Isaiah 66:7-14
New English Translation
7 Before she goes into labor, she gives birth!
Before her contractions begin, she delivers a boy!
8 Who has ever heard of such a thing?
Who has ever seen this?
Can a country[a] be brought forth in one day?
Can a nation be born in a single moment?
Yet as soon as Zion goes into labor she gives birth to sons!
9 Do I bring a baby to the birth opening and then not deliver it?”
asks the Lord.
“Or do I bring a baby to the point of delivery and then hold it back?”
asks your God.[b]
10 “Be happy for Jerusalem
and rejoice with her, all you who love her!
Share in her great joy,
all you who have mourned over her!
11 For[c] you will nurse from her satisfying breasts and be nourished;[d]
you will feed with joy from her milk-filled breasts.[e]
12 For this is what the Lord says:
“Look, I am ready to extend to her prosperity that will flow like a river,
the riches of nations will flow into her like a stream that floods its banks.[f]
You will nurse from her breast[g] and be carried at her side;
you will play on her knees.
13 As a mother consoles a child,[h]
so I will console you,
and you will be consoled over Jerusalem.”
14 When you see this, you will be happy,[i]
and you will be revived.[j]
The Lord will reveal his power to his servants
and his anger to his enemies.[k]
Footnotes
- Isaiah 66:8 tn Heb “land,” but here אֶרֶץ (ʾerets) stands metonymically for an organized nation (see the following line).
- Isaiah 66:9 sn The rhetorical questions expect the answer, “Of course not!”
- Isaiah 66:11 tn Or “in order that”; ASV, NRSV “that.”
- Isaiah 66:11 tn Heb “you will suck and be satisfied from her comforting breast.”
- Isaiah 66:11 tn Heb “you will slurp and refresh yourselves from her heavy breast.”sn Zion’s residents will benefit from and enjoy her great material prosperity. See v. 12.
- Isaiah 66:12 tn Heb “Look, I am ready to extend to her like a river prosperity [or “peace”], and like an overflowing stream, the riches of nations.”
- Isaiah 66:12 tn The words “from her breast” are supplied in the translation for clarification (see v. 11).
- Isaiah 66:13 tn Heb “like a man whose mother comforts him.”
- Isaiah 66:14 tn “and you will see and your heart will be happy.”
- Isaiah 66:14 tn Heb “and your bones like grass will sprout.”
- Isaiah 66:14 tn Heb “and the hand of the Lord will be made known to his servants, and anger to his enemies.”
Isaiah 66:7-14
New American Standard Bible
7 “Before she was in labor, (A)she delivered;
Before her pain came, (B)she gave birth to a boy.
8 (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.
9 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.
Footnotes
- Isaiah 66:8 Lit born through labor-pains
- Isaiah 66:12 Lit nurse
- Isaiah 66:12 Lit side
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