Isaiah

Introduction
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35
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51
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CHAPTER 35

Israel’s Deliverance^*

1The wilderness and the parched land will exult;

the Arabah will rejoice and bloom;^a

2Like the crocus it shall bloom abundantly,

and rejoice with joyful song.

The glory of Lebanon will be given to it,

the splendor of Carmel and Sharon;

They will see the glory of the LORD,

the splendor of our God.^b

3Strengthen hands that are feeble,

make firm knees that are weak,^c

4Say to the fearful of heart:

Be strong, do not fear!

Here is your God,

he comes with vindication;

With divine recompense

he comes to save you.^d

5Then the eyes of the blind shall see,

and the ears of the deaf be opened;^e

6Then the lame shall leap like a stag,

and the mute tongue sing for joy.

For waters will burst forth in the wilderness,

and streams in the Arabah.^f

7The burning sands will become pools,

and the thirsty ground, springs of water;

The abode where jackals crouch

will be a marsh for the reed and papyrus.

8A highway will be there,

called the holy way;

No one unclean may pass over it,

but it will be for his people;

no traveler, not even fools, shall go astray on it.^g

9No lion shall be there,

nor any beast of prey approach,

nor be found.

But there the redeemed shall walk,^h

10And the ransomed of the LORD shall return,

and enter Zion singing,

crowned with everlasting joy;

They meet with joy and gladness,

sorrow and mourning flee away.ⁱ

* [35:1–10] This chapter contains a number of themes similar to those in Deutero-Isaiah (chaps. 40–55), for example, the blossoming of the wilderness (vv. 1–2; cf. 41:18–19), which is now well-irrigated (v. 7; cf. 43:19–20); sight to the blind (vv. 5–6; cf. 42:7, 16); a highway in the wilderness (v. 8; cf. 41:3); and the return of the redeemed/ransomed to Zion (vv. 9–10; cf. 51:11). Nevertheless, it forms a unit with chap. 34 (see note on 34:1–35:10) and reflects, along with that chapter, themes found in chaps. 1–33.