54
1 ✡ Rejoice, you barren that bear not; break forth and cry, you that do not travail: for more are the children of the desolate than of her that has a husband: for the Lord has said, 2 Enlarge the place of your tent, and of your curtains: fix the pins, spare not, lengthen your cords, and strengthen your pins; 3 spread forth your tent yet to the right and the left: for your seed shall inherit the Gentiles, and you shall make the desolate cities to be inhabited. 4 Fear not, because you have been put to shame, neither be confounded, because you were reproached: for you shall forget your * former shame, and shall no more at all remember the reproach of your widowhood. 5 For it is the Lord that made you; the Lord of hosts is his name: and he that delivered you, he is the God of Israel, and shall be called so by the whole earth. 6 The Lord has not called you as a deserted and faint-hearted woman, nor as a woman hated from her youth, says your God. 7 For a little while I left you: but with great mercy will I have compassion upon you. 8 In a little wrath I turned away my face from you; but with everlasting mercy will I have compassion upon you, says the Lord that delivers you. 9 From the time of the water of Noe this is my purpose: as I swore to him at that time, saying of the earth, I will no more be angry with you, neither when you are threatened, 10 shall the mountains depart, nor shall your hills be removed: so neither shall my mercy fail you, nor shall the covenant of your peace be at all removed: for † the Lord who is gracious to you has spoken it. 11 Afflicted and outcast you have not been comforted: behold, I will prepare carbuncle for your stones, and sapphire for your foundations; 12 and I will make your buttresses jasper, and your gates crystal, and your border precious stones. 13 ✡ And I will cause all your sons to be taught of God, and your children to be in great peace. 14 And you shall be built in righteousness: abstain from injustice, and you shall not fear; and trembling shall not come near you. 15 Behold, strangers shall come to you by me, and shall sojourn with you, and shall run to you for refuge. 16 Behold, I have created you, not as the coppersmith blowing coals, and bringing out a vessel fit for work; but I have created you, not for ruin, that I should destroy you. 17 I will not suffer any ‡ weapon formed against you to prosper; and every voice that shall rise up against you for judgement, you shall vanquish them all; and your adversaries shall be condemned thereby. There is an inheritance to them that serve the Lord, and you⌃ shall be righteous before me, says the Lord.
✡ 54:1 Gal 4:27 * 54:4 Gr. ancient Or. everlasting † 54:10 Alex. κύριος for κύριε adopted here. Compare Mat. 16. 22, with this passage. ✡ 54:13 John 6:45 ‡ 54:17 Gr. instrument.