Israel Will Return to the Lord
1A message from the Lord came to Jeremiah. The Lord said, 2“I am the Lord. I am the God of Israel. I say, ‘Write in a book all the words I have spoken to you. 3A new day is coming,’ ” announces the Lord. “ ‘At that time I will bring my people Israel and Judah back from where they have been taken as prisoners. I will bring them back to this land. I gave it to their people of long ago to have as their own,’ ” says the Lord.
4Here are the words the Lord spoke about Israel and Judah. He said, 5“I am the Lord. I say,
“ ‘Cries of fear are heard.
There is terror. There isn’t any peace.
6Ask and see.
Can a man give birth to children?
Then why do I see every strong man
with his hands on his stomach?
Each of them is acting like a woman having a baby.
Every face is as pale as death.
7How awful that day will be!
No other day will be like it.
It will be a time of trouble for the people of Jacob.
But they will be saved out of it.
8“ ‘At that time I will break the yoke off their necks,’
announces the Lord who rules over all.
‘I will tear off the ropes that hold them.
People from other lands will not make them slaves anymore.
9Instead, they will serve me.
And they will serve David their king.
I will raise him up for them.
I am the Lord their God.
10“ ‘People of Jacob, do not be afraid.
You are my servant.
Israel, do not be terrified,’ ”
announces the Lord.
“ ‘You can be sure that I will save you.
I will bring you out of a place far away.
I will bring your children back
from the land where they were taken.
Your people will have peace and security again.
And no one will make them afraid.
11I am with you. I will save you,’ ”
announces the Lord.
“ ‘I will completely destroy all the nations
among which I scatter you.
But I will not completely destroy you.
I will correct you. But I will be fair.
I will not let you go without any punishment.’ ”
12The Lord says,
“Your wound can’t be cured.
Your pain can’t be healed.
13No one will stand up for you.
There isn’t any medicine for your sore.
There isn’t any healing for you.
14All those who were going to help you have forgotten you.
They do not care about you.
I have struck you as if I were your enemy.
I have punished you as if I were very mean.
That is because your guilt is so great.
You have sinned so much.
15Why do you cry out about your wound?
Your pain can’t be healed.
Your guilt is very great.
And you have committed many sins.
That is why I have done all these things to you.
16“But everyone who destroys you will be destroyed.
All your enemies will be forced
to leave their countries.
Those who steal from you will be stolen from.
I will take the belongings
of those who take things from you.
17But I will make you healthy again.
I will heal your wounds,” announces the Lord.
“That’s because you have been thrown out.
You are called Zion, the one no one cares about.”
18The Lord says,
“I will bless Jacob’s people with great success again.
I will show tender love to Israel.
Jerusalem will be rebuilt where it was destroyed.
The palace will stand in its proper place.
19From those places the songs of people giving thanks will be heard.
The sound of great joy will come from there.
I will cause there to be more of my people.
There will not be fewer of them.
I will bring them honor.
People will have respect for them.
20Things will be as they used to be for Jacob’s people.
I will make their community firm and secure.
I will punish everyone who treats them badly.
21Their leader will be one of their own people.
Their ruler will rise up from among them.
I will bring him near.
And he will come close to me.
He will commit himself to serve me,”
announces the Lord.
22“So you will be my people.
And I will be your God.”
23A storm will burst out
because of the Lord’s great anger.
A strong wind will sweep down
on the heads of evil people.
24The Lord’s great anger won’t turn back.
He will accomplish everything
his heart plans to do.
In days to come
you will understand this.
1The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying, 2Thus speaketh the LORD God of Israel, saying, Write thee all the words that I have spoken unto thee in a book. 3For, lo, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will bring again the captivity of my people Israel and Judah, saith the LORD: and I will cause them to return to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall possess it.
4¶ And these are the words that the LORD spake concerning Israel and concerning Judah. 5For thus saith the LORD; We have heard a voice of trembling, of fear, and not of peace.30.5 of fear…: or, there is fear, and not peace 6Ask ye now, and see whether a man doth travail with child? wherefore do I see every man with his hands on his loins, as a woman in travail, and all faces are turned into paleness?30.6 a man: Heb. a male 7Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob’s trouble; but he shall be saved out of it. 8For it shall come to pass in that day, saith the LORD of hosts, that I will break his yoke from off thy neck, and will burst thy bonds, and strangers shall no more serve themselves of him: 9But they shall serve the LORD their God, and David their king, whom I will raise up unto them.
10¶ Therefore fear thou not, O my servant Jacob, saith the LORD; neither be dismayed, O Israel: for, lo, I will save thee from afar, and thy seed from the land of their captivity; and Jacob shall return, and shall be in rest, and be quiet, and none shall make him afraid. 11For I am with thee, saith the LORD, to save thee: though I make a full end of all nations whither I have scattered thee, yet will I not make a full end of thee: but I will correct thee in measure, and will not leave thee altogether unpunished. 12For thus saith the LORD, Thy bruise is incurable, and thy wound is grievous. 13There is none to plead thy cause, that thou mayest be bound up: thou hast no healing medicines.30.13 that…: Heb. for binding up, or, pressing 14All thy lovers have forgotten thee; they seek thee not; for I have wounded thee with the wound of an enemy, with the chastisement of a cruel one, for the multitude of thine iniquity; because thy sins were increased. 15Why criest thou for thine affliction? thy sorrow is incurable for the multitude of thine iniquity: because thy sins were increased, I have done these things unto thee. 16Therefore all they that devour thee shall be devoured; and all thine adversaries, every one of them, shall go into captivity; and they that spoil thee shall be a spoil, and all that prey upon thee will I give for a prey. 17For I will restore health unto thee, and I will heal thee of thy wounds, saith the LORD; because they called thee an Outcast, saying, This is Zion, whom no man seeketh after.
18¶ Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will bring again the captivity of Jacob’s tents, and have mercy on his dwellingplaces; and the city shall be builded upon her own heap, and the palace shall remain after the manner thereof.30.18 heap: or, little hill 19And out of them shall proceed thanksgiving and the voice of them that make merry: and I will multiply them, and they shall not be few; I will also glorify them, and they shall not be small. 20Their children also shall be as aforetime, and their congregation shall be established before me, and I will punish all that oppress them. 21And their nobles shall be of themselves, and their governor shall proceed from the midst of them; and I will cause him to draw near, and he shall approach unto me: for who is this that engaged his heart to approach unto me? saith the LORD. 22And ye shall be my people, and I will be your God. 23Behold, the whirlwind of the LORD goeth forth with fury, a continuing whirlwind: it shall fall with pain upon the head of the wicked.30.23 continuing: Heb. cutting30.23 fall…: or, remain 24The fierce anger of the LORD shall not return, until he have done it, and until he have performed the intents of his heart: in the latter days ye shall consider it.
