The Fertility of Zion

1 “aShout for joy, O barren one, you who have borne no child;

Break forth into joyful shouting and cry aloud, you who have not travailed;

For the sons of the bdesolate one will be cmore numerous

Than the sons of the married woman,” says the Lord.

2 “aEnlarge the place of your tent;

1Stretch out the curtains of your dwellings, spare not;

Lengthen your bcords

And strengthen your bpegs.

3 “For you will aspread abroad to the right and to the left.

And your 1descendants will bpossess nations

And will cresettle the desolate cities.

4 “Fear not, for you will anot be put to shame;

And do not feel humiliated, for you will not be disgraced;

But you will forget the bshame of your youth,

And the creproach of your widowhood you will remember no more.

5 “For your ahusband is your Maker,

Whose name is the Lord of hosts;

And your bRedeemer is the Holy One of Israel,

Who is called the cGod of all the earth.

6 “For the Lord has called you,

Like a wife aforsaken and grieved in spirit,

Even like a wife of one’s youth when she is rejected,”

Says your God.

7 “1For a abrief moment I forsook you,

But with great compassion I will bgather you.

8 “In an 1aoutburst of anger

I hid My face from you for a moment,

But with everlasting blovingkindness I will chave compassion on you,”

Says the Lord your dRedeemer.

9 “For 1this is like the days of Noah to Me,

When I swore that the waters of Noah

Would anot 2flood the earth again;

So I have sworn that I will bnot be angry with you

Nor will I rebuke you.

10 “For the amountains may be removed and the hills may shake,

But My lovingkindness will not be removed from you,

And My bcovenant of peace will not be shaken,”

Says cthe Lord who has compassion on you.

11 “O aafflicted one, storm-tossed, and bnot comforted,

Behold, I will set your stones in antimony,

And your foundations I will clay in 1dsapphires.

12 “Moreover, I will make your battlements of 1rubies,

And your gates of 2crystal,

And your entire 3wall of precious stones.

13 “aAll your sons will be 1taught of the Lord;

And the well-being of your sons will be bgreat.

14 “In arighteousness you will be established;

You will be far from boppression, for you will cnot fear;

And from dterror, for it will not come near you.

15 “If anyone fiercely assails you it will not be from Me.

aWhoever assails you will fall because of you.

16 “Behold, I Myself have created the smith who blows the fire of coals

And brings out a weapon for its work;

And I have created the destroyer to ruin.

17 “aNo weapon that is formed against you will prosper;

And bevery tongue that 1accuses you in judgment you will condemn.

This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord,

And their cvindication is from Me,” declares the Lord.

Chapter 55

The Free Offer of Mercy

1 “Ho! Every one who athirsts, come to the waters;

And you who have bno 1money come, buy and eat.

Come, buy cwine and milk

dWithout money and without cost.

2 “Why do you 1spend money for what is anot bread,

And your wages for what does not satisfy?

Listen carefully to Me, and beat what is good,

And cdelight yourself in abundance.

3 “aIncline your ear and come to Me.

Listen, that 1you may blive;

And I will make can everlasting covenant with you,

According to the dfaithful mercies 2shown to David.

4 “Behold, I have made ahim a witness to the peoples,

A bleader and commander for the peoples.

5 “Behold, you will call a anation you do not know,

And a nation which knows you not will brun to you,

Because of the Lord your God, even the Holy One of Israel;

For He has cglorified you.”