Font Size
Jeremiah 25:5-31:21
English Standard Version
Jeremiah 25:5-31:21
English Standard Version
5 saying, (A)‘Turn now, every one of you, (B)from his evil way and evil deeds, and (C)dwell upon the land that the Lord has given to you and your fathers from of old and forever. 6 (D)Do not go after other gods to serve and worship them, (E)or provoke me to anger (F)with the work of your hands. Then I will do you no harm.’ 7 (G)Yet you have not listened to me, declares the Lord, (H)that you might provoke me to anger (I)with the work of your hands to your own harm.
8 “Therefore thus says the Lord of hosts: Because you have not obeyed my words, 9 (J)behold, I will send for all the tribes of the north, declares the Lord, and for Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, (K)my servant, and I will bring them against this land and its inhabitants, and against all these surrounding nations. I will devote them to destruction, (L)and make them a horror, a hissing, and an everlasting desolation. 10 Moreover, (M)I will banish from them the voice of mirth and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, (N)the grinding of the millstones and (O)the light of the lamp. 11 (P)This whole land shall become a ruin and a waste, and (Q)these nations shall serve the king of Babylon (R)seventy years. 12 Then after (S)seventy years are completed, (T)I will punish the king of Babylon and that nation, (U)the land of the Chaldeans, for their iniquity, declares the Lord, (V)making the land an everlasting waste. 13 I will bring upon that land all the words that I have uttered against it, everything written (W)in this book, which Jeremiah prophesied against all the nations. 14 (X)For many nations (Y)and great kings shall make slaves even of them, (Z)and I will recompense them according to their deeds and the work of their hands.”
The Cup of the Lord's Wrath
15 Thus the Lord, the God of Israel, said to me: (AA)“Take from my hand this cup of the wine of wrath, and make all the nations to whom I send you drink it. 16 They shall drink and stagger and be crazed because of (AB)the sword that I am sending among them.”
17 So I took the cup from the Lord's hand, (AC)and made all the nations to whom the Lord sent me drink it: 18 (AD)Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, its kings and officials, (AE)to make them a desolation and a waste, a hissing and a curse, as at this day; 19 (AF)Pharaoh king of Egypt, his servants, his officials, all his people, 20 and (AG)all the mixed tribes among them; all the kings of (AH)the land of Uz and all the kings of (AI)the land of the Philistines ((AJ)Ashkelon, (AK)Gaza, Ekron, and the remnant of (AL)Ashdod); 21 (AM)Edom, (AN)Moab, and the sons of (AO)Ammon; 22 all the kings of (AP)Tyre, all the kings of (AQ)Sidon, and the kings of the coastland across (AR)the sea; 23 (AS)Dedan, (AT)Tema, (AU)Buz, and all who cut (AV)the corners of their hair; 24 all the (AW)kings of Arabia and all the kings of (AX)the mixed tribes who dwell in the desert; 25 all the kings of Zimri, all the kings of (AY)Elam, and all the kings of (AZ)Media; 26 all the kings of (BA)the north, far and near, one after another, and all the kingdoms of the world that are on the face of the earth. And after them the king of (BB)Babylon[a] shall drink.
27 “Then you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: (BC)Drink, be drunk and vomit, fall and rise no more, because of (BD)the sword that I am sending among you.’
28 “And if they refuse to accept the cup from your hand to drink, then you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts: (BE)You must drink! 29 For behold, (BF)I begin to work disaster at the city that is called by my name, and shall you go unpunished? You shall not go unpunished, (BG)for I am summoning a sword against all the inhabitants of the earth, declares the Lord of hosts.’
30 “You, therefore, shall prophesy against them all these words, and say to them:
(BH)“‘The Lord will roar from on high,
and from his holy habitation utter his voice;
he will roar mightily against his fold,
(BI)and shout, like those who tread grapes,
against all the inhabitants of the earth.
31 The clamor will resound to the ends of the earth,
for (BJ)the Lord has an indictment against the nations;
(BK)he is entering into judgment with all flesh,
and the wicked he will put to the sword,
declares the Lord.’
32 “Thus says the Lord of hosts:
Behold, disaster is going forth
from nation to nation,
(BL)and a great tempest is stirring
(BM)from the farthest parts of the earth!
33 (BN)“And those pierced by the Lord on that day shall extend from one end of the earth to the other. (BO)They shall not be lamented, (BP)or gathered, or buried; (BQ)they shall be dung on the surface of the ground.
34 (BR)“Wail, (BS)you shepherds, and cry out,
(BT)and roll in ashes, you lords of the flock,
for the days of your slaughter and dispersion have come,
and you shall fall like a choice vessel.
35 No refuge will remain (BU)for the shepherds,
nor escape for the lords of the flock.
36 A voice—the cry (BV)of the shepherds,
(BW)and the wail of the lords of the flock!
For the Lord is laying waste their pasture,
37 (BX)and the peaceful folds are devastated
(BY)because of the fierce anger of the Lord.
38 Like a lion (BZ)he has left his lair,
for their land has become a waste
because of (CA)the sword of the oppressor,
(CB)and because of his fierce anger.”
Jeremiah Threatened with Death
26 (CC)In the beginning of the reign of (CD)Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, this word came from the Lord: 2 “Thus says the Lord: (CE)Stand in the court of the Lord's house, and speak to all the cities of Judah that come to worship in the house of the Lord (CF)all the words that I command you to speak to them; (CG)do not hold back a word. 3 (CH)It may be they will listen, and every one turn from his evil way, (CI)that I may relent of the disaster that I intend to do to them (CJ)because of their evil deeds. 4 You shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord: (CK)If you will not listen to me, to walk in my law that I have set before you, 5 (CL)and to listen to the words of my servants the prophets whom I send to you (CM)urgently, (CN)though you have not listened, 6 then I will make this house (CO)like Shiloh, and I will make this city (CP)a curse for all the nations of the earth.’”
7 (CQ)The priests and the prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah speaking these words in the house of the Lord. 8 And when Jeremiah had finished speaking all that the Lord had commanded him to speak to all the people, then (CR)the priests and the prophets and all the people laid hold of him, saying, “You shall die! 9 Why have you prophesied in the name of the Lord, saying, ‘This house shall be (CS)like Shiloh, and this city shall be desolate, (CT)without inhabitant’?” And all the people gathered around Jeremiah in the house of the Lord.
10 When (CU)the officials of Judah heard these things, they came up from the king's house to the house of the Lord and took their seat in the (CV)entry of the New Gate of the house of the Lord. 11 Then (CW)the priests and the prophets said to the officials and to all the people, (CX)“This man deserves the sentence of death, because he has prophesied against this city, as you have heard with your own ears.”
