17. Soon your descendants will come back,and all who are trying to destroy you will go away.
18. Look around you and see,for all your children will come back to you.As surely as I live,” says the lord,“they will be like jewels or bridal ornaments for you to display.
19. “Even the most desolate parts of your abandoned landwill soon be crowded with your people.Your enemies who enslaved youwill be far away.
20. The generations born in exile will return and say,‘We need more room! It’s crowded here!’
21. Then you will think to yourself,‘Who has given me all these descendants?For most of my children were killed,and the rest were carried away into exile.I was left here all alone.Where did all these people come from?Who bore these children?Who raised them for me?’”
22. This is what the Sovereign lord says:“See, I will give a signal to the godless nations.They will carry your little sons back to you in their arms;they will bring your daughters on their shoulders.
23. Kings and queens will serve youand care for all your needs.They will bow to the earth before youand lick the dust from your feet.Then you will know that I am the lord.Those who trust in me will never be put to shame.”
24. Who can snatch the plunder of war from the hands of a warrior?Who can demand that a tyrant let his captives go?
25. But the lord says,“The captives of warriors will be released,and the plunder of tyrants will be retrieved.For I will fight those who fight you,and I will save your children.
26. I will feed your enemies with their own flesh.They will be drunk with rivers of their own blood.All the world will know that I, the lord,am your Savior and your Redeemer,the Mighty One of Israel.”