Isaiah 49:14–21

¹⁴But the city of Zion said, “The Lord has deserted me.

The Lord has forgotten me.”

¹⁵The Lord answers, “Can a mother forget the baby

who is nursing at her breast?

Can she stop showing her tender love

to the child who was born to her?

She might forget her child.

But I will not forget you.

¹⁶I have written your name on the palms of my hands.

Your walls are never out of my sight.

¹⁷Your people will hurry back.

Those who destroyed you so completely will leave you.

¹⁸Look up. Look all around you.

All of your people are getting together

to come back to you.

You can be sure that I live,”

announces the Lord.

“And you can be just as sure that your people

will be like decorations you will wear.

Like a bride, you will wear them proudly.

¹⁹“Zion, you were destroyed. Your land was left empty.

It was turned into a dry and empty desert.

But now you will be too small to hold all of your people.

And those who destroyed you will be far away.

²⁰The children who were born during your time of sorrow

will speak to you. They will say,

‘This city is too small for us.

Give us more space to live in.’

²¹Then you will say to yourself,

‘Whose children are these?

I lost my children.

And I couldn’t have any more.

My children were taken far away from me.

And no one wanted them.

Who brought these children up?

I was left all alone.

So where have these children come from?’ ”