⁶ “‘Nevertheless, I will bring health and healing to it; I will heal^(A) my people and will let them enjoy abundant peace^(B) and security. ⁷ I will bring Judah^(C) and Israel back from captivity^[a](D) and will rebuild^(E) them as they were before.^{(F) 8} I will cleanse^(G) them from all the sin they have committed against me and will forgive^(H) all their sins of rebellion against me. ⁹ Then this city will bring me renown,^(I) joy, praise^(J) and honor^(K) before all nations on earth that hear of all the good things I do for it; and they will be in awe and will tremble^(L) at the abundant prosperity and peace I provide for it.’

¹⁰ “This is what the Lord says: ‘You say about this place, “It is a desolate waste, without people or animals.”^(M) Yet in the towns of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem that are deserted,^(N) inhabited by neither people nor animals, there will be heard once more ¹¹ the sounds of joy and gladness,^(O) the voices of bride and bridegroom, and the voices of those who bring thank offerings^(P) to the house of the Lord, saying,

For I will restore the fortunes^(S) of the land as they were before,^(T)’ says the Lord.

¹² “This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘In this place, desolate^(U) and without people or animals^(V)—in all its towns there will again be pastures for shepherds to rest their flocks.^{(W) 13} In the towns of the hill^(X) country, of the western foothills and of the Negev,^(Y) in the territory of Benjamin, in the villages around Jerusalem and in the towns of Judah, flocks will again pass under the hand^(Z) of the one who counts them,’ says the Lord.

Cyrus Helps the Exiles to Return^(A)

1 In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah,^(B) the Lord moved the heart^(C) of Cyrus king of Persia to make a proclamation throughout his realm and also to put it in writing:

⁵ Then the family heads of Judah and Benjamin,^(K) and the priests and Levites—everyone whose heart God had moved^(L)—prepared to go up and build the house^(M) of the Lord in Jerusalem. ⁶ All their neighbors assisted them with articles of silver and gold,^(N) with goods and livestock, and with valuable gifts, in addition to all the freewill offerings.

⁴³ So the Lord gave Israel all the land he had sworn to give their ancestors,^(A) and they took possession^(B) of it and settled there.^(C)

⁸ And I will bring you to the land^(A) I swore^(B) with uplifted hand^(C) to give to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob.^(D) I will give it to you as a possession. I am the Lord.’”^(E)

¹⁵ All the land that you see I will give to you and your offspring^[a] forever.^(A)