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¹ THE parched wilderness shall be glad, and the desert shall rejoice and blossom like the crocus.² It shall rejoice like a mountain goat; the glory and honor of Lebanon shall be given to it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon; they shall see the glory of the LORD and the excellency of our God, an admonition and comfort for the weak, for a Saviour is coming to save them.³ Strengthen the weak hands and make firm the feeble knees.⁴ Say to those who are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not; behold, your God the avenger is coming, even God the Saviour is coming to save you.

⁵ Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.⁶ Then shall the lame man leap as a hart and the tongue of the dumb shall be loosed; for waters are bursting forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert.⁷ And the desolate land shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water; in the habitation of dragons shall grow grass with reeds and rushes.⁸ And a highway shall be there, and it shall be called the way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; and there shall be no road beside it; fools shall not err therein.⁹ No lion shall be there, nor shall any ravenous beast go up on it; they shall not be found there; but the redeemed shall walk therein;¹⁰ And 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.