1The desert and the dry ground will be glad. The dry places will be full of joy. Flowers will grow there. Like the first crocus in the spring,2the desert will bloom with flowers. It will be very glad and shout for joy. The glorious beauty of Lebanon will be given to it. It will be as beautiful as the rich lands of Carmel and Sharon. Everyone will see the glory of the LORD. They will see the beauty of our God.3Strengthen the hands of those who are weak. Help those whose knees give way.4Say to those whose hearts are afraid, ‘Be strong and do not fear. Your God will come. He will pay your enemies back. He will come to save you.’5Then the eyes of those who are blind will be opened. The ears of those who can’t hear will be unplugged.6Those who can’t walk will leap like a deer. And those who can’t speak will shout for joy. Water will pour out in dry places. Streams will flow in the desert.7The burning sand will become a pool of water. The thirsty ground will become bubbling springs. In the places where wild dogs once lay down, tall grass and papyrus will grow.8A wide road will go through the land. It will be called the Way of Holiness. Only those who lead a holy life can use it. ‘Unclean’ and foolish people can’t walk on it.9No lions will use it. No hungry wild animals will be on it. None of them will be there. Only people who have been set free will walk on it.10Those the LORD has saved will return to their land. They will sing as they enter the city of Zion. Joy that lasts for ever will be like beautiful crowns on their heads. They will be filled with gladness and joy. Sorrow and sighing will be gone.
Isaiah 35
English Standard Version
The Ransomed Shall Return
1The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad; the desert shall rejoice and blossom like the crocus; (Isa 32:15; Isa 55:12)2it shall blossom abundantly and rejoice with joy and singing. The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it, the majesty of Carmel and Sharon. They shall see the glory of the Lord, the majesty of our God. (So 2:1; So 5:15; So 7:5; Isa 33:9; Isa 40:5)3Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees. (Isa 40:1; Heb 12:12)4Say to those who have an anxious heart, “Be strong; fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you.” (Isa 40:10)5Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; (Isa 32:3)6then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute sing for joy. For waters break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert; (Isa 35:1; Isa 35:5; Isa 41:18; Isa 43:19; Isa 44:3; Joh 7:38)7the burning sand shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water; in the haunt of jackals, where they lie down, the grass shall become reeds and rushes. (Isa 13:22; Isa 48:20; Isa 49:10)8And a highway shall be there, and it shall be called the Way of Holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it. It shall belong to those who walk on the way; even if they are fools, they shall not go astray.[1] (Isa 40:3; Isa 52:1)9No lion shall be there, nor shall any ravenous beast come up on it; they shall not be found there, but the redeemed shall walk there.10And the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away. (Isa 25:8; Isa 51:11; Isa 65:19; Re 7:17; Re 21:4)