Jeremiah 30

1 The word that came to Jeremiah from Jehovah, saying,

Yahweh gave me another message. He said,

2 Thus speaketh Jehovah, the God of Israel, saying, Write thee all the words that I have spoken unto thee in a book.

“[I], Yahweh, the God whom the Israeli people [say they belong to], am telling you that you should write down everything that I have said to you.

3 For, lo, the days come, saith Jehovah, that I will turn again the captivity of my people Israel and Judah, saith Jehovah; and I will cause them to return to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall possess it.

[I want you to know that] some day I will free my people, [the people of] Israel and Judah, from being slaves [in Babylon]. I will bring them back to this land that I gave to their ancestors, and this land will belong to them again. [That will surely happen because] I, Yahweh, have said it.”

4 And these are the words that Jehovah spake concerning Israel and concerning Judah.

Yahweh gave [to me] another message concerning [the people of] Israel and Judah.

5 For thus saith Jehovah: We have heard a voice of trembling, of fear, and not of peace.

This is what he said: “I hear people screaming because they are terrified [DOU]; there is no peace [in the land].

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?

But think about this: Men certainly do not [RHQ] give birth to babies. Therefore, why do strong men stand there, with their faces very white/pale, with their hands pressed against their stomachs, like women who are about to give birth to babies?

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.

[Terrible things will soon happen]; that will be a terrible day! There has never been such a time. It will be a time when [my] Israeli people will experience great trouble, but [finally] they will be saved [from their sufferings].”

8 And it shall come to pass in that day, saith Jehovah of hosts, that I will break his yoke from off thy neck, and will burst thy bonds; and strangers shall no more make him their bondman;

The Commander of the armies of angels says this: “At that time [it will be as though] I will sever/cut the ropes [that are around my people], and I will free them from being (slaves/forced to do what the King of Babylon wants them to do) [MET]. People in other countries will no longer be their bosses.

9 but they shall serve Jehovah their God, and David their king, whom I will raise up unto them.

My people will [again] serve me, Yahweh, their God, and [they will serve a king who is a descendant of] King David; [they will serve the king] whom I will appoint for them.

10 Therefore fear thou not, O Jacob my servant, saith Jehovah; 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 quiet and at ease, and none shall make him afraid.

So, [you people of] Israel who serve me, do not be dismayed/worried [now], because [some day] I will bring you back from distant places; I will bring your descendants [back home] from the land to which they were exiled. [Then you] Israeli people will [again] live peacefully and safely, and there will not be any [nation] that will cause you to be terrified.

11 For I am with thee, saith Jehovah, to save thee: for I will make a full end of all the nations whither I have scattered thee, but I will not make a full end of thee; but I will correct thee in measure, and will in no wise leave thee unpunished.

I, Yahweh, say that I will be with you and will rescue you; I will completely destroy the nations to which I have scattered you. But I will not completely destroy you. I will punish you [for your many sins], but I will punish you [only] as severely as you deserve: I would be doing wrong if I did not punish you at all.”

12 For thus saith Jehovah, Thy hurt is incurable, and thy wound grievous.

Yahweh [also] says this: “[You have (suffered very much/endured many disasters)]; [it is as though] you have a terrible wound that cannot be cured.

13 There is none to plead thy cause, that thou mayest be bound up: thou hast no healing medicines.

There is no one to help you, no one to put a bandage on your wound. There is no [medicine that will] heal you.

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 greatness of thine iniquity, because thy sins were increased.

All your allies [MET] have deserted you and they do not want to help you [any more]. [It is true that] I have punished you severely, [like your] enemies would wound you, because you have committed many sins and you are very guilty.

15 Why criest thou for thy hurt? thy pain is incurable: for the greatness of thine iniquity, because thy sins were increased, I have done these things unto thee.

[Because that is true], why do you protest about my punishing you, [as though I had caused] a wound that could not be cured [RHQ]? It was necessary for me to punish you, because you had committed many sins and you were very guilty.

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 despoil thee shall be a spoil, and all that prey upon thee will I give for a prey.

But [some day] all those who [are trying to] destroy you will be destroyed; all your enemies will be exiled [to other nations]. All those who have stolen things from you will have their [valuable] possessions stolen, and all those who attack you will be attacked.

17 For I will restore health unto thee, and I will heal thee of thy wounds, saith Jehovah; because they have called thee an outcast, [saying], It is Zion, whom no man seeketh after.

[Everyone] says that you are (outcasts/people that they no longer associate with), and that [you live in] Jerusalem, a city that no one cares about.” But Yahweh says, “I will heal your injuries/wounds and cause you to be healthy again.”

18 Thus saith Jehovah: Behold, I will turn again the captivity of Jacob’s tents, and have compassion on his dwelling-places; and the city shall be builded upon its own hill, and the palace shall be inhabited after its own manner.

This is what Yahweh says: “I will bring the people of Israel back from the lands to which they were taken and enable them to possess their land and their houses again. [When that happens], Jerusalem will be rebuilt on top of its ruins, and the [king’s] palace will be rebuilt to be like it was before.

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.

People will [again] sing joyfully to thank [me], and I will cause there to be more people [in Jerusalem], not fewer; I will cause them to be honored, not despised.

20 Their children also shall be as aforetime, and their congregation shall be established before me; and I will punish all that oppress them.

Their children will [prosper] like they did before. I will cause them to be a group of people [who worship] me, and I will punish any [nation] that oppresses them.

21 And their prince shall be of themselves, and their ruler shall proceed from the midst of them; and I will cause him to draw near, and he shall approach unto me: for who is he that hath had boldness to approach unto me? saith Jehovah.

One of their own people will be their king, and I will invite him to come close to me [to worship me], because no one [RHQ] would (dare/have courage) to come close to me [if I did not invite him].

22 And ye shall be my people, and I will be your God.

You [Israeli people] will be my people, and I will be your God.”

23 Behold, the tempest of Jehovah, [even his] wrath, is gone forth, a sweeping tempest: it shall burst upon the head of the wicked.

Yahweh will punish [MTY] [your enemies]; [it will be like a great] storm; it will come down [like] a whirlwind, swirling around the heads of wicked people.

24 The fierce anger of Jehovah shall not return, until he have executed, and till he have performed the intents of his heart: in the latter days ye shall understand it.

He will not stop being angry until he completely accomplishes [all] that he has planned. In the future, you will understand [all] of this [clearly].