31 The Lord says this:
‘When that time comes,
I will be the God of every family in Israel.
And they will be my people.’
2 The Lord says,
‘I was kind to the Israelites
when they travelled in the desert.
I helped those that the enemy had not killed,
as they looked for a place where they could rest.’
3 At that time long ago,
the Lord showed himself to his people.
He said, ‘I have always loved you
and I always will love you.
My faithful love for you continues for ever.
4 My special people of Israel,
I will make you strong again.
You will be so happy that you dance,
as people make music with tambourines.
5 You will again plant vines
on the hills in Samaria.
Yes, farmers will plant vines
and they will eat their fruit.
6 There will be a time when guards will call out,
as they watch for danger in the hills of Ephraim.
They will shout, “Let us go up to Zion,
to worship the Lord our God.” ’ [ a ]
7 The Lord says this:
‘Sing with joy for Jacob's descendants!
They are the greatest of all the nations!
Praise the Lord with loud voices!
Say, “ Lord , please save your people.
Save those Israelites who are still alive.”
8 See what I will do!
I will bring them back from the land in the north.
Wherever they are, I will bring them back.
A great crowd of my people will return.
Blind people will be among them,
and people who cannot walk well.
There will be pregnant women
and some who will very soon give birth.
9 They will be weeping as they come.
They will pray for my help as I lead them.
I will lead them beside streams of fresh water,
and on flat paths where they will not fall down.
I will help them because I am a father for Israel's people.
Ephraim is like my firstborn son.’ [ b ]
10 People of all nations,
listen to the Lord 's message.
Shout it aloud for everyone to hear,
even those who live on the coasts far away.
Say, ‘The Lord chased Israel's people away,
but now he will bring them back.
He will take care of them,
like a shepherd who takes care of his sheep.’
11 Yes, the Lord will rescue Jacob's descendants.
He will pay the cost to let them be free.
They will no longer be under the power of people who were stronger than them.
12 His people will come back to Mount Zion,
and they will shout with joy.
They will be very happy
because of all the good things that the Lord gives to them.
There will be grain to make bread,
new wine and olive oil.
There will be lambs and young cows.
They will grow and be strong,
like a garden that has plenty of water.
They will not be weak or sad any more.
13 The Lord says this:
‘Young women will dance because they are happy.
The young men and the old men will also be happy.
I will cause them to laugh instead of weep.
I will comfort them,
so that they are happy instead of sad.
14 I will give the priests plenty of good things.
My people will have everything that they need,
because of all the good things that I give to them.’
15 The Lord says,
‘You can hear a sad noise in Ramah.
Someone is weeping with a loud voice.
It is Rachel, and she is weeping for her children.
Nobody can help her to stop weeping,
because her children are dead.’ [ c ]
16 The Lord says,
‘Stop crying!
Do not weep any more!
I will help you because of what you have done.
Your children will return from the land of their enemies.’
That is what the Lord says.
17 ‘Yes, you will have descendants in the future.
Your children will return to their own land.’
That is what the Lord says.
18 ‘I have heard Israel's people when they are sad.
They say to me, “You punished us,
and we accepted it.
You taught us to obey you,
like a farmer teaches an ox to work for him.
So let us come back to serve you.
We are ready to return to you,
because you are the Lord , our God.
19 After we turned away from you,
we were sorry that we had done that.
We understood what we had done,
and we showed that we were sad.
We were ashamed and upset,
because of the disgusting things that we did when we were young.”
20 But Israel's people are my own dear children.
I still love them,
even when I have to speak against them.
I can never forget them.
I only want to help them.
I will certainly be kind to them.’
That is what the Lord says.
21 ‘People of Israel, put up signs along the roads,
so that you know the way to go.
Remember the road that you travelled on
when you went away from your land.
Now return, my special people, Israel.
Return to your cities that you had to leave.
22 You went away from me,
like a daughter who refuses to obey her father.
Do not continue to turn away from me.
I, the Lord , promise to do a new thing.
Women will take care of men!’
