Jeremiah 30

Restoration of Israel

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 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!

None will be like it.

It will be a time of troubleⁱ 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 Davidⁿ their king,^o

whom I will raise up for them.

“ ‘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

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

“This is what the Lord says:

“ ‘Your wound^y is incurable,

your injury beyond healing.^z

There is no one to plead your cause,^a

no remedy for your sore,

no healing^b for you.

All your allies^c have forgotten you;

they care nothing for you.

I have struck you as an enemy^d would

and punished you as would the cruel,^e

because your guilt is so great

and your sins^f so many.

Why do you cry out over your wound,

your pain that has no cure?^g

Because of your great guilt and many sins

I have done these things to you.^h

“ ‘But all who devourⁱ you will be devoured;

all your enemies will go into exile.^j

Those who plunder^k you will be plundered;

all who make spoil of you I will despoil.

But I will restore you to health

and heal^l your wounds,’

declares the Lord,

‘because you are called an outcast,^m

Zion for whom no one cares.’ⁿ

“This is what the Lord says:

“ ‘I will restore the fortunes^o of Jacob’s tents^p

and have compassion^q on his dwellings;

the city will be rebuilt^r on her ruins,

and the palace will stand in its proper place.

From them will come songs^s of thanksgiving^t

and the sound of rejoicing.^u

I will add to their numbers,^v

and they will not be decreased;

I will bring them honor,^w

and they will not be disdained.

Their children^x will be as in days of old,

and their community will be established^y before me;

I will punish^z all who oppress them.

Their leader^a will be one of their own;

their ruler will arise from among them.^b

I will bring him near^c and he will come close to me—

for who is he who will devote himself

to be close to me?’

declares the Lord.

“ ‘So you will be my people,^d

and I will be your God.^e’ ”

See, the storm^f of the Lord

will burst out in wrath,

a driving wind swirling down

on the heads of the wicked.

The fierce anger^g of the Lord will not turn back^h

until he fully accomplishes

the purposes of his heart.

In days to come

you will understandⁱ this.