Isaiah 35

1 The wilderness and the land will be glad; the desert will rejoice and blossom like a rose.

The wilderness and the Arabah will be glad; and the desert will rejoice and blossom. Like the rose,

2 It will bloom profusely and rejoice with joy and singing. The glory of Lebanon will be given to it, the splendor of Carmel and Sharon. They will see the glory of the LORD, the splendor of our God.

it will blossom abundantly and rejoice with joy and singing; the glory of Lebanon will be given to it, the splendor of Carmel and Sharon; they will see the glory of Yahweh, the splendor of our God.

3 Strengthen the limp hands and steady the feeble knees!

Strengthen the weak hands, and steady the knees that shake.

4 Say to those with anxious hearts: “Be strong, do not fear! Behold, your God will come with vengeance. With divine retribution He will come to save you.”

Say to those with a fearful heart, “Be strong, do not fear! Look, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you.”

5 Then the eyes of the blind will be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped.

Then the eyes of the blind will see, and the ears of the deaf will hear.

6 Then the lame will leap like a deer and the mute tongue will shout for joy. For waters will gush forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert.

Then the lame man will leap like a deer, and the mute tongue will sing, for water breaks out in the Arabah, and streams in the wilderness.

7 The parched ground will become a pool, the thirsty land springs of water. In the haunt where jackals once lay, there will be grass and reeds and papyrus.

The burning sand will become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water; in the habitation of jackals, where they once lay, will be grass with reeds and rushes.

8 And there will be a highway called the Way of Holiness. The unclean will not travel it— only those who walk in the Way— and fools will not stray onto it.

A highway will be there called The Holy Way. The unclean will not travel it. But it will be for him who walks in it. No fool will go on it.

9 No lion will be there, and no vicious beast will go up on it. Such will not be found there, but the redeemed will walk upon it.

No lion will be there, no ferocious beast will be on it; they will not be found there, but the redeemed will walk there.

10 So the redeemed of the LORD will return and enter Zion with singing, crowned with everlasting joy. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee.

The ransomed of Yahweh will return and come with singing to Zion, and everlasting joy will be on their heads; gladness and joy will overtake them; sorrow and sighing will flee away.