Restoration for Israel and Judah
The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: 2 “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: aWrite in a book all the words that I have spoken to you. 3 aFor behold, days are coming, declares the Lord, bwhen I will restore cthe fortunes of my people, dIsrael and Judah, says the Lord, eand I will bring them back to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall take possession of it.”
4 These are the words that the Lord spoke concerning aIsrael and Judah:
5 “Thus says the Lord:
We have heard a cry of panic,
of terror, and no peace.
6 Ask now, and see,
can a man bear a child?
aWhy then do I see every man
with his hands on his stomach alike a woman in labor?
bWhy has every face turned pale?
7 Alas! aThat day is so great
bthere is none like it;
it is a time of distress for Jacob;
yet he shall be saved out of it.
8 “And it shall come to pass in that day, declares the Lord of hosts, that I will abreak his byoke from off your neck, and I will aburst your bonds, cand foreigners shall no more make a servant of him. 9 But they shall serve the Lord their God and aDavid their king, whom I will raise up for them.
10 a“Then fear not, bO Jacob my servant, declares the Lord,
nor be dismayed, O Israel;
for behold, aI will save you from far away,
cand your offspring from the land of their captivity.
aJacob shall return and have quiet and ease,
and none shall make him afraid.
11 aFor I am with you to save you,
declares the Lord;
aI will make a full end of all the nations
among whom I scattered you,
but of you I will not make a full end.
aI will bdiscipline you in just measure,
and I will by no means leave you unpunished.
12 “For thus says the Lord:
aYour hurt is incurable,
band your wound is grievous.
13 There is none to uphold your cause,
no medicine for your wound,
ano healing for you.
14 aAll your lovers have forgotten you;
they care nothing for you;
for I have dealt you the blow of ban enemy,
the punishment cof a merciless foe,
because your guilt is great,
dbecause your sins are flagrant.
15 aWhy do you cry out over your hurt?
aYour pain is incurable.
Because your guilt is great,
bbecause your sins are flagrant,
I have done these things to you.
16 aTherefore all who devour you shall be devoured,
and ball your foes, every one of them, shall go into captivity;
cthose who plunder you shall be plundered,
dand all who prey on you I will make a prey.
17 aFor I will restore bhealth to you,
and cyour wounds I will heal,
declares the Lord,
because dthey have called you an outcast:
d‘It is Zion, for whom no one cares!’
18 “Thus says the Lord:
Behold, aI will restore the fortunes of the tents of Jacob
and have compassion on his dwellings;
the city shall be rebuilt on bits mound,
and the palace shall stand where it used to be.
19 aOut of them shall come songs of thanksgiving,
and the voices of those who celebrate.
bI will multiply them, and they shall not be few;
I will make them honored, and they shall not be small.
20 aTheir children shall be as they were of old,
and their congregation shall be established before me,
and I will punish all who oppress them.
21 aTheir prince shall be one of themselves;
atheir ruler shall come out from their midst;
bI will make him draw near, and he shall approach me,
cfor who would dare of himself to approach me?
declares the Lord.
22 aAnd you shall be my people,
and I will be your God.”
23 aBehold bthe storm of the Lord!
Wrath has gone forth,
a whirling tempest;
it will burst upon the head of the wicked.
24 aThe fierce anger of the Lord will not turn back
until he has executed and accomplished
the intentions of his mind.
bIn the latter days you will understand this.