human measurement, which the angel was using. 18 The wall is built of jasper, while the city is pure gold, clear as glass. 19 The foundations of the wall of the city are adorned with every jewel; the first was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, 20 the fifth onyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth amethyst. 21 And the twelve gates are twelve pearls, each of the gates is a single pearl, and the street of the city is pure gold, transparent as glass.

22 I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. 23 And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God is its light, and its lamp is the Lamb.(F) 24 The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it.(G) 25 Its gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there.(H) 26 People will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations. 27 But nothing unclean will enter it, nor anyone who practices abomination or falsehood, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life.(I)

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Footnotes

  1. 21.10 Or in the Spirit
  2. 21.12 Other ancient authorities lack that are the names
  3. 21.15 Gk He

10 And he carried me away(A) in the Spirit(B) to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God.(C) 11 It shone with the glory of God,(D) and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper,(E) clear as crystal.(F) 12 It had a great, high wall with twelve gates,(G) and with twelve angels at the gates. On the gates were written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel.(H) 13 There were three gates on the east, three on the north, three on the south and three on the west. 14 The wall of the city had twelve foundations,(I) and on them were the names of the twelve apostles(J) of the Lamb.

15 The angel who talked with me had a measuring rod(K) of gold to measure the city, its gates(L) and its walls. 16 The city was laid out like a square, as long as it was wide. He measured the city with the rod and found it to be 12,000 stadia[a] in length, and as wide and high as it is long. 17 The angel measured the wall using human(M) measurement, and it was 144 cubits[b] thick.[c] 18 The wall was made of jasper,(N) and the city of pure gold, as pure as glass.(O) 19 The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone.(P) The first foundation was jasper,(Q) the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, 20 the fifth onyx, the sixth ruby,(R) the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth turquoise, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst.[d] 21 The twelve gates(S) were twelve pearls,(T) each gate made of a single pearl. The great street of the city was of gold, as pure as transparent glass.(U)

22 I did not see a temple(V) in the city, because the Lord God Almighty(W) and the Lamb(X) are its temple. 23 The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God(Y) gives it light,(Z) and the Lamb(AA) is its lamp. 24 The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it.(AB) 25 On no day will its gates(AC) ever be shut,(AD) for there will be no night there.(AE) 26 The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it.(AF) 27 Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful,(AG) but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.(AH)

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Footnotes

  1. Revelation 21:16 That is, about 1,400 miles or about 2,200 kilometers
  2. Revelation 21:17 That is, about 200 feet or about 65 meters
  3. Revelation 21:17 Or high
  4. Revelation 21:20 The precise identification of some of these precious stones is uncertain.

The Lamb and the 144,000

14 Then I looked, and there was the Lamb, standing on Mount Zion! And with him were one hundred forty-four thousand who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads.(A)

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The Lamb and the 144,000

14 Then I looked, and there before me was the Lamb,(A) standing on Mount Zion,(B) and with him 144,000(C) who had his name and his Father’s name(D) written on their foreheads.(E)

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12 They shall come and sing aloud on the height of Zion,
    and they shall be radiant over the goodness of the Lord,
over the grain, the wine, and the oil,
    and over the young of the flock and the herd;
their life shall become like a watered garden,
    and they shall never languish again.(A)
13 Then shall the young women rejoice in the dance,
    and the young men and the old shall be merry.[a]
I will turn their mourning into joy;
    I will comfort them and give them gladness for sorrow.(B)

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Footnotes

  1. 31.13 Cn: Heb old together

12 They will come and shout for joy(A) on the heights(B) of Zion;
    they will rejoice in the bounty(C) of the Lord
the grain, the new wine and the olive oil,(D)
    the young of the flocks(E) and herds.
They will be like a well-watered garden,(F)
    and they will sorrow(G) no more.
13 Then young women will dance and be glad,
    young men and old as well.
I will turn their mourning(H) into gladness;
    I will give them comfort(I) and joy(J) instead of sorrow.