12 Then Jeremiah spoke to all the officials and all the people, saying, “The Lord sent me to prophesy against this house and this city all the words you have heard. 13 Now therefore (CY)mend your ways and your deeds, (CZ)and obey the voice of the Lord your God, (DA)and the Lord will relent of the disaster that he has pronounced against you. 14 (DB)But as for me, behold, I am in your hands. Do with me as seems good and right to you. 15 Only know for certain that if you put me to death, (DC)you will bring innocent blood upon yourselves and upon this city and its inhabitants, for in truth the Lord sent me to you to speak all these words in your ears.”
Jeremiah Spared from Death
16 (DD)Then the officials and all the people said to the priests and the prophets, (DE)“This man does not deserve the sentence of death, for he has spoken to us in the name of the Lord our God.” 17 (DF)And certain of (DG)the elders of the land arose and spoke to all the assembled people, saying, 18 “Micah of Moresheth prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah, and said to all the people of Judah: ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts,
(DH)“‘Zion shall be plowed as a field;
Jerusalem shall become a heap of ruins,
and the mountain of the house a wooded height.’
19 Did Hezekiah king of Judah and all Judah put him to death? (DI)Did he not fear the Lord and entreat the favor of the Lord, (DJ)and did not the Lord relent of the disaster that he had pronounced against them? (DK)But we are about to bring great disaster upon ourselves.”
20 There was another man who prophesied in the name of the Lord, Uriah the son of Shemaiah from (DL)Kiriath-jearim. He prophesied against this city and against this land in words like those of Jeremiah. 21 And when (DM)King Jehoiakim, with all his warriors and all the officials, heard his words, the king sought to put him to death. But when Uriah heard of it, he was afraid and fled and escaped to Egypt. 22 Then (DN)King Jehoiakim sent to Egypt certain men, (DO)Elnathan the son of (DP)Achbor and others with him, 23 and they took Uriah from Egypt and brought him to King Jehoiakim, (DQ)who struck him down with the sword and dumped his dead body into the burial place of the common people.
24 But the hand of (DR)Ahikam the son of Shaphan was with Jeremiah so that he was not given over to the people to be put to death.
The Yoke of Nebuchadnezzar
27 In the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah[b] the son of Josiah, king of Judah, this word came to Jeremiah from the Lord. 2 Thus the Lord said to me: (DS)“Make yourself straps and (DT)yoke-bars, and put them on your neck. 3 Send word[c] to the king of (DU)Edom, the king of (DV)Moab, the king of the sons of (DW)Ammon, the king of (DX)Tyre, and the king of Sidon by the hand of the envoys who have come to Jerusalem to Zedekiah king of Judah. 4 Give them this charge for their masters: ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: This is what you shall say to your masters: 5 “It is I who (DY)by my great power and my outstretched arm (DZ)have made the earth, with the men and animals that are on the earth, (EA)and I give it to whomever it seems right to me. 6 (EB)Now I have given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, (EC)my servant, (ED)and I have given him also the beasts of the field to serve him. 7 (EE)All the nations shall serve him and (EF)his son and (EG)his grandson, (EH)until the time of his own land comes. (EI)Then many nations and great kings shall make him their slave.
8 “‘“But if any nation or kingdom will not serve this Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, (EJ)and put its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, I will punish that nation (EK)with the sword, with famine, and with pestilence, declares the Lord, until I have consumed it by his hand. 9 So (EL)do not listen to your (EM)prophets, your diviners, your dreamers, your (EN)fortune-tellers, or your sorcerers, who are saying to you, ‘You shall not serve the king of Babylon.’ 10 (EO)For it is a lie that they are prophesying to you, with the result that you will be removed far from your land, and I will drive you out, and you will perish. 11 (EP)But any nation that will bring its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon and serve him, I will leave on its own land, to work it and dwell there, declares the Lord.”’”
12 To (EQ)Zedekiah king of Judah I spoke in like manner: (ER)“Bring your necks under the yoke of the king of Babylon, and (ES)serve him and his people and live. 13 (ET)Why will you and your people die (EU)by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence, (EV)as the Lord has spoken concerning any nation that will not serve the king of Babylon? 14 (EW)Do not listen to the words of the prophets who are saying to you, ‘You shall not serve the king of Babylon,’ (EX)for it is a lie that they are prophesying to you. 15 I have not sent them, declares the Lord, but (EY)they are prophesying falsely in my name, with the result that I will drive you out and you will perish, you and the prophets who are prophesying to you.”
16 Then I spoke to the priests and to all this people, saying, “Thus says the Lord: (EZ)Do not listen to the words of your prophets who are prophesying to you, saying, (FA)‘Behold, the vessels of the Lord's house will now shortly be brought back from Babylon,’ (FB)for it is a lie that they are prophesying to you. 17 (FC)Do not listen to them; (FD)serve the king of Babylon and live. Why should this city (FE)become a desolation? 18 If they are prophets, and if the word of the Lord is with them, then (FF)let them intercede with the Lord of hosts, (FG)that the vessels that are left in the house of the Lord, in the house of the king of Judah, and in Jerusalem may not go to Babylon. 19 (FH)For thus says the Lord of hosts concerning the pillars, the sea, the stands, and the rest of the vessels that are left in this city, 20 which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon did not take away, (FI)when he took into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, and all the nobles of Judah and Jerusalem— 21 thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, (FJ)concerning the vessels that are left in the house of the Lord, in the house of the king of Judah, and in Jerusalem: 22 (FK)They shall be carried to Babylon (FL)and remain there (FM)until the day when I visit them, declares the Lord. (FN)Then I will bring them back (FO)and restore them to this place.”
Hananiah the False Prophet
28 In that same year, at the beginning of the reign of (FP)Zedekiah king of Judah, in the fifth month of the fourth year, Hananiah the son of (FQ)Azzur, the prophet from (FR)Gibeon, spoke to me in the house of the Lord, in the presence of the priests and all the people, saying, 2 “Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: (FS)I have broken the yoke of the king of Babylon. 3 (FT)Within (FU)two years I will bring back to this place all the vessels of the Lord's house, which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon took away from this place and carried to Babylon. 4 I will also bring back to this place (FV)Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, and all the exiles from Judah who went to Babylon, declares the Lord, (FW)for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon.”
5 Then the prophet Jeremiah spoke to Hananiah the prophet in the presence of the priests and all the people who were standing in the house of the Lord, 6 and the prophet Jeremiah said, (FX)“Amen! May the Lord do so; may the Lord make the words that you have prophesied come true, and bring back to this place from Babylon the vessels of the house of the Lord, and all the exiles. 7 Yet hear now this word that I speak in your hearing and in the hearing of all the people. 8 (FY)The prophets who preceded you and me from ancient times prophesied war, famine, and pestilence against many countries and great kingdoms. 9 (FZ)As for the prophet who prophesies peace, when the word of that prophet comes to pass, then it will be known that the Lord has truly sent the prophet.”
