The Fertility of Zion

1 “aShout for joy, O barren one, you who have borne no child;

Break forth into joyful shouting and cry aloud, you who have not travailed;

For the sons of the bdesolate one will be cmore numerous

Than the sons of the married woman,” says the Lord.

2 “aEnlarge the place of your tent;

1Stretch out the curtains of your dwellings, spare not;

Lengthen your bcords

And strengthen your bpegs.

3 “For you will aspread abroad to the right and to the left.

And your 1descendants will bpossess nations

And will cresettle the desolate cities.

4 “Fear not, for you will anot be put to shame;

And do not feel humiliated, for you will not be disgraced;

But you will forget the bshame of your youth,

And the creproach of your widowhood you will remember no more.

5 “For your ahusband is your Maker,

Whose name is the Lord of hosts;

And your bRedeemer is the Holy One of Israel,

Who is called the cGod of all the earth.

6 “For the Lord has called you,

Like a wife aforsaken and grieved in spirit,

Even like a wife of one’s youth when she is rejected,”

Says your God.

7 “1For a abrief moment I forsook you,

But with great compassion I will bgather you.

8 “In an 1aoutburst of anger

I hid My face from you for a moment,

But with everlasting blovingkindness I will chave compassion on you,”

Says the Lord your dRedeemer.

9 “For 1this is like the days of Noah to Me,

When I swore that the waters of Noah

Would anot 2flood the earth again;

So I have sworn that I will bnot be angry with you

Nor will I rebuke you.

10 “For the amountains may be removed and the hills may shake,

But My lovingkindness will not be removed from you,

And My bcovenant of peace will not be shaken,”

Says cthe Lord who has compassion on you.