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The Future of Israel’s Land

35 “The desert and the dry land will rejoice;
    the desert will celebrate and blossom. Like crocuses,
it will burst into bloom,
    and rejoice with gladness and shouts of joy.
The glory of Lebanon will be given to it,
    the splendor of Carmel and Sharon.
They will see the glory of the Lord,
    the splendor of our God.[a]

Strengthen the feeble hands,
    and support the stumbling knees.
Say to those with anxious hearts,
    ‘Be strong, do not be afraid!
Here is your God—
    he will bring[b] vengeance,
he will bring[c] divine retribution,
    and he will save you.’

“Then the eyes of the blind will be opened,
    and the ears of the deaf unblocked;
then the lame will leap like deer,
    and the tongues of speechless people will sing for joy.
Yes, waters will gush forth in the wilderness,
    and streams will run[d] through the desert;
the burning sands will become a pool,
    and the thirsty ground fountains of water.
In the haunts of jackals there will be
    a verdant resting place with[e] reeds and rushes.”

God’s Holy Highway

“A highway will be there—yes, there—[f]
    and people will call it[g] ‘The Holy Way’.[h]
As for unclean people,
    they will not journey on it,
but it will be for whomever[i] is traveling on that Way—
        not even fools will get lost.
No lions will be there—
    no—[j] nor will any ferocious beasts get up on it,
        and[k] they will not be found there.

“But the redeemed will walk there,
10 and the Lord’s ransomed ones will return
        and enter Zion with singing.
Everlasting joy will rest upon their heads,
    gladness and joy will overtake them,[l]
        and sorrow and mourning will flee away.”

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 35:2 So MT LXX 1QIsaa corrector; 1QIsaa lacks vss. 1-2
  2. Isaiah 35:4 So 1QIsaa LXX; MT reads he will come
  3. Isaiah 35:4 So 1QIsaa; MT LXX read he will come
  4. Isaiah 35:6 So 1QIsaa; MT LXX lack will run
  5. Isaiah 35:7 So 1QIsaa; MT reads is her resting place; the grass will become
  6. Isaiah 35:8 So 1QIsaa; MT LXX lack yes, there
  7. Isaiah 35:8 So 1QIsaa; MT LXX read it will be called
  8. Isaiah 35:8 So 1QIsaa LXX; MT reads Way, yes, Way
  9. Isaiah 35:8 So 1QIsaa; MT reads but it will be for the one; cf. LXX
  10. Isaiah 35:9 So 1QIsaa; MT LXX lack no
  11. Isaiah 35:9 So 1QIsaa LXX; the Heb. lacks and
  12. Isaiah 35:10 So 1QIsaa; 1QIsaa corrector lacks them; MT reads they will attain gladness and joy

Joy of the Redeemed

35 The desert(A) and the parched land will be glad;
    the wilderness will rejoice and blossom.(B)
Like the crocus,(C) it will burst into bloom;
    it will rejoice greatly and shout for joy.(D)
The glory of Lebanon(E) will be given to it,
    the splendor of Carmel(F) and Sharon;(G)
they will see the glory(H) of the Lord,
    the splendor of our God.(I)

Strengthen the feeble hands,
    steady the knees(J) that give way;
say(K) to those with fearful hearts,(L)
    “Be strong, do not fear;(M)
your God will come,(N)
    he will come with vengeance;(O)
with divine retribution
    he will come to save(P) you.”

Then will the eyes of the blind be opened(Q)
    and the ears of the deaf(R) unstopped.
Then will the lame(S) leap like a deer,(T)
    and the mute tongue(U) shout for joy.(V)
Water will gush forth in the wilderness
    and streams(W) in the desert.
The burning sand will become a pool,
    the thirsty ground(X) bubbling springs.(Y)
In the haunts where jackals(Z) once lay,
    grass and reeds(AA) and papyrus will grow.

And a highway(AB) will be there;
    it will be called the Way of Holiness;(AC)
    it will be for those who walk on that Way.
The unclean(AD) will not journey on it;
    wicked fools will not go about on it.
No lion(AE) will be there,
    nor any ravenous beast;(AF)
    they will not be found there.
But only the redeemed(AG) will walk there,
10     and those the Lord has rescued(AH) will return.
They will enter Zion with singing;(AI)
    everlasting joy(AJ) will crown their heads.
Gladness(AK) and joy will overtake them,
    and sorrow and sighing will flee away.(AL)