A Promise of the Lord's Protection
1 Sing and shout,
even though you have never
had children!
The Lord has promised that you
will have more children
than someone married
for a long time.
2 Make your tents larger!
Spread out the tent pegs;
fasten them firmly.
3 You and your descendants
will take over the land
of other nations.
You will settle in towns
that are now in ruins.
4 Don't be afraid or ashamed
and don't be discouraged.
You won't be disappointed.
Forget how sinful you were
when you were young;
stop feeling ashamed
for being left a widow.
5 The Lord All-Powerful,
the Holy God of Israel,
rules all the earth.
He is your Creator and husband,
and he will rescue you.
6 You were like a young wife,
brokenhearted and crying
because her husband
had divorced her.
But the Lord your God says,
“I am taking you back!
7 I rejected you for a while,
but with love and tenderness
I will embrace you again.
8 For a while, I turned away
in furious anger.
Now I will have mercy
and love you forever!
I, your protector and Lord,
make this promise.”
The Lord Promises Lasting Peace
9 I once promised Noah that I
would never again destroy
the earth by a flood.
Now I have promised that I
will never again get angry
and punish you.
10 Every mountain and hill
may disappear.
But I will always be kind
and merciful to you;
I won't break my agreement
to give your nation peace.
The New Jerusalem
11 Jerusalem, you are sad
and discouraged,
tossed around in a storm.
But I, the Lord,
will rebuild your city
with precious stones;
for your foundation
I will use blue sapphires.
12 Your fortresses
will be built of rubies,
your gates of jewels,
and your walls of gems.
13 I will teach your children
and make them successful.
14 You will be built on fairness
with no fears of injustice;
every one of your worries
will be taken far from you.
15 I will never send anyone
to attack your city,
and you will make prisoners
of those who do attack.
16 Don't forget that I created
metalworkers who make weapons
over burning coals.
I also created armies
that can bring destruction.
17 Weapons made to attack you
won't be successful;
words spoken against you
won't hurt at all.
My servants, Jerusalem is yours!
I, the Lord, promise
to bless you with victory.
1 Rejoice, O barren that diddest not beare: breake forth into ioy and reioyce, thou that diddest not trauaile with childe: for the desolate hath moe children then the married wife, sayeth the Lord. 2 Enlarge the place of thy tents, and let them spread out the curtains of thine habitations: spare not, stretch out thy cords and make fast thy stakes. 3 For thou shalt increase on the right hande and on the left, and thy seede shall possesse the Gentiles, and dwell in the desolate cities. 4 Feare not: for thou shalt not be ashamed, neither shalt thou be confounded: for thou shalt not bee put to shame: yea, thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth, and shalt not remember the reproch of thy widdowhoode any more. 5 For hee that made thee, is thine husband (whose Name is the Lord of hostes) and thy redeemer the Holy one of Israel, shall be called the God of the whole world. 6 For the Lord hath called thee, being as a woman forsaken, and afflicted in spirite, and as a yong wife when thou wast refused, sayth thy God. 7 For a litle while haue I forsaken thee, but with great compassion will I gather thee. 8 For a moment, in mine anger, I hid my face from thee for a litle season, but with euerlasting mercy haue I had compassion on thee, sayth the Lord thy redeemer. 9 For this is vnto me as the waters of Noah: for as I haue sworne that the waters of Noah should no more goe ouer the earth, so haue I sworne that I would not be angrie with thee, nor rebuke thee. 10 For the mountaines shall remoue and the hilles shall fall downe: but my mercy shall not depart from thee, neither shall the couenant of my peace fall away, saith the Lord, that hath compassion on thee. 11 O thou afflicted and tossed with tempest, that hast no comfort, beholde, I wil lay thy stones with the carbuncle, and lay thy foundation with saphirs, 12 And I will make thy windowes of emeraudes, and thy gates shining stones, and all thy borders of pleasant stones. 13 And all thy children shalbe taught of the Lord, and much peace shalbe to thy children. 14 In righteousnes shalt thou be established, and be farre from oppression: for thou shalt not feare it: and from feare, for it shall not come neere thee. 15 Beholde, the enemie shall gather himselfe, but without me: whosoeuer shall gather himselfe in thee, against thee, shall fall. 16 Beholde, I haue created the smith that bloweth the coales in the fire, and him that bringeth forth an instrument for his worke, and I haue created the destroyer to destroy. 17 But all the weapons that are made against thee, shall not prosper: and euery tongue that shall rise against thee in iudgement, thou shalt condemne. This is the heritage of the Lords seruants, and their righteousnesse is of me, sayth the Lord.