10 Then the prophet Hananiah took the (GA)yoke-bars from the neck of Jeremiah the prophet and broke them. 11 And Hananiah spoke in the presence of all the people, saying, (GB)“Thus says the Lord: (GC)Even so will I break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon from the neck of (GD)all the nations within two years.” But Jeremiah the prophet went his way.
12 Sometime after the prophet (GE)Hananiah had broken the yoke-bars from off the neck of Jeremiah the prophet, the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: 13 “Go, tell Hananiah, ‘Thus says the Lord: You have broken wooden bars, but you have made in their place bars of iron. 14 For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: I have put upon the neck of all these nations (GF)an iron yoke to serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, (GG)and they shall serve him, (GH)for I have given to him even the beasts of the field.’” 15 And Jeremiah the prophet said to the prophet Hananiah, “Listen, Hananiah, (GI)the Lord has not sent you, (GJ)and you have made this people trust in a lie. 16 Therefore thus says the Lord: ‘Behold, I will remove you from the face of the earth. This year you shall die, (GK)because you have uttered rebellion against the Lord.’”
17 In that same year, in the seventh month, the prophet Hananiah died.
Jeremiah's Letter to the Exiles
29 These are the words of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem to (GL)the surviving elders of the exiles, and to (GM)the priests, (GN)the prophets, and (GO)all the people, whom Nebuchadnezzar had taken into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon. 2 This was after (GP)King Jeconiah and the queen mother, the eunuchs, the officials of Judah and Jerusalem, the craftsmen, and the metal workers had departed from Jerusalem. 3 The letter was sent by the hand of Elasah the son of (GQ)Shaphan and Gemariah the son of (GR)Hilkiah, whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent to Babylon to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. It said: 4 “Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: 5 (GS)Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their produce. 6 Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease. 7 But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and (GT)pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare. 8 For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: (GU)Do not let your prophets and (GV)your diviners who are among you deceive you, and do not listen to the dreams that they dream,[d] 9 for (GW)it is a lie that they are prophesying to you in my name; (GX)I did not send them, declares the Lord.
10 “For thus says the Lord: (GY)When seventy years are completed for Babylon, (GZ)I will visit you, (HA)and I will fulfill to you my promise (HB)and bring you back to this place. 11 (HC)For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare[e] and not for evil, (HD)to give you a future and a hope. 12 (HE)Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, (HF)and I will hear you. 13 (HG)You will seek me and find me, when you seek me (HH)with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you, declares the Lord, (HI)and I will restore your fortunes and (HJ)gather you from all the nations and all the places (HK)where I have driven you, declares the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile.
15 “Because you have said, ‘The Lord has raised up prophets for us in Babylon,’ 16 thus says the Lord concerning (HL)the king who sits on the throne of David, and concerning all the people who dwell in this city, your kinsmen who did not go out with you into exile: 17 ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, behold, I am sending on them (HM)sword, famine, and pestilence, and I will make them like (HN)vile figs that are so rotten they cannot be eaten. 18 I will pursue them with (HO)sword, famine, and pestilence, (HP)and will make them a horror to all the kingdoms of the earth, (HQ)to be a curse, a terror, a hissing, and a reproach among all the nations (HR)where I have driven them, 19 because they did not pay attention to my words, declares the Lord, (HS)that I persistently sent to you by my servants the prophets, but you would not listen, declares the Lord.’ 20 Hear the word of the Lord, all you exiles (HT)whom I sent away from Jerusalem to Babylon: 21 ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, concerning Ahab the son of Kolaiah and Zedekiah the son of Maaseiah, (HU)who are prophesying a lie to you in my name: Behold, I will deliver them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and he shall strike them down before your eyes. 22 (HV)Because of them (HW)this curse shall be used by all the exiles from Judah in Babylon: “The Lord make you like Zedekiah and Ahab, (HX)whom the king of Babylon roasted in the fire,” 23 because they have done an outrageous thing in Israel, (HY)they have committed adultery with their neighbors' wives, and (HZ)they have spoken in my name lying words that I did not command them. (IA)I am the one who knows, (IB)and I am witness, declares the Lord.’”
Shemaiah's False Prophecy
24 To (IC)Shemaiah of Nehelam you shall say: 25 “Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: You have sent letters in your name to all the people who are in Jerusalem, and to (ID)Zephaniah the son of (IE)Maaseiah the priest, and to all the priests, saying, 26 ‘The Lord has made you priest instead of Jehoiada the priest, to have (IF)charge in the house of the Lord (IG)over every madman who prophesies, to put him in (IH)the stocks and neck irons. 27 Now why have you not rebuked Jeremiah (II)of Anathoth who is prophesying to you? 28 For he has sent to us in Babylon, saying, “Your exile will be long; (IJ)build houses and live in them, and plant gardens and eat their produce.”’”
29 (IK)Zephaniah the priest read this letter in the hearing of Jeremiah the prophet. 30 (IL)Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: 31 “Send to all the exiles, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord concerning (IM)Shemaiah of Nehelam: Because (IN)Shemaiah had prophesied to you (IO)when I did not send him, and has made you trust in a lie, 32 therefore thus says the Lord: Behold, I will punish (IP)Shemaiah of Nehelam and his descendants. He shall not have anyone living among this people, (IQ)and he shall not see the good that I will do to my people, declares the Lord, (IR)for he has spoken rebellion against the Lord.’”
Restoration for Israel and Judah
30 The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: 2 “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: (IS)Write in a book all the words that I have spoken to you. 3 (IT)For behold, days are coming, declares the Lord, (IU)when I will restore (IV)the fortunes of my people, (IW)Israel and Judah, says the Lord, (IX)and I will bring them back to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall take possession of it.”
4 These are the words that the Lord spoke concerning (IY)Israel and Judah:
5 “Thus says the Lord:
We have heard a cry of panic,
of terror, and no peace.
6 Ask now, and see,
can a man bear a child?
(IZ)Why then do I see every man
with his hands on his stomach (JA)like a woman in labor?
(JB)Why has every face turned pale?
7 Alas! (JC)That day is so great
(JD)there is none like it;
it is a time of distress for Jacob;
yet he shall be saved out of it.
8 “And it shall come to pass in that day, declares the Lord of hosts, that I will (JE)break his (JF)yoke from off your neck, and I will (JG)burst your bonds, (JH)and foreigners shall no more make a servant of him.[f] 9 But they shall serve the Lord their God and (JI)David their king, whom I will raise up for them.
10 (JJ)“Then fear not, (JK)O Jacob my servant, declares the Lord,
nor be dismayed, O Israel;
for behold, (JL)I will save you from far away,
(JM)and your offspring from the land of their captivity.
(JN)Jacob shall return and have quiet and ease,
and none shall make him afraid.
11 (JO)For I am with you to save you,
declares the Lord;
(JP)I will make a full end of all the nations
among whom I scattered you,
but of you I will not make a full end.
