The Light of God’s Deliverance

1“Arise, shine!

For your light has come;

thea glory of the LORD has risen upon you.

2For look! Darkness will cover the earth

and thick darkness is over the people,b

but the LORD will arise upon you,

and his glory will appear over you.

3Nations will come to your light,

and kings beforec your dawn.

4“Lift up your eyes and look around:

They all gather together, they come to you;

your sons will come from far away,

and your daughters will be carried on the hip.”d

5Then you will look and be radiant;

your heart will swell with joy,e

because the abundance of the seas will be diverted to you,

and the riches of the nations will come to you.

6Throngs of camels will blanket you:

the young camels of Midian and Ephu;f

all those from Shebug will come.

They’ll carry gold and frankincense,

and proclaim the praise of the LORD.

7All Kedar’s flocks will be gathered to you,

the rams of Nebaioth will serve you.

andh they’ll come up with acceptance uponi my altar,

and I’ll glorify my glorious house.”

The Future Restoration of Zion

8“Who are these that fly like clouds,

and like doves to their windows?j

9For the coastlands will look to me,

with the ships of Tarshish in the lead,

to bring myk children from far away,

their silver and gold with them,

to the name of the LORD your God,

and to the Holy One of Israel,

because he has glorified you.

10“Foreigners will rebuild your walls,

and their kings will serve you.

Though in my anger I struck you down,

in my favor I have shown you mercy.

11Your gates will always stand open

by day or night, andl they will not be shut,

so that nations will bring you their wealth,

with their kings led in procession.

12For the nation or kingdom

that will not serve you will perish;

those nations will be utterly ruined.

13“He has given youm the glory of Lebanon,

and it will comen to you,

the cypress, ando the plane tree,p and the pine,

to adorn the place of my sanctuary;

and I will make the place of my feet glorious.

14“Allq the descendants of those who oppressed you

will come bending low before you,

and all those who despised you

will bow down at your feet.

They’ll call you ‘The City of the LORD,’

‘Zion of the Holy One of Israel.’”

Israel: the Joy of Generations

15“Although you have been forsaken and despised,

with no one traveling through,

I will make you the everlasting pride,

the joy of all generations.

16You’ll suck the milk of nations,

You’ll suck the breasts of kings.

Then you will realize that I, the LORD, am your Savior

and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.

17“Instead of bronze, I’ll bring gold,

and instead of iron, I’ll bring silver;

instead of wood, bronze,

and instead of stones, iron.

I’ll appoint peace as your supervisor

and righteousness as your taskmaster.

18Thenr violence will no longer be heard in your land,

nor devastation or destruction within your borders;

but you’ll call your walls ‘Salvation’,

and your gates ‘Praise’.

19“The sun will no longer be your light by day,

nor for brightness will the moon shine on you by nights —

for the LORD will be your everlasting light,t

and your God will be your glory.

20Your sun won’tu set,

nor will your moon withdraw itself—

for the LORD will be your everlasting light,

and your days of mourning will end.

21Then your people will all be righteous;

They’ll possess the land forever.

They are the shootv that the LORD planted,w

the worksx of his hands,

so that I might be glorified.

22The least of them will become a thousand,

and the smallest one a mighty nation.

“I am the LORD;

When the time is right,y I will do this swiftly.”