应许以色列人必复兴

33 耶利米被囚禁在护卫兵院子里的时候,耶和华第二次对他说: “耶和华创造大地,使其成形、根基稳固,祂名叫耶和华。祂说, ‘你呼求我,我就回应你,并且把你不知道的伟大、奥妙之事告诉你。 以色列的上帝耶和华说,耶路撒冷城中的房屋和王宫被拆毁,用来修建防卫工事, 城中的人与迦勒底人争战只会使自己的房屋堆满死尸,因为我要在愤怒中毁灭他们。他们作恶多端,我必掩面不理这城。 但有一天,我必使这城复兴,医治她的创伤,使她繁荣昌盛。 我要使被掳的犹大人和以色列人回到故土,重建家园。 我要除去他们的一切罪恶,赦免他们的一切罪过。 这城要使我在天下万国面前得到尊崇、颂赞和荣耀。万民听见我使这城繁荣昌盛,都恐惧战栗。’”

10 耶和华说:“你们说犹大的城邑和耶路撒冷的街道一片荒凉、人畜绝迹, 11 但这些地方必传出欢乐声、新郎新娘的欢笑声和在耶和华殿中献感恩祭者的歌唱声,

“‘要感谢万军之耶和华,
因为耶和华是美善的,
祂的慈爱永远长存’。

因为我必使被掳的人回到故土,重建家园。这是耶和华说的。”

12 万军之耶和华说:“在这一片荒凉、人畜绝迹的地方,在它所有城邑的周围必再有供牧人放羊的草场。 13 在山区、丘陵和南地的城邑,以及便雅悯、耶路撒冷周围和犹大的城邑必有人清点羊群。这是耶和华说的。” 14 耶和华说:“看啊,时候将到,我要实现我给以色列人和犹大人的美好应许。 15 那时,我要使大卫公义的苗裔兴起,他要在地上秉公行义。 16 那时,犹大必得到拯救,耶路撒冷必安享太平并被称为‘耶和华是我们的义’。 17 因为耶和华说,‘我应许大卫的后裔必永远统治以色列, 18 做祭司的利未人必永远在我面前献燔祭、素祭等祭物。’”

19 耶和华对耶利米说: 20 “这是耶和华说的,‘除非你们能废除我与白昼黑夜所立的约,叫白昼黑夜不再按时更替, 21 才能废除我与我仆人大卫所立的约,使他的王位后继无人,也才能废除我与事奉我的利未祭司所立的约。 22 我要使我仆人大卫的后裔和事奉我的利未人像天上的星和海边的沙一样不可胜数。’”

23 耶和华对耶利米说: 24 “你听见了吗?人们说,‘耶和华已经弃绝了祂所拣选的以色列和犹大两个国家。’他们藐视我的子民,视他们为亡国之民。 25 然而,耶和华说,‘正如我决不废弃我所定的昼夜交替和天地运行之律, 26 我也决不弃绝雅各的后裔,不弃绝我仆人大卫的后裔。我必让大卫的后裔做王统治亚伯拉罕、以撒和雅各的子孙,因为我必使被掳的人回到故土,恩待他们。’”

Excellence of the Restored Nation

33 Moreover the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah a second time, while he was still (A)shut up in the court of the prison, saying, “Thus says the Lord (B)who made it, the Lord who formed it to establish it (C)(the[a] Lord is His name): (D)‘Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and [b]mighty things, which you do not know.’

“For thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, concerning the houses of this city and the houses of the kings of Judah, which have been pulled down to fortify against (E)the siege mounds and the sword: ‘They come to fight with the Chaldeans, but only to (F)fill their places with the dead bodies of men whom I will slay in My anger and My fury, all for whose wickedness I have hidden My face from this city. Behold, (G)I will bring it health and healing; I will heal them and reveal to them the abundance of peace and truth. And (H)I will cause the captives of Judah and the captives of Israel to return, and will rebuild those places (I)as at the first. I will (J)cleanse them from all their iniquity by which they have sinned against Me, and I will pardon all their iniquities by which they have sinned and by which they have transgressed against Me. (K)Then it shall be to Me a name of joy, a praise, and an honor before all nations of the earth, who shall hear all the good that I do to them; they shall (L)fear and tremble for all the goodness and all the prosperity that I provide for it.’

10 “Thus says the Lord: ‘Again there shall be heard in this place—(M)of which you say, “It is desolate, without man and without beast”—in the cities of Judah, in the streets of Jerusalem that are desolate, without man and without inhabitant and without beast, 11 the (N)voice of joy and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the voice of those who will say:

(O)“Praise the Lord of hosts,
For the Lord is good,
For His mercy endures forever”—

and of those who will bring (P)the sacrifice of praise into the house of the Lord. For I will cause the captives of the land to return as at the first,’ says the Lord.

