9 Heb “burst forth” (so ); “break out.”
10 Or “Arabah” (); , , , “desert.”
11 The Hebrew text reads literally, “and there will be there a road and a way, and the Way of Holiness it will be called.” וְדֶרֶךְ (véderekh, “and a/the way”) is accidentally duplicated; the Qumran scroll 1QIsaa does not reflect the repetition of the phrase.
12 The precise meaning of this line is uncertain. The text reads literally “and it is for them, the one who walks [on the] way.” In this context those authorized to use the Way of Holiness would be morally upright people who are the recipients of God’s deliverance, in contrast to the morally impure and foolish who are excluded from the new covenant community.
13 In this context “fools” are those who are morally corrupt, not those with limited intellectual capacity.

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

then shall the lame man leap like a deer,

and the tongue of the mute sing for joy.

For waters break forth in the wilderness,

and streams in the desert;

the burning sand shall become a pool,

and the thirsty ground springs of water;

in the haunt of jackals, where they lie down,

the grass shall become reeds and rushes.

And a highway shall be there,

and it shall be called the Way of Holiness;

the unclean shall not pass over it.

It shall belong to those who walk on the way;

even if they are fools, they shall not go astray.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

Then will the lame leap like a deer,

and the mute tongue shout for joy.

Water will gush forth in the wilderness

and streams in the desert.

The burning sand will become a pool,

the thirsty ground bubbling springs.

In the haunts where jackals once lay,

grass and reeds and papyrus will grow.

And a highway will be there;

it will be called the Way of Holiness;

it will be for those who walk on that Way.

The unclean will not journey on it;

wicked fools will not go about on it.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

Then the lame will leap like a deer,

and the tongue of the mute will sing for joy,

for water will gush in the wilderness,

and streams in the desert;

the parched ground will become a pool,

and the thirsty land, springs.

In the haunt of jackals, in their lairs,

there will be grass, reeds, and papyrus.

A road will be there and a way;

it will be called the Holy Way.

The unclean will not travel on it,

but it will be for the one who walks the path.

Fools will not wander on it.

NLTNew Living Translation

The lame will leap like a deer,

and those who cannot speak will sing for joy!

Springs will gush forth in the wilderness,

and streams will water the wasteland.

The parched ground will become a pool,

and springs of water will satisfy the thirsty land.

Marsh grass and reeds and rushes will flourish

where desert jackals once lived.

And a great road will go through that once deserted land.

It will be named the Highway of Holiness.

Evil-minded people will never travel on it.

It will be only for those who walk in God’s ways;

fools will never walk there.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

Then the lame shall leap like the deer,

and the tongue of the dumb shall sing for joy,

for waters shall break forth in the wilderness

and streams in the desert.

And the parched ground shall become a pool,

and the thirsty ground springs of water.

Her resting place is in a settlement of jackals;

the grass shall become like reeds and rushes.

And a highway shall be there, and a way,

and it shall be called the way of holiness.

The unclean shall not travel through it,

but it is for them, he who walks on the way;

and fools shall not wander about.

KJV 1900King James Version

Then shall the lame man leap as an hart,

And the tongue of the dumb sing:

For in the wilderness shall waters break out,

And streams in the desert.

And the parched ground shall become a pool,

And the thirsty land springs of water:

In the habitation of dragons, where each lay,

Shall be grass with reeds and rushes.

And an highway shall be there, and a way,

And it shall be called The way of holiness;

The unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those:

The wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein.

Public Domain