The Lord's Promises to His People
1 The Lord, the God of Israel, 2 said to me, “Write down in a book everything that I have told you, 3 because the time is coming when I will restore my people, Israel and Judah. I will bring them back to the land that I gave their ancestors, and they will take possession of it again. I, the Lord, have spoken.”
4 The Lord says to the people of Israel and Judah,
5 “I heard a cry of terror,
a cry of fear and not of peace.
6 Now stop and think!
Can a man give birth to a child?
Why then do I see every man with his hands on his stomach
like a woman in labor?
Why is everyone so pale?
7 A terrible day is coming;
no other day can compare with it—
a time of distress for my people,
but they will survive.”
8 The Lord Almighty says, “When that day comes, I will break the yoke that is around their neck and remove their chains, and they will no longer be the slaves of foreigners. 9 Instead, they will serve me, the Lord their God, and a descendant of David, whom I will enthrone as king.
10 “My people, do not be afraid;
people of Israel, do not be terrified.
I will rescue you from that faraway land,
from the land where you are prisoners.
You will come back home and live in peace;
you will be secure, and no one will make you afraid.
11 I will come to you and save you.
I will destroy all the nations
where I have scattered you,
but I will not destroy you.
I will not let you go unpunished;
but when I punish you, I will be fair.
I, the Lord, have spoken.”
12 The Lord says to his people,
“Your wounds are incurable,
your injuries cannot be healed.
13 There is no one to take care of you,
no remedy for your sores,
no hope of healing for you.
14 All your lovers have forgotten you;
they no longer care about you.
I have attacked you like an enemy;
your punishment has been harsh
because your sins are many
and your wickedness is great.
15 Complain no more about your injuries;
there is no cure for you.
I punished you like this
because your sins are many
and your wickedness is great.
16 But now, all who devour you will be devoured,
and all your enemies will be taken away as prisoners.
All who oppress you will be oppressed,
and all who plunder you will be plundered.
17 I will make you well again;
I will heal your wounds,
though your enemies say,
‘Zion is an outcast;
no one cares about her.’
I, the Lord, have spoken.”
18 The Lord says,
“I will restore my people to their land
and have mercy on every family;
Jerusalem will be rebuilt,
and its palace restored.
19 The people who live there will sing praise;
they will shout for joy.
By my blessing they will increase in numbers;
my blessing will bring them honor.
20 I will restore the nation's ancient power
and establish it firmly again;
I will punish all who oppress them.
21-22 Their ruler will come from their own nation,
their prince from their own people.
He will approach me when I invite him,
for who would dare come uninvited?
They will be my people,
and I will be their God.
I, the Lord, have spoken.”
23-24 The Lord's anger is a storm, a furious wind that will rage over the heads of the wicked. It will not end until he has done all that he intends to do. In days to come his people will understand this clearly.
1 The worde, that came to Ieremiah from the Lord, saying, 2 Thus speaketh the Lord God of Israel, saying, Write thee all the wordes, that I haue spoken vnto thee in a booke. 3 For loe, the dayes come, saith the Lord, that I wil bring againe the captiuitie of my people Israel and Iudah, saith the Lord: for I will restore them vnto the lande, that I gaue to their fathers, and they shall possesse it. 4 Againe, these are the wordes that the Lord spake concerning Israel, and concerning Iudah. 5 For thus saith the Lord, wee haue heard a terrible voyce, of feare and not of peace. 6 Demand now and beholde, if man trauayle with childe? wherefore doe I beholde euery man with his hands on his loynes as a woman in trauaile, and all faces are turned into a palenesse? 7 Alas, for this day is great: none hath bene like it: it is euen the time of Iaakobs trouble, yet shall he be deliuered from it. 8 For in that day, sayth the Lord of hostes, I will breake his yoke from off thy necke, and breake thy bondes, and strangers shall no more serue themselues of him. 9 But they shall serue the Lord their God, and Dauid their King, whom I will raise vp vnto them. 10 Therefore feare not, O my seruant Iaakob, saith the Lord, neither be afrayde, O Israel: for loe, I will deliuer thee from a farre countrey, and thy seede from the lande of their captiuitie, and Iaakob shall turne againe, and shalbe in rest and prosperitie and none shall make him afraide. 11 For I am with thee, sayth the Lord, to saue thee: though I vtterly destroy all the nations where I haue scattered thee, yet will I not vtterly destroy thee, but I will correct thee by iudgement, and not vtterly cut thee off. 12 For thus saith the Lord, Thy bruising is incurable, and thy wound is dolorous. 13 There is none to iudge thy cause, or to lay a plaister: there are no medicines, nor help for thee. 14 All thy louers haue forgotten thee: they seeke thee not: for I haue striken thee with the wound of an enemie, and with a sharpe chastisement for ye multitude of thine iniquities, because thy sinnes were increased. 15 Why cryest thou for thine affliction? thy sorowe is incurable, for the multitude of thine iniquities: because thy sinnes were increased, I haue done these things vnto thee. 16 Therefore all they that deuoure thee, shall be deuoured, and all thine enemies euery one shall goe into captiuitie: and they that spoyle thee, shalbe spoyled, and all they that robbe thee, wil I giue to be robbed. 17 For I will restore health vnto thee, and I will heale thee of thy woundes, saith the Lord, because they called thee, The cast away, saying, This is Zion, whom no man seeketh after. 18 Thus saith the Lord, Beholde, I will bring againe the captiuitie of Iaakobs tentes, and haue compassion on his dwelling places: and the citie shalbe builded vpon her owne heape, and the palace shall remaine after the maner thereof. 19 And out of them shall proceede thankesgiuing, and the voyce of them that are ioyous, and I will multiplie them, and they shall not bee fewe: I will also glorifie them, and they shall not be diminished. 20 Their children also shall be as afore time, and their congregation shall be established before me: and I will visite all that vexe them. 21 And their noble ruler shall be of themselues, and their gouernour shall proceede from the middes of them, and I will cause him to draw neere, and approche vnto me: for who is this that directeth his heart to come vnto mee, saith the Lord? 22 And ye shall be my people, and I will bee your God. 23 Beholde, the tempest of the Lord goeth foorth with wrath: the whirlewinde that hangeth ouer, shall light vpon the head of the wicked. 24 The fierce wrath of the Lord shall not returne, vntill he haue done, and vntill he haue performed the intents of his heart: in the latter dayes ye shall vnderstand it.