Isaiah 54
1 Give praise, O thou barren, that bearest not: sing forth praise, and make a joyful noise, thou that didst not travail with child: for many are the children of the desolate, more than of her that hath a husband, saith the Lord.
“Sing, you barren woman, you who have not given birth; break into joyful singing and cry aloud, you who have never been in birth labor. For the children of the desolate one are more than the children of the married woman,” says Yahweh.
2 Enlarge the place of thy tent, and stretch out the skins of thy tabernacles, spare not: lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes.
“Make your tent larger and spread your tent curtains farther out, unsparingly; lengthen your ropes and strengthen your stakes.
3 For thou shalt pass on to the right hand, and to the left: and thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles, and shall inhabit the desolate cities.
For you will spread out to the right hand and to the left, and your descendants will conquer nations and resettle desolate cities.
4 Fear not, for thou shalt not be confounded, nor blush: for thou shalt not be put to shame, because thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth, and shalt remember no more the reproach of thy widowhood.
Do not fear for you will not be ashamed, nor be discouraged for you will not be disgraced; you will forget the shame of your youth and the disgrace of your abandonment.
5 For he that made thee shall rule over thee, the Lord of hosts is his name: and thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, shall be called the God of all the earth.
For your Maker is your husband; Yahweh of hosts is his name. The Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; he is called the God of the whole earth.
6 For the Lord hath called thee as woman forsaken and mourning in spirit, and as a wife cast off from her youth, said thy God.
For Yahweh has called you back as a wife abandoned and grieved in spirit, like a woman married young and rejected,” says your God.
7 For a, small moment have I forsaken thee, but with great mercies will I gather thee.
“For a short time I abandoned you, but with great compassion I will gather you.
8 In a moment of indignation have I hid my face a little while from thee, but with everlasting kindness have I had mercy on thee, said the Lord thy Redeemer.
In a flood of anger I hid my face from you momentarily; but with everlasting covenant faithfulness I will have mercy on you— says Yahweh, the one who rescues you.
9 This thing is to me as in the days of Noe, to whom I swore, that I would no more bring in the waters of Noe upon the earth: so have I sworn not to be angry with thee, and not to rebuke thee.
For this is like the waters of Noah to me: as I swore that the waters of Noah would never again pass over the earth, so have I sworn that I will not be angry with you or rebuke you.
10 For the mountains shall be moved, and the hills shall tremble; but my mercy shall not depart from thee, and the covenant of my peace shall not be moved: said the Lord that hath mercy on thee.
Though the mountains may fall and the hills be shaken, yet my steadfast love will not turn away from you, nor will my covenant of peace be shaken— says Yahweh, who has mercy on you.
11 O poor little one, tossed with tempest, without all comfort, behold I will lay thy stones in order, and will lay thy foundations with sapphires,
Afflicted one, storm-driven and uncomforted one, look, I will set your pavement in turquoise, and lay your foundations with sapphires.
12 And I will make thy bulwarks of jasper: and thy gates of graven stones, and all thy borders of desirable stones.
I will make your pinnacles of rubies and your gates of sparkling stones, and your outer wall of beautiful stones.
13 All thy children shall be taught of the Lord: and great shall be the peace of thy children.
Then all your children will be taught by Yahweh; and the peace of your children will be great.
14 And thou shalt be founded in justice: depart far from oppression, for thou shalt not fear; and from terror, for it shall not come near thee.
In righteousness you will be established, and you will be far from oppression, for you will not fear; and from terror, for it will not come near to you.
15 Behold, an inhabitant shall come, who was not with me, he that was a stranger to thee before, shall be joined to thee.
Look, if anyone stirs up trouble, it will not be from me; anyone who stirs up trouble with you will fall in defeat.
16 Behold, I have created the smith that bloweth the coals in the fire, and bringeth forth an instrument for his work, and I have created the killer to destroy.
See, I have created the craftsman, who blows the burning coals and forges weapons as his work, and I have created the destroyer to destroy.
17 No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper: and every tongue that resisteth thee in judgment, thou shalt condemn. This is the inheritance of the servants of the Lord, and their justice with me, saith the Lord.
No weapon that is formed against you will succeed; and you will condemn everyone who accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of Yahweh, and their vindication from me—this is Yahweh's declaration.”
A Dove is Sent Forth from the Ark
