< Isaiah 54 >
1 Sing, O barren, thou who did not bear. Break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou who did not travail with child. For more are the sons of the desolate than the sons of the married woman, says Jehovah.
2 Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thy habitations. Spare not. Lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes.
3 For thou shall spread abroad on the right hand and on the left. And thy seed shall possess the nations, and make the desolate cities to be inhabited.
4 Fear not, for thou shall not be ashamed. Neither be thou confounded, for thou shall not be put to shame. For thou shall forget the shame of thy youth. And the reproach of thy widowhood thou shall remember no more.
5 For thy maker is thy husband. Jehovah of hosts is his name. And the Holy One of Israel is thy Redeemer. He shall be called the God of the whole earth.
6 For Jehovah has called thee as a wife forsaken and grieved in spirit, even a wife of youth when she is cast off, says thy God.
7 For a small moment I have forsaken thee, but with great mercies I will gather thee.
8 In overflowing wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment, but with everlasting loving kindness I will have mercy on thee, says Jehovah thy Redeemer.
9 For this is as the waters of Noah to me. For as I have sworn that the waters of Noah shall no more go over the earth, so I have sworn that I will not be angry with thee, nor rebuke thee.
10 For the mountains may depart, and the hills be removed, but my loving kindness shall not depart from thee, nor shall my covenant of peace be removed, says Jehovah who has mercy on thee.
11 O thou afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted, behold, I will set thy stones in fair colors, and lay thy foundations with sapphires.
12 And I will make thy pinnacles of rubies, and thy gates of carbuncles, and all thy border of precious stones.
13 And all thy sons shall be taught of Jehovah, and great shall be the peace of thy sons.
14 Thou shall be established in righteousness. Thou shall be far from oppression, for thou shall not fear, and from terror, for it shall not come near thee.
15 Behold, they may gather together, but not by me. Whoever shall gather together against thee shall fall because of thee.
16 Behold, I have created the smith who blows the fire of coals, and brings forth a weapon for his work. And I have created the waster to destroy.
17 No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper. And every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of Jehovah, and their righteousness which is of me, says Jehovah.
A Dove is Sent Forth from the Ark