23 The Lord Almighty, Israel's God, says this:
‘I will bring my people back from the land where they have been prisoners. Then the people in the towns of Judah will again say, “We pray that the Lord will bless you, Jerusalem. You are the special place where he lives on his holy mountain!” [ d ]
24 People will live together in the towns of Judah. Farmers and shepherds will work in the fields. 25 I will help those who feel tired. I will make those who feel weak strong again.
26 Then they will say, “When I woke from my sleep and I looked around, I was happy.” ’
27 The Lord says this:
‘The time will come when I fill the lands of Israel and Judah with people and animals. 28 In past time, I chose to pull them out of their land, like a plant with its roots. I knocked them down and I destroyed them. But now I will put them in their land again, like strong plants.’ That is what the Lord says.
29 ‘When that happens, people will not say, “The fathers have eaten bitter fruit, but it causes their children's teeth to hurt.” [ e ] 30 Instead, I will punish everyone for their own sins. It will be the teeth of the person who eats bitter fruit that will hurt.’
31 The Lord says, ‘A time will soon come when I make a new covenant with Israel's people and with Judah's people. 32 It will not be like the old covenant that I made with their ancestors. At that time, I brought them safely out of Egypt. I took care of them, like a faithful husband who takes care of his wife. But they did not obey my covenant.’ That is what the Lord says.
33 ‘Yes, I will make a new covenant with Israel's people at that time. It will be like this: I will put my law deep inside them, in their hearts and minds. I will be their God, and they will be my people.’ That is what the Lord says.
34 ‘Then people will not have to teach their friends or their family about me. They will all know me already. The important people and the ordinary people will all know me. I will forgive the wicked things that they have done. I will no longer think about their sins.’ That is what the Lord says.
35 The Lord is the one who causes the sun to shine during the day.
He causes the moon and the stars to shine at night.
He causes the waves of the sea to move around
and they make a loud noise.
He is the Lord Almighty,
and he makes this promise:
36 ‘I will always take care of Israel's people as my special nation.
I will always cause the laws that rule everything to continue.
I could never forget those laws, and I could never forget my people.’
37 The Lord says,
‘Nobody can measure the size of the sky.
Nobody can dig down to the bottom of the earth's foundations.
In the same way, I can never turn away from all Israel's people.
I will not leave them,
even though they have done wicked things.’
That is what the Lord says. [ f ]
38 The Lord says this:
‘The time will soon come when this city of Jerusalem belongs to me again. You will build it all again, from the tower of Hananel to the Corner gate. 39 The edge of the city will go straight from there to Gareb hill. Then it will turn south and go to Goah. 40 The whole area will belong to the Lord as a holy place. It will include the valley where they throw dead bodies and the ashes from sacrifices. It will include all the fields of the Kidron valley in the east, as far north as the corner of the Horse Gate. All of that will be my holy place. Nobody will ever again take the city or destroy it.’
31 This is what the Lord said, “At that time I will be the God of all the tribes of Israel. And they will be my people.”
2 This is what the Lord says:
“The people who escaped the enemy’s sword will find comfort in the desert.
Israel will go there looking for rest.”
3 From far away, the Lord
will appear to his people.
The Lord says, “I love you people with a love that continues forever.
That is why I have continued showing you kindness.
4 Israel, my bride, I will rebuild you.
You will be a country again.
You will pick up your tambourines again.
You will dance with all the other people who are having fun.
5 You farmers of Israel will plant vineyards again.
You will plant the vineyards on the hills around the city of Samaria.
The farmers will enjoy the fruit from the vineyards.
6 There will be a time when watchmen [ a ] shout this message:
‘Come, let’s go up to Zion to worship the Lord our God!’
Even the watchmen in the hill country of Ephraim [ b ] will shout that message.”
7 This is what the Lord says:
“Be happy and sing for Jacob!
Shout for Israel, the greatest of the nations!
Sing your praises and shout:
‘ Lord , save your people! [ c ]
Save those who are left alive from the nation of Israel.’
8 Remember, I will bring Israel
from that country in the north.
I will gather the people of Israel
from the faraway places on earth.
Some of the people will be blind and crippled.
Some of the women will be pregnant and ready to give birth.
But many people will come back.
9 They will come back crying,
but I will lead them and comfort them.
