< Jeremiah 30 >

1 This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying:
The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying,
2 “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, saying: You shall write in a book all the words that I have spoken to you.
“The LORD, the God of Israel, says, ‘Write all the words that I have spoken to you in a book.
3 For behold, the days are approaching, says the Lord, when I will convert the turning away of my people, Israel and Judah, says the Lord. And I will return them to the land which I gave to their fathers, and they will possess it.”
For, behold, the days come,’ says the LORD, ‘that I will reverse the captivity of my people Israel and Judah,’ says the LORD. ‘I will cause them to return to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they will possess it.’”
4 And these are the words which the Lord has spoken to Israel and to Judah:
These are the words that the LORD spoke concerning Israel and concerning Judah.
5 For thus says the Lord: ‘We have heard a voice of terror. There is dread, and there is no peace.’
For the LORD says: “We have heard a voice of trembling; a voice of fear, and not of peace.
6 Inquire and see, does a male give birth? Then why have I seen every man with his hand on his lower back, like a woman bearing a child? And why have all of their faces turned pale?
Ask now, and see whether a man travails with child. Why do I see every man with his hands on his waist, as a woman in travail, and all faces are turned pale?
7 Woe! For that day is great, and there is nothing like it. For it is the time of tribulation for Jacob, but he will be saved from it.
Alas, for that day is great, so that none is like it! It is even the time of Jacob’s trouble; but he will be saved out of it.
8 And this shall be in that day, says the Lord of hosts: I will crush his yoke from your neck, and I will break open his bands. And strangers will no longer rule over him.
It will come to pass in that day, says the LORD of Hosts, that I will break his yoke from off your neck, and will burst your bonds. Strangers will no more make them their bondservants;
9 Instead, they will serve the Lord their God, and David their king, whom I will raise up for them.
but they will serve the LORD their God, and David their king, whom I will raise up to them.
10 Therefore, O my servant Jacob, you should not be afraid, says the Lord, and you should not be frightened, O Israel. For behold, I will save you from a far away land, and your offspring from the land of their captivity. And Jacob will return and have rest, and he shall flow with every good thing. And there will be no one for him to dread.
Therefore don’t be afraid, O Jacob my servant, says the LORD. Don’t be dismayed, Israel. For, behold, I will save you from afar, and save your offspring from the land of their captivity. Jacob will return, and will be quiet and at ease. No one will make him afraid.
11 For I am with you, says the Lord, so that I may save you. For I will bring about the consummation of all the nations, among which I have scattered you. But I will not bring about your consummation. Instead, I will chastise you in judgment, so that you will not seem innocent to yourself.”
For I am with you, says the LORD, to save you; for I will make a full end of all the nations where I have scattered you, but I will not make a full end of you; but I will correct you in measure, and will in no way leave you unpunished.”
12 For thus says the Lord: “Your fracture is incurable; your wound is very serious.
For the LORD says, “Your hurt is incurable. Your wound is grievous.
13 There is no one who may judge your judgment, so as to bandage it; there is no useful treatment for you.
There is no one to plead your cause, that you may be bound up. You have no healing medicines.
14 All your lovers have forgotten you, and they will not seek you. For I have wounded you with the strike of an enemy, with a cruel chastisement. Your sins have become hardened because of the multitude of your iniquities.
All your lovers have forgotten you. They don’t seek you. For I have wounded you with the wound of an enemy, with the chastisement of a cruel one, for the greatness of your iniquity, because your sins were increased.
15 Why do you cry out over your affliction? Your pain is incurable. I have done these things to you because of the multitude of your iniquity and because of your hardened sins.
Why do you cry over your injury? Your pain is incurable. For the greatness of your iniquity, because your sins have increased, I have done these things to you.
16 Because of this, all those who devour you, will be devoured. And all your enemies will be led into captivity. And those who devastate you, will be devastated. And all those who prey upon you, I will offer as a prey.
Therefore all those who devour you will be devoured. All your adversaries, everyone of them, will go into captivity. Those who plunder you will be plunder. I will make all who prey on you become prey.
17 For I will close up your scar, and I will heal you of your wounds, says the Lord. For they have called you an outcast, O Zion: ‘This is she who has no one asking for her.’”
For I will restore health to you, and I will heal you of your wounds,” says the LORD, “because they have called you an outcast, saying, ‘It is Zion, whom no man seeks after.’”
18 Thus says the Lord: “Behold, I will turn back the turning away of the tabernacles of Jacob, and I will take pity on his roofs. And the city will be built up in her heights, and the temple will be founded according to its order.
The LORD says: “Behold, I will reverse the captivity of Jacob’s tents, and have compassion on his dwelling places. The city will be built on its own hill, and the palace will be inhabited in its own place.
19 And praise will go forth from them, with the voice of those who play. And I will multiply them, and they will not be lessened. And I will glorify them, and they will not be weakened.
Thanksgiving will proceed out of them with the voice of those who make merry. I will multiply them, and they will not be few; I will also glorify them, and they will not be small.
20 And their sons will be as in the beginning. And their assembly will remain in my sight. And I will visit against all those who trouble them.
Their children also will be as before, and their congregation will be established before me. I will punish all who oppress them.
21 And their ruler will be one of their own. And their prince will be led forward from their midst. And I will draw him near, and he will cling to me. For who is the one who applies his heart, so that he may draw near to me, says the Lord?
Their prince will be one of them, and their ruler will proceed from amongst them. I will cause him to draw near, and he will approach me; for who is he who has had boldness to approach me?” says the LORD.
22 And you shall be my people, and I will be your God.”
“You shall be my people, and I will be your God.
23 Behold the whirlwind of the Lord, his fury going forth, a destroying storm! It will rest upon the head of the impious.
Behold, the LORD’s storm, his wrath, has gone out, a sweeping storm; it will burst on the head of the wicked.
24 The Lord will not turn back the wrath of his indignation, until he has accomplished and completed the plan of his heart. In the last days, you shall understand these things.
The fierce anger of the LORD will not return until he has accomplished, and until he has performed the intentions of his heart. In the latter days you will understand it.”

< Jeremiah 30 >