(JQ)I will (JR)discipline you in just measure,
and I will by no means leave you unpunished.
12 “For thus says the Lord:
(JS)Your hurt is incurable,
(JT)and your wound is grievous.
13 There is none to uphold your cause,
no medicine for your wound,
(JU)no healing for you.
14 (JV)All your lovers have forgotten you;
they care nothing for you;
for I have dealt you the blow of (JW)an enemy,
the punishment (JX)of a merciless foe,
because your guilt is great,
(JY)because your sins are flagrant.
15 (JZ)Why do you cry out over your hurt?
(KA)Your pain is incurable.
Because your guilt is great,
(KB)because your sins are flagrant,
I have done these things to you.
16 (KC)Therefore all who devour you shall be devoured,
and (KD)all your foes, every one of them, shall go into captivity;
(KE)those who plunder you shall be plundered,
(KF)and all who prey on you I will make a prey.
17 (KG)For I will restore (KH)health to you,
and (KI)your wounds I will heal,
declares the Lord,
because (KJ)they have called you an outcast:
(KK)‘It is Zion, for whom no one cares!’
18 “Thus says the Lord:
Behold, (KL)I will restore the fortunes of the tents of Jacob
and have compassion on his dwellings;
the city shall be rebuilt on (KM)its mound,
and the palace shall stand where it used to be.
19 (KN)Out of them shall come songs of thanksgiving,
and the voices of those who celebrate.
(KO)I will multiply them, and they shall not be few;
I will make them honored, and they shall not be small.
20 (KP)Their children shall be as they were of old,
and their congregation shall be established before me,
and I will punish all who oppress them.
21 (KQ)Their prince shall be one of themselves;
(KR)their ruler shall come out from their midst;
(KS)I will make him draw near, and he shall approach me,
(KT)for who would dare of himself to approach me?
declares the Lord.
22 (KU)And you shall be my people,
and I will be your God.”
23 (KV)Behold (KW)the storm of the Lord!
Wrath has gone forth,
a whirling tempest;
it will burst upon the head of the wicked.
24 (KX)The fierce anger of the Lord will not turn back
until he has executed and accomplished
the intentions of his mind.
(KY)In the latter days you will understand this.
The Lord Will Turn Mourning to Joy
31 (KZ)“At that time, declares the Lord, (LA)I will be the God of all the clans of Israel, and they shall be my people.”
2 Thus says the Lord:
“The people who survived the sword
found grace in the wilderness;
(LB)when Israel sought for rest,
3 the Lord appeared to him[g] from far away.
(LC)I have loved you with an everlasting love;
therefore (LD)I have continued (LE)my faithfulness to you.
4 (LF)Again I will build you, and you shall be built,
O virgin Israel!
(LG)Again you shall adorn yourself with tambourines
and shall go forth in (LH)the dance of the merrymakers.
5 (LI)Again you shall plant vineyards
on the mountains of Samaria;
the planters shall plant
and shall enjoy the fruit.
6 For there shall be a day when watchmen will call
in (LJ)the hill country of Ephraim:
(LK)‘Arise, and let us go up to Zion,
to the Lord our God.’”
7 For thus says the Lord:
(LL)“Sing aloud with gladness for Jacob,
and raise shouts for (LM)the chief of the nations;
proclaim, give praise, and say,
(LN)‘O Lord, save your people,
the remnant of Israel.’
8 Behold, I will bring them (LO)from the north country
and (LP)gather them from (LQ)the farthest parts of the earth,
among them (LR)the blind and the lame,
the pregnant woman and she who is in labor, together;
a great company, they shall return here.
9 (LS)With weeping they shall come,
(LT)and with pleas for mercy I will lead them back,
I will make them (LU)walk by brooks of water,
(LV)in a straight path in which they shall not stumble,
for (LW)I am a father to Israel,
and Ephraim is (LX)my firstborn.
10 “Hear the word of the Lord, O nations,
and declare it in the coastlands far away;
say, ‘He who scattered Israel will (LY)gather him,
and will keep him (LZ)as a shepherd keeps his flock.’
11 (MA)For the Lord has ransomed Jacob
and has redeemed him from (MB)hands too strong for him.
12 They shall come and sing aloud on the height of Zion,
(MC)and they shall be radiant (MD)over the goodness of the Lord,
(ME)over the grain, the wine, and the oil,
and over the young of the flock and the herd;
(MF)their life shall be like a watered garden,
(MG)and they shall languish no more.
13 (MH)Then shall the young women rejoice in the dance,
and the young men and the old shall be merry.
(MI)I will turn their mourning into joy;
I will comfort them, and give them gladness for sorrow.
14 (MJ)I will feast the soul of the priests with abundance,
and my people shall be satisfied with my goodness,
declares the Lord.”
15 Thus says the Lord:
(MK)“A voice is heard in (ML)Ramah,
lamentation and bitter weeping.
(MM)Rachel is weeping for her children;
she refuses to be comforted for her children,
(MN)because they are no more.”
16 Thus says the Lord:
“Keep your voice from weeping,
and your eyes from tears,
for there is a reward for your work,
declares the Lord,
and (MO)they shall come back from the land of the enemy.
17 (MP)There is hope for your future,
declares the Lord,
and your children shall come back to their own country.
18 I have heard (MQ)Ephraim grieving,
‘You have disciplined me, and I was disciplined,
like an untrained calf;
(MR)bring me back that I may be restored,
for you are the Lord my God.
19 For after (MS)I had turned away, I relented,
and after I was instructed, (MT)I struck my thigh;
(MU)I was ashamed, and I was confounded,
because I bore the disgrace of my youth.’
20 (MV)Is Ephraim my dear son?
(MW)Is he my darling child?
For as often as I speak against him,
I do remember him still.
(MX)Therefore my heart[h] yearns for him;
I will surely have mercy on him,
declares the Lord.
21 (MY)“Set up road markers for yourself;
make yourself guideposts;
(MZ)consider well the highway,
(NA)the road by which you went.
Return, O virgin Israel,
return to these your cities.
Footnotes
- Jeremiah 25:26 Hebrew Sheshach, a code name for Babylon
- Jeremiah 27:1 Or Jehoiakim
- Jeremiah 27:3 Hebrew Send them
- Jeremiah 29:8 Hebrew your dreams, which you cause to dream
- Jeremiah 29:11 Or peace
- Jeremiah 30:8 Or serve him
- Jeremiah 31:3 Septuagint; Hebrew me
- Jeremiah 31:20 Hebrew bowels
Jeremiah 25:5-31:21
New International Version
Jeremiah 25:5-31:21
New International Version
5 They said, “Turn(A) now, each of you, from your evil ways and your evil practices, and you can stay in the land(B) the Lord gave to you and your ancestors for ever and ever. 6 Do not follow other gods(C) to serve and worship them; do not arouse my anger with what your hands have made. Then I will not harm you.”
