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Promises of Hope

30 These are the words that the Lord spoke to Jeremiah. The Lord, the God of Israel, said: “Jeremiah, write in a book all the words I have spoken to you. The days will come when I will bring Israel and Judah back from captivity,” says the Lord. “I will return them to the land I gave their ancestors, and they will own it!” says the Lord.

The Lord spoke this message about the people of Israel and Judah: This is what the Lord said:

“We hear people crying from fear.
    They are afraid; there is no peace.
Ask this question, and consider it:
    A man cannot have a baby.
So why do I see every strong man
    holding his stomach in pain like a woman having a baby?
    Why is everyone’s face turning white like a dead man’s face?
This will be a terrible day!
    There will never be another time like this.
This is a time of great trouble for the people of Jacob,
    but they will be saved from it.”

The Lord All-Powerful says, “At that time
    I will break the yoke from their necks
and tear off the ropes that hold them.
    Foreign people will never again make my people slaves.
They will serve the Lord their God
    and David their king,
    whom I will send to them.

10 “So people of Jacob, my servants, don’t be afraid.
    Israel, don’t be frightened,” says the Lord.
“I will soon save you from that faraway place where you are captives.
    I will save your family from that land.
The people of Jacob will be safe and have peace again;
    there will be no enemy to frighten them.
11 I am with you and will save you,”
    says the Lord.
“I will completely destroy all those nations
    where I scattered you,
    but I will not completely destroy you.
I will punish you fairly,
    but I will still punish you.”

12 This is what the Lord said:

“You people have a wound that cannot be cured;
    your injury will not heal.
13 There is no one to argue your case
    and no cure for your sores.
    So you will not be healed.
14 All those nations who were your friends have forgotten you.
    They don’t care about you.
I have hurt you as an enemy would.
    I punished you very hard,
because your guilt was so great
    and your sins were so many.
15 Why are you crying out about your injury?
    There is no cure for your pain.
I did these things to you because of your great guilt,
    because of your many sins.
16 But all those nations that destroyed you will now be destroyed.
    All your enemies will become captives in other lands.
Those who stole from you will have their own things stolen.
    Those who took things from you in war will have their own things taken.
17 I will bring back your health
    and heal your injuries,” says the Lord,
“because other people forced you away.
    They said about you, ‘No one cares about Jerusalem!’”

18 This is what the Lord said:

“I will soon make the tents of Jacob’s people as they used to be,
    and I will have pity on Israel’s houses.
The city will be rebuilt on its hill of ruins,
    and the king’s palace will stand in its proper place.
19 People in those places will sing songs of praise.
    There will be the sound of laughter.
I will give them many children
    so their number will not be small.
I will bring honor to them
    so no one will look down on them.
20 Their descendants will be as they were in the old days.
    I will set them up as a strong people before me,
and I will punish the nations who have hurt them.
21 One of their own people will lead them;
    their ruler will come from among them.
He will come near to me when I invite him.
    Who would dare to come to me uninvited?” says the Lord.
22 “So you will be my people,
    and I will be your God.”

23 Look! It is a storm from the Lord!
    He is angry and has gone out to punish the people.
Punishment will come like a storm
    crashing down on the evil people.
24 The Lord will stay angry
    until he finishes punishing the people.
He will stay angry
    until he finishes the punishment he planned.
When that day comes,
    you will understand this.

Restoration of Israel

30 This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘Write(A) in a book all the words I have spoken to you. The days(B) are coming,’ declares the Lord, ‘when I will bring(C) my people Israel and Judah back from captivity[a] and restore(D) them to the land I gave their ancestors to possess,’ says the Lord.”

These are the words the Lord spoke concerning Israel and Judah: “This is what the Lord says:

“‘Cries of fear(E) are heard—
    terror, not peace.
Ask and see:
    Can a man bear children?
Then why do I see every strong man
    with his hands on his stomach like a woman in labor,(F)
    every face turned deathly pale?(G)
How awful that day(H) will be!
    No other will be like it.
It will be a time of trouble(I) for Jacob,
    but he will be saved(J) out of it.

“‘In that day,’ declares the Lord Almighty,
    ‘I will break the yoke(K) off their necks
and will tear off their bonds;(L)
    no longer will foreigners enslave them.(M)
Instead, they will serve the Lord their God
    and David(N) their king,(O)
    whom I will raise up for them.

10 “‘So do not be afraid,(P) Jacob my servant;(Q)
    do not be dismayed, Israel,’
declares the Lord.
‘I will surely save(R) you out of a distant place,
    your descendants from the land of their exile.
Jacob will again have peace and security,(S)
    and no one will make him afraid.(T)
11 I am with you(U) and will save you,’
    declares the Lord.
‘Though I completely destroy all the nations
    among which I scatter you,
    I will not completely destroy(V) you.
I will discipline(W) you but only in due measure;
    I will not let you go entirely unpunished.’(X)

12 “This is what the Lord says:

“‘Your wound(Y) is incurable,
    your injury beyond healing.(Z)
13 There is no one to plead your cause,(AA)
    no remedy for your sore,
    no healing(AB) for you.
14 All your allies(AC) have forgotten you;
    they care nothing for you.
I have struck you as an enemy(AD) would
    and punished you as would the cruel,(AE)
because your guilt is so great
    and your sins(AF) so many.
15 Why do you cry out over your wound,
    your pain that has no cure?(AG)
Because of your great guilt and many sins
    I have done these things to you.(AH)

16 “‘But all who devour(AI) you will be devoured;
    all your enemies will go into exile.(AJ)
Those who plunder(AK) you will be plundered;
    all who make spoil of you I will despoil.
17 But I will restore you to health
    and heal(AL) your wounds,’
declares the Lord,
‘because you are called an outcast,(AM)
    Zion for whom no one cares.’(AN)

18 “This is what the Lord says:

“‘I will restore the fortunes(AO) of Jacob’s tents(AP)
    and have compassion(AQ) on his dwellings;
the city will be rebuilt(AR) on her ruins,
    and the palace will stand in its proper place.
19 From them will come songs(AS) of thanksgiving(AT)
    and the sound of rejoicing.(AU)
I will add to their numbers,(AV)
    and they will not be decreased;
I will bring them honor,(AW)
    and they will not be disdained.
20 Their children(AX) will be as in days of old,
    and their community will be established(AY) before me;
    I will punish(AZ) all who oppress them.
21 Their leader(BA) will be one of their own;
    their ruler will arise from among them.(BB)
I will bring him near(BC) and he will come close to me—
    for who is he who will devote himself
    to be close to me?’
declares the Lord.
22 “‘So you will be my people,(BD)
    and I will be your God.(BE)’”

23 See, the storm(BF) of the Lord
    will burst out in wrath,
a driving wind swirling down
    on the heads of the wicked.
24 The fierce anger(BG) of the Lord will not turn back(BH)
    until he fully accomplishes
    the purposes of his heart.
In days to come
    you will understand(BI) this.

Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 30:3 Or will restore the fortunes of my people Israel and Judah