Isaiah 49:15-26 ▼

15 “Does a woman forget her suckling, || The loved one—the son of her womb? Indeed, these forget—but I do not forget you.

16 Behold, I have carved you on the palms of the hand, || Your walls [are] continually before Me.

17 Those building you have hurried, || Those destroying you, and laying you waste, go out from you.

18 Lift up your eyes, [look] around and see, || All of them have been gathered, || They have come to you. [As] I live,” a declaration of YHWH! “Surely you put on all of them as an ornament, || And you bind them on like a bride.

19 Because your ruins, and your desolate places, || And the land of your ruins, || Are now surely restricted because of inhabitants, || And those consuming you have been far off.

20 Again the sons of your bereavement say in your ears: The place is too narrow for me, || Come near to me—and I dwell.

21 And you have said in your heart: Who has begotten these for me? And I [am] bereaved and barren, || A captive, and turned aside, || And who has nourished these? Behold, I was left by myself, these—where [are] they from?”

22 Thus said Lord YHWH: “Behold, I lift up My hand to nations, || And I raise up My ensign to peoples, || And they have brought your sons in the bosom, || And your daughters are carried on the shoulder.

23 And kings have been your nursing fathers, || And their princesses—your nursing mothers; Face to the earth—they bow down to you, || And they lick up the dust of your feet, || And you have known that I [am] YHWH, || That those expecting Me are not ashamed.”

24 Is prey taken from the mighty? And the captive of the righteous delivered?

25 For thus said YHWH: “Even the captive of the mighty is taken, || And the prey of the terrible is delivered, || And I strive with your striver, and I save your sons.

26 And I have caused your oppressors to eat their own flesh, || And they drink their own blood as new wine, || And all flesh has known that I, YHWH, || Your Savior, and your Redeemer, || [Am] the Mighty One of Jacob!”