I will lead them by streams of water.
I will lead them on an easy road,
where they will not stumble.
I will lead them in that way because I am Israel’s father.
And Ephraim is my firstborn son.
10 “Nations, listen to this message from the Lord !
Tell this message in the faraway lands by the sea:
‘God scattered the people of Israel,
but he will bring them back together.
And he will watch over his flock like a shepherd.’
11 The Lord will bring Jacob back.
He will save his people from those who are stronger.
12 The people of Israel will come to the top of Zion,
and they will shout with joy.
Their faces will shine with happiness about the good things the Lord gives them.
He will give them grain, new wine, olive oil, young sheep and cattle.
They will be like a garden that has plenty of water.
And the people of Israel will not be troubled anymore.
13 Then the young women of Israel will be happy and dance.
And the men, young and old, will join in the dancing.
I will change their sadness into happiness.
I will comfort my people, making them happy instead of sad.
14 I will give the priests plenty of food.
And my people will be filled and satisfied with the good things I give them.”
This message is from the Lord .
15 This is what the Lord says:
“A sound is heard in Ramah—
bitter crying and great sadness.
Rachel [ d ] cries for her children,
and she refuses to be comforted,
because her children are gone.”
16 But the Lord says, “Stop crying.
Don’t fill your eyes with tears.
You will be rewarded for your work.”
This message is from the Lord .
“The people of Israel will come back from their enemy’s land.
17 Israel, there is hope for you.”
This message is from the Lord .
“Your children will come back to their own land.
18 I have heard Ephraim crying:
‘Lord, you punished me, and I learned my lesson.
I was like a calf that was never trained.
Please stop punishing me,
and I will come back to you.
You really are the Lord my God.
19 I wandered away from you.
But I finally realized how wrong I was.
So I changed my heart and life.
I am ashamed and embarrassed
about the foolish things I did when I was young.’”
20 The Lord says,
“You know that Ephraim is my dear son.
I love that child.
Yes, I often criticized Ephraim,
but I still think about him.
I love him very much,
and I really do want to comfort him.
21 “People of Israel, repair the road signs.
Put up signs that show the way home.
Watch the road.
Remember the road you are leaving on.
Israel, my bride, come home.
Come back to your towns.
22 Unfaithful daughter,
how long will you wander around?
“The Lord has created something new in the land:
A woman surrounding a man. [ e ] ”
23 This is what the Lord All-Powerful, the God of Israel, says: “I will again do good things for the people of Judah. I will bring back those who were taken away as prisoners. At that time the people in the land of Judah and in its towns will once again use these words: ‘May the Lord bless you, good home and holy mountain [ f ] !’
24 “People in all the towns of Judah will live together in peace. Farmers and those who move around with their flocks will live peacefully together in Judah. 25 I will give rest and strength to those who are weak and tired.”
26 After hearing that, I, Jeremiah, woke up and looked around. My sleep was very pleasant.
27 “The days are coming,” says the Lord , “when I will help the family of Israel and Judah to grow. I will help their children and animals to grow too. It will be like planting and caring for a plant. 28 In the past I watched over Israel and Judah, but I watched for the time to pull them up. I tore them down. I destroyed them. I gave many troubles to them. But now I will watch over them to build them up and make them strong.” This message is from the Lord .
29 “People will not use this saying anymore:
‘The parents ate the sour grapes,
but the children got the sour taste.’ [ g ]
30 No, people will die for their own sins. Those who eat sour grapes will get the sour taste.”
31 This is what the Lord said, “The time is coming when I will make a new agreement with the family of Israel and with the family of Judah. 32 It will not be like the agreement I made with their ancestors. I made that agreement when I took them by the hand and brought them out of Egypt. I was their master, but they broke that agreement.” This message is from the Lord .
33 “In the future I will make this agreement with the people of Israel.” This message is from the Lord . “I will put my teachings in their minds, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. 34 People will not have to teach their neighbors and relatives to know the Lord , because all people, from the least important to the most important, will know me.” This message is from the Lord . “I will forgive them for the evil things they did. I will not remember their sins.”
35 He makes the sun shine in the day,
and he makes the moon and the stars shine at night.
