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Promises of Hope

30 These are the words that the Lord spoke to Jeremiah. The Lord, the God of Israel, said: “Jeremiah, write in a ·book [scroll] all the words I have spoken to you. The days will come when I will ·bring Israel and Judah back from captivity [restore the fortunes of my people of Israel and Judah],” says the Lord. “I will ·return [restore] them to the land I gave their ancestors, and they will ·own [possess] it!” says the Lord.

The Lord spoke this message about the people of Israel and Judah: This is what the Lord said:

“We hear ·people crying from [L the voice/sound of] fear.
    ·They are afraid; there [L …and of dread, and there] is no peace.
Ask this question, and ·consider it [L see]:
    ·A man cannot [L Can a man…?] have a baby.
So why do I see every strong man
    ·holding his stomach in pain [L with his hands on his side/loins] like a woman ·having a baby [in labor; 13:21; 22:23; 49:24; 50:43; Is. 21:2–3; 26:16–21; 66:7–14]?
    Why is everyone’s face turning white [C like a dead or frightened person’s face]?
This will be a ·terrible [L great] day!
    There will never be another time like this.
This is a time of ·great trouble [distress] for the people of Jacob,
    but they will be ·saved [rescued] from it.”

The Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] says, “·At that time [L In that day]
    I will break the yoke from ·their [or your] necks
and ·tear [snap] off the ropes that hold ·them [or you].
    ·Foreign people [L Strangers] will never again make my people slaves.
They will serve the Lord their God
    and David their king,
whom I will ·send to [L raise up for] them.

10 “So people of Jacob, my servants, don’t be afraid.
    Israel, don’t be ·frightened [terrified],” says the Lord.
“I will soon ·save [rescue] you from that faraway place.
    I will ·save [rescue] your ·family [L seed] from that land of your captivity.
The people of Jacob will be at rest again;
    no one will frighten them.
11 I am with you and will ·save [rescue] you,”
    says the Lord.
“I will ·completely destroy [bring to an end] all those nations
    where I scattered you,
    but I will not ·completely destroy you [bring you to an end].
I will ·punish [discipline] you ·fairly [with justice],
    but I will ·still punish you [L not leave you unpunished; 46:27–28].”

12 This is what the Lord said:

“Your wound cannot be cured;
    your injury will not heal [8:22; 10:19; Mic. 1:9; Nah. 3:19].
13 There is no one to ·argue your case [uphold your cause]
    and no ·cure [medicine] for your sores.
    So you will not be healed.
14 All your lovers [C allied nations] have forgotten you.
    They don’t ·care about [L seek] you.
I have ·hurt you [struck you a blow] as an enemy would.
    I ·punished [disciplined] you ·very hard [harshly],
because your ·guilt [iniquity] was so great
    and your sins were so many.
15 Why are you crying out about your injury?
    There is no cure for your pain.
I did these things to you because of your great ·guilt [iniquity],
    because of your many sins.
16 But all those ·nations that destroyed you will now be destroyed [L who consumed/devoured you will be consumed/devoured].
    All your ·enemies [foes] will become ·captives in other lands [exiles].
Those who ·stole from [L plunder] you will ·have their own things stolen [L be plundered].
    Those who took things from you in war will have their own things taken.
17 I will bring back your health
    and heal your injuries,” says the Lord,
“because ·other people forced you away [L they called you ‘driven out’/‘an outcast’].
    They said about you, ‘No one ·cares about [L seeks] ·Jerusalem [L Zion; C the location of the Temple]!’”

18 This is what the Lord said:

“I ·will soon make the tents of Jacob’s people as they used to be [L am restoring the fortunes of the tents of Jacob],
    and I will have ·pity [compassion] on their houses.
The city will be rebuilt on its ·hill of ruins [mound],
    and the king’s palace will stand in its ·proper [traditional] place.
19 ·People in those places will sing songs of praise [L Praise/Thanks will go out from them; Ps. 126].
    There will be the sound of laughter.
I will ·give them many children [L multiply them]
    so ·their number will not be small [L they will not diminish; Gen. 12:1–3; 22:17; 32:12; 41:49].
I will bring ·honor [glory] to them
    so no one will ·look down on [belittle] them.
20 Their ·descendants [children] will be as they were in the old days.
    ·I will set them up as a strong people [L Their congregation will be established] before me,
and I will punish ·the nations who have hurt them [their oppressors].
21 ·One of their own people will lead them [L Their noble one will be of them];
    their ruler will come from among them [Deut. 17:14–20].
·He will come near to me when I invite him [L I will bring him near and he will approach me].
    Who would dare to ·come to [approach] me uninvited?” says the Lord.
22 “So you will be my people,
    and I will be your God [C they will be in a covenant relationship; Hos. 2:23].”

23 Look! It is a ·storm [whirlwind] from the Lord!
    ·He is angry and has gone out to punish the people [L Wrath has gone out].
·Punishment will come like a storm [L A whirling storm/tempest comes]
    ·crashing down on the evil people [L swirling around the heads of the wicked; 23:19].
24 The Lord will stay angry
    until he performs and accomplishes
    the ·intentions [plans] of his ·heart [mind].
·When that day comes [L In future days],
    you will understand this.

Freedom from Captivity Promised

30 The word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord: “Thus says the Lord God of Israel, ‘Write in a book all the words which I have spoken to you. For behold (hear this), the days are coming,’ says the Lord, ‘when I will restore the fortunes of My people Israel and Judah,’ says the Lord, ‘and I will return them to the land that I gave to their forefathers and they will take possession of it.’”

Now these are the words the Lord spoke concerning Israel and Judah:

“Thus says the Lord,

‘We have heard a terrified voice
Of panic and dread, and there is no peace.

‘Ask now, and see
Whether a man can give birth [to a child].
Why then do I see every man
With his hands on his [a]loins, as a woman in labor?
Why have all faces turned pale?

‘Alas! for that day is great,
There is none like it;
It is the time of Jacob’s [unequaled] trouble,
But he will be saved from it.(A)

‘It shall come about on that day,’ says the Lord of hosts, ‘that I will break the yoke off your neck and I will tear off your bonds and force apart your shackles; and strangers will no longer make slaves of the people [of Israel]. But they shall serve the Lord their God and [the descendant of] David their King, whom I will raise up for them.(B)

10 
‘Fear not, O Jacob My servant,’ says the Lord,
‘Nor be dismayed or downcast, O Israel;
For behold, I will save you from