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beautiful in elevation,
    is the joy of all the earth,
Mount Zion, in the far north,
    the city of the great King.(A)
Within its citadels God
    has shown himself a sure defense.(B)

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Beautiful(A) in its loftiness,
    the joy of the whole earth,
like the heights of Zaphon[a](B) is Mount Zion,(C)
    the city of the Great King.(D)
God is in her citadels;(E)
    he has shown himself to be her fortress.(F)

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 48:2 Zaphon was the most sacred mountain of the Canaanites.

There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
    the holy habitation of the Most High.(A)

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There is a river(A) whose streams(B) make glad the city of God,(C)
    the holy place where the Most High(D) dwells.(E)

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14 Return, O faithless children,
            says the Lord,
    for I am your husband;
I will take you, one from a city and two from a family,
    and I will bring you to Zion.(A)

15 I will give you shepherds after my own heart who will feed you with knowledge and understanding.(B) 16 And when you have multiplied and increased in the land, in those days, says the Lord, they shall no longer say, “The ark of the covenant of the Lord.” It shall not come to mind or be remembered or missed, nor shall another one be made.(C) 17 At that time Jerusalem shall be called the throne of the Lord, and all nations shall gather to it, to the presence of the Lord in Jerusalem, and they shall no longer stubbornly follow their own evil will.(D)

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14 “Return,(A) faithless people,” declares the Lord, “for I am your husband.(B) I will choose you—one from a town and two from a clan—and bring you to Zion. 15 Then I will give you shepherds(C) after my own heart,(D) who will lead you with knowledge and understanding. 16 In those days, when your numbers have increased greatly in the land,” declares the Lord, “people will no longer say, ‘The ark(E) of the covenant of the Lord.’ It will never enter their minds or be remembered;(F) it will not be missed, nor will another one be made. 17 At that time they will call Jerusalem The Throne(G) of the Lord, and all nations(H) will gather in Jerusalem to honor(I) the name of the Lord. No longer will they follow the stubbornness of their evil hearts.(J)

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to provide for those who mourn in Zion—
    to give them a garland instead of ashes,
the oil of gladness instead of mourning,
    the mantle of praise instead of a faint spirit.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
    the planting of the Lord, to display his glory.(A)
They shall build up the ancient ruins;
    they shall raise up the former devastations;
they shall repair the ruined cities,
    the devastations of many generations.(B)

Strangers shall stand and feed your flocks;
    foreigners shall till your land and dress your vines,(C)
but you shall be called priests of the Lord;
    you shall be named ministers of our God;
you shall enjoy the wealth of the nations,
    and in their riches you shall glory.(D)
Because their[a] shame was double
    and dishonor was proclaimed as their lot,
therefore in their land they shall possess a double portion;
    everlasting joy shall be theirs.(E)

For I, the Lord, love justice,
    I hate robbery and wrongdoing;[b]
I will faithfully give them their recompense,
    and I will make an everlasting covenant with them.(F)
Their descendants shall be known among the nations
    and their offspring among the peoples;
all who see them shall acknowledge
    that they are a people whom the Lord has blessed.(G)
10 I will greatly rejoice in the Lord;
    my whole being shall exult in my God,
for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation;
    he has covered me with the robe of righteousness,
as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland
    and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.(H)
11 For as the earth brings forth its shoots
    and as a garden causes what is sown in it to spring up,
so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise
    to spring up before all the nations.(I)