He stirs up the sea so that its waves crash on the shore.
The Lord All-Powerful is his name.
This is what the Lord says:
36 “The descendants of Israel will never stop being a nation.
That would happen only if I lost control of the sun, moon, stars, and sea.”
37 The Lord says, “I will never reject the descendants of Israel.
That would happen only if people could measure the sky above,
and learn all the secrets of the earth below.
Only then would I reject them for the bad things they have done.”
This message is from the Lord .
38 This message is from the Lord , “The days are coming when the city of Jerusalem will be rebuilt for the Lord . The whole city will be rebuilt—from the Tower of Hananel to the Corner Gate. 39 The measuring line [ h ] will stretch from the Corner Gate straight to the hill of Gareb and then turn to the place named Goah. 40 The whole valley where dead bodies and ashes are thrown and all the terraces down to the bottom of Kidron Valley all the way to the corner of Horse Gate will be holy to the Lord . The city of Jerusalem will never again be torn down or destroyed.”
31 At the same time, saith the Lord , will I be the God of all the families of Israel, and they shall be my people.
2 Thus saith the Lord , The people which were left of the sword found grace in the wilderness; even Israel, when I went to cause him to rest.
3 The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.
4 Again I will build thee, and thou shalt be built, O virgin of Israel: thou shalt again be adorned with thy tabrets, and shalt go forth in the dances of them that make merry.
5 Thou shalt yet plant vines upon the mountains of Samaria: the planters shall plant, and shall eat them as common things.
6 For there shall be a day, that the watchmen upon the mount Ephraim shall cry, Arise ye, and let us go up to Zion unto the Lord our God.
7 For thus saith the Lord ; Sing with gladness for Jacob, and shout among the chief of the nations: publish ye, praise ye, and say, O Lord , save thy people, the remnant of Israel.
8 Behold, I will bring them from the north country, and gather them from the coasts of the earth, and with them the blind and the lame, the woman with child and her that travaileth with child together: a great company shall return thither.
9 They shall come with weeping, and with supplications will I lead them: I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters in a straight way, wherein they shall not stumble: for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn.
10 Hear the word of the Lord , O ye nations, and declare it in the isles afar off, and say, He that scattered Israel will gather him, and keep him, as a shepherd doth his flock.
11 For the Lord hath redeemed Jacob, and ransomed him from the hand of him that was stronger than he.
12 Therefore they shall come and sing in the height of Zion, and shall flow together to the goodness of the Lord , for wheat, and for wine, and for oil, and for the young of the flock and of the herd: and their soul shall be as a watered garden; and they shall not sorrow any more at all.
13 Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance, both young men and old together: for I will turn their mourning into joy, and will comfort them, and make them rejoice from their sorrow.
14 And I will satiate the soul of the priests with fatness, and my people shall be satisfied with my goodness, saith the Lord .
15 Thus saith the Lord ; A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, and bitter weeping; Rahel weeping for her children refused to be comforted for her children, because they were not.
16 Thus saith the Lord ; Refrain thy voice from weeping, and thine eyes from tears: for thy work shall be rewarded, saith the Lord ; and they shall come again from the land of the enemy.
17 And there is hope in thine end, saith the Lord , that thy children shall come again to their own border.
18 I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus; Thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised, as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke: turn thou me, and I shall be turned; for thou art the Lord my God.
19 Surely after that I was turned, I repented; and after that I was instructed, I smote upon my thigh: I was ashamed, yea, even confounded, because I did bear the reproach of my youth.
20 Is Ephraim my dear son? is he a pleasant child? for since I spake against him, I do earnestly remember him still: therefore my bowels are troubled for him; I will surely have mercy upon him, saith the Lord .
21 Set thee up waymarks, make thee high heaps: set thine heart toward the highway, even the way which thou wentest: turn again, O virgin of Israel, turn again to these thy cities.
22 How long wilt thou go about, O thou backsliding daughter? for the Lord hath created a new thing in the earth, A woman shall compass a man.
23 Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; As yet they shall use this speech in the land of Judah and in the cities thereof, when I shall bring again their captivity; The Lord bless thee, O habitation of justice, and mountain of holiness.