7 “But you did not listen to me,” declares the Lord, “and you have aroused(D) my anger with what your hands have made,(E) and you have brought harm(F) to yourselves.”
8 Therefore the Lord Almighty says this: “Because you have not listened to my words, 9 I will summon(G) all the peoples of the north(H) and my servant(I) Nebuchadnezzar(J) king of Babylon,” declares the Lord, “and I will bring them against this land and its inhabitants and against all the surrounding nations. I will completely destroy[a](K) them and make them an object of horror and scorn,(L) and an everlasting ruin.(M) 10 I will banish from them the sounds(N) of joy and gladness, the voices of bride and bridegroom,(O) the sound of millstones(P) and the light of the lamp.(Q) 11 This whole country will become a desolate wasteland,(R) and these nations will serve(S) the king of Babylon seventy years.(T)
12 “But when the seventy years(U) are fulfilled, I will punish the king of Babylon(V) and his nation, the land of the Babylonians,[b] for their guilt,” declares the Lord, “and will make it desolate(W) forever. 13 I will bring on that land all the things I have spoken against it, all that are written(X) in this book and prophesied by Jeremiah against all the nations. 14 They themselves will be enslaved(Y) by many nations(Z) and great kings; I will repay(AA) them according to their deeds and the work of their hands.”
The Cup of God’s Wrath
15 This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, said to me: “Take from my hand this cup(AB) filled with the wine of my wrath and make all the nations to whom I send(AC) you drink it. 16 When they drink(AD) it, they will stagger(AE) and go mad(AF) because of the sword(AG) I will send among them.”
17 So I took the cup from the Lord’s hand and made all the nations to whom he sent(AH) me drink it: 18 Jerusalem(AI) and the towns of Judah, its kings and officials, to make them a ruin(AJ) and an object of horror and scorn,(AK) a curse[c](AL)—as they are today;(AM) 19 Pharaoh king(AN) of Egypt,(AO) his attendants, his officials and all his people, 20 and all the foreign people there; all the kings of Uz;(AP) all the kings of the Philistines(AQ) (those of Ashkelon,(AR) Gaza,(AS) Ekron, and the people left at Ashdod); 21 Edom,(AT) Moab(AU) and Ammon;(AV) 22 all the kings of Tyre(AW) and Sidon;(AX) the kings of the coastlands(AY) across the sea; 23 Dedan,(AZ) Tema,(BA) Buz(BB) and all who are in distant places[d];(BC) 24 all the kings of Arabia(BD) and all the kings of the foreign people(BE) who live in the wilderness; 25 all the kings of Zimri,(BF) Elam(BG) and Media;(BH) 26 and all the kings of the north,(BI) near and far, one after the other—all the kingdoms(BJ) on the face of the earth. And after all of them, the king of Sheshak[e](BK) will drink it too.
27 “Then tell them, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Drink, get drunk(BL) and vomit, and fall to rise no more because of the sword(BM) I will send among you.’ 28 But if they refuse to take the cup from your hand and drink(BN), tell them, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty says: You must drink it! 29 See, I am beginning to bring disaster(BO) on the city that bears my Name,(BP) and will you indeed go unpunished?(BQ) You will not go unpunished, for I am calling down a sword(BR) on all(BS) who live on the earth,(BT) declares the Lord Almighty.’
30 “Now prophesy all these words against them and say to them:
“‘The Lord will roar(BU) from on high;
he will thunder(BV) from his holy dwelling(BW)
and roar mightily against his land.
He will shout like those who tread(BX) the grapes,
shout against all who live on the earth.
31 The tumult(BY) will resound to the ends of the earth,
for the Lord will bring charges(BZ) against the nations;
he will bring judgment(CA) on all(CB) mankind
and put the wicked to the sword,(CC)’”
declares the Lord.
32 This is what the Lord Almighty says:
“Look! Disaster(CD) is spreading
from nation to nation;(CE)
a mighty storm(CF) is rising
from the ends of the earth.”(CG)
33 At that time those slain(CH) by the Lord will be everywhere—from one end of the earth to the other. They will not be mourned or gathered(CI) up or buried,(CJ) but will be like dung lying on the ground.
34 Weep and wail, you shepherds;(CK)
roll(CL) in the dust, you leaders of the flock.
For your time to be slaughtered(CM) has come;
you will fall like the best of the rams.[f](CN)
35 The shepherds will have nowhere to flee,
the leaders of the flock no place to escape.(CO)
36 Hear the cry(CP) of the shepherds,(CQ)
the wailing of the leaders of the flock,
for the Lord is destroying their pasture.
37 The peaceful meadows will be laid waste
because of the fierce anger of the Lord.
38 Like a lion(CR) he will leave his lair,
and their land will become desolate(CS)
because of the sword[g] of the oppressor(CT)
and because of the Lord’s fierce anger.(CU)
Jeremiah Threatened With Death
26 Early in the reign of Jehoiakim(CV) son of Josiah king of Judah, this word came from the Lord: 2 “This is what the Lord says: Stand in the courtyard(CW) of the Lord’s house and speak to all the people of the towns of Judah who come to worship in the house of the Lord.(CX) Tell(CY) them everything I command you; do not omit(CZ) a word. 3 Perhaps they will listen and each will turn(DA) from their evil ways. Then I will relent(DB) and not inflict on them the disaster I was planning because of the evil they have done. 4 Say to them, ‘This is what the Lord says: If you do not listen(DC) to me and follow my law,(DD) which I have set before you, 5 and if you do not listen to the words of my servants the prophets, whom I have sent to you again and again (though you have not listened(DE)), 6 then I will make this house like Shiloh(DF) and this city a curse[h](DG) among all the nations of the earth.’”
7 The priests, the prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah speak these words in the house of the Lord. 8 But as soon as Jeremiah finished telling all the people everything the Lord had commanded(DH) him to say, the priests, the prophets and all the people seized(DI) him and said, “You must die!(DJ) 9 Why do you prophesy in the Lord’s name that this house will be like Shiloh and this city will be desolate and deserted?”(DK) And all the people crowded(DL) around Jeremiah in the house of the Lord.
10 When the officials(DM) of Judah heard about these things, they went up from the royal palace to the house of the Lord and took their places at the entrance of the New Gate(DN) of the Lord’s house. 11 Then the priests and the prophets said to the officials and all the people, “This man should be sentenced to death(DO) because he has prophesied against this city. You have heard it with your own ears!”(DP)
12 Then Jeremiah said to all the officials(DQ) and all the people: “The Lord sent me to prophesy(DR) against this house and this city all the things you have heard.(DS) 13 Now reform(DT) your ways and your actions and obey(DU) the Lord your God. Then the Lord will relent(DV) and not bring the disaster he has pronounced against you. 14 As for me, I am in your hands;(DW) do with me whatever you think is good and right. 15 Be assured, however, that if you put me to death, you will bring the guilt of innocent blood(DX) on yourselves and on this city and on those who live in it, for in truth the Lord has sent me to you to speak all these words(DY) in your hearing.”