12 “Thus says the Lord of hosts: (Q)‘In this place which is desolate, without man and without beast, and in all its cities, there shall again be a dwelling place of shepherds causing their flocks to lie down. 13 (R)In the cities of the mountains, in the cities of the lowland, in the cities of the South, in the land of Benjamin, in the places around Jerusalem, and in the cities of Judah, the flocks shall again (S)pass under the hands of him who counts them,’ says the Lord.

14 (T)‘Behold, the days are coming,’ says the Lord, ‘that (U)I will perform that good thing which I have promised to the house of Israel and to the house of Judah:

15 ‘In those days and at that time
I will cause to grow up to David
A (V)Branch of righteousness;
He shall execute judgment and righteousness in the earth.
16 In those days Judah will be saved,
And Jerusalem will dwell safely.
And this is the name by which she will be called:

[c]THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.’

17 “For thus says the Lord: ‘David shall never (W)lack a man to sit on the throne of the house of Israel; 18 nor shall the (X)priests, the Levites, lack a man to (Y)offer burnt offerings before Me, to [d]kindle grain offerings, and to sacrifice continually.’ ”

The Permanence of God’s Covenant

19 And the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah, saying, 20 “Thus says the Lord: ‘If you can break My covenant with the day and My covenant with the night, so that there will not be day and night in their season, 21 then (Z)My covenant may also be broken with David My servant, so that he shall not have a son to reign on his throne, and with the Levites, the priests, My ministers. 22 As (AA)the host of heaven cannot be numbered, nor the sand of the sea measured, so will I (AB)multiply the descendants of David My servant and the (AC)Levites who minister to Me.’ ”

23 Moreover the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah, saying, 24 “Have you not considered what these people have spoken, saying, ‘The two families which the Lord has chosen, He has also cast them off’? Thus they have (AD)despised My people, as if they should no more be a nation before them.

25 “Thus says the Lord: ‘If (AE)My covenant is not with day and night, and if I have not (AF)appointed the ordinances of heaven and earth, 26 (AG)then I will (AH)cast away the descendants of Jacob and David My servant, so that I will not take any of his descendants to be rulers over the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. For I will cause their captives to return, and will have mercy on them.’ ”

Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 33:2 Heb. YHWH
  2. Jeremiah 33:3 inaccessible
  3. Jeremiah 33:16 Heb. YHWH Tsidkenu; cf. Jer. 23:5, 6
  4. Jeremiah 33:18 burn

The Lord Promises Peace

33 The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah a second time, while he was still (A)shut up in the court of the guard: “Thus says (B)the Lord who made the earth,[a] the Lord who formed it to establish it—(C)the Lord is his name: (D)Call to me and I will answer you, (E)and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known. For thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, concerning the houses of this city and the houses of the kings of Judah that were torn down to make a defense against (F)the siege mounds and against the sword: They are coming in (G)to fight against the Chaldeans and to fill them[b] with the dead bodies of men whom I shall strike down (H)in my anger and my wrath, (I)for I have hidden my face from this city because of all their evil. (J)Behold, I will bring to it health and healing, and I will heal them and reveal to them abundance of prosperity and security. (K)I will restore the fortunes of Judah and the fortunes of Israel, (L)and rebuild them as they were (M)at first. (N)I will cleanse them from all the guilt of their sin against me, (O)and I will forgive all the guilt of their sin and rebellion against me. (P)And this city[c] shall be to me a name of joy, a praise and a glory before all the nations of the earth who shall hear of all the good that I do for them. They shall (Q)fear and tremble because of all the good and all the prosperity I provide for it.

10 “Thus says the Lord: In this place (R)of which you say, ‘It is a waste without man or beast,’ in the cities of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem that are desolate, without man or inhabitant or beast, there shall be heard again 11 (S)the voice of mirth and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the voices of those who sing, as they bring (T)thank offerings to the house of the Lord:

(U)“‘Give thanks to the Lord of hosts,
    for the Lord is good,
    for his steadfast love endures forever!’

(V)For I will restore the fortunes of the land as at first, says the Lord.

12 “Thus says the Lord of hosts: (W)In this place that is waste, without man or beast, and in all of its cities, there shall again be (X)habitations of shepherds (Y)resting their flocks. 13 (Z)In the cities of the hill country, (AA)in the cities of the Shephelah, (AB)and in the cities of the Negeb, in the land of Benjamin, (AC)the places about Jerusalem, (AD)and in the cities of Judah, (AE)flocks shall again pass under the hands (AF)of the one who counts them, says the Lord.

The Lord's Eternal Covenant with David

14 (AG)“Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when (AH)I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah. 15 In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous (AI)Branch to spring up for David, and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. 16 In those days Judah will be saved, (AJ)and Jerusalem will dwell securely. And this is the name by which it will be called: (AK)‘The Lord is our righteousness.’