24 And there shall dwell in Judah itself, and in all the cities thereof together, husbandmen, and they that go forth with flocks.
25 For I have satiated the weary soul, and I have replenished every sorrowful soul.
26 Upon this I awaked, and beheld; and my sleep was sweet unto me.
27 Behold, the days come, saith the Lord , that I will sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah with the seed of man, and with the seed of beast.
28 And it shall come to pass, that like as I have watched over them, to pluck up, and to break down, and to throw down, and to destroy, and to afflict; so will I watch over them, to build, and to plant, saith the Lord .
29 In those days they shall say no more, The fathers have eaten a sour grape, and the children's teeth are set on edge.
30 But every one shall die for his own iniquity: every man that eateth the sour grape, his teeth shall be set on edge.
31 Behold, the days come, saith the Lord , that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:
32 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the Lord :
33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord , I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.
34 And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord : for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord : for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.
35 Thus saith the Lord , which giveth the sun for a light by day, and the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night, which divideth the sea when the waves thereof roar; The Lord of hosts is his name:
36 If those ordinances depart from before me, saith the Lord , then the seed of Israel also shall cease from being a nation before me for ever.
37 Thus saith the Lord ; If heaven above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth searched out beneath, I will also cast off all the seed of Israel for all that they have done, saith the Lord .
38 Behold, the days come, saith the Lord , that the city shall be built to the Lord from the tower of Hananeel unto the gate of the corner.
39 And the measuring line shall yet go forth over against it upon the hill Gareb, and shall compass about to Goath.
40 And the whole valley of the dead bodies, and of the ashes, and all the fields unto the brook of Kidron, unto the corner of the horse gate toward the east, shall be holy unto the Lord ; it shall not be plucked up, nor thrown down any more for ever.
31 “At that time,” declares the Lord , “I will be the ( A ) God of all the ( B ) families of Israel, and they shall be My people.”
2 This is what the Lord says:
“The people who survived the sword
( C ) Found grace in the wilderness—
Israel, when it went to ( D ) find its rest.”
3 The Lord appeared to [ a ] him [ b ] long ago, saying ,
“I have ( E ) loved you with an everlasting love;
Therefore I have drawn you out with ( F ) kindness.
4 ( G ) I will build you again and you will be rebuilt,
Virgin of Israel!
You will [ c ] take up your ( H ) tambourines again,
And go out to the dances of the ( I ) revelers.
5 Again you will ( J ) plant vineyards
On the [ d ] hills of Samaria;
The planters will plant
And will [ e ] enjoy the fruit .
6 For there will be a day when watchmen
On the hills of Ephraim call out,
‘Arise, and ( K ) let’s go up to Zion,
To the Lord our God.’”
7 For this is what the Lord says:
“ ( L ) Sing aloud with joy for Jacob,
And be joyful with the [ f ] ( M ) chief of the nations;
Proclaim, give praise, and say,
‘ Lord , ( N ) save Your people,
The ( O ) remnant of Israel!’
8 Behold, I am ( P ) bringing them from the north country,
And I will ( Q ) gather them from the remote parts of the earth,
Among them those who are ( R ) blind and those who ( S ) limp,
The pregnant woman and she who is in labor, together;
They will return here as a great assembly.
9 ( T ) They will come with weeping,
And by pleading I will bring them;
I will lead them by ( U ) streams of waters,
On a straight path on which they will ( V ) not stumble;
For I am a ( W ) father to Israel,
And Ephraim is ( X ) My firstborn.”
10 Hear the word of the Lord , you nations,
And declare it in the ( Y ) coastlands far away,
And say, “He who scattered Israel will ( Z ) gather him,
And He will keep him as a ( AA ) shepherd keeps his flock.”
11 For the Lord has ( AB ) ransomed Jacob
And redeemed him from the hand of him who was ( AC ) stronger than he.
12 “They will ( AD ) come and shout for joy on the ( AE ) height of Zion,
And they will be ( AF ) radiant over the [ g ] bounty of the Lord —
Over the ( AG ) grain, the new wine, the oil,
And over the young of the ( AH ) flock and the herd.
