Restoration of Israel

30 This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: 2 “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘Writed in a book all the words I have spoken to you. 3 The dayse are coming,’ declares the Lord, ‘when I will bringf my people Israel and Judah back from captivitya and restoreg them to the land I gave their ancestors to possess,’ says the Lord.”

4 These are the words the Lord spoke concerning Israel and Judah: 5 “This is what the Lord says:

“ ‘Cries of fearh are heard—

terror, not peace.

6 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,i

every face turned deathly pale?j

7 How awful that dayk will be!

No other will be like it.

It will be a time of troublel for Jacob,

but he will be savedm out of it.

8 “ ‘In that day,’ declares the Lord Almighty,

‘I will break the yoken off their necks

and will tear off their bonds;o

no longer will foreigners enslave them.p

9 Instead, they will serve the Lord their God

and Davidq their king,r

whom I will raise up for them.

10 “ ‘So do not be afraid,s Jacob my servant;t

do not be dismayed, Israel,’

declares the Lord.

‘I will surely saveu you out of a distant place,

your descendants from the land of their exile.

Jacob will again have peace and security,v

and no one will make him afraid.w

11 I am with youx and will save you,’

declares the Lord.

‘Though I completely destroy all the nations

among which I scatter you,

I will not completely destroyy you.

I will disciplinez you but only in due measure;

I will not let you go entirely unpunished.’a

12 “This is what the Lord says:

“ ‘Your woundb is incurable,

your injury beyond healing.c

13 There is no one to plead your cause,d

no remedy for your sore,

no healinge for you.

14 All your alliesf have forgotten you;

they care nothing for you.

I have struck you as an enemyg would

and punished you as would the cruel,h

because your guilt is so great

and your sinsi so many.

15 Why do you cry out over your wound,

your pain that has no cure?j

Because of your great guilt and many sins

I have done these things to you.k

16 “ ‘But all who devourl you will be devoured;

all your enemies will go into exile.m

Those who plundern you will be plundered;

all who make spoil of you I will despoil.

17 But I will restore you to health

and healo your wounds,’

declares the Lord,

‘because you are called an outcast,p

Zion for whom no one cares.’q

18 “This is what the Lord says:

“ ‘I will restore the fortunesr of Jacob’s tentss

and have compassiont on his dwellings;

the city will be rebuiltu on her ruins,

and the palace will stand in its proper place.

19 From them will come songsv of thanksgivingw

and the sound of rejoicing.x

I will add to their numbers,y

and they will not be decreased;

I will bring them honor,z

and they will not be disdained.

20 Their childrena will be as in days of old,

and their community will be establishedb before me;

I will punishc all who oppress them.

21 Their leaderd will be one of their own;

their ruler will arise from among them.e

I will bring him nearf 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,g

and I will be your God.h’ ”

23 See, the stormi of the Lord

will burst out in wrath,

a driving wind swirling down

on the heads of the wicked.

24 The fierce angerj of the Lord will not turn backk

until he fully accomplishes

the purposes of his heart.

In days to come

you will understandl this.