Jeremiah 31:36–40

36 “Only if these decrees vanish from my sight,”

declares the Lord,

“will Israel ever cease

being a nation before me.”

37 This is what the Lord says:

“Only if the heavens above can be measured

and the foundations of the earth below be searched out

will I reject 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 for me from the Tower of Hananel to the Corner Gate. 39 The measuring line will stretch from there straight to the hill of Gareb and then turn to Goah. 40 The whole valley where dead bodies and ashes are thrown, and all the terraces out to the Kidron Valley on the east as far as the corner of the Horse Gate, will be holy to the Lord. The city will never again be uprooted or demolished.”

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.

36 “I am as likely to reject my people Israel

as I am to abolish the laws of nature!”

37 This is what the Lord says:

“Just as the heavens cannot be measured

and the foundations of the earth cannot be explored,

so I will not consider casting them away

for the evil they have done.

I, the Lord, have spoken!

38 “The day is coming,” says the Lord, “when all Jerusalem will be rebuilt for me, from the Tower of Hananel to the Corner Gate. 39 A measuring line will be stretched out over the hill of Gareb and across to Goah. 40 And the entire area—including the graveyard and ash dump in the valley, and all the fields out to the Kidron Valley on the east as far as the Horse Gate—will be holy to the Lord. The city will never again be captured or destroyed.”

36 “If those ordinances depart

From before Me, says the Lord,

Then the seed of Israel shall also cease

From being a nation before Me forever.”

37 Thus says 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, says the Lord.

38 “Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, that the city shall be built for the Lord—from the Tower of Hananel to the Corner Gate. 39 The surveyor’s line shall again extend straight forward over the hill Gareb; then it shall turn toward Goath. 40 And the whole valley of the dead bodies and of the ashes, and all the fields as far as the Brook Kidron, to the corner of the Horse Gate toward the east, shall be holy to the Lord. It shall not be plucked up or thrown down anymore forever.”

36 “Only if these laws should ever fail,”

says the Lord,

“will Israel’s descendants ever stop

being a nation before me.”

37 This is what the Lord says:

“Only if people can measure the sky above

and learn the secrets of the earth below,

will I reject all the descendants of Israel

because of what they have done,” says the Lord.

38 The Lord says, “The time is coming when Jerusalem will be rebuilt for me—everything from the Tower of Hananel to the Corner Gate. 39 The measuring line will stretch from the Corner Gate straight to the hill of Gareb. Then it will turn to the place named Goah. 40 The whole valley where dead bodies and ashes are thrown, and all the terraces out to the Kidron Valley on the east as far as the corner of the Horse Gate—all that area will be holy to the Lord. The city of Jerusalem will never again be torn down or destroyed.”

36 If these ordinances depart from before me, saith Jehovah, then the seed of Israel also shall cease from being a nation before me for ever. 37 Thus saith Jehovah: If heaven above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth searched out beneath, then will I also cast off all the seed of Israel for all that they have done, saith Jehovah.

38 Behold, the days come, saith Jehovah, that the city shall be built to Jehovah from the tower of Hananel unto the gate of the corner. 39 And the measuring line shall go out further straight onward unto the hill Gareb, and shall turn about unto Goah. 40 And the whole valley of the dead bodies and of the ashes, and all the fields unto the brook Kidron, unto the corner of the horse gate toward the east, shall be holy unto Jehovah; it shall not be plucked up, nor thrown down any more for ever.

36 If those ordinances depart from before me, saith Jehovah, the seed of Israel also shall cease from being a nation before me for ever. 37 Thus saith Jehovah: If the heavens above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth searched out beneath, I will also cast off the whole seed of Israel, for all that they have done, saith Jehovah. 38 Behold, the days come, saith Jehovah, that the city shall be built to Jehovah, from the tower of Hananeel unto the corner-gate. 39 And the measuring line shall yet go forth before it unto the hill Gareb, and shall turn toward Goath. 40 And the whole valley of the dead bodies, and of the ashes, and all the fields unto the torrent Kidron, unto the corner of the horse-gate toward the east, shall be holy unto Jehovah: it shall not be plucked up, nor overthrown any more for ever.

36 Only if these laws stop working, declares the Lord, 

will Israel’s descendants stop being a nation in my presence. 

37 This is what the Lord says: 

Only if the heavens could be measured 

or the foundations of the earth could be searched, 

would I ever reject all of Israel’s descendants 

because of everything that they have done, declares the Lord. 

