30 The Lord gave this message to Jeremiah: 2 ‘The Lord , Israel's God, says, “Write all the words that I have spoken in a book.” 3 I, the Lord , tell you this: “The time will come when I will bring back my people from foreign lands. I will bring the people of Israel and Judah back to the land that I gave to their ancestors. It will belong to them.” That is what the Lord says.’
4 The Lord spoke this message about Israel and Judah:
5 The Lord said,
‘People are shouting because they are afraid!
Listen to them!
There is no peace anywhere.
6 Think carefully about this.
Do men ever give birth to babies?
So why are these strong men weak with pain?
They seem like a woman who is giving birth.
All their faces have become white with fear.
7 It will be a time of terrible trouble,
worse than anything that has happened before.
It will be a time of great trouble for Jacob's descendants. [ a ]
But I will rescue them from their trouble.’
8 The Lord Almighty says this:
‘When that day comes,
I will break the yoke that is around your necks. [ b ]
I will remove the ropes that tie your legs.
My people will no longer be slaves
under the power of foreign people.
9 Instead, they will serve the Lord their God.
They will serve David's descendant.
I will raise that man up to be their king.’
10 The Lord says,
‘Do not be afraid, descendants of Jacob, my servants.
People of Israel, do not be upset.
I will rescue you and your descendants from your enemies.
I will bring you back from the land far away,
where you are prisoners.
Jacob's descendants will return to their own land.
They will live there safely in peace.
There will be no enemies to make them afraid.’
11 The Lord says,
‘I am with you and I will save you.
I have sent you away to live in foreign lands.
That was the punishment that you deserved.
I will completely destroy the nations where I sent you to live.
But I will not completely destroy you.
I will certainly punish you,
but only as much as you deserve.’
12 The Lord says this to Zion's people:
‘You have received very bad wounds.
Nobody can make you well again.
13 There is no one who will speak on your behalf.
There is no medicine that can make you well.
14 All your friends have turned away from you.
They do not want to help you in your troubles.
I have hurt you,
in the way that an enemy might attack you.
You have lived in a very wicked way,
and you are guilty of many sins.
So I had to punish you,
to teach you what is right.
15 You complain about your wounds.
You say that your pain will never get better.
But I had to punish you,
because you are very wicked,
and you are guilty of many sins.
16 But I will destroy your enemies who destroyed you.
All of them will go as prisoners to foreign lands.
They took your valuable things for themselves.
Now I will take away their valuable things.
17 People say that nobody takes care of you,
people of Zion.
They say that I have chased you out of your land.
But I will give you back your health.
I will make your wounds better.’
That is what the Lord says.
18 The Lord says,
‘I will bring back Jacob's descendants to their own land.
Enemies have knocked down their houses,
but I will repair the homes where they lived.
I will be kind to them,
so that each family can live safely.
The city will stand again in its right place.
The palace will also stand where it was before.
19 In those places you will hear happy songs,
as people thank God.
People will laugh aloud because they are so happy.
I will make them grow in number.
Their descendants will be many.
I will cause other nations to give them honour.
They will no longer insult my people.
20 Jacob's descendants will be strong again,
as they were long ago.
They will serve me together as one group of people.
I will punish anyone who wants to hurt them.
21 One of their own people will rule them as king.
I will ask him to come near to me,
and he will come near.
Nobody would be brave enough to come near to me,
unless I asked him to come.’
That is what the Lord says.
22 ‘At that time, you will again be my people,
and I will be your God. ’
23 Look! The Lord 's anger will come
like a strong storm.
Like a strong wind,
it will blow away the heads of wicked people.
24 The Lord will not stop being angry,
until he has finished what he has decided to do.
When the time comes,
you will understand this clearly.
30 This is the message that came to Jeremiah from the Lord . 2 The Lord , the God of the people of Israel, said, “Jeremiah, write in a book the words I have spoken to you. Write this book for yourself. 3 Do this because the days will come”—this message is from the Lord —“when I will bring my people, Israel and Judah, back from exile.” This message is from the Lord . “I will put the people back in the land that I gave to their ancestors. Then my people will own that land again.”
4 The Lord spoke this message about the people of Israel and Judah. 5 This is what the Lord said:
“We hear people crying from fear.
There is fear, not peace.
6 “Ask this question and consider it:
Can a man have a baby? Of course not!
Then why do I see every strong man holding his stomach
like a woman having labor pains?
Why is everyone’s face turning white
like a dead man?
