Zion’s Happy Future

35 The (A)wilderness and the desert will rejoice,
And the [a](B)desert will shout for joy and blossom;
Like the crocus
It will (C)blossom profusely
And (D)rejoice with joy and jubilation.
The (E)glory of Lebanon will be given to it,
The majesty of (F)Carmel and Sharon.
They will see the (G)glory of the Lord,
The majesty of our God.
(H)Strengthen the [b]exhausted, and make the [c]feeble strong.
Say to those with (I)anxious heart,
“Take courage, fear not.
Behold, your God will come with (J)vengeance;
The (K)retribution of God will come,
But He will (L)save you.”
Then the (M)eyes of those who are blind will be opened,
And the ears of those who are deaf will be unstopped.
Then those who (N)limp will leap like a deer,
And the (O)tongue of those who cannot speak will shout for joy.
For waters will burst forth in the (P)wilderness,
And streams in the [d]desert.
The [e]scorched land will become a pool
And the thirsty ground (Q)springs of water;
In the (R)haunt of jackals, its resting place,
Grass becomes reeds and rushes.
(S)A highway will be there, (T)a roadway,
And it will be called the Highway of (U)Holiness.
The unclean will not travel on it,
But it will be for the one who walks that way,
And (V)fools will not wander on it.
No (W)lion will be there,
Nor will any vicious animal go up on it;
[f]They will not be found there.
But (X)the redeemed will walk there,
10 And (Y)the redeemed of the Lord will return
And come to Zion with joyful shouting,
And everlasting joy will be on their heads.
They will obtain gladness and joy,
And (Z)sorrow and sighing will flee away.

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Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 35:1 Or Arabah
  2. Isaiah 35:3 Lit slack hands
  3. Isaiah 35:3 Lit tottering knees
  4. Isaiah 35:6 Or Arabah
  5. Isaiah 35:7 Or mirage
  6. Isaiah 35:9 Lit It

35 The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the [a]rose. It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing; the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon: they shall see the glory of Jehovah, the excellency of our God.

Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the [b]feeble knees. Say to them that are of a [c]fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: [d]behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God; he will come and save you.

Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then shall the lame man leap as a hart, and the tongue of the dumb shall sing; for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert. And the [e]glowing sand shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water: in the habitation of jackals, where they lay, shall be [f]grass with reeds and rushes. And a highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for [g]the redeemed: the wayfaring men, yea fools, shall not err therein. No lion shall be there, nor shall any ravenous beast go up thereon; they shall not be found there; but the redeemed shall walk there: 10 and the ransomed of Jehovah shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their heads: they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

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Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 35:1 Or, autumn crocus. See S. S. 2:1.
  2. Isaiah 35:3 Or, tottering
  3. Isaiah 35:4 Hebrew hasty.
  4. Isaiah 35:4 Or, behold, your God! vengeance will come, even the recompense of God
  5. Isaiah 35:7 Or, mirage
  6. Isaiah 35:7 Or, a court for reeds etc. See 34:13.
  7. Isaiah 35:8 Hebrew them.