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Isaiah Chapter 35 (JPS)

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Isaiah Chapter 35 - The Wilderness Blossoms and the Highway of Holiness
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1 The wilderness and the parched land shall be glad; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose.

2 It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice, even with joy and singing; the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon; they shall see the glory of HaShem, the excellency of our G-d.

3 Strengthen ye the weak hands, and make firm the tottering knees.

4 Say to them that are of a fearful heart: 'Be strong, fear not'; behold, your G-d will come with vengeance, with the recompense of G-d He will come and 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 sing; for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert.

7 And the parched land shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water; in the habitation of jackals herds shall lie down, it shall be an enclosure for reeds and rushes.

8 And a highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those; the wayfaring men, yea fools, shall not err therein.

9 No lion shall be there, nor shall any ravenous beast go up thereon, they shall not be found there; but the redeemed shall walk there;

10 And the ransomed of HaShem shall return, and come with singing unto Zion, and everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's Isaiah chapter 35 about?
It's a hope-filled chapter picturing the desert blossoming, the blind seeing, the deaf hearing, and the lame leaping (v1-6), all leading up to "the ransomed of the LORD" returning to Zion with everlasting joy (v10).
What does 'the eyes of the blind shall be opened' mean in verse 5?
It promises physical restoration - blind eyes opened, deaf ears unstopped, the lame leaping - alongside the flourishing of the wilderness, a theme also present in Isaiah 42:6-7's promise of opening blind eyes.
What is 'the way of holiness' mentioned in verse 8?
It's a highway pictured running through the transformed wilderness, reserved only for the redeemed - "the unclean shall not pass over it" - along which even simple travelers won't lose their way.

Today's Verse

And straightway he called them: and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants, and went after him.

Mark 1:20 | ASV

Verse Of The Day

The chapter promises the blind will see, the deaf will hear, and the lame will leap, all traveling home on a Highway of Holiness where sorrow and sighing flee away, a healing later described in Isaiah 42:6-7. The narrative shifts into history with King Hezekiah in Isaiah 36.