Isaiah 35
What Happens in This Chapter
Isaiah pictures dry desert land bursting into flowers and water. God is coming to save his people, and when he comes, blind eyes open, deaf ears hear, and lame people leap. A safe road called the Way of Holiness runs through the desert, with no lions or dangerous animals on it. The people God has set free walk that road home to Zion, singing, and their sorrow runs away.
Plain reading written for kids. Short sentences, everyday words, one idea at a time.
The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose.
1The dry, empty land will be glad. The desert will be happy and bloom like a rose.
2It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing: the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon, they shall see the glory of the LORD, and the excellency of our God.
2It will grow flowers everywhere. It will be full of joy and singing. It will be given the beauty of the trees of Lebanon. It will get the rich green of Carmel and Sharon. People will see how great and shining the LORD is. They will see the greatness of our God.
3Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees.
3Make weak, tired hands strong again. Steady the knees that are shaking.
4Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence; he will come and save you.
4Say this to people whose hearts are afraid: "Be strong. Do not be afraid. Look! Your God is coming. He will punish those who did wrong. He is coming to save you."
5Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.
5Then blind people will be able to see. Then deaf people will be able to hear.
6Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert.
6Then people who could not walk will jump like a deer. People who could not talk will sing for joy. Water will burst out in the dry land. Streams will run through the desert.
The KJV says "the tongue of the dumb." Long ago "dumb" meant unable to speak, not silly. A "hart" is a deer.
7And the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water: in the habitation of dragons, where each lay, shall be grass with reeds and rushes.
7The hard, dry ground will turn into a pool. The thirsty land will bubble with springs of water. Wild dogs used to rest in that empty place. Now grass and tall water plants will grow there.
The KJV says "dragons." The old word means jackals, which are wild dogs that live in empty places.
8And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein.
8A wide road will be there. It will be called the Holy Road, God's own way. People who are not clean may not walk on it. That road is for God's people. Even travelers who are not wise will not get lost on it.
"Unclean" here does not mean dirty. It means someone not ready to come near God, by the rules of that time.
9No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon, it shall not be found there; but the redeemed shall walk there:
9No lion will be there. No fierce animal will climb onto that road. Not one will be found there. Only the people God has saved will walk on it.
10And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
10The people the LORD has set free will come home. They will come to Zion, God's city, singing. Joy that never ends will rest on them like a crown. They will be full of gladness and joy. Sadness and crying will run away.
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