Jeremiah 30

1 The word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying,

The word that came to Jeremiah from Yahweh, saying,

2 The Lord, the God of Israel, has said, Put down in a book all the words which I have said to you.

“This is what Yahweh, God of Israel, says, 'Write in a scroll all the words that I have spoken to you.

3 For see, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will let the fate of my people Israel and Judah be changed, says the Lord: and I will make them come back to the land which I gave to their fathers, so that they may take it for their heritage.

For look, days are coming—this is Yahweh's declaration—when I will restore the fortunes of my people, Israel and Judah. I, Yahweh, have said it. For I will bring them back to the land that I gave their ancestors, and they will possess it.'”

4 And these are the words which the Lord said about Israel and about Judah.

These are the words that Yahweh declared concerning Israel and Judah,

5 This is what the Lord has said: A voice of shaking fear has come to our ears, of fear and not of peace.

“For Yahweh says this, 'We have heard a trembling voice of dread and not of peace.

6 Put the question and see if it is possible for a man to have birth-pains: why do I see every man with his hands gripping his sides, as a woman does when the pains of birth are on her, and all faces are turned green?

Ask and see if a man bears a child. Why do I see every young man with his hand on his loins like a woman bearing a child? Why have all their faces become pale?

7 Ha! for that day is so great that there is no day like it: it is the time of Jacob's trouble: but he will get salvation from it.

Woe! For that day will be great, with none like it. It will be a time of anxiety for Jacob, but he will be rescued from it.

8 For it will come about on that day, says the Lord of armies, that his yoke will be broken off his neck, and his bands will be burst; and men of strange lands will no longer make use of him as their servant:

For it will be in that day—this is the declaration of Yahweh of hosts—that I will break the yoke off your neck, and I will shatter your chains, so foreigners will no longer enslave you.

9 But they will be servants to the Lord their God and to David their king, whom I will give back to them.

But they will worship Yahweh their God and serve David their king, whom I will make king over them.

10 So have no fear, O Jacob, my servant, says the Lord; and do not be troubled, O Israel: for see, I will make you come back from far away, and your seed from the land where they are prisoners; and Jacob will come back, and will be quiet and at peace, and no one will give him cause for fear.

So you, my servant Jacob, do not fear—this is Yahweh's declaration—and do not be dismayed, Israel. For see, I am about to bring you back from far away, and your descendants from the land of captivity. Jacob will return and be at peace; he will be secure, and there will be no more terror.

11 For I am with you, says the Lord, to be your saviour: for I will put an end to all the nations where I have sent you wandering, but I will not put an end to you completely: though with wise purpose I will put right your errors, and will not let you go quite without punishment.

For I am with you—this is Yahweh's declaration—to save you. Then I will bring a complete end to all the nations where I have scattered you. But I will certainly not put an end to you, though I discipline you justly and will certainly not leave you unpunished.'

12 For the Lord has said, Your disease may not be made well and your wound is bitter.

For Yahweh says this, 'Your injury is incurable; your wound is infected.

13 There is no help for your wound, there is nothing to make you well.

There is no one to plead your case; there is no remedy for your wound to heal you.

14 Your lovers have no more thought for you, they go after you no longer; for I have given you the wound of a hater, even cruel punishment;

All of your lovers have forgotten you. They will not look for you, for I have wounded you with the wound of an enemy and the discipline of a cruel master because of your many iniquities and your innumerable sins.

15 Why are you crying for help because of your wound? for your pain may never be taken away: because your evil-doing was so great and because your sins were increased, I have done these things to you.

Why do you call for help for your injury? Your pain is incurable. Because of your many iniquities, your innumerable sins, I have done these things to you.

16 For this cause, all those who take you for their food will themselves become your food; and all your attackers, every one of them, will be taken prisoners; and those who send destruction on you will come to destruction; and all those who take away your goods by force will undergo the same themselves.

So everyone who consumes you will be consumed, and all of your adversaries will go into captivity. For the ones who have plundered you will become plunder, and I will make all of the ones despoiling you a spoil.

17 For I will make you healthy again and I will make you well from your wounds, says the Lord; because they have given you the name of an outlaw, saying, It is Zion cared for by no man.

For I will bring healing on you; I will heal you of your wounds—this is Yahweh's declaration— I will do this because they called you: Outcast. No one cares for this Zion.'”

18 The Lord has said, See, I am changing the fate of the tents of Jacob, and I will have pity on his houses; the town will be put up on its hill, and the great houses will be living-places again.

Yahweh says this, “See, I am about to bring back the fortunes of Jacob's tents and have compassion on his homes. Then a city will be built on the heap of ruins, and a stronghold will exist again where it used to be.

19 And from them will go out praise and the sound of laughing: and I will make them great in number, and they will not become less; and I will give them glory, and they will not be small.

Then a song of praise and a sound of merriment will go out from them, for I will increase them and not diminish them; I will honor them so they will not be humbled.

20 And their children will be as they were in the old days, and the meeting of the people will have its place before me, and I will send punishment on all who are cruel to them.

Then their people will be like before, and their assembly will be established before me when I punish all the ones who are now tormenting them.

21 And their chief will be of their number; their ruler will come from among themselves; and I will let him be present before me, so that he may come near to me: for who may have strength of heart to come near me? says the Lord.

Their leader will come from among them. He will emerge from their midst when I draw him near and when he approaches me. If I do not do this, who would dare come close to me?—this is Yahweh's declaration.

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

Then you will be my people, and I will be your God.

23 See, the storm-wind of the Lord, even the heat of his wrath, has gone out, a rolling storm, bursting on the heads of the evil-doers.

See, the tempest of Yahweh, his fury, has gone out. It is a continual tempest. It will whirl on the heads of the wicked people.

24 The wrath of the Lord will not be turned back till he has done, till he has put into effect, the purposes of his heart: in days to come you will have full knowledge of this.

Yahweh's wrath will not return until it has carried out and brought into being his heart's intentions. In the final days, you will understand it.”