16 Then the officials(DZ) and all the people said to the priests and the prophets, “This man should not be sentenced to death!(EA) He has spoken to us in the name of the Lord our God.”
17 Some of the elders of the land stepped forward and said to the entire assembly of people, 18 “Micah(EB) of Moresheth prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah. He told all the people of Judah, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty says:
“‘Zion(EC) will be plowed like a field,
Jerusalem will become a heap of rubble,(ED)
the temple hill(EE) a mound overgrown with thickets.’[i](EF)
19 “Did Hezekiah king of Judah or anyone else in Judah put him to death? Did not Hezekiah(EG) fear the Lord and seek(EH) his favor? And did not the Lord relent,(EI) so that he did not bring the disaster(EJ) he pronounced against them? We are about to bring a terrible disaster(EK) on ourselves!”
20 (Now Uriah son of Shemaiah from Kiriath Jearim(EL) was another man who prophesied in the name of the Lord; he prophesied the same things against this city and this land as Jeremiah did. 21 When King Jehoiakim(EM) and all his officers and officials(EN) heard his words, the king was determined to put him to death.(EO) But Uriah heard of it and fled(EP) in fear to Egypt. 22 King Jehoiakim, however, sent Elnathan(EQ) son of Akbor to Egypt, along with some other men. 23 They brought Uriah out of Egypt and took him to King Jehoiakim, who had him struck down with a sword(ER) and his body thrown into the burial place of the common people.)(ES)
24 Furthermore, Ahikam(ET) son of Shaphan supported Jeremiah, and so he was not handed over to the people to be put to death.
Judah to Serve Nebuchadnezzar
27 Early in the reign of Zedekiah[j](EU) son of Josiah king of Judah, this word came to Jeremiah from the Lord: 2 This is what the Lord said to me: “Make a yoke(EV) out of straps and crossbars and put it on your neck. 3 Then send(EW) word to the kings of Edom, Moab, Ammon,(EX) Tyre and Sidon(EY) through the envoys who have come to Jerusalem to Zedekiah king of Judah. 4 Give them a message for their masters and say, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: “Tell this to your masters: 5 With my great power and outstretched arm(EZ) I made(FA) the earth and its people and the animals(FB) that are on it, and I give(FC) it to anyone I please. 6 Now I will give all your countries into the hands of my servant(FD) Nebuchadnezzar(FE) king of Babylon; I will make even the wild animals subject to him.(FF) 7 All nations will serve(FG) him and his son and his grandson until the time(FH) for his land comes; then many nations and great kings will subjugate(FI) him.
8 “‘“If, however, any nation or kingdom will not serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon or bow its neck under his yoke, I will punish(FJ) that nation with the sword,(FK) famine(FL) and plague,(FM) declares the Lord, until I destroy it by his hand. 9 So do not listen to your prophets,(FN) your diviners,(FO) your interpreters of dreams,(FP) your mediums(FQ) or your sorcerers(FR) who tell you, ‘You will not serve(FS) the king of Babylon.’ 10 They prophesy lies(FT) to you that will only serve to remove(FU) you far from your lands; I will banish you and you will perish. 11 But if any nation will bow its neck under the yoke(FV) of the king of Babylon and serve him, I will let that nation remain in its own land to till it and to live(FW) there, declares the Lord.”’”
12 I gave the same message to Zedekiah king of Judah. I said, “Bow your neck under the yoke(FX) of the king of Babylon; serve him and his people, and you will live.(FY) 13 Why will you and your people die(FZ) by the sword, famine and plague(GA) with which the Lord has threatened any nation that will not serve the king of Babylon? 14 Do not listen(GB) to the words of the prophets(GC) who say to you, ‘You will not serve the king of Babylon,’ for they are prophesying lies(GD) to you. 15 ‘I have not sent(GE) them,’ declares the Lord. ‘They are prophesying lies in my name.(GF) Therefore, I will banish you and you will perish,(GG) both you and the prophets who prophesy to you.’”
16 Then I said to the priests and all these people, “This is what the Lord says: Do not listen to the prophets who say, ‘Very soon now the articles(GH) from the Lord’s house will be brought back from Babylon.’ They are prophesying lies to you. 17 Do not listen(GI) to them. Serve the king of Babylon, and you will live.(GJ) Why should this city become a ruin? 18 If they are prophets and have the word of the Lord, let them plead(GK) with the Lord Almighty that the articles remaining in the house of the Lord and in the palace of the king of Judah and in Jerusalem not be taken to Babylon. 19 For this is what the Lord Almighty says about the pillars, the bronze Sea,(GL) the movable stands and the other articles(GM) that are left in this city, 20 which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon did not take away when he carried(GN) Jehoiachin[k](GO) son of Jehoiakim king of Judah into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon, along with all the nobles of Judah and Jerusalem— 21 yes, this is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says about the things that are left in the house of the Lord and in the palace of the king of Judah and in Jerusalem: 22 ‘They will be taken(GP) to Babylon and there they will remain until the day(GQ) I come for them,’ declares the Lord. ‘Then I will bring(GR) them back and restore them to this place.’”
The False Prophet Hananiah
28 In the fifth month of that same year, the fourth year, early in the reign of Zedekiah(GS) king of Judah, the prophet Hananiah son of Azzur, who was from Gibeon,(GT) said to me in the house of the Lord in the presence of the priests and all the people: 2 “This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: ‘I will break the yoke(GU) of the king of Babylon. 3 Within two years I will bring back to this place all the articles(GV) of the Lord’s house that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon removed from here and took to Babylon. 4 I will also bring back to this place Jehoiachin[l](GW) son of Jehoiakim king of Judah and all the other exiles from Judah who went to Babylon,’ declares the Lord, ‘for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon.’”(GX)
5 Then the prophet Jeremiah replied to the prophet Hananiah before the priests and all the people who were standing in the house of the Lord. 6 He said, “Amen! May the Lord do so! May the Lord fulfill the words you have prophesied by bringing the articles of the Lord’s house and all the exiles back to this place from Babylon.(GY) 7 Nevertheless, listen to what I have to say in your hearing and in the hearing of all the people: 8 From early times the prophets who preceded you and me have prophesied war, disaster and plague(GZ) against many countries and great kingdoms. 9 But the prophet who prophesies peace will be recognized as one truly sent by the Lord only if his prediction comes true.(HA)”
10 Then the prophet Hananiah took the yoke(HB) off the neck of the prophet Jeremiah and broke it, 11 and he said(HC) before all the people, “This is what the Lord says: ‘In the same way I will break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon off the neck of all the nations within two years.’” At this, the prophet Jeremiah went on his way.
