construction was typical of Semitic language usage, and the theological outlook of Judaism expected that God himself would save and comfort his people. Comforted means “consoled” or possibly “made happy again.” Thus translations can have “God will restore their happiness” or “God will console them.” In the same way that verses 3–4 are based on Isaiah 61, so verse 5 finds its background in Psalm 37:11. As the psalm indicates, the metaphor was taken over from the possession of Canaan by