7 “This is a very important time for Jacob.
This is a time of great trouble.
There will never be another time like this,
but Jacob will be saved.
8 “At that time,” says the Lord All-Powerful, “I will break the yoke from the necks of the people of Israel and Judah, and I will break the ropes holding you. People from foreign countries will never again force my people to be slaves. 9 The people of Israel and Judah will not serve foreign countries. No, they will serve the Lord their God. I will send them David their king, [ a ] and they will serve him.
10 “So Jacob, my servant, don’t be afraid!”
This message is from the Lord .
“Israel, don’t be afraid.
I will save you from that faraway place.
You are captives [ b ] in that faraway land,
but I will save your descendants.
I will bring them back from that land.
Jacob will have peace again.
People will not bother Jacob.
There will be no enemy to frighten my people.
11 People of Israel and Judah, I am with you.”
This message is from the Lord .
“I will save you.
I sent you to those nations,
but I will completely destroy all of them.
It is true; I will destroy those nations,
but I will not destroy you.
You must be punished for the bad things you did,
but I will discipline you fairly.”
12 This is what the Lord says:
“You people of Israel and Judah have a wound that cannot be cured.
You have an injury that will not heal.
13 There is no one to care for your sores,
so you will not be healed.
14 You became friends with many nations,
but those nations don’t care about you.
Your ‘friends’ have forgotten you.
I hurt you like an enemy.
I punished you very hard.
I did this because of your great guilt.
I did this because of your many sins.
15 Israel and Judah, why are you still crying about your wound?
There is no cure for it.
I did this to you because of your great guilt.
I did this because of your many sins.
16 Those nations destroyed you,
but now they have been destroyed.
Israel and Judah, your enemies will become captives.
They stole things from you,
but others will steal from them.
They took things from you in war,
but others will take things from them in war.
17 And I will bring your health back
and heal your wounds,” says the Lord ,
“because other people said you were outcasts. [ c ]
They said, ‘No one cares about Zion.’”
18 This is what the Lord says:
“Jacob’s people are now in captivity,
but they will come back.
And I will have pity on Jacob’s houses.
The city [ d ] is now only an empty hill covered with ruined buildings,
but the city will be rebuilt on its hill.
And the king’s palace will be rebuilt where it should be.
19 People in those places will sing songs of praise,
and there will be the sound of laughter.
I will give them many children.
Israel and Judah will not be small.
I will bring honor to them.
No one will look down on them.
20 Jacob’s family will be like the family of Israel long ago.
I will make Israel and Judah strong,
and I will punish those who hurt them.”
21 The Lord says,
“One of their own people will lead them.
That ruler will come from my people.
People can come close to me only if I ask them to.
So I will ask that leader to come to me,
and he will be close to me.
22 You will be my people,
and I will be your God.”
23 The Lord was very angry!
He punished the people.
The punishment came like a storm.
It came like a tornado against those wicked people.
24 The Lord will be angry until he is through punishing them.
He will be angry until he finishes the punishment he planned.
When that day comes,
you people of Judah will understand.
30 The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord , saying,
2 Thus speaketh the Lord God of Israel, saying, Write thee all the words that I have spoken unto thee in a book.
3 For, 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.
5 For thus saith the Lord ; We have heard a voice of trembling, of fear, and not of peace.
6 Ask 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?
7 Alas! 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.
8 For 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:
9 But 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.
11 For 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 I will not make a full end of thee: but I will correct thee in measure, and will not leave thee altogether unpunished.
12 For thus saith the Lord , Thy bruise is incurable, and thy wound is grievous.
13 There is none to plead thy cause, that thou mayest be bound up: thou hast no healing medicines.
14 All 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.
15 Why 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.
16 Therefore 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.
17 For 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.
19 And 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.
20 Their children also shall be as aforetime, and their congregation shall be established before me, and I will punish all that oppress them.
21 And 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 .
22 And ye shall be my people, and I will be your God.
23 Behold, the whirlwind of the Lord goeth forth with fury, a continuing whirlwind: it shall fall with pain upon the head of the wicked.
24 The fierce anger of the Lord shall not return, until he hath done it, and until he have performed the intents of his heart: in the latter days ye shall consider it.
30 The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord , saying, 2 “This is what the Lord , the God of Israel says: ‘ ( A ) Write all the words which I have spoken to you in a book. 3 For behold, ( B ) days are coming,’ declares the Lord , ‘when I will ( C ) restore the fortunes of My people ( D ) Israel and Judah.’ The Lord says, ‘I will also ( E ) bring them back to the land that I gave to their forefathers, and they shall take possession of it.’”