12 After the prophet Hananiah had broken the yoke off the neck of the prophet Jeremiah, the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: 13 “Go and tell Hananiah, ‘This is what the Lord says: You have broken a wooden yoke, but in its place you will get a yoke of iron. 14 This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: I will put an iron yoke(HD) on the necks of all these nations to make them serve(HE) Nebuchadnezzar(HF) king of Babylon, and they will serve him. I will even give him control over the wild animals.(HG)’”
15 Then the prophet Jeremiah said to Hananiah the prophet, “Listen, Hananiah! The Lord has not sent(HH) you, yet you have persuaded this nation to trust in lies.(HI) 16 Therefore this is what the Lord says: ‘I am about to remove you from the face of the earth.(HJ) This very year you are going to die,(HK) because you have preached rebellion(HL) against the Lord.’”
17 In the seventh month of that same year, Hananiah the prophet died.(HM)
A Letter to the Exiles
29 This is the text of the letter(HN) that the prophet Jeremiah sent from Jerusalem to the surviving elders among the exiles and to the priests, the prophets and all the other people Nebuchadnezzar had carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon.(HO) 2 (This was after King Jehoiachin[m](HP) and the queen mother,(HQ) the court officials and the leaders of Judah and Jerusalem, the skilled workers and the artisans had gone into exile from Jerusalem.) 3 He entrusted the letter to Elasah son of Shaphan and to Gemariah son of Hilkiah, whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent to King Nebuchadnezzar in Babylon. It said:
4 This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried(HR) into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: 5 “Build(HS) houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. 6 Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease.(HT) 7 Also, seek(HU) the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray(HV) to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.” 8 Yes, this is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: “Do not let the prophets(HW) and diviners among you deceive(HX) you. Do not listen to the dreams(HY) you encourage them to have.(HZ) 9 They are prophesying lies(IA) to you in my name. I have not sent(IB) them,” declares the Lord.
10 This is what the Lord says: “When seventy years(IC) are completed for Babylon, I will come to you(ID) and fulfill my good promise(IE) to bring you back(IF) to this place. 11 For I know the plans(IG) I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper(IH) you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.(II) 12 Then you will call(IJ) on me and come and pray(IK) to me, and I will listen(IL) to you. 13 You will seek(IM) me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.(IN) 14 I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back(IO) from captivity.[n] I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.”(IP)
15 You may say, “The Lord has raised up prophets for us in Babylon,” 16 but this is what the Lord says about the king who sits on David’s throne and all the people who remain in this city, your fellow citizens who did not go with you into exile— 17 yes, this is what the Lord Almighty says: “I will send the sword, famine and plague(IQ) against them and I will make them like figs(IR) that are so bad they cannot be eaten. 18 I will pursue them with the sword, famine and plague and will make them abhorrent(IS) to all the kingdoms of the earth, a curse[o](IT) and an object of horror,(IU) of scorn(IV) and reproach, among all the nations where I drive them. 19 For they have not listened to my words,”(IW) declares the Lord, “words that I sent to them again and again(IX) by my servants the prophets.(IY) And you exiles have not listened either,” declares the Lord.
20 Therefore, hear the word of the Lord, all you exiles whom I have sent(IZ) away from Jerusalem to Babylon. 21 This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says about Ahab son of Kolaiah and Zedekiah son of Maaseiah, who are prophesying lies(JA) to you in my name: “I will deliver them into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and he will put them to death before your very eyes. 22 Because of them, all the exiles from Judah who are in Babylon will use this curse: ‘May the Lord treat you like Zedekiah and Ahab, whom the king of Babylon burned(JB) in the fire.’ 23 For they have done outrageous things in Israel; they have committed adultery(JC) with their neighbors’ wives, and in my name they have uttered lies—which I did not authorize. I know(JD) it and am a witness(JE) to it,” declares the Lord.
Message to Shemaiah
24 Tell Shemaiah the Nehelamite, 25 “This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: You sent letters in your own name to all the people in Jerusalem, to the priest Zephaniah(JF) son of Maaseiah, and to all the other priests. You said to Zephaniah, 26 ‘The Lord has appointed you priest in place of Jehoiada to be in charge of the house of the Lord; you should put any maniac(JG) who acts like a prophet into the stocks(JH) and neck-irons. 27 So why have you not reprimanded Jeremiah from Anathoth, who poses as a prophet among you? 28 He has sent this message(JI) to us in Babylon: It will be a long time.(JJ) Therefore build(JK) houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce.’”
29 Zephaniah(JL) the priest, however, read the letter to Jeremiah the prophet. 30 Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: 31 “Send this message to all the exiles: ‘This is what the Lord says about Shemaiah(JM) the Nehelamite: Because Shemaiah has prophesied to you, even though I did not send(JN) him, and has persuaded you to trust in lies, 32 this is what the Lord says: I will surely punish Shemaiah the Nehelamite and his descendants.(JO) He will have no one left among this people, nor will he see the good(JP) things I will do for my people, declares the Lord, because he has preached rebellion(JQ) against me.’”
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: ‘Write(JR) in a book all the words I have spoken to you. 3 The days(JS) are coming,’ declares the Lord, ‘when I will bring(JT) my people Israel and Judah back from captivity[p] and restore(JU) 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 fear(JV) 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,(JW)
every face turned deathly pale?(JX)
7 How awful that day(JY) will be!
No other will be like it.
It will be a time of trouble(JZ) for Jacob,
but he will be saved(KA) out of it.
8 “‘In that day,’ declares the Lord Almighty,
‘I will break the yoke(KB) off their necks
and will tear off their bonds;(KC)
no longer will foreigners enslave them.(KD)
9 Instead, they will serve the Lord their God
and David(KE) their king,(KF)
whom I will raise up for them.
10 “‘So do not be afraid,(KG) Jacob my servant;(KH)
do not be dismayed, Israel,’
declares the Lord.
‘I will surely save(KI) you out of a distant place,
your descendants from the land of their exile.
Jacob will again have peace and security,(KJ)
and no one will make him afraid.(KK)
11 I am with you(KL) and will save you,’
declares the Lord.
‘Though I completely destroy all the nations
among which I scatter you,
I will not completely destroy(KM) you.
I will discipline(KN) you but only in due measure;
I will not let you go entirely unpunished.’(KO)
12 “This is what the Lord says:
“‘Your wound(KP) is incurable,
your injury beyond healing.(KQ)
13 There is no one to plead your cause,(KR)
no remedy for your sore,
no healing(KS) for you.
14 All your allies(KT) have forgotten you;
they care nothing for you.
I have struck you as an enemy(KU) would
and punished you as would the cruel,(KV)
because your guilt is so great
and your sins(KW) so many.
