35:1 The wilderness and the desert will rejoice,
And the ①desert will shout for joy and blossom;
Like the crocus
▷ ①Or Arabah
35:2 It will blossom profusely
And rejoice with joy and jubilation.
The glory of Lebanon will be given to it,
The majesty of Carmel and Sharon.
They will see the glory of the LORD,
The majesty of our God.
35:3 Strengthen the ①exhausted, and make the ②feeble strong.
▷ ①Lit slack hands ②Lit tottering knees
35:4 Say to those with anxious heart,
“Take courage, fear not.
Behold, your God will come with vengeance;
The retribution of God will come,
But He will save you.”
35:5 Then the eyes of those who are blind will be opened,
And the ears of those who are deaf will be unstopped.
35:6 Then those who limp will leap like a deer,
And the tongue of those who cannot speak will shout for joy.
For waters will burst forth in the wilderness,
And streams in the ①desert.
▷ ①Or Arabah
35:7 The ①scorched land will become a pool
And the thirsty ground springs of water;
In the haunt of jackals, its resting place,
Grass becomes reeds and rushes.
▷ ①Or mirage
35:8 A highway will be there, a roadway,
And it will be called the Highway of Holiness.
The unclean will not travel on it,
But it will be for the one who walks that way,
And fools will not wander on it.
35:9 No lion will be there,
Nor will any vicious animal go up on it;
①They will not be found there.
But the redeemed will walk there,
▷ ①Lit It
35:10 And the redeemed of the LORD will return
And come to Zion with joyful shouting,
And everlasting joy will be on their heads.
They will obtain gladness and joy,
And sorrow and sighing will flee away.