17 “For thus says the Lord: (AL)David shall never lack a man to sit on the throne of the house of Israel, 18 (AM)and the Levitical priests shall never lack a man in my presence to offer burnt offerings, to burn grain offerings, and to make sacrifices forever.”

19 The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: 20 (AN)“Thus says the Lord: (AO)If you can break my covenant with the day and my covenant with the night, (AP)so that day and night will not come at their appointed time, 21 (AQ)then also my covenant with David my servant may be broken, so that he shall not have a son to reign on his throne, and my covenant with the Levitical priests my ministers. 22 As (AR)the host of heaven cannot be numbered and (AS)the sands of the sea cannot be measured, so I will multiply the offspring of David my servant, and the Levitical priests who minister to me.”

23 The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: 24 “Have you not observed that these people are saying, ‘The Lord has rejected the two clans that he chose’? Thus they have despised my people so that they are no longer a nation in their sight. 25 Thus says the Lord: (AT)If I have not established my covenant with day and night and the fixed order of heaven and earth, 26 then I will reject the offspring of Jacob and David my servant and will not choose one of his offspring to rule over the offspring of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. (AU)For I will restore their fortunes and will have mercy on them.”

Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 33:2 Septuagint; Hebrew it
  2. Jeremiah 33:5 That is, the torn-down houses
  3. Jeremiah 33:9 Hebrew And it

33 Moreover the word of the Lord came unto Jeremiah the second time, while he was yet shut up in the court of the prison, saying,

Thus saith the Lord the maker thereof, the Lord that formed it, to establish it; the Lord is his name;

Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.

For thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel, concerning the houses of this city, and concerning the houses of the kings of Judah, which are thrown down by the mounts, and by the sword;

They come to fight with the Chaldeans, but it is to fill them with the dead bodies of men, whom I have slain in mine anger and in my fury, and for all whose wickedness I have hid my face from this city.

Behold, I will bring it health and cure, and I will cure them, and will reveal unto them the abundance of peace and truth.

And I will cause the captivity of Judah and the captivity of Israel to return, and will build them, as at the first.

And I will cleanse them from all their iniquity, whereby they have sinned against me; and I will pardon all their iniquities, whereby they have sinned, and whereby they have transgressed against me.

And it shall be to me a name of joy, a praise and an honour before all the nations of the earth, which shall hear all the good that I do unto them: and they shall fear and tremble for all the goodness and for all the prosperity that I procure unto it.

10 Thus saith the Lord; Again there shall be heard in this place, which ye say shall be desolate without man and without beast, even in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, that are desolate, without man, and without inhabitant, and without beast,

11 The voice of joy, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride, the voice of them that shall say, Praise the Lord of hosts: for the Lord is good; for his mercy endureth for ever: and of them that shall bring the sacrifice of praise into the house of the Lord. For I will cause to return the captivity of the land, as at the first, saith the Lord.

12 Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Again in this place, which is desolate without man and without beast, and in all the cities thereof, shall be an habitation of shepherds causing their flocks to lie down.

13 In the cities of the mountains, in the cities of the vale, and in the cities of the south, and in the land of Benjamin, and in the places about Jerusalem, and in the cities of Judah, shall the flocks pass again under the hands of him that telleth them, saith the Lord.

14 Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will perform that good thing which I have promised unto the house of Israel and to the house of Judah.

15 In those days, and at that time, will I cause the Branch of righteousness to grow up unto David; and he shall execute judgment and righteousness in the land.

16 In those days shall Judah be saved, and Jerusalem shall dwell safely: and this is the name wherewith she shall be called, The Lord our righteousness.

17 For thus saith the Lord; David shall never want a man to sit upon the throne of the house of Israel;

18 Neither shall the priests the Levites want a man before me to offer burnt offerings, and to kindle meat offerings, and to do sacrifice continually.

19 And the word of the Lord came unto Jeremiah, saying,

20 Thus saith the Lord; If ye can break my covenant of the day, and my covenant of the night, and that there should not be day and night in their season;

21 Then may also my covenant be broken with David my servant, that he should not have a son to reign upon his throne; and with the Levites the priests, my ministers.

22 As the host of heaven cannot be numbered, neither the sand of the sea measured: so will I multiply the seed of David my servant, and the Levites that minister unto me.

23 Moreover the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah, saying,

24 Considerest thou not what this people have spoken, saying, The two families which the Lord hath chosen, he hath even cast them off? thus they have despised my people, that they should be no more a nation before them.

25 Thus saith the Lord; If my covenant be not with day and night, and if I have not appointed the ordinances of heaven and earth;

26 Then will I cast away the seed of Jacob and David my servant, so that I will not take any of his seed to be rulers over the seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob: for I will cause their captivity to return, and have mercy on them.