Isaiah 54
1 Sing for joy, childless woman, you who have had a baby! Shout aloud, and sing happily, Jerusalem, you who have never given birth! For the abandoned woman now has more children than the married woman, says the Lord.
“Sing, barren, you who didn’t give birth; break out into singing, and cry aloud, you who did not travail with child: for the deserted wife will have more children than the children of the married wife,” says Adonai.
2 Make the tent where you live bigger; stretch the fabric to enlarge your home. Don't try and save space—extend your tent cords and make your tent pegs stronger.
“Enlarge the place of your tent, and let them stretch out the curtains of your habitations; don’t spare: lengthen your cords, and strengthen your stakes.
3 You're going to be spreading out right and left; your descendants will take over the land of other nations and live in towns that were once abandoned.
For you will spread out on the right hand and on the left; and your offspring will possess the nations, and settle in desolate cities.
4 Do not be afraid, for you won't be humiliated; don't be upset, for you won't be disgraced. You will forget about the shame of your youth, and you won't remember the embarrassment of your widowhood any longer.
“Don’t be afraid; for you will not be ashamed. Don’t be confounded; for you will not be disappointed. For you will forget the shame of your youth; and the reproach of your widowhood you shall remember no more.
5 For your Maker is your husband, the Lord Almighty is his name the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer, he is called the God of the whole earth.
For your Maker is your husband; Adonai Tzva'ot [Yahweh Commander of heaven’s armies] is his name. The haKadosh Isra'el [the Holy One of God prevails] is your Redeemer. He will be called the God of the whole earth.
6 The Lord has called you to come back, like a wife who's been abandoned and deeply hurt, a wife who was married when she was young, only to be rejected, says your God.
For Adonai has called you as a wife forsaken and grieved in spirit, even a wife of youth, when she is cast off,” says your God.
7 I deserted you for just a little while, but I will bring you back, showing you a great deal of kindness.
“For a small moment have I forsaken you; but with great racham ·merciful love· will I gather you.
8 In a moment of anger I turned my face away from you, but now with trustworthy love I will always be kind to you, says the Lord, your Redeemer.
In overflowing wrath I hid my face from you for a moment; but with everlasting cheshed ·loving-kindness· I will have racham ·merciful love· on you,” says Adonai your Redeemer.
9 To me this is just like Noah's time, when I promised on oath that a flood would never cover the earth again. In the same way I promise on oath that I won't be angry with you or tell you off.
“For this is like the waters of Noah [Rest] to me; for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah [Rest] will no more go over the earth, so have I sworn that I will not be angry with you, nor rebuke you.
10 Though the mountains cease to exist and the hills disappear, yet my trustworthy love for you won't cease to exist and my agreement of peace won't disappear, says the Lord, who shows you kindness.
For the mountains may depart, and the hills be removed; but my cheshed ·loving-kindness· will not depart from you, and my covenant ·binding contract between two or more parties· of peace will not be removed,” says Adonai who has mercy on you.
11 My poor storm-damaged city that can't be comforted! Look, I'm going to reset your stones in cement made of antimony, I will use sapphires to lay your foundations.
“You afflicted, tossed with storms, and not comforted, behold, I will set your stones in beautiful colors, and lay your foundations with sapphires.
12 I will make your fortifications out of rubies; I will make your gates out of sparkling beryl. All your walls will be made of precious stones,
I will make your pinnacles of rubies, your gates of sparkling jewels, and all your walls of precious stones.
13 and all your children will be students of the Lord, and they will live in complete peace.
All your children will be taught by Adonai; and your children’s peace will be great.
14 Your society will operate from principles of goodness and right; nobody will be there to oppress you. You won't be afraid; you won't have to face any kind of terror.
In righteousness you will be established. You will be far from oppression, for you will not be afraid; and far from terror, for it shall not come near you.
15 If any invader comes to attack you, I didn't send them; you will defeat anyone who attacks you.
Behold, they may gather together, but not by me. Whoever gathers together against you will fall because of you.
16 Look—I have created a blacksmith who blows the coals into a hot flame and forges a suitable weapon; and I have created the destroyer who brings destruction.
“Behold, I have created the blacksmith who fans the coals into flame, and forges a weapon for his work; and I have created the destroyer to destroy.
17 None of the weapons forged against you will succeed, and you will condemn anyone who accuses you. This is how the servants of the Lord are blessed, and I am the one who vindicates them, declares the Lord.
No weapon that is formed against you will prevail; and you will condemn every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of Adonai’s servants, and their righteousness is of me,” says Adonai.
A Dove is Sent Forth from the Ark
