54
Rejoice, you barren that bear not; break forth and cry, you that do not travail: for more are the children of the desolate than of her that has a husband: for the Lord has said, Enlarge the place of your tent, and of your curtains: fix the pins, spare not, lengthen your cords, and strengthen your pins; spread forth your tent yet to the right and the left: for your seed shall inherit the Gentiles, and you shall make the desolate cities to be inhabited. Fear not, because you have been put to shame, neither be confounded, because you were reproached: for you shall forget your * former shame, and shall no more at all remember the reproach of your widowhood. For it is the Lord that made you; the Lord of hosts is his name: and he that delivered you, he is the God of Israel, and shall be called so by the whole earth. The Lord has not called you as a deserted and faint-hearted woman, nor as a woman hated from her youth, says your God. For a little while I left you: but with great mercy will I have compassion upon you. In a little wrath I turned away my face from you; but with everlasting mercy will I have compassion upon you, says the Lord that delivers you. From the time of the water of Noe this is my purpose: as I swore to him at that time, saying of the earth, I will no more be angry with you, neither when you are threatened, 10 shall the mountains depart, nor shall your hills be removed: so neither shall my mercy fail you, nor shall the covenant of your peace be at all removed: for the Lord who is gracious to you has spoken it. 11 Afflicted and outcast you have not been comforted: behold, I will prepare carbuncle for your stones, and sapphire for your foundations; 12 and I will make your buttresses jasper, and your gates crystal, and your border precious stones. 13  And I will cause all your sons to be taught of God, and your children to be in great peace. 14 And you shall be built in righteousness: abstain from injustice, and you shall not fear; and trembling shall not come near you. 15 Behold, strangers shall come to you by me, and shall sojourn with you, and shall run to you for refuge. 16 Behold, I have created you, not as the coppersmith blowing coals, and bringing out a vessel fit for work; but I have created you, not for ruin, that I should destroy you. 17 I will not suffer any weapon formed against you to prosper; and every voice that shall rise up against you for judgement, you shall vanquish them all; and your adversaries shall be condemned thereby. There is an inheritance to them that serve the Lord, and you⌃ shall be righteous before me, says the Lord.
54:1 Gal 4:27 * 54:4 Gr. ancient Or. everlasting 54:10 Alex. κύριος for κύριε adopted here. Compare Mat. 16. 22, with this passage. 54:13 John 6:45 54:17 Gr. instrument.