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.

Give praise, you who are barren and unable to conceive. Sing praise and make a joyful noise, you who have not given birth. For many are the children of the desolate, more so than of her who has a husband, says the Lord.

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

Enlarge the place of your tent and extend the skins of your tabernacles, unsparingly. Lengthen your cords, and strengthen your stakes.

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].

For you shall extend to the right and to the left. And your offspring shall inherit the nations, and you shall inhabit the desolate cities.

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.

Do not be afraid! For you will not be confounded, and you will not blush. And you will not be put to shame, because you shall forget the confusion of your youth, and you shall no longer remember the disgrace 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 the One who made you will rule over you. The Lord of hosts is his name. And your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, will be called the God of all the 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.

For the Lord has called you, like a woman forsaken and mourning in spirit, and like a wife rejected in her youth, said your God.

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

For a brief moment, I have forsaken you, and with great pities, I will gather 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 moment of indignation, I have hidden my face from you, for a little while. But with everlasting mercy, I have taken pity on you, said your Redeemer, the Lord.

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).

For me, it is just as in the days of Noah, to whom I swore that I would no longer bring in the waters of Noah over the earth. Thus have I sworn not to be angry with you, and not to rebuke you.

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.

For the mountains will be moved, and the hills will tremble. But my mercy will not depart from you, and the covenant of my peace will not be shaken, said the Lord, who has compassion on you.

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).

O poor little ones, convulsed by the tempest, away from any consolation! Behold, I will set your stones in order, and I will lay your foundation with sapphires,

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 ramparts out of jasper, and your gates out of sculpted stones, and all your borders out of desirable stones.

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

All your children will be taught by the Lord. And great will be the peace of your children.

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 will be founded in justice. Depart far from oppression, for you will not be afraid. And depart from terror, for it will not approach 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, a settler will arrive, who was not with me, a certain new arrival will be joined to you.

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 created the smith who fans the coals of the fire and produces an object by his work, and I have created the slayer who destroys.

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.”

No object which has been formed to use against you will succeed. And every tongue that resists you in judgment, you shall judge. This is the inheritance of the servants of the Lord, and this is their justice with me, says the Lord.

A Dove is Sent Forth from the Ark