8. Thus says Adonai: “In a time of favor I will answer you. in a day of salvation I will help you. I will keep You and give You as a covenant to the people, to restore the land, to make them possess its desolate inheritances,
9. saying to the prisoners, ‘Come out!’ to those in darkness, ‘Be shown!’ Along the roads they will graze— their pasture will be on all the barren heights.
10. They will not hunger or thirst, nor scorching wind or sun strike them, for their compassionate One will lead them, and will guide them by springs of water.
11. I will make all My mountains a road, and My highways will be raised up.
12. “Behold, these shall come from afar. behold, these from the north and from the west, and from the land of Sinim.
13. Shout for joy, heavens! Rejoice, earth! Break forth into ringing shouts, O mountains! For Adonai has comforted His people and has compassion on His afflicted.”
14. But Zion said: “Adonai has forsaken me, Adonai has forgotten me.”
15. “Can a woman forget her nursing baby or lack compassion for a child of her womb? Even if these forget, I will not forget you.
16. Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of My hands. Your walls are continually before Me.
17. Your children will come quickly. Your destroyers and devastators will go away from you.
18. Lift up your eyes around and see: all of them will gather and come to you.” “As I live” —it is Adonai’s declaration— “you will wear them all as jewelry and bind them on like a bride.”
19. For your waste and desolate places and your destroyed land will now be surely too small for the inhabitants, and those who swallowed you up will be far away.
20. The children of your bereavement will yet say in your ears, “The place is too cramped for me! Make room for me to settle in.”
21. Then you will say in your heart, “Who has borne these for me? Wasn’t I bereaved of my children— barren, an exile and wandering? So who has raised these? Behold, I was left alone— these, where were they?”
22. Thus says Adonai Elohim: “Look, I will lift My hand to the nations, and raise My banner to the peoples! They will bring your sons on their chest, and carry your daughters on their shoulders.
23. Kings will be your guardians, their princesses your nurses. They will bow down to you with their face to the ground, and lick the dust of your feet. Then you will know that I am Adonai— those hoping in Me will not be ashamed.”