The Vindication and Salvation of Zion

62 For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent,
    and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest,
until her vindication shines out like the dawn
    and her salvation like a burning torch.(J)
The nations shall see your vindication
    and all the kings your glory,
and you shall be called by a new name
    that the mouth of the Lord will give.(K)
You shall be a beautiful crown in the hand of the Lord
    and a royal diadem in the hand of your God.(L)
You shall no more be termed Forsaken,
    and your land shall no more be termed Desolate,
but you shall be called My Delight Is in Her
    and your land Married,
for the Lord delights in you,
    and your land shall be married.(M)
For as a young man marries a young woman,
    so shall your builder[c] marry you,
and as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride,
    so shall your God rejoice over you.(N)
Upon your walls, O Jerusalem,
    I have posted sentinels;
all day and all night
    they shall never be silent.
You who remind the Lord,
    take no rest,(O)
and give him no rest
    until he establishes Jerusalem
    and makes it renowned throughout the earth.(P)
The Lord has sworn by his right hand
    and by his mighty arm:
I will not again give your grain
    to be food for your enemies,
and foreigners shall not drink the wine
    for which you have labored,(Q)
but those who harvest it shall eat it
    and praise the Lord,
and those who gather it shall drink it
    in my holy courts.(R)

10 Go through, go through the gates;
    prepare the way for the people;
build up, build up the highway;
    clear it of stones;
    lift up an ensign over the peoples.(S)
11 The Lord has proclaimed
    to the end of the earth:
Say to daughter Zion,
    “Look, your savior comes;
his reward is with him
    and his recompense before him.”(T)
12 They shall be called, “The Holy People,
    The Redeemed of the Lord,”
and you shall be called, “Sought Out,
    A City Not Forsaken.”(U)

Footnotes

  1. 61.7 Heb your
  2. 61.8 Or robbery with a burnt offering
  3. 62.5 Cn: Heb your sons

    and provide for those who grieve in Zion—
to bestow on them a crown(A) of beauty
    instead of ashes,(B)
the oil(C) of joy
    instead of mourning,(D)
and a garment of praise
    instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
    a planting(E) of the Lord
    for the display of his splendor.(F)

They will rebuild the ancient ruins(G)
    and restore the places long devastated;
they will renew the ruined cities
    that have been devastated for generations.
Strangers(H) will shepherd your flocks;
    foreigners will work your fields and vineyards.
And you will be called priests(I) of the Lord,
    you will be named ministers of our God.
You will feed on the wealth(J) of nations,
    and in their riches you will boast.

Instead of your shame(K)
    you will receive a double(L) portion,
and instead of disgrace
    you will rejoice in your inheritance.
And so you will inherit(M) a double portion in your land,
    and everlasting joy(N) will be yours.

“For I, the Lord, love justice;(O)
    I hate robbery and wrongdoing.
In my faithfulness I will reward my people
    and make an everlasting covenant(P) with them.
Their descendants(Q) will be known among the nations
    and their offspring among the peoples.
All who see them will acknowledge
    that they are a people the Lord has blessed.”(R)

10 I delight greatly in the Lord;
    my soul rejoices(S) in my God.
For he has clothed me with garments of salvation
    and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness,(T)
as a bridegroom adorns his head(U) like a priest,
    and as a bride(V) adorns herself with her jewels.
11 For as the soil makes the sprout come up
    and a garden(W) causes seeds to grow,
so the Sovereign Lord will make righteousness(X)
    and praise spring up before all nations.

Zion’s New Name

62 For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent,(Y)
    for Jerusalem’s sake I will not remain quiet,
till her vindication(Z) shines out like the dawn,(AA)
    her salvation(AB) like a blazing torch.
The nations(AC) will see your vindication,
    and all kings your glory;
you will be called by a new name(AD)
    that the mouth of the Lord will bestow.
You will be a crown(AE) of splendor in the Lord’s hand,
    a royal diadem in the hand of your God.
No longer will they call you Deserted,(AF)
    or name your land Desolate.(AG)
But you will be called Hephzibah,[a](AH)
    and your land Beulah[b];
for the Lord will take delight(AI) in you,
    and your land will be married.(AJ)
As a young man marries a young woman,
    so will your Builder marry you;
as a bridegroom(AK) rejoices over his bride,
    so will your God rejoice(AL) over you.

I have posted watchmen(AM) on your walls, Jerusalem;
    they will never be silent day or night.
You who call on the Lord,
    give yourselves no rest,(AN)
and give him no rest(AO) till he establishes Jerusalem
    and makes her the praise(AP) of the earth.

