Isaiah 54 - New American Bible (Revised Edition) (NABRE)

Chapter 54

The New Zion

1 Raise a glad cry, you barren one[a] who never bore a child,
break forth in jubilant song, you who have never been in labor,
For more numerous are the children of the deserted wife
than the children of her who has a husband,
says the Lord.(A)
2 Enlarge the space for your tent,
spread out your tent cloths unsparingly;
lengthen your ropes and make firm your pegs.(B)
3 For you shall spread abroad to the right and left;
your descendants shall dispossess the nations
and shall people the deserted cities.[b]

4 [c]Do not fear, you shall not be put to shame;
do not be discouraged, you shall not be disgraced.
For the shame of your youth you shall forget,
the reproach of your widowhood no longer remember.
5 For your husband is your Maker;
the Lord of hosts is his name,
Your redeemer,[d] the Holy One of Israel,
called God of all the earth.

6 The Lord calls you back,
like a wife forsaken and grieved in spirit,
A wife married in youth and then cast off,
says your God.(C)
7 For a brief moment I abandoned you,
but with great tenderness I will take you back.
8 In an outburst of wrath, for a moment
I hid my face from you;
But with enduring love I take pity on you,
says the Lord, your redeemer.

9 This is for me like the days of Noah:
As I swore then that the waters of Noah
should never again flood the earth,
So I have sworn now not to be angry with you,
or to rebuke you.(D)
10 Though the mountains fall away
and the hills be shaken,
My love shall never fall away from you
nor my covenant of peace[e] be shaken,
says the Lord, who has mercy on you.(E)

11 O afflicted one,[f] storm-battered and unconsoled,
I lay your pavements in carnelians,
your foundations in sapphires;(F)
12 I will make your battlements of rubies,
your gates of jewels,
and all your walls of precious stones.
13 All your children shall be taught by the Lord;
great shall be the peace of your children.
14 In justice shall you be established,
far from oppression, you shall not fear,
from destruction, it cannot come near.
15 If there be an attack, it is not my doing;
whoever attacks shall fall before you.

16 See, I have created the smith
who blows on the burning coals
and forges weapons as his work;
It is I also who have created
the destroyer to work havoc.
17 Every weapon fashioned against you shall fail;
every tongue that brings you to trial
you shall prove false.

This is the lot of the servants of the Lord,
their vindication from me—oracle of the Lord.

Footnotes

  1. 54:1 Jerusalem, pictured as a wife who had been barren and deserted, now suddenly finds herself with innumerable children (the returning exiles); cf. Gal 4:27 for an application to a new context.
  2. 54:3 Those who had taken advantage of the exile to encroach on Jerusalem’s territory will be driven out, and the returning exiles will repopulate the cities of Judah.
  3. 54:4–8 As with some other Old Testament themes, Second Isaiah uses that of Israel as the Lord’s bride in a new manner. Whereas Hosea and Jeremiah had depicted Israel as the Lord’s spouse to emphasize both Israel’s infidelity and the Lord’s continued love (Hos 1–3; Jer 2:2; 3:1–15) and Ezekiel to accuse Israel unsparingly (Ez 16; 23), Second Isaiah speaks only of the love with which the Lord restores the people, speaking tender words with no hint of reproach.
  4. 54:5 Redeemer: cf. note on 41:14.
  5. 54:10 Covenant of peace: this whole section, vv. 9–17, is given to various assurances of God’s love for Israel and of safety from various possible threats; the phrase sums up both the positive aspects of shalom, which implies a fullness of blessing, and protection from all that might harm. Cf. also 55:3; Nm 25:12; Ez 34:25; 37:26; Mal 2:5.
  6. 54:11 Afflicted one: Jerusalem.

Cross references

  1. 54:1 : Gal 4:27.
  2. 54:2 : Is 49:20.
  3. 54:6 : Mal 2:14–15.
  4. 54:9 : Gn 9:15.
  5. 54:10 : Ps 46:3; 76:5.
  6. 54:11 : Rev 21:18–21.

