Bible Text & Cross-references:
The Gentiles, who were barren before, shall multiply in
the Church of Christ: from which God's mercy shall never depart.
1 Give *praise, O thou barren, that bearest not: sing forth praise, and
make a joyful noise, thou that didst not travail with child: for many are the children of the desolate, more than of her that
hath a husband, saith the Lord.
2 Enlarge the place of thy tent, and stretch out the skins of thy tabernacles,
spare not: lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes.
3 For thou shalt pass on to the right hand, and to the left: and thy
seed shall inherit the Gentiles, and shall inhabit the desolate cities.
4 Fear not, for thou shalt not be confounded, nor blush: for thou shalt
not be put to shame, because thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth, and shalt remember no more the reproach of thy widowhood.
5 For he that made thee shall rule over thee, *the Lord of hosts is his
name: and thy Redeemer, the holy One of Israel, shall be called the God of all the earth.
6 For the Lord hath called thee as a woman forsaken and mourning
in spirit, and as a wife cast off from her youth, said thy God.
7 For a small moment have I forsaken thee, but with great mercies will
I gather thee.
8 In a moment of indignation have I hid my face a little while from thee;
but with everlasting kindness have I had mercy on thee, said the Lord, thy Redeemer.
9 *This thing is to me as in the days of Noe, to whom I swore, that I
would no more bring in the waters of Noe upon the earth: so have I sworn not to be angry with thee, and not to rebuke thee.
10 For the mountains shall be moved, and the hills shall tremble: but
my mercy shall not depart from thee, and the covenant of my peace shall not be moved: said the Lord that hath mercy on thee.
11 O poor little one, tossed with tempest, without all comfort, behold,
I will lay thy stones in order, and will lay thy foundations with sapphires.
12 And I will make thy bulwarks of jasper: and thy gates of graven stones,
and all thy borders of desirable stones.
13 *All thy children shall be taught of the Lord: and great shall
be the peace of thy children.
14 And thou shalt be founded in justice: depart far from oppression,
for thou shalt not fear; and from terror, for it shall not come near thee.
15 Behold, an inhabitant shall come, who was not with me; he that was
a stranger to thee before, shall be joined to thee.
16 Behold, I have created the smith that bloweth the coals in the fire,
and bringeth forth an instrument for his work; and I have created the killer to destroy.
17 No weapon that is formed against thee, shall prosper: and every tongue
that resisteth thee in judgment, thou shalt condemn. This is the inheritance of the servants of the Lord, and their justice
with me, saith the Lord.
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*
1: Luke xxiii. 9.; Galatians iv. 27.
5: Luke xi. 32.
9: Genesis ix. 15.
13: John vi. 45.