Isaiah 49:20–26

The children born in your exile will be saying,

‘It’s getting too crowded here. I need more room.’

And you’ll say to yourself,

‘Where on earth did these children come from?

I lost everything, had nothing, was exiled and penniless.

So who reared these children?

How did these children get here?’ ”

^22–23The Master, God, says:

“Look! I signal to the nations,

I raise my flag to summon the people.

Here they’ll come: women carrying your little boys in their arms,

men carrying your little girls on their shoulders.

Kings will be your babysitters,

princesses will be your nursemaids.

They’ll offer to do all your drudge work—

scrub your floors, do your laundry.

You’ll know then that I am God.

No one who hopes in me ever regrets it.”

^24–26Can plunder be retrieved from a giant,

prisoners of war gotten back from a tyrant?

But God says, “Even if a giant grips the plunder

and a tyrant holds my people prisoner,

I’m the one who’s on your side,

defending your cause, rescuing your children.

And your enemies, crazed and desperate, will turn on themselves,

killing each other in a frenzy of self-destruction.

Then everyone will know that I, God,

have saved you—I, the Mighty One of Jacob.”