Isaiah 49:14-21

Promise to Zion

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But Zion said, “The Lord has forsaken me,
And the Lord has forgotten me.”

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“Can a woman forget her nursing child
And have no compassion on the son of her womb?
Even these may forget, but ^(A)I will not forget you.

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“Behold, I have ^(B)inscribed you on the palms of My hands;
Your ^(C)walls are continually before Me.

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“Your ^(a)builders hurry;
Your ^(D)destroyers and devastators
Will depart from you.

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“^(E)Lift up your eyes and look around;
^(F)All of them gather together, ^(G)they come to you.
^(H)As I live,” declares the Lord,
“You will surely ^(I)put on all of them as ^(b)jewels and bind them on as a bride.

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“For ^(J)your waste and desolate places and your destroyed land—
Surely now you will be ^(K)too cramped for the inhabitants,
And those who ^(L)swallowed you will be far away.

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“The ^(M)children of ^(c)whom you were bereaved will yet say in your ears,
‘The place is too cramped for me;
Make room for me that I may live here.’

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“Then you will ^(N)say in your heart,
‘Who has begotten these for me,
Since I have been bereaved of my children
And am ^(O)barren, an ^(P)exile and a wanderer?
And who has reared these?
Behold, I was ^(Q)left alone;
^(d)^(R)From where did these come?’”

Footnotes:

a. Isaiah 49:17: ['So ancient versions and DSS; M.T. reads ', sons]

b. Isaiah 49:18: ['Lit ', an ornament]

c. Isaiah 49:20: ['Lit ', your bereavement]

d. Isaiah 49:21: ['Lit ', These, where are they, '?']

Cross references:

A. Isaiah 49:15: Isaiah 44:21

B. Isaiah 49:16: Song of Solomon 8:6; Haggai 2:23

C. Isaiah 49:16: Psalm 48:12; Psalm 48:13; Isaiah 62:6; Isaiah 62:7

D. Isaiah 49:17: Isaiah 10:6; Isaiah 37:18

E. Isaiah 49:18: Isaiah 60:4; John 4:35

F. Isaiah 49:18: Isaiah 43:5; Isaiah 54:7; Isaiah 60:4

G. Isaiah 49:18: Isaiah 49:12

H. Isaiah 49:18: Isaiah 45:23; Isaiah 54:9

I. Isaiah 49:18: Isaiah 52:1; Isaiah 61:10

J. Isaiah 49:19: Isaiah 1:7; Isaiah 3:8; Isaiah 5:6; Isaiah 51:3

K. Isaiah 49:19: Isaiah 54:1; Isaiah 54:2; Zechariah 10:10

L. Isaiah 49:19: Psalm 56:1; Psalm 56:2

M. Isaiah 49:20: Isaiah 54:1-3

N. Isaiah 49:21: Isaiah 29:23; Isaiah 54:6; Isaiah 54:7

O. Isaiah 49:21: Isaiah 27:10; Lamentations 1:1

P. Isaiah 49:21: Isaiah 5:13

Q. Isaiah 49:21: Isaiah 1:8

R. Isaiah 49:21: Isaiah 60:8