Then instead of a lovely scent—they’ll smell of decay; instead of leather belts—they’ll don a rope; Instead of a cut and style—they’ll have bald heads; instead of silky-soft fabric—they’ll put on scratchy burlap sacks; Instead of beauty—they’ll be branded with shame.

Then, oh then, a tiny shoot cultivated and nurtured by the Eternal will emerge new and green, promising beauty and glory. Everything that comes from the earth will offer itself, lovely and magnificent, to those who escaped Israel’s demise.

Let me now sing for my dear friend, a love song about his vineyard. My friend, whom I dearly love, had a vineyard on a fertile hill.

Then God will establish a royal throne, in loyal love— the One who rules there will be utterly reliable, With absolute integrity under the auspices of David. With a passion for justice, He will be quick to decide and do what is right.

And Hezekiah got a response. The prophet Isaiah, Amoz’s son, relayed this to him: Isaiah: The Eternal, Israel’s God, the God to whom you prayed concerning the Assyrian king, has this to say against Sennacherib: Eternal One: The virgin daughter of Zion, lovely lady that she is, despises you, mocks you. The daughter of Jerusalem tosses her head and rejects you.

But ah, the living! And I am among them today, giving praise and thanks to You for life, The old telling the young about the loyalty of Your love.

Because you are special to Me and I love you, I gladly give up other peoples in exchange for you; They are trivial by comparison to your weighty significance.

Likewise, the woodworker measures and marks the wood, chisels and planes it down, marks it with a compass, and carves it until it looks a bit like a human—lovely, maybe—in order to put it in a house.

Wherever they are, they will be fine, never hungry nor thirsty. They will be protected from oppressive heat and the burning sun Because the One who loves them—as a mother loves her child—will be their guide. God will lead them to restful places, rejuvenating springs of water.

Zion: The Eternal One has abandoned me. God has walked out the door; my Lord left me alone. He has forgotten all about me.

Eternal One: Yes, I was angry for a moment, and I rejected you, but My love endures, and I want you back.

For that moment, when I was so mad, I made it impossible for you to see Me, to find Me, But with great tenderness, I will take you back in love.

Even if the mountains heave up from their anchors, and the hills quiver and shake, I will not desert you. You can rely on My enduring love; My covenant of peace will stand forever. So says the Eternal One, whose love won’t give up on you.

Eternal One: Ah, Jerusalem, so miserable and distressed! I will rebuild you with floors of shimmering mosaics, set sapphires in your foundations.

And of those strangers who are not among the chosen people Israel yet have bound themselves to the Eternal, Attend to God, and love all that the Eternal is and does; if they serve Him, keep the Sabbath, make good choices, and cling to the terms of the covenant,

But these dogs sure love to eat. They can’t get enough, greedily devouring Judah. They are shepherds with no understanding, guides with no sense of direction. So they’ve all scattered, each out for himself, trying to figure out how best to gain advantage.

You offered oils and musky ointments to Molech, your lover-god, and sent your servants to exotic places far away, Sent them down even into the grave to increase your pleasure with a variety of deities.

People will come from different countries and different cultures to rebuild Jerusalem’s walls and make her strong again. Their kings will help you however you need. Eternal One: I punished you because I was furious with you, reduced you to little on account of your persistent wrongdoing; But I will restore you, reclaim you, and rebuild you because I cannot help but love you.

Eternal One: For I, the Eternal, love justice. I hate stealing and all manner of wrongdoing. In faithfulness to those who do justice, I promise they will be rewarded for their work; and I will establish an everlasting covenant with them.

As a young man marries the woman he loves, so your sons will marry you, Jerusalem. As a groom takes joy in his bride, so your God will take joy in you.

For none other than the Eternal has announced for all to hear— Eternal One: Say to the daughter of Zion “See, your salvation is coming; your liberation is on the way— God’s reward is with Him: His work is by His side.”

So let me remind you of the Eternal’s enduring love, and why we should praise Him. Let me tell you again how the Eternal gives and gives and gives. All God’s wonders and goodness are done for Israel’s benefit according to His great mercy and compassion.

And when they suffered, God suffered too; And the messenger of His presence acted to save them. Out of enduring love, compassion, and concern, God Himself rescued them. Through all those years long ago, God picked them up and carried them through.

People: Look down from heaven— peer down from that sacred, magnificent place where You live. What happened to Your passion, love, and compassion that sought us out? Where are Your powerful actions that used to support us?

Our holy and glorious temple, where our ancestors worshiped You, has been burned to the ground; Everything we loved is ruined by our enemies, a smoking pile of ash and debris.