15 Why do you cry out over your wound,
your pain that has no cure?(KX)
Because of your great guilt and many sins
I have done these things to you.(KY)
16 “‘But all who devour(KZ) you will be devoured;
all your enemies will go into exile.(LA)
Those who plunder(LB) you will be plundered;
all who make spoil of you I will despoil.
17 But I will restore you to health
and heal(LC) your wounds,’
declares the Lord,
‘because you are called an outcast,(LD)
Zion for whom no one cares.’(LE)
18 “This is what the Lord says:
“‘I will restore the fortunes(LF) of Jacob’s tents(LG)
and have compassion(LH) on his dwellings;
the city will be rebuilt(LI) on her ruins,
and the palace will stand in its proper place.
19 From them will come songs(LJ) of thanksgiving(LK)
and the sound of rejoicing.(LL)
I will add to their numbers,(LM)
and they will not be decreased;
I will bring them honor,(LN)
and they will not be disdained.
20 Their children(LO) will be as in days of old,
and their community will be established(LP) before me;
I will punish(LQ) all who oppress them.
21 Their leader(LR) will be one of their own;
their ruler will arise from among them.(LS)
I will bring him near(LT) 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,(LU)
and I will be your God.(LV)’”
23 See, the storm(LW) of the Lord
will burst out in wrath,
a driving wind swirling down
on the heads of the wicked.
24 The fierce anger(LX) of the Lord will not turn back(LY)
until he fully accomplishes
the purposes of his heart.
In days to come
you will understand(LZ) this.
31 “At that time,” declares the Lord, “I will be the God(MA) of all the families of Israel, and they will be my people.”
2 This is what the Lord says:
“The people who survive the sword
will find favor(MB) in the wilderness;
I will come to give rest(MC) to Israel.”
3 The Lord appeared to us in the past,[q] saying:
“I have loved(MD) you with an everlasting love;
I have drawn(ME) you with unfailing kindness.
4 I will build you up again,
and you, Virgin(MF) Israel, will be rebuilt.(MG)
Again you will take up your timbrels(MH)
and go out to dance(MI) with the joyful.(MJ)
5 Again you will plant(MK) vineyards
on the hills of Samaria;(ML)
the farmers will plant them
and enjoy their fruit.(MM)
6 There will be a day when watchmen(MN) cry out
on the hills of Ephraim,
‘Come, let us go up to Zion,
to the Lord our God.’”(MO)
7 This is what the Lord says:
“Sing(MP) with joy for Jacob;
shout for the foremost(MQ) of the nations.
Make your praises heard, and say,
‘Lord, save(MR) your people,
the remnant(MS) of Israel.’
8 See, I will bring them from the land of the north(MT)
and gather(MU) them from the ends of the earth.
Among them will be the blind(MV) and the lame,(MW)
expectant mothers and women in labor;
a great throng will return.
9 They will come with weeping;(MX)
they will pray as I bring them back.
I will lead(MY) them beside streams of water(MZ)
on a level(NA) path where they will not stumble,
because I am Israel’s father,(NB)
and Ephraim is my firstborn son.
10 “Hear the word of the Lord, you nations;
proclaim it in distant coastlands:(NC)
‘He who scattered(ND) Israel will gather(NE) them
and will watch over his flock like a shepherd.’(NF)
11 For the Lord will deliver Jacob
and redeem(NG) them from the hand of those stronger(NH) than they.
12 They will come and shout for joy(NI) on the heights(NJ) of Zion;
they will rejoice in the bounty(NK) of the Lord—
the grain, the new wine and the olive oil,(NL)
the young of the flocks(NM) and herds.
They will be like a well-watered garden,(NN)
and they will sorrow(NO) no more.
13 Then young women will dance and be glad,
young men and old as well.
I will turn their mourning(NP) into gladness;
I will give them comfort(NQ) and joy(NR) instead of sorrow.
14 I will satisfy(NS) the priests(NT) with abundance,
and my people will be filled with my bounty,(NU)”
declares the Lord.
15 This is what the Lord says:
“A voice is heard in Ramah,(NV)
mourning and great weeping,
Rachel weeping for her children
and refusing to be comforted,(NW)
because they are no more.”(NX)
16 This is what the Lord says:
“Restrain your voice from weeping
and your eyes from tears,(NY)
for your work will be rewarded,(NZ)”
declares the Lord.
“They will return(OA) from the land of the enemy.
17 So there is hope(OB) for your descendants,”
declares the Lord.
“Your children(OC) will return to their own land.
18 “I have surely heard Ephraim’s moaning:
‘You disciplined(OD) me like an unruly calf,(OE)
and I have been disciplined.
Restore(OF) me, and I will return,
because you are the Lord my God.
19 After I strayed,(OG)
I repented;
after I came to understand,
I beat(OH) my breast.
I was ashamed(OI) and humiliated
because I bore the disgrace of my youth.’(OJ)
20 Is not Ephraim my dear son,
the child(OK) in whom I delight?
Though I often speak against him,
I still remember(OL) him.
Therefore my heart yearns for him;
I have great compassion(OM) for him,”
declares the Lord.
Footnotes
- Jeremiah 25:9 The Hebrew term refers to the irrevocable giving over of things or persons to the Lord, often by totally destroying them.
- Jeremiah 25:12 Or Chaldeans
- Jeremiah 25:18 That is, their names to be used in cursing (see 29:22); or, to be seen by others as cursed
- Jeremiah 25:23 Or who clip the hair by their foreheads
- Jeremiah 25:26 Sheshak is a cryptogram for Babylon.
- Jeremiah 25:34 Septuagint; Hebrew fall and be shattered like fine pottery
- Jeremiah 25:38 Some Hebrew manuscripts and Septuagint (see also 46:16 and 50:16); most Hebrew manuscripts anger
- Jeremiah 26:6 That is, its name will be used in cursing (see 29:22); or, others will see that it is cursed.
- Jeremiah 26:18 Micah 3:12
- Jeremiah 27:1 A few Hebrew manuscripts and Syriac (see also 27:3,12 and 28:1); most Hebrew manuscripts Jehoiakim (Most Septuagint manuscripts do not have this verse.)
- Jeremiah 27:20 Hebrew Jeconiah, a variant of Jehoiachin
- Jeremiah 28:4 Hebrew Jeconiah, a variant of Jehoiachin
- Jeremiah 29:2 Hebrew Jeconiah, a variant of Jehoiachin
- Jeremiah 29:14 Or will restore your fortunes
- Jeremiah 29:18 That is, their names will be used in cursing (see verse 22); or, others will see that they are cursed.
- Jeremiah 30:3 Or will restore the fortunes of my people Israel and Judah
- Jeremiah 31:3 Or Lord has appeared to us from afar
English Standard Version (ESV) 
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.