The Lord has sworn(AQ) by his right hand
    and by his mighty arm:
“Never again will I give your grain(AR)
    as food for your enemies,
and never again will foreigners drink the new wine
    for which you have toiled;
but those who harvest it will eat(AS) it
    and praise the Lord,(AT)
and those who gather the grapes will drink it
    in the courts of my sanctuary.”(AU)

10 Pass through, pass through the gates!(AV)
    Prepare the way for the people.
Build up, build up the highway!(AW)
    Remove the stones.
Raise a banner(AX) for the nations.

11 The Lord has made proclamation
    to the ends of the earth:(AY)
“Say to Daughter Zion,(AZ)
    ‘See, your Savior comes!(BA)
See, his reward is with him,
    and his recompense accompanies him.’”(BB)
12 They will be called(BC) the Holy People,(BD)
    the Redeemed(BE) of the Lord;
and you will be called Sought After,
    the City No Longer Deserted.(BF)

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 62:4 Hephzibah means my delight is in her.
  2. Isaiah 62:4 Beulah means married.

20 And he will come to Zion as Redeemer,
    to those in Jacob who turn from transgression, says the Lord.(A)

21 And as for me, this is my covenant with them, says the Lord: my spirit that is upon you and my words that I have put in your mouth shall not depart out of your mouth or out of the mouths of your children or out of the mouths of your children’s children, says the Lord, from now on and forever.(B)

The Ingathering of the Dispersed

60 Arise, shine, for your light has come,
    and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.(C)
For darkness shall cover the earth
    and thick darkness the peoples,
but the Lord will arise upon you,
    and his glory will appear over you.(D)
Nations shall come to your light
    and kings to the brightness of your dawn.(E)

Lift up your eyes and look around;
    they all gather together; they come to you;
your sons shall come from far away,
    and your daughters shall be carried in their nurses’ arms.(F)
Then you shall see and be radiant;
    your heart shall thrill and rejoice,[a]
because the abundance of the sea shall be brought to you;
    the wealth of the nations shall come to you.(G)
A multitude of camels shall cover you,
    the young camels of Midian and Ephah;
    all those from Sheba shall come.
They shall bring gold and frankincense
    and shall proclaim the praise of the Lord.(H)
All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered to you;
    the rams of Nebaioth shall minister to you;
they shall be acceptable on my altar,[b]
    and I will glorify my glorious house.(I)

Who are these that fly like a cloud
    and like doves to their windows?
For the coastlands shall wait for me,
    the ships of Tarshish first,
to bring your children from far away,
    their silver and gold with them,
for the name of the Lord your God
    and for the Holy One of Israel,
    because he has glorified you.(J)
10 Foreigners shall build up your walls,
    and their kings shall minister to you,
for in my wrath I struck you down,
    but in my favor I have had mercy on you.(K)
11 Your gates shall always be open;
    day and night they shall not be shut,
so that nations shall bring you their wealth,
    with their kings led in procession.(L)
12 For the nation and kingdom
    that will not serve you shall perish;
    those nations shall be utterly laid waste.(M)
13 The glory of Lebanon shall come to you,
    the cypress, the plane, and the pine,
to beautify the place of my sanctuary,
    and I will glorify where my feet rest.(N)
14 The descendants of those who oppressed you
    shall come bending low to you,
and all who despised you
    shall bow down at your feet;
they shall call you the City of the Lord,
    the Zion of the Holy One of Israel.(O)
15 Whereas you have been forsaken and hated,
    with no one passing through,
I will make you majestic forever,
    a joy from age to age.(P)
16 You shall suck the milk of nations;
    you shall suck the breasts of kings,
and you shall know that I, the Lord, am your Savior
    and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.(Q)

17 Instead of bronze I will bring gold;
    instead of iron I will bring silver;
instead of wood, bronze;
    instead of stones, iron.
I will appoint Peace as your overseer
    and Righteousness as your taskmaster.
18 Violence shall no more be heard in your land,
    devastation or destruction within your borders;
you shall call your walls Salvation
    and your gates Praise.(R)

