Add parallel Print Page Options

Israel’s Glorious Future

30 Yahweh spoke his word to Jeremiah. He said, “This is what Yahweh Elohim of Israel says: Write in a book everything that I tell you. The days are coming,” declares Yahweh, “when I will bring my people Israel and Judah back from captivity. I will bring them back to the land that I gave their ancestors, and they will take possession of it.”

This is the message that Yahweh spoke about Israel and Judah: “This is what Yahweh says:

“We hear cries of fear, cries of panic, not cries of peace.
Ask now, and see: Can a man give birth to a child?
    Why, then, do I see every strong man holding his stomach in pain
        like a woman giving birth to a child?
        Why has every face turned pale?
How terrible that day will be!
    There will be no other day like it.
        It will be a time of calamity for the descendants of Jacob,
            but they will be rescued from it.

“On that day,” declares Yahweh Tsebaoth, “I will break the yokes[a] off your necks and tear off your ropes. Foreigners will no longer make you serve them. You will serve Yahweh your Elohim and David your king. I will establish him for you.

10 “Don’t be afraid, my servant Jacob,” declares Yahweh.
    Don’t be terrified, Israel.
    I’m going to rescue you from a faraway place.
    I’m going to rescue your descendants from where they are captives.
        The descendants of Jacob will again have peace and security,
            and no one will frighten them.
11 I am with you, and I will rescue you,” declares Yahweh.
    “I will completely destroy all the nations where I scattered you,
    but I will not completely destroy you.
        I will correct you with justice.
            I won’t let you go entirely unpunished.

12 “This is what Yahweh says:

Your wound is incurable.
    Your injury is beyond healing.
13 No one argues that you should be healed.
    No medicine will heal you.
14 All your lovers have forgotten you,
    and they don’t want you anymore.
    I’ve punished you as an enemy would.
    I’ve corrected you as a cruel person would.
    You are very wicked, and you have many sins.
15 Why do you cry about your wound, your injury that can’t be cured?
    I’ve done this to you.
    You are very wicked, and you have many sins.
16 That is why everyone who devours you will be devoured,
    and all your enemies will be taken away as captives.
    Those who looted you will be looted.
    Those who stole from you in war will have things stolen from them.
17 I’ll restore your health and heal your wounds,” declares Yahweh.
    “People call you an outcast:
        Zion, no one cares for you.

18 “This is what Yahweh says:

I’m going to bring the captives back to Jacob’s tents
    and show compassion on their homes.
    Cities will be built on the ruins,
    and fortified palaces will be built in their rightful place.
19 The people who live there will sing songs of praise,
    and the sound of laughter will be heard from there.
    I’ll make them numerous, and their number won’t decrease.
    I’ll bring them honor, and they won’t be considered unimportant.
20 Their children will be like they were long ago.
    Their community will be established in my presence,
    and I will punish everyone who oppresses them.
21 Their leader will be someone from their own people.
    Their ruler will come from among them.
    I’ll bring him near, and he will come close to me.
        Who would dare to come near me?” asks Yahweh.
22 You will be my people, and I will be your Elohim.
23 The storm of Yahweh will come with his anger.
    Like a driving wind, it will swirl down on the heads of the wicked.
24 Yahweh’s burning anger will not turn back
    until he has done everything he intends to do.
        In the last days you will understand this clearly.

Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 30:8 A yoke is a wooden bar placed over the necks of work animals so that they can pull plows or carts.

Restoration of Israel

30 This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘Write(A) in a book all the words I have spoken to you. 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.”

These are the words the Lord spoke concerning Israel and Judah: “This is what the Lord says:

“‘Cries of fear(E) are heard—
    terror, not peace.
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)
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.

“‘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)
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)’”

23 See, the storm(BF) of the Lord
    will burst out in wrath,
a driving wind swirling down
    on the heads of the wicked.
24 The fierce anger(BG) of the Lord will not turn back(BH)
    until he fully accomplishes
    the purposes of his heart.
In days to come
    you will understand(BI) this.

Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 30:3 Or will restore the fortunes of my people Israel and Judah