Isaiah

Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail with child: for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the LORD.

1"Sing, woman who had no children! Sing out loud, you who never gave birth. The woman left alone will have more children than the woman with a husband," says the LORD.

Note"Travail with child" in the KJV means going through the pains of giving birth.

2Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations: spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes;

2"Make your tent bigger. Stretch the cloth walls of your home out wide. Don't hold back. Use longer ropes, and drive your tent stakes in deep.

3For thou shalt break forth on the right hand and on the left; and thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles, and make the desolate cities to be inhabited.

3You will spread out to the right and to the left. Your children will take over other nations and live in the empty cities.

4Fear not; for thou shalt not be ashamed: neither be thou confounded; for thou shalt not be put to shame: for thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth, and shalt not remember the reproach of thy widowhood any more.

4Don't be afraid. You will not be shamed. Don't feel disgraced. You will not be humiliated. You will forget the shame of your younger years. You will stop remembering the pain of losing your husband.

5For thy Maker is thine husband; the LORD of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called.

5The God who made you is like a husband to you. His name is the LORD of Armies. The one who buys you back is the Holy One of Israel. He is called the God of the whole earth.

Note"Redeemer" is someone who pays to set a family member free from debt or slavery. The KJV uses it here for God rescuing his people.

6For the LORD hath called thee as a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit, and a wife of youth, when thou wast refused, saith thy God.

6The LORD is calling you back. You were like a wife left alone and hurting inside, a young wife whose husband turned her away," says your God.

7For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee.

7"I left you for only a short moment, but I will gather you back with great love.

8In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the LORD thy Redeemer.

8In a burst of anger I turned my face away from you for a moment. But I will be kind to you forever," says the LORD who buys you back.

9For this is as the waters of Noah unto me: for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth; so have I sworn that I would not be wroth with thee, nor rebuke thee.

9"This is like the days of Noah to me. Back then I promised the flood would never cover the earth again. Now I promise I will not be angry with you or scold you.

10For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the LORD that hath mercy on thee.

10The mountains may move and the hills may shake. But my kindness will never leave you, and my promise of peace will never be broken," says the LORD, who cares about you.

11O thou afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted, behold, I will lay thy stones with fair colours, and lay thy foundations with sapphires.

11"You have suffered. Storms have beaten you, and no one comforted you. Look: I will set your stones in place with bright color, and build your foundations with blue jewels.

12And I will make thy windows of agates, and thy gates of carbuncles, and all thy borders of pleasant stones.

12I will make the tops of your walls out of sparkling red stones. Your gates will shine like jewels, and all your walls will be built of precious stones.

Note"Agates" and "carbuncles" are old names for precious stones. Carbuncles were red gems like rubies or garnets.

13And all thy children shall be taught of the LORD; and great shall be the peace of thy children.

13All your children will be taught by the LORD, and they will live in deep peace.

14In righteousness shalt thou be established: thou shalt be far from oppression; for thou shalt not fear: and from terror; for it shall not come near thee.

14You will be built up on what is right and fair. No one will crush you, so you will not be afraid. Terror will stay far away and never come near you.

15Behold, they shall surely gather together, but not by me: whosoever shall gather together against thee shall fall for thy sake.

15If anyone attacks you, it does not come from me. Whoever attacks you will fall in front of you.

16Behold, I have created the smith that bloweth the coals in the fire, and that bringeth forth an instrument for his work; and I have created the waster to destroy.

16Look: I made the metalworker who blows on the coals and hammers out a weapon for its job. And I made the destroyer who tears things down.

Note"Waster" in the KJV means a destroyer, someone who ruins or wrecks.

17No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.

17No weapon made to fight you will win. When anyone accuses you in court, you will prove them wrong. This is what belongs to the servants of the LORD. I am the one who clears their name," says the LORD.