God the Glory of Zion

19 The sun shall no longer be
    your light by day,
nor for brightness shall the moon
    give light to you by night,[c]
but the Lord will be your everlasting light,
    and your God will be your glory.(S)
20 Your sun shall no more go down
    or your moon withdraw itself,
for the Lord will be your everlasting light,
    and your days of mourning shall be ended.(T)
21 Your people shall all be righteous;
    they shall possess the land forever.
They are the shoot that I planted, the work of my hands,
    so that I might be glorified.(U)
22 The least of them shall become a clan
    and the smallest one a mighty nation;
I am the Lord;
    in its time I will accomplish it quickly.(V)

Footnotes

  1. 60.5 Heb be enlarged
  2. 60.7 Q ms Heb mss Gk Syr Tg: MT will ascend on the favor of my altar
  3. 60.19 Q ms Gk OL Tg: MT lacks by night

20 “The Redeemer(A) will come to Zion,(B)
    to those in Jacob who repent of their sins,”(C)
declares the Lord.

21 “As for me, this is my covenant(D) with them,” says the Lord. “My Spirit,(E) who is on you, will not depart from you,(F) and my words that I have put in your mouth(G) will always be on your lips, on the lips of your children and on the lips of their descendants—from this time on and forever,” says the Lord.

The Glory of Zion

60 “Arise,(H) shine, for your light(I) has come,
    and the glory(J) of the Lord rises upon you.
See, darkness(K) covers the earth
    and thick darkness(L) is over the peoples,
but the Lord rises upon you
    and his glory appears over you.
Nations(M) will come to your light,(N)
    and kings(O) to the brightness of your dawn.

“Lift up your eyes and look about you:
    All assemble(P) and come to you;
your sons come from afar,(Q)
    and your daughters(R) are carried on the hip.(S)
Then you will look and be radiant,(T)
    your heart will throb and swell with joy;(U)
the wealth(V) on the seas will be brought to you,
    to you the riches of the nations will come.
Herds of camels(W) will cover your land,
    young camels of Midian(X) and Ephah.(Y)
And all from Sheba(Z) will come,
    bearing gold and incense(AA)
    and proclaiming the praise(AB) of the Lord.
All Kedar’s(AC) flocks will be gathered to you,
    the rams of Nebaioth will serve you;
they will be accepted as offerings(AD) on my altar,(AE)
    and I will adorn my glorious temple.(AF)

“Who are these(AG) that fly along like clouds,(AH)
    like doves to their nests?
Surely the islands(AI) look to me;
    in the lead are the ships of Tarshish,[a](AJ)
bringing(AK) your children from afar,
    with their silver and gold,(AL)
to the honor(AM) of the Lord your God,
    the Holy One(AN) of Israel,
    for he has endowed you with splendor.(AO)

10 “Foreigners(AP) will rebuild your walls,
    and their kings(AQ) will serve you.
Though in anger I struck you,
    in favor(AR) I will show you compassion.(AS)
11 Your gates(AT) will always stand open,
    they will never be shut, day or night,
so that people may bring you the wealth of the nations(AU)
    their kings(AV) led in triumphal procession.
12 For the nation or kingdom that will not serve(AW) you will perish;
    it will be utterly ruined.(AX)

13 “The glory of Lebanon(AY) will come to you,
    the juniper, the fir and the cypress together,(AZ)
to adorn my sanctuary;(BA)
    and I will glorify the place for my feet.(BB)
14 The children of your oppressors(BC) will come bowing before you;
    all who despise you will bow down(BD) at your feet
and will call you the City(BE) of the Lord,
    Zion(BF) of the Holy One(BG) of Israel.

