Read the Bible

^1 (a)Jerusalem, you have been like a childless woman,
    but now you can sing and shout for joy.
Now you will have more children
    than a woman whose husband never left her.
² Make the tent you live in larger;
    lengthen its ropes and strengthen the pegs!
³ You will extend your boundaries on all sides;
    your people will get back the land
    that the other nations now occupy.
    Cities now deserted will be filled with people.

⁴ Do not be afraid—you will not be disgraced again;
    you will not be humiliated.
You will forget your unfaithfulness as a young wife,
    and your desperate loneliness as a widow.
⁵ Your Creator will be like a husband to you—
    the Lord Almighty is his name.
The holy God of Israel will save you—
    he is the ruler of all the world.

⁶ Israel, you are like a young wife,
    deserted by her husband and deeply distressed.
But the Lord calls you back to him and says:
⁷ "For one brief moment I left you;
    with deep love I will take you back.
⁸ I turned away angry for only a moment,
    but I will show you my love forever."
So says the Lord who saves you.

^9 (b)"In the time of Noah I promised
    never again to flood the earth.
Now I promise not to be angry with you again;
    I will not reprimand or punish you.
^10 (c)The mountains and hills may crumble,
    but my love for you will never end;
    I will keep forever my promise of peace."
So says the Lord who loves you.

"O Jerusalem, you suffering, helpless city,
    with no one to comfort you,
I will rebuild your foundations with precious stones.
¹² I will build your towers with rubies,
    your gates with stones that glow like fire,
    and the wall around you with jewels.

^13 (e)"I myself will teach your people
    and give them prosperity and peace.
¹⁴ Justice and right will make you strong.
    You will be safe from oppression and terror.
¹⁵ Whoever attacks you,
    does it without my consent;
whoever fights against you will fall.

¹⁶ "I create the blacksmith,
    who builds a fire and forges weapons.
I also create the soldier,
    who uses the weapons to kill.
¹⁷ But no weapon will be able to hurt you;
    you will have an answer for all who accuse you.
I will defend my servants
    and give them victory."