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Isaiah 54 - Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

54 Sing, O barren, she hath not borne! Break forth with singing, and cry aloud, She hath not brought forth! For more [are] the sons of the desolate, Than the sons of the married one, said Jehovah. 2 Enlarge the place of thy tent, And the curtains of thy tabernacles they stretch out, Restrain not -- ...
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Isaiah 54 - Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

54 Thou barren, that childest not, praise; thou that childest not, sing praising, and make joy; for why many sons be of the forsaken, more than of her that had [the] husband, saith the Lord. (Thou barren woman, who never gave birth, praise ye; thou who never gave birth, sing praises, and make joy; f...
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Isaiah 54 - World English Bible (WEB)

54 “Sing, barren, you who didn’t give birth; break out into singing, and cry aloud, you who didn’t travail with child: for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife,” says Yahweh.2 “Enlarge the place of your tent, and let them stretch out the curtains of your habita...
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Isaiah 54 - The Voice (VOICE)

54 Eternal One: Sing, childless woman, you who have never given birth. Raise a joyful shout, you who have never gone through labor. You, whose husband is dead, will bring forth much more than the fertile one who has a husband.[a]2 Enlarge your house. You are going to need a bigger place; don’t unde...
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Isaiah 54 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

Your Husband is Your Maker54 “Sing, barren one, who has not given birth.burst into singing and shout,you who have not travailed.For more are the children of the desolatethan the children of the married one,” says Adonai.2 “Enlarge the place of your tent,stretch out your tabernacle curtains.Do not ho...
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Isaiah 54 - Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

The Eternal Covenant of Peace54 “Sing, O barren one, who did not bear; break forth into singing and cry aloud, you who have not been in travail!For the children of the desolate one will be more than the children of her that is married, says the Lord.2 Enlarge the place of your tent, and let the curt...
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Isaiah 54 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

The Eternal Covenant of Peace54 “Sing, O barren one, who did not bear; break forth into singing and cry aloud, you who have not been in travail!For the children of the desolate one will be more than the children of her that is married, says the Lord.2 Enlarge the place of your tent, and let the curt...
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Isaiah 54 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

The Eternal Covenant of Peace54 Sing, O barren one who did not bear; burst into song and shout, you who have not been in labour!For the children of the desolate woman will be more than the children of her that is married, says the Lord.2 Enlarge the site of your tent, and let the curtains of your ha...
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Isaiah 54 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

The Eternal Covenant of Peace54 Shout for joy, O barren one who has borne no children; burst into song and shout, you who have not been in labor!For the children of the desolate woman will be more than the children of the one who is married, says the Lord.(A)2 Enlarge the site of your tent, and let ...
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Isaiah 54 - New Living Translation (NLT)

Future Glory for Jerusalem54 “Sing, O childless woman, you who have never given birth!Break into loud and joyful song, O Jerusalem, you who have never been in labor.For the desolate woman now has more children than the woman who lives with her husband,” says the Lord.2 “Enlarge your house; build an ...
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Isaiah 54 - New Life Version (NLV)

The Lord Loves Israel54 “Woman, be happy, you who have had no children. Cry for joy, you who have never had the pains of having a child, for you will have many children. Yes, you will have more children than the one who has a husband,” says the Lord. 2 “Make your tent bigger. Spread out the curtain...
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Isaiah 54 - New King James Version (NKJV)

A Perpetual Covenant of Peace54 “Sing, O (A)barren,You who have not borne!Break forth into singing, and cry aloud,You who have not labored with child!For more are the children of the desolateThan the children of the married woman,” says the Lord.2 “Enlarge(B) the place of your tent,And let them stre...
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Isaiah 54 - New International Version - UK (NIVUK)

The future glory of Zion54 ‘Sing, barren woman, you who never bore a child;burst into song, shout for joy, you who were never in labour;because more are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband,’says the Lord.2 ‘Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide,...
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Isaiah 54 - New International Version (NIV)

The Future Glory of Zion54 “Sing, barren woman,(A) you who never bore a child;burst into song, shout for joy,(B) you who were never in labor;(C)because more are the children(D) of the desolate(E) woman than of her who has a husband,(F)”says the Lord.2 “Enlarge the place of your tent,(G) stretch your...
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Isaiah 54 - New International Reader's Version (NIRV)

Jerusalem Will Be Glorious54 “Jerusalem, sing! You are now like a woman who never had a child.Burst into song! Shout for joy! You who have never had labor pains,you are now all alone. But you will have more children than a woman who still has a husband,” says the Lord.2 “Make a large area for your t...
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Isaiah 54 - New English Translation (NET)

Zion Will Be Secure54 “Shout for joy, O barren one who has not given birth!Give a joyful shout and cry out, you who have not been in labor!For the children of the desolate one are more numerousthan the children of the married woman,” says the Lord.2 Make your tent larger,stretch your tent curtains f...
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