38 “The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when the city will be rebuilt for me from the Tower of Hananel to Corner Gate. 39 A measuring line will stretch from there straight to the Hill of Gareb, and then it will turn to Goah. 40 The whole valley, filled with its dead bodies and ashes, and the whole area to the Kidron Valley, as far as the corner of Horse Gate in the east, will be holy to the Lord. It will never be uprooted or torn down again.” 

36 If this fixed order departs from My presence—

this is the Lord’s declaration—

then also Israel’s descendants will cease

to be a nation before Me forever.

37 This is what the Lord says:

If the heavens above can be measured

and the foundations of the earth below explored,

I will reject all of Israel’s descendants

because of all they have done—

this is the Lord’s declaration.

38 “Look, the days are coming”—the Lord’s declaration—“when the city from the Tower of Hananel to the Corner Gate will be rebuilt for the Lord. 39 A measuring line will once again stretch out straight to the hill of Gareb and then turn toward Goah. 40 The whole valley—the corpses, the ashes, and all the fields as far as the Kidron Valley to the corner of the Horse Gate to the east—will be holy to the Lord. It will never be uprooted or demolished again.”

36 If this fixed order were ever to cease

from my presence, says the Lord,

then also the offspring of Israel would cease

to be a nation before me forever.

37 Thus says the Lord:

If the heavens above can be measured

and the foundations of the earth below can be explored,

then I will reject all the offspring of Israel

because of all they have done,

says the Lord.

38 The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when the city shall be rebuilt for the Lord from the tower of Hananel to the Corner Gate. 39 And the measuring line shall go out farther, straight to the hill Gareb, and shall then turn to Goah. 40 The whole valley of the dead bodies and the ashes and all the fields as far as the Wadi Kidron, to the corner of the Horse Gate toward the east, shall be sacred to the Lord. It shall never again be uprooted or overthrown.

36 “If these rules would cease from before me,” declares Yahweh, “also the offspring of Israel would cease from being a nation before me forever.” 37 Thus says Yahweh, “If the heavens above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth below can be explored, also I will reject all the offspring of Israel because of all that they have done,” declares Yahweh. 38 “Look, days are coming,” declares Yahweh, “and the city will be rebuilt for Yahweh, from the Tower of Hananel to the Corner Gate. 39 And the measuring line will still go out immediately in front of it to the hill of Gareb, and it will turn to Goah. 40 And the whole of the valley of the corpses, and the ashes, and all the cultivated fields up to the wadi of Kidron, up to the corner of the Gate of the Horses toward the east will be holy to Yahweh. It will not be uprooted, and it will not be overthrown again forever.”

36 “Suppose my orders for creation disappear from my sight,”

announces the Lord.

“Only then will the people of Israel stop being

a nation in my sight.”

37 The Lord says,

“Suppose the sky above could be measured.

Suppose the foundations of the earth below could be completely discovered.

Only then would I turn the people of Israel away.

Even though they have committed many sins,

I will still accept them,”

announces the Lord.

38 “A new day is coming,” announces the Lord. “At that time Jerusalem will be rebuilt for me. It will be rebuilt from the Tower of Hananel to the Corner Gate. 39 The measuring line will reach out from there. It will go straight to the hill of Gareb. Then it will turn and reach as far as Goah.

40 “There is a valley where dead bodies and ashes are thrown. That whole valley will be holy to me. The side of the Kidron Valley east of the city will be holy to me. It will be holy all the way to the corner of the Horse Gate. The city will never again be pulled up by the roots. It will never be destroyed.”

36 “If this fixed order departs

From before Me,” declares the Lord,

“Then the offspring of Israel also will cease

From being a nation before Me forever.”

37 Thus says the Lord,

“If the heavens above can be measured

And the foundations of the earth searched out below,

Then I will also cast off all the offspring of Israel

For all that they have done,” declares the Lord.

38 “Behold, days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when the city will be rebuilt for the Lord from the Tower of Hananel to the Corner Gate.

39 “The measuring line will go out farther straight ahead to the hill Gareb; then it will turn to Goah.

40 “And the whole valley of the dead bodies and of the ashes, and all the fields as far as the brook Kidron, to the corner of the Horse Gate toward the east, shall be holy to the Lord; it will not be plucked up or overthrown anymore forever.”