15 “Although you have been forsaken(BH) and hated,
    with no one traveling(BI) through,
I will make you the everlasting pride(BJ)
    and the joy(BK) of all generations.
16 You will drink the milk of nations
    and be nursed(BL) at royal breasts.
Then you will know(BM) that I, the Lord, am your Savior,(BN)
    your Redeemer,(BO) the Mighty One of Jacob.(BP)
17 Instead of bronze I will bring you gold,(BQ)
    and silver in place of iron.
Instead of wood I will bring you bronze,
    and iron in place of stones.
I will make peace(BR) your governor
    and well-being your ruler.(BS)
18 No longer will violence(BT) be heard in your land,
    nor ruin or destruction(BU) within your borders,
but you will call your walls Salvation(BV)
    and your gates Praise.(BW)
19 The sun will no more be your light by day,
    nor will the brightness of the moon shine on you,
for the Lord will be your everlasting light,(BX)
    and your God will be your glory.(BY)
20 Your sun(BZ) will never set again,
    and your moon will wane no more;
the Lord will be your everlasting light,
    and your days of sorrow(CA) will end.
21 Then all your people will be righteous(CB)
    and they will possess(CC) the land forever.
They are the shoot I have planted,(CD)
    the work of my hands,(CE)
    for the display of my splendor.(CF)
22 The least of you will become a thousand,
    the smallest a mighty nation.(CG)
I am the Lord;
    in its time I will do this swiftly.”(CH)

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 60:9 Or the trading ships

Enlarge the site of your tent,
    and let the curtains of your habitations be stretched out;
do not hold back; lengthen your cords
    and strengthen your stakes.(A)
For you will spread out to the right and to the left,
    and your descendants will possess nations
    and will settle desolate towns.(B)

Do not fear, for you will not be ashamed;
    do not be discouraged, for you will not suffer disgrace,
for you will forget the shame of your youth,
    and the disgrace of your widowhood you will remember no more.(C)
For your Maker is your husband;
    the Lord of hosts is his name;
the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer;
    the God of the whole earth he is called.(D)
For the Lord has called you
    like a wife forsaken and grieved in spirit,
like the wife of a man’s youth when she is cast off,
    says your God.(E)
For a brief moment I abandoned you,
    but with great compassion I will gather you.(F)
In overflowing wrath for a moment
    I hid my face from you,
but with everlasting love I will have compassion on you,
    says the Lord, your Redeemer.(G)

This is like the days of Noah to me:
    Just as I swore that the waters of Noah
    would never again go over the earth,
so I have sworn that I will not be angry with you
    and will not rebuke you.(H)
10 For the mountains may depart
    and the hills be removed,
but my steadfast love shall not depart from you,
    and my covenant of peace shall not be removed,
    says the Lord, who has compassion on you.(I)

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“Enlarge the place of your tent,(A)
    stretch your tent curtains wide,
    do not hold back;
lengthen your cords,
    strengthen your stakes.(B)
For you will spread out to the right and to the left;
    your descendants(C) will dispossess nations(D)
    and settle in their desolate(E) cities.

“Do not be afraid;(F) you will not be put to shame.(G)
    Do not fear disgrace;(H) you will not be humiliated.
You will forget the shame of your youth(I)
    and remember no more the reproach(J) of your widowhood.(K)
For your Maker(L) is your husband(M)
    the Lord Almighty is his name—
the Holy One(N) of Israel is your Redeemer;(O)
    he is called the God of all the earth.(P)
The Lord will call you back(Q)
    as if you were a wife deserted(R) and distressed in spirit—
a wife who married young,(S)
    only to be rejected,” says your God.
“For a brief moment(T) I abandoned(U) you,
    but with deep compassion(V) I will bring you back.(W)
In a surge of anger(X)
    I hid(Y) my face from you for a moment,
but with everlasting kindness(Z)
    I will have compassion(AA) on you,”
    says the Lord your Redeemer.(AB)

“To me this is like the days of Noah,
    when I swore that the waters of Noah would never again cover the earth.(AC)
So now I have sworn(AD) not to be angry(AE) with you,
    never to rebuke(AF) you again.
10 Though the mountains be shaken(AG)
    and the hills be removed,
yet my unfailing love(AH) for you will not be shaken(AI)
    nor my covenant(AJ) of peace(AK) be removed,”
    says the Lord, who has compassion(AL) on you.

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