And their life will be like a ( AI ) watered garden,
And they will ( AJ ) never languish again.
13 Then the virgin will rejoice in the ( AK ) dance,
And the young men and the old together;
For I will ( AL ) turn their mourning into joy
And comfort them, and give them ( AM ) joy for their sorrow.
14 I will refresh the soul of the priests with [ h ] abundance,
And My people will be ( AN ) satisfied with My goodness,” declares the Lord .
15 This is what the Lord says:
“ ( AO ) A voice is heard in ( AP ) Ramah,
Lamenting and bitter weeping.
Rachel is weeping for her children;
She ( AQ ) refuses to be comforted for her children,
Because ( AR ) they are no more.”
16 This is what the Lord says:
“ ( AS ) Restrain your voice from weeping
And your eyes from tears;
For your ( AT ) work will be rewarded,” declares the Lord ,
“And they will ( AU ) return from the land of the enemy.
17 There is ( AV ) hope for your future,” declares the Lord ,
“And your children will return to their own territory.
18 I have certainly heard Ephraim ( AW ) grieving,
‘You have ( AX ) disciplined me, and I was corrected,
Like an untrained ( AY ) calf;
( AZ ) Bring me back that I may be restored,
For You are the Lord my God.
19 For after I turned back, I ( BA ) repented;
And after I was instructed, I [ i ] ( BB ) slapped my thigh;
I was ( BC ) ashamed and also humiliated
Because I bore the shame of my youth.’
20 Is ( BD ) Ephraim My dear son?
Is he a delightful child?
Indeed, as often as I have spoken against him,
I certainly still remember him;
Therefore My [ j ] ( BE ) heart yearns for him;
I will certainly ( BF ) have mercy on him,” declares the Lord .
21 “Set up roadmarks for yourself,
Place guideposts for yourself;
( BG ) Direct your [ k ] mind to the highway,
The way by which you went.
( BH ) Return, O virgin of Israel,
Return to these your cities.
22 How long will you waver,
You ( BI ) rebellious daughter?
For the Lord has created a new thing on the earth:
A woman will shelter a man.”
23 This is what the Lord of armies, the God of Israel says: “Once again they will speak this word in the land of Judah and in its cities when I ( BJ ) restore their fortunes,
24 Judah and all its cities will ( BM ) live together in it, the farmers and those who travel with flocks. 25 ( BN ) For I give plenty of water to the weary ones, and [ l ] refresh everyone who languishes.” 26 At this I ( BO ) awoke and looked, and my ( BP ) sleep had been pleasant to me.
27 “Behold, days are coming,” declares the Lord , “when I will ( BQ ) sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah with the seed of mankind and the seed of animals. 28 And just as I have ( BR ) watched over them to ( BS ) uproot them , tear them down, ruin, destroy, and bring disaster on them , so I will watch over them to ( BT ) build and to plant them ,” declares the Lord .
29 “In those days they will no longer say,
‘ ( BU ) The fathers have eaten sour grapes,
[ m ] But it is the children’s teeth that have become blunt.’
30 But ( BV ) everyone will die for his own wrongdoing; each person who eats the sour grapes, his own teeth will become blunt.
31 “ ( BW ) Behold, days are coming,” declares the Lord , “when I will make a ( BX ) new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, 32 not like the ( BY ) covenant which I made with their fathers on the day I ( BZ ) took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, My ( CA ) covenant which they broke, although I was a husband to them,” declares the Lord . 33 “For ( CB ) this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days,” declares the Lord : “ ( CC ) I will put My law within them and write it on their heart; and ( CD ) I will be their God, and they shall be My people. 34 They will ( CE ) not teach again, each one his neighbor and each one his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord ,’ for they will all ( CF ) know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them,” declares the Lord , “for I will ( CG ) forgive their wrongdoing, and their ( CH ) sin I will no longer remember.”
35 This is what the Lord says,
He who ( CI ) gives the sun for light by day
And the [ n ] fixed order of the moon and the stars for light by night,
Who ( CJ ) stirs up the sea so that its waves roar—
( CK ) The Lord of armies is His name:
36 “ ( CL ) If [ o ] this fixed order departs
From Me,” declares the Lord ,
“Then the descendants of Israel also will ( CM ) cease
To be a nation before Me [ p ] forever.”
