יְשֻׂשׂוּם מִדְבָּר וְצִיָּה וְתָגֵל עֲרָבָה וְתִפְרַח כַּחֲבַצָּלֶת

In contrast to desolate Edom, neighboring Judah will flourish: Wilderness and wasteland will be glad. The desert shall rejoice and blossom like the lily.

פָּרֹחַ תִּפְרַח וְתָגֵל אַף גִּילַת וְרַנֵּן כְּבוֹד הַלְּבָנוֹן נִתַּן לָהּ הֲדַר הַכַּרְמֶל וְהַשָּׁרוֹן הֵמָּה יִרְאוּ כְבוֹד ה' הֲדַר אֱלֹהֵינוּ

It, the desert, will blossom and rejoice, even with joy and song there; the glory of the Lebanon, a fertile, forested area, blessed with rainfall, will be given to it, along with the grandeur of the Carmel, a fertile agricultural area, and that of the Sharon, the coastal region. Arid areas of the land will become as green and lush as fertile areas. This description is an inverse parallel of the description of the destruction of Judah above (33:9): “Lebanon is ashamed; it withers; Sharon is like a desert, and Bashan and Carmel have been emptied.” They, those who saw the desolation, will see in the flourishing of these places the glory of the Lord, the grandeur of our God.

חַזְּקוּ יָדַיִם רָפוֹת וּבִרְכַּיִם כֹּשְׁלוֹת אַמֵּצוּ

Strengthen slackening hands, and failing knees make firm.

אִמְרוּ לְנִמְהֲרֵי לֵב חִזְקוּ אַל תִּירָאוּ! הִנֵּה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם נָקָם יָבוֹא גְּמוּל אֱלֹהִים הוּא יָבוֹא וְיֹשַׁעֲכֶם

Say to the impetuous of heart, those who rush to conclusions and despair too easily when faced with an unfavorable reality: Be strong, do not fear; behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the retribution of God, He will come and save you. Do not be worried when you see the destruction of the surrounding nations, as God will rescue and protect you.

אָז תִּפָּקַחְנָה עֵינֵי עִוְרִים וְאָזְנֵי חֵרְשִׁים תִּפָּתַחְנָה

Then, when salvation comes, the eyes of the blind will be opened, and the ears of the deaf will be unstopped.

אָז יְדַלֵּג כָּאַיָּל פִּסֵּחַ וְתָרֹן לְשׁוֹן אִלֵּם כִּי נִבְקְעוּ בַמִּדְבָּר מַיִם וּנְחָלִים בָּעֲרָבָה

Then, the lame will leap like a deer, and the tongue of the dumb will sing. This prophecy should not necessarily be interpreted literally; rather, it is a way of saying that the redemption will bring great benefit for the land itself and for its inhabitants. For waters will break out in the wilderness and streams will break out in the desert.

וְהָיָה הַשָּׁרָב לַאֲגַם וצִמָּאוֹן לְמַבּוּעֵי מָיִם בִּנְוֵה תַנִּים רִבְצָהּ חָצִיר לְקָנֶה וָגֹמֶא

The scorched land will become a pond, and the parched land will turn into springs of water; and in the formerly desolate and dry abode where jackals lie, grass, which grows in arid areas, will become reeds and bulrushes, plants that grow in areas with plenty of water.

וְהָיָה שָׁם מַסְלוּל וָדֶרֶךְ וְדֶרֶךְ הַקֹּדֶשׁ יִקָּרֵא לָהּ לֹא יַעַבְרֶנּוּ טָמֵא וְהוּא לָמוֹ הֹלֵךְ דֶּרֶךְ ואֱוִילִים לֹא יִתְעוּ

There will be a path, in those lands that were desolate, and a way, and it will be called the way of holiness, as the impure will not cross it, since it will be for those who are traveling to the Temple; it, that highway, is for them, for those who are going to the Temple. Both wayfarers, who are not familiar with the place, and wanderers, who frequently lose their way, will not go astray, as the path will be straight and wide.

לֹא יִהְיֶה שָׁם אַרְיֵה וּפְרִיץ חַיּוֹת בַּל יַעֲלֶנָּה לֹא תִמָּצֵא שָׁם וְהָלְכוּ גְּאוּלִים

There will not be a lion there, in the formerly desert land, which will be fertile and green, pleasant and comfortable for walking, and predatory beasts will not go on it, on that path. They will not be found there. There will be no danger of any kind so that the redeemed may walk there in security.

וּפְדוּיֵי ה' יְשֻׁבוּן וּבָאוּ צִיּוֹן בְּרִנָּה וְשִׂמְחַת עוֹלָם עַל רֹאשָׁם שָׂשׂוֹן וְשִׂמְחָה יַשִּׂיגוּ וְנָסוּ יָגוֹן וַאֲנָחָה

There were Judeans who had been captured in wars and subsequently lived, willingly or not, in distant lands. The prophet therefore declares: The redeemed of the Lord will return from their land of exile, and they will come to Zion with song and everlasting joy on their heads; gladness and joy will overtake, and sorrow and sighing will flee. Alternatively, gladness and joy will overtake them and sorrow and sighing will flee. According to this reading, the emotional states of gladness and joy on the one hand and sorrow and sighing on the other hand are symbolically reified. The redemption is described as physical bounty. Formerly arid regions will become fertile and lush, the population of the land will grow, and the highways will become safer and more comfortable for passers-by. There is also spiritual flourishing: “The glory of Lebanon will be given to it, the grandeur of Carmel and Sharon; they will see the glory of the Lord, the grandeur of our God.” The way of holiness will be paved in the land. Gladness and joy will be found everywhere, while sorrow and sighing will vanish.