Jeremiah 31:1-10

New American Standard Bible

Israel’s Mourning Turned to Joy

31 “At that time,” declares the Lord, “I will be the ^(A)God of all the ^(B)families of Israel, and they shall be My people.”

²This is what the Lord says:
“The people who survived the sword
^(C)Found grace in the wilderness—
Israel, when it went to ^(D)find its rest.”
³The Lord appeared to ^[a]him ^[b]long ago, saying,
“I have ^(E)loved you with an everlasting love;
Therefore I have drawn you out with ^(F)kindness.
⁴^(G)I will build you again and you will be rebuilt,
Virgin of Israel!
You will ^[c]take up your ^(H)tambourines again,
And go out to the dances of the ^(I)revelers.
⁵Again you will ^(J)plant vineyards
On the ^[d]hills of Samaria;
The planters will plant
And will ^[e]enjoy the fruit.
⁶For there will be a day when watchmen
On the hills of Ephraim call out,
‘Arise, and ^(K)let’s go up to Zion,
To the Lord our God.’”

⁷For this is what the Lord says:
“^(L)Sing aloud with joy for Jacob,
And be joyful with the ^[f]^(M)chief of the nations;
Proclaim, give praise, and say,
‘Lord, ^(N)save Your people,
The ^(O)remnant of Israel!’
⁸Behold, I am ^(P)bringing them from the north country,
And I will ^(Q)gather them from the remote parts of the earth,
Among them those who are ^(R)blind and those who ^(S)limp,
The pregnant woman and she who is in labor, together;
They will return here as a great assembly.
⁹^(T)They will come with weeping,
And by pleading I will bring them;
I will lead them by ^(U)streams of waters,
On a straight path on which they will ^(V)not stumble;
For I am a ^(W)father to Israel,
And Ephraim is ^(X)My firstborn.”

¹⁰Hear the word of the Lord, you nations,
And declare it in the ^(Y)coastlands far away,
And say, “He who scattered Israel will ^(Z)gather him,
And He will keep him as a ^(AA)shepherd keeps his flock.”