Isaiah 49:20–26

²⁰Your people who were born in exile

will one day say to you,

‘This land is too small—

we need more room to live in!’

²¹Then you will say to yourself,

‘Who bore all these children for me?

I lost my children and could have no more.

I was exiled and driven away—

who brought these children up?

I was left all alone—

where did these children come from?’ ”

²²The Sovereign Lord says to his people:

“I will signal to the nations,

and they will bring your children home.

²³Kings will be like fathers to you;

queens will be like mothers.

They will bow low before you and honour you;

they will humbly show their respect for you.

Then you will know that I am the Lord;

no one who waits for my help will be disappointed.”

²⁴Can you take away a soldier’s loot?

Can you rescue the prisoners of a tyrant?

²⁵The Lord replies,

“That is just what is going to happen.

The soldier’s prisoners will be taken away,

and the tyrant’s loot will be seized.

I will fight against whoever fights you,

and I will rescue your children.

²⁶I will make your oppressors kill each other;

they will be drunk with murder and rage.

Then the whole human race will know that I am the Lord,

the one who saves you and sets you free.

They will know that I am Israel’s powerful God.”