Isaiah 54

1 Yahweh says, “You [people of Jerusalem] [MET], start to sing! You [who are like] [MET] women who have never given birth to children, sing loudly and shout joyfully, because you, [who are like] [MET] childless women who have been abandoned [by their husbands], will [soon] have more children than women who have never had any children.

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 Make your tents larger; make them wider, and fasten them firmly with tent pegs.

Enlarge the place of your tent, and of your curtains: fix [the pins], spare not, lengthen your cords, and strengthen your pins;

3 [You will need to make your city much larger] because [soon] you and your descendants will spread all over the land. They will force the people of [other] nations [who now live in your cities] to leave, and you will live [again] in those cities [that were previously abandoned].

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 Do not be afraid; you will no [longer] be ashamed. Previously you were ashamed [because your enemies conquered you] and caused many of your women to become widows, but [soon] you will not even remember that.

Fear not, because you has been put to shame, neither be confounded, because you was reproached: for you shall forget your former shame, and shall no more at all remember the reproach of your widowhood.

5 [I], the Commander of the armies of angels, the Holy one of Israel, who rules over the whole earth, the one who created you, will be [like] [MET] a husband to you.

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 You were like a woman whose husband left her, and caused you to be very sad; you were like a young woman who got married when she was [very] young, and then her husband abandoned her.

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 I abandoned you [people of Jerusalem] for a while, but [now] I am saying, ‘I will take you back.’

For a little while I left you: but with great mercy will I have compassion upon you.

8 I was very angry with you for a while, and I turned away from you. But I will act mercifully toward you and I will faithfully love you forever. That is what [I], Yahweh, your protector, say to you.

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 During the time that Noah lived, I solemnly promised that I would never again allow a flood to cover the earth. So [now] I solemnly promise that I will not be angry with you again and (rebuke you/threaten to punish you).

From the time of the water of Noe this is my [purpose]: as I sware to him at that time, [saying] of the earth, I will no more be angry with you, neither when you are threatened,

10 Even if the mountains and hills shake and collapse, I will not stop faithfully loving you, and I will not cancel my agreement to cause things to go well for you. That is what [I], Yahweh, who act mercifully, say.

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 You [people of Jerusalem] [APO], [your enemies acted very violently toward you]; [it was as though] your city was battered by a severe storm, and no one helped you. But [now] I will cause your city to be rebuilt with stones made of (turquoise/valuable stones), and I will cause the foundations of the city to be made of (sapphires/valuable blue stones).

Afflicted and outcast you has not been comforted: behold, I [will] prepare carbuncle [for] your stones, and sapphire for your foundations;

12 I will cause the towers on the city wall to be made of (rubies/valuable red stones), and all the gates of the city will be made of [other] very valuable stones.

and I will make your buttresses jasper, and your gates crystal, and your border precious stones.

13 I will be the one who will teach you people and cause things to go well with you.

And [I will cause] all your sons [to be] taught of God, and your children [to be] in great peace.

14 Your [government] will be strong because of acting justly/fairly; no one will (oppress you/cause you to suffer); you will not be afraid, because there will be nothing [PRS] that will (terrorize you/cause you to become extremely afraid).

And you shall be built in righteousness: abstain from injustice, and you shall not fear; and trembling shall not come near you.

15 If any army attacks you, it will not be because I have incited them to do that, and you will defeat any group that attacks you.

Behold, strangers shall come to you by me, and shall sojourn with you, and shall run to you for refuge.

16 Think about this: (Blacksmiths/Men who make things from metal) fan the coals to make a very hot flame in order to produce weapons that can be used [in battles], but I am the one who has produced blacksmiths! And I am also the one who created people who destroy [other people and cities].

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 [But I am promising you that I will] not allow you to be defeated/injured by soldiers using weapons that have been made to attack you, and when others try to accuse you, you will (refute them/show that they are wrong). That is the reward that I will give to the people who serve me; I will defend them; that is what [I], Yahweh, promise.”

I will not suffer any weapon formed against you to prosper; and every voice that shall rise up against you for judgment, 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.

A Dove is Sent Forth from the Ark