Again, the opening words of the oracle anticipate an unspecified future time when the conditions that are described in what follows will come to fruition (the time is coming). While vague in terms of time reference, the formula also makes it clear that fulfillment is certain. What follows is the startling promise that God will make a new covenant with the people of God (the house of Israel and the house of Judah). The next few verses go on to describe the new covenant in contrast to what is implicitly
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