Promise to Zion

14 But Zion said, “The Lord has forsaken me,

And the Lord has forgotten me.”

15 “Can a woman forget her nursing child

And have no compassion on the son of her womb?

Even these may forget, but aI will not forget you.

16 “Behold, I have ainscribed you on the palms of My hands;

Your bwalls are continually before Me.

17 “Your 1builders hurry;

Your adestroyers and devastators

Will depart from you.

18 “aLift up your eyes and look around;

bAll of them gather together, cthey come to you.

dAs I live,” declares the Lord,

“You will surely eput on all of them as 1jewels and bind them on as a bride.

19 “For ayour waste and desolate places and your destroyed land—

Surely now you will be btoo cramped for the inhabitants,

And those who cswallowed you will be far away.

20 “The achildren of 1whom you were bereaved will yet say in your ears,

‘The place is too cramped for me;

Make room for me that I may live here.’

21 “Then you will asay in your heart,

‘Who has begotten these for me,

Since I have been bereaved of my children

And am bbarren, an cexile and a wanderer?

And who has reared these?

Behold, I was dleft alone;

1eFrom where did these come?’ ”

22 Thus says the Lord 1God,

“Behold, I will lift up My hand to the nations

And set up My astandard to the peoples;

And they will bbring your sons in their bosom,

And your daughters will be carried on their shoulders.