4 Now these are the words which the Lord spoke concerning Israel and Judah:
5 “For this is what the Lord says:
‘ [ a ] I have heard a sound of ( F ) terror,
Of fear, and there is no peace.
6 Ask now, and see
If a male can give birth.
Why do I see every man
With his hands on his waist, ( G ) as a woman in childbirth?
And why have all faces turned pale?
7 Woe, for that ( H ) day is great,
There is ( I ) none like it;
And it is the time of Jacob’s ( J ) distress,
Yet he will be ( K ) saved from it.
8 ‘It shall come about on that day,’ declares the Lord of armies, ‘that I will ( L ) break his yoke from [ b ] their necks and will tear to pieces [ c ] their ( M ) restraints; and strangers will no longer ( N ) make [ d ] them their slaves. 9 But they shall serve the Lord their God and ( O ) David their king, whom I will raise up for them.
10 And ( P ) do not fear, Jacob My servant,’ declares the Lord ,
‘And do not be dismayed, Israel;
For behold, I am going to save you ( Q ) from far away,
And your [ e ] descendants from the land of their captivity.
And Jacob will return and be ( R ) at peace, without anxiety,
And ( S ) no one will make him afraid.
11 For ( T ) I am with you,’ declares the Lord , ‘to save you;
For I will completely ( U ) destroy all the nations where I have scattered you,
Only I will ( V ) not destroy you completely.
But I will ( W ) discipline you fairly
And will by no means leave you unpunished.’
12 “For this is what the Lord says:
‘Your broken limb is irreparable,
And your ( X ) wound is incurable.
13 There is no one to plead your cause;
No healing for your sore,
( Y ) No recovery for you.
14 All your ( Z ) lovers have forgotten you,
They do not seek you;
For I have ( AA ) wounded you with the wound of an enemy,
With the ( AB ) punishment of a ( AC ) cruel one,
Because your ( AD ) wrongdoing is great,
And your ( AE ) sins are numerous.
15 Why do you cry out over your injury?
Your pain is incurable.
Because your wrongdoing is great
And your sins are numerous,
I have done these things to you.
16 Therefore all who ( AF ) devour you will be devoured;
And all your adversaries, every one of them, ( AG ) will go into captivity;
And those who plunder you will become plunder,
And all who plunder you I will turn into plunder.
17 For I will [ f ] restore you to [ g ] ( AH ) health
And I will heal you of your wounds,’ declares the Lord ,
‘Because they have called you an ( AI ) outcast, saying:
“It is Zion; no one [ h ] cares for her.”’
18 “This is what the Lord says:
‘Behold, I will ( AJ ) restore the fortunes of the tents of Jacob
And ( AK ) have compassion on his dwellings;
And the ( AL ) city will be rebuilt on its ruins,
And the ( AM ) palace will stand on its rightful place.
19 From them will come a ( AN ) song of thanksgiving
And the voices of those who [ i ] ( AO ) celebrate;
And I will ( AP ) multiply them and they will not decrease;
I will ( AQ ) honor them and they will not be insignificant.
20 [ j ] Their children also will be as before,
And [ k ] their congregation will be ( AR ) established before Me;
And I will punish all [ l ] their oppressors.
21 [ m ] Their ( AS ) leader shall be one of them,
And [ n ] their ruler will come out from [ o ] their midst;
And I will ( AT ) bring him near and he shall approach Me;
For [ p ] who would dare to risk his life to ( AU ) approach Me?’ declares the Lord .
22 ‘You shall be ( AV ) My people,
And I will be your God.’”
23 Behold, the ( AW ) tempest of the Lord !
Wrath has gone forth,
A [ q ] sweeping tempest;
It will whirl upon the head of the wicked.
24 The ( AX ) fierce anger of the Lord will not turn back
Until He has performed and accomplished
The intent of His heart.
In the ( AY ) latter days you will understand this.
30 This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord : 2 “This is what the Lord , the God of Israel, says: ‘Write ( A ) in a book all the words I have spoken to you. 3 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 .”
4 These are the words the Lord spoke concerning Israel and Judah: 5 “This is what the Lord says:
“‘Cries of fear ( E ) are heard—
terror, not peace.
6 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 )
7 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.
8 “‘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 )
9 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 ) ’”
