Isaiah 26:16–27:6

¹⁶Lord, when your people were suffering, they came to you.

When you punished them,

they could barely whisper a prayer.

¹⁷Lord, you made us like a woman who is having a baby.

She groans and cries out in pain.

¹⁸We were pregnant. We groaned with pain.

But nothing was born.

We didn’t bring your saving power to the earth.

We didn’t give life to the people of the world.

¹⁹Israel, those among you who have died will live again.

Their bodies will rise from the dead.

You who lie in the grave,

wake up and shout with joy.

The dew of the morning gives life to the earth.

So the earth will give up its dead people.

²⁰My people, go into your houses.

Shut the doors behind you.

Hide yourselves for a little while.

Do it until the Lord’s anger is over.

²¹He is coming from the place where he lives.

He will punish the people of the earth for their sins.

The blood that has been spilled on the earth will be brought out into the open.

The ground will no longer hide those who have been killed.

Israel Will Be Saved

27At that time

the Lord will punish Leviathan with his sword.

His great, powerful and deadly sword will punish

the serpent that glides through the sea.

He will kill that twisting sea monster.

²At that time the Lord will sing about his fruitful vineyard. He will say,

³“I am the Lord. I watch over my vineyard.

I water it all the time.

I guard it day and night.

I do it so no one can harm it.

⁴I am not angry with my vineyard.

I wish thorns and bushes would come up in it.

Then I would march out against them in battle.

I would set all of them on fire.

⁵So the enemies of my people had better come to me for safety.

They should make peace with me.

I will say it again.

They should make peace with me.”

⁶In days to come, Jacob’s people will put down roots like a vine.

Israel will bud and bloom.

They will fill the whole world with fruit.