This is what the Lord says—
    the Redeemer and Holy One of Israel(A)
to him who was despised(B) and abhorred by the nation,
    to the servant of rulers:
“Kings(C) will see you and stand up,
    princes will see and bow down,(D)
because of the Lord, who is faithful,(E)
    the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen(F) you.”

Restoration of Israel

This is what the Lord says:

“In the time of my favor(G) I will answer you,
    and in the day of salvation I will help you;(H)
I will keep(I) you and will make you
    to be a covenant for the people,(J)
to restore the land(K)
    and to reassign its desolate inheritances,(L)
to say to the captives,(M) ‘Come out,’
    and to those in darkness,(N) ‘Be free!’

“They will feed beside the roads
    and find pasture on every barren hill.(O)
10 They will neither hunger nor thirst,(P)
    nor will the desert heat or the sun beat down on them.(Q)
He who has compassion(R) on them will guide(S) them
    and lead them beside springs(T) of water.
11 I will turn all my mountains into roads,
    and my highways(U) will be raised up.(V)
12 See, they will come from afar(W)
    some from the north, some from the west,(X)
    some from the region of Aswan.[a]

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 49:12 Dead Sea Scrolls; Masoretic Text Sinim

Thus saith the Lord, the Redeemer of Israel, and his Holy One, to him whom man despiseth, to him whom the nation abhorreth, to a servant of rulers, Kings shall see and arise, princes also shall worship, because of the Lord that is faithful, and the Holy One of Israel, and he shall choose thee.

Thus saith the Lord, In an acceptable time have I heard thee, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee: and I will preserve thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages;

That thou mayest say to the prisoners, Go forth; to them that are in darkness, Shew yourselves. They shall feed in the ways, and their pastures shall be in all high places.

10 They shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor sun smite them: for he that hath mercy on them shall lead them, even by the springs of water shall he guide them.

11 And I will make all my mountains a way, and my highways shall be exalted.

12 Behold, these shall come from far: and, lo, these from the north and from the west; and these from the land of Sinim.

Read full chapter