Isaiah 49:20–26

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?’ ”

²²The Lord and King continues,

“I will call out to the nations.

I will give a signal to them.

They will bring back your sons in their arms.

They will carry your daughters on their shoulders.

²³Their kings will become like fathers to you.

Their queens will be like mothers who nurse you.

They will bow down to you with their faces toward the ground.

They will kiss the dust at your feet to show you their respect.

Then you will know that I am the Lord.

Those who put their hope in me will not be ashamed.”

²⁴Can goods that were stolen by soldiers be taken away from them?

Can prisoners be set free from the powerful Babylonians?

²⁵“Yes, they can,” the Lord answers.

“Prisoners will be taken away from soldiers.

Stolen goods will be taken back from the powerful Babylonians.

Zion, I will fight against those who fight against you.

And I will save your people.

²⁶I will make those who beat you down eat the flesh of others.

They will drink blood and get drunk on it as if it were wine.

Then everyone on earth will know

that I am the one who saves you.

I am the Lord. I set you free.

I am the Mighty One of Jacob.”