Rejoice with Jerusalem

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

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

12 For thus says the Lord:
(D)“Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river,
    and the glory of the nations like an overflowing stream;
and (E)you shall nurse, you shall be carried upon her hip,
    and bounced upon her knees.
13 As one whom his mother comforts,
    so (F)I will comfort you;
    you shall be comforted in Jerusalem.
14 You shall see, and your heart shall rejoice;
    (G)your bones shall flourish like the grass;
and (H)the hand of the Lord shall be known to his servants,
    and he shall show his indignation against his enemies.

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Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 66:11 Or breast

“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