Isaiah 66:7-14

Context

66:7 Before she goes into labor, she gives birth!

Before her contractions begin, she delivers a boy!

66:8 Who has ever heard of such a thing?

Who has ever seen this?

Can a country¹ be brought forth in one day?

Can a nation be born in a single moment?

Yet as soon as Zion goes into labor she gives birth to sons!

66:9 “Do I bring a baby to the birth opening and then not deliver it?”

asks the Lord.

“Or do I bring a baby to the point of delivery and then hold it back?”

asks your God.²

66:10 Be happy for Jerusalem

and rejoice with her, all you who love her!

Share in her great joy,

all you who have mourned over her!

66:11 For³ you will nurse from her satisfying breasts and be nourished;⁴

you will feed with joy from her milk-filled breasts.⁵

66:12 For this is what the Lord says:

“Look, I am ready to extend to her prosperity that will flow like a river,

the riches of nations will flow into her like a stream that floods its banks.⁶

You will nurse from her breast⁷ and be carried at her side;

you will play on her knees.

66:13 As a mother consoles a child,⁸

so I will console you,

and you will be consoled over Jerusalem.”

66:14 When you see this, you will be happy,⁹

and you will be revived.¹⁰

The Lord will reveal his power to his servants

and his anger to his enemies.¹¹

[66:8] ¹tn Heb “land,” but here אֶרֶץ (’erets) stands metonymically for an organized nation (see the following line).

[66:9] ²sn The rhetorical questions expect the answer, “Of course not!”

[66:11] ³tn Or “in order that”; ASV, NRSV “that.”

[66:11] ⁴tn Heb “you will suck and be satisfied, from her comforting breast.”

[66:11] ⁵tn Heb “you will slurp and refresh yourselves from her heavy breast.”

[66:12] ⁶tn Heb “Look, I am ready to extend to her like a river prosperity [or “peace”], and like an overflowing stream, the riches of nations.”

[66:12] ⁷tn The words “from her breast” are supplied in the translation for clarification (see v. 11).

[66:13] ⁸tn Heb “like a man whose mother comforts him.”

[66:14] ⁹tn “and you will see and your heart will be happy.”

[66:14] ¹⁰tn Heb “and your bones like grass will sprout.”

[66:14] ¹¹tn Heb “and the hand of the Lord will be made known to his servants, and anger to his enemies.”