8 See, I will bring them from the land of the north

and gather them from the ends of the earth.

Among them will be the blind and the lame,

expectant mothers and women in labor;

a great throng will return.

9 They will come with weeping;

they will pray as I bring them back.

I will lead them beside streams of water

on a level path where they will not stumble,

because I am Israel’s father,

and Ephraim is my firstborn son.

10 “Hear the word of the Lord, you nations;

proclaim it in distant coastlands:

‘He who scattered Israel will gather them

and will watch over his flock like a shepherd.’

8 Behold, I will bring them from the north country

and gather them from the farthest parts of the earth,

among them the blind and the lame,

the pregnant woman and she who is in labor, together;

a great company, they shall return here.

9 With weeping they shall come,

and with pleas for mercy I will lead them back,

I will make them walk by brooks of water,

in a straight path in which they shall not stumble,

for I am a father to Israel,

and Ephraim is my firstborn.

10 “Hear the word of the Lord, O nations,

and declare it in the coastlands far away;

say, ‘He who scattered Israel will gather him,

and will keep him as a shepherd keeps his flock.’

8 For I will bring them from the north

and from the distant corners of the earth.

I will not forget the blind and lame,

the expectant mothers and women in labor.

A great company will return!

9 Tears of joy will stream down their faces,

and I will lead them home with great care.

They will walk beside quiet streams

and on smooth paths where they will not stumble.

For I am Israel’s father,

and Ephraim is my oldest child.

10 “Listen to this message from the Lord,

you nations of the world;

proclaim it in distant coastlands:

The Lord, who scattered his people,

will gather them and watch over them

as a shepherd does his flock.

8 Behold, I will bring them from the north country,

And gather them from the ends of the earth,

Among them the blind and the lame,

The woman with child

And the one who labors with child, together;

A great throng shall return there.

9 They shall come with weeping,

And with supplications I will lead them.

I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters,

In a straight way in which they shall not stumble;

For I am a Father to Israel,

And Ephraim is My firstborn.

10 “Hear the word of the Lord, O nations,

And declare it in the isles afar off, and say,

‘He who scattered Israel will gather him,

And keep him as a shepherd does his flock.’

8 Look, I will soon bring Israel from the country in the north,

and I will gather them from the faraway places on earth.

Some of the people are blind and crippled.

Some of the women are pregnant, and some are ready to give birth.

A great many people will come back.

9 They will be crying as they come,

but they will pray as I bring them back.

I will lead those people by streams of water

on an even road where they will not stumble.

I am Israel’s father,

and Israel is my firstborn son.

10 “Nations, listen to the message from the Lord.

Tell this message in the faraway lands by the sea:

‘The one who scattered the people of Israel will bring them back,

and he will watch over his people like a shepherd.’

8 Behold, I will bring them from the north country, and gather them from the uttermost parts of the earth, and with them the blind and the lame, the woman with child and her that travaileth with child together: a great company shall they return hither. 9 They shall come with weeping; and with supplications will I lead them: I will cause them to walk by rivers of waters, in a straight way wherein they shall not stumble; for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my first-born.

10 Hear the word of Jehovah, O ye nations, and declare it in the isles afar off; and say, He that scattered Israel will gather him, and keep him, as a shepherd doth his flock.

8 Behold, I bring them from the north country, and gather them from the uttermost parts of the earth; and among them the blind and the lame, the woman with child and her that travaileth with child together: a great assemblage shall they return hither. 9 They shall come with weeping, and with supplications will I lead them; I will cause them to walk by water-brooks, in a straight way, wherein they shall not stumble; for I will be a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn.

10 Hear the word of Jehovah, ye nations, and declare it to the isles afar off, and say, He that scattered Israel will gather him, and keep him, as a shepherd his flock.

8 “I will bring them from the land of the north. 

I will gather them from the farthest parts of the earth. 

Blind people and lame people will return 

together with pregnant women and those in labor. 

A large crowd will return here. 

9 They will cry as they return. 

They will pray as I bring them back. 

I will lead them beside streams 

on a level path where they will not stumble. 

I will be a Father to Israel, 

and Ephraim will be my firstborn. 

10 “You nations, listen to the Lord’s word. 

Tell it to the distant islands. 

Say, ‘The one who scattered the people of Israel will gather them 

and watch over them as a shepherd watches over his flock.’ 

8 Watch! I am going to bring them from the northern land.

I will gather them from remote regions of the earth —

the blind and the lame will be with them,

along with those who are pregnant and those about to give birth.

They will return here as a great assembly!

9 They will come weeping,

but I will bring them back with consolation.

I will lead them to wadis filled with water

by a smooth way where they will not stumble,

for I am Israel’s Father,

and Ephraim is My firstborn.

10 Nations, hear the word of the Lord,

and tell it among the far off coastlands!

Say: The One who scattered Israel will gather him.

He will watch over him as a shepherd guards his flock,

8 See, I am going to bring them from the land of the north,

and gather them from the farthest parts of the earth,

among them the blind and the lame,

those with child and those in labor, together;

a great company, they shall return here.

9 With weeping they shall come,

and with consolations I will lead them back,

I will let them walk by brooks of water,

in a straight path in which they shall not stumble;

for I have become a father to Israel,

and Ephraim is my firstborn.

10 Hear the word of the Lord, O nations,

and declare it in the coastlands far away;

say, “He who scattered Israel will gather him,

and will keep him as a shepherd a flock.”

8 Look, I am going to bring them from the land of the north,

and I will gather them from the remotest part of the earth.

Among them the blind, and the lame,

those who are pregnant, and those who give birth,

together, a great assembly,

they will return here.

9 With weeping they will come,

and with pleas for mercy I will bring them;

I will let them walk by streams of water in a straight path.

They will not stumble in it,

for I have become to Israel a father,

and Ephraim, he is my firstborn.”

10 Hear the word of Yahweh, O nations,

and declare in the coastlands from afar, and say,

“The scatterer of Israel will gather him,

and he will keep him as a shepherd his flock.

8 I will bring them from the land of the north.

I will gather them from one end of the earth to the other.

Even those who are blind and those who can’t walk

will be among them.

Pregnant women and women having their babies

will be among them also.

A large number will return.

9 Their eyes will be filled with tears as they come.

They will pray as I bring them back.

I will lead them beside streams of water.

I will lead them on a level path

where they will not trip or fall.

I am Israel’s father.

And Ephraim is my oldest son.

10 “Listen to my message, you nations.

Announce it on shores far away.

Say, ‘He who scattered Israel will gather them.

He will watch over his flock like a shepherd.’

8 “Behold, I am bringing them from the north country,

And I will gather them from the remote parts of the earth,

Among them the blind and the lame,

The woman with child and she who is in labor with child, together;

A great company, they will return here.

9 “With weeping they will come,

And by supplication I will lead them;

I will make them walk by streams of waters,

On a straight path in which they will not stumble;

For I am a father to Israel,

And Ephraim is My firstborn.”

10 Hear the word of the Lord, O nations,

And declare in the coastlands afar off,

And say, “He who scattered Israel will gather him

And keep him as a shepherd keeps his flock.”