37 This is what the Lord says:
“ ( CN ) If the heavens above can be measured
And the foundations of the earth searched out below,
Then I will also ( CO ) reject all the descendants of Israel
For everything that they have done,” declares the Lord .
38 “Behold, days are coming,” declares the Lord , “when the ( CP ) city will be rebuilt for the Lord from the ( CQ ) Tower of Hananel to the ( CR ) Corner Gate. 39 The ( CS ) measuring line will go out farther straight ahead, to the hill Gareb; then it will turn to Goah. 40 And ( CT ) the entire valley of the dead bodies and of the ashes, and all the fields as far as the brook ( CU ) Kidron to the corner of the ( CV ) Horse Gate toward the east, shall be ( CW ) holy to the Lord ; it will not be uprooted or overthrown ever again.”
31 “At that time,” declares the Lord , “I will be the God ( A ) of all the families of Israel, and they will be my people.”
2 This is what the Lord says:
“The people who survive the sword
will find favor ( B ) in the wilderness;
I will come to give rest ( C ) to Israel.”
3 The Lord appeared to us in the past, [ a ] saying:
“I have loved ( D ) you with an everlasting love;
I have drawn ( E ) you with unfailing kindness.
4 I will build you up again,
and you, Virgin ( F ) Israel, will be rebuilt. ( G )
Again you will take up your timbrels ( H )
and go out to dance ( I ) with the joyful. ( J )
5 Again you will plant ( K ) vineyards
on the hills of Samaria; ( L )
the farmers will plant them
and enjoy their fruit. ( M )
6 There will be a day when watchmen ( N ) cry out
on the hills of Ephraim,
‘Come, let us go up to Zion,
to the Lord our God.’” ( O )
7 This is what the Lord says:
“Sing ( P ) with joy for Jacob;
shout for the foremost ( Q ) of the nations.
Make your praises heard, and say,
‘ Lord , save ( R ) your people,
the remnant ( S ) of Israel.’
8 See, I will bring them from the land of the north ( T )
and gather ( U ) them from the ends of the earth.
Among them will be the blind ( V ) and the lame, ( W )
expectant mothers and women in labor;
a great throng will return.
9 They will come with weeping; ( X )
they will pray as I bring them back.
I will lead ( Y ) them beside streams of water ( Z )
on a level ( AA ) path where they will not stumble,
because I am Israel’s father, ( AB )
and Ephraim is my firstborn son.
10 “Hear the word of the Lord , you nations;
proclaim it in distant coastlands: ( AC )
‘He who scattered ( AD ) Israel will gather ( AE ) them
and will watch over his flock like a shepherd.’ ( AF )
11 For the Lord will deliver Jacob
and redeem ( AG ) them from the hand of those stronger ( AH ) than they.
12 They will come and shout for joy ( AI ) on the heights ( AJ ) of Zion;
they will rejoice in the bounty ( AK ) of the Lord —
the grain, the new wine and the olive oil, ( AL )
the young of the flocks ( AM ) and herds.
They will be like a well-watered garden, ( AN )
and they will sorrow ( AO ) no more.
13 Then young women will dance and be glad,
young men and old as well.
I will turn their mourning ( AP ) into gladness;
I will give them comfort ( AQ ) and joy ( AR ) instead of sorrow.
14 I will satisfy ( AS ) the priests ( AT ) with abundance,
and my people will be filled with my bounty, ( AU ) ”
declares the Lord .
15 This is what the Lord says:
“A voice is heard in Ramah, ( AV )
mourning and great weeping,
Rachel weeping for her children
and refusing to be comforted, ( AW )
because they are no more.” ( AX )
16 This is what the Lord says:
“Restrain your voice from weeping
and your eyes from tears, ( AY )
for your work will be rewarded, ( AZ ) ”
declares the Lord .
“They will return ( BA ) from the land of the enemy.
17 So there is hope ( BB ) for your descendants,”
declares the Lord .
“Your children ( BC ) will return to their own land.
18 “I have surely heard Ephraim’s moaning:
‘You disciplined ( BD ) me like an unruly calf, ( BE )
and I have been disciplined.
Restore ( BF ) me, and I will return,
because you are the Lord my God.
19 After I strayed, ( BG )
I repented;
after I came to understand,
I beat ( BH ) my breast.
I was ashamed ( BI ) and humiliated
because I bore the disgrace of my youth.’ ( BJ )
20 Is not Ephraim my dear son,
the child ( BK ) in whom I delight?
Though I often speak against him,
I still remember ( BL ) him.
Therefore my heart yearns for him;
I have great compassion ( BM ) for him,”
declares the Lord .
21 “Set up road signs;
put up guideposts. ( BN )
Take note of the highway, ( BO )
the road that you take.
Return, ( BP ) Virgin ( BQ ) Israel,
return to your towns.
22 How long will you wander, ( BR )
unfaithful ( BS ) Daughter Israel?
The Lord will create a new thing ( BT ) on earth—
the woman will return to [ b ] ( BU ) the man.”
23 This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: “When I bring them back from captivity, [ c ] ( BV ) the people in the land of Judah and in its towns will once again use these words: ‘The Lord bless ( BW ) you, you prosperous city, ( BX ) you sacred mountain.’ ( BY ) 24 People will live ( BZ ) together in Judah and all its towns—farmers and those who move about with their flocks. ( CA ) 25 I will refresh the weary ( CB ) and satisfy the faint.” ( CC )
26 At this I awoke ( CD ) and looked around. My sleep had been pleasant to me.
27 “The days are coming,” ( CE ) declares the Lord , “when I will plant ( CF ) the kingdoms of Israel and Judah with the offspring of people and of animals. 28 Just as I watched ( CG ) over them to uproot ( CH ) and tear down, and to overthrow, destroy and bring disaster, ( CI ) so I will watch over them to build and to plant,” ( CJ ) declares the Lord . 29 “In those days people will no longer say,
30 Instead, everyone will die for their own sin; ( CM ) whoever eats sour grapes—their own teeth will be set on edge.
31 “The days are coming,” declares the Lord ,
“when I will make a new covenant ( CN )
with the people of Israel
and with the people of Judah.
32 It will not be like the covenant ( CO )
I made with their ancestors ( CP )
when I took them by the hand
to lead them out of Egypt, ( CQ )
because they broke my covenant,
though I was a husband ( CR ) to [ d ] them, [ e ] ”
declares the Lord .
33 “This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel
after that time,” declares the Lord .
“I will put my law in their minds ( CS )
and write it on their hearts. ( CT )
I will be their God,
and they will be my people. ( CU )
34 No longer will they teach ( CV ) their neighbor,
or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord ,’
because they will all know ( CW ) me,
from the least of them to the greatest,”
declares the Lord .
“For I will forgive ( CX ) their wickedness
and will remember their sins ( CY ) no more.”
35 This is what the Lord says,
he who appoints ( CZ ) the sun
to shine by day,
who decrees the moon and stars
to shine by night, ( DA )
who stirs up the sea ( DB )
so that its waves roar ( DC ) —
the Lord Almighty is his name: ( DD )
36 “Only if these decrees ( DE ) vanish from my sight,”
declares the Lord ,
“will Israel ( DF ) ever cease
being a nation before me.”
37 This is what the Lord says:
“Only if the heavens above can be measured ( DG )
and the foundations of the earth below be searched out
will I reject ( DH ) all the descendants of Israel
because of all they have done,”
declares the Lord .
38 “The days are coming,” declares the Lord , “when this city will be rebuilt ( DI ) for me from the Tower of Hananel ( DJ ) to the Corner Gate. ( DK ) 39 The measuring line ( DL ) will stretch from there straight to the hill of Gareb and then turn to Goah. 40 The whole valley ( DM ) where dead bodies ( DN ) and ashes are thrown, and all the terraces out to the Kidron Valley ( DO ) on the east as far as the corner of the Horse Gate, ( DP ) will be holy ( DQ ) to the Lord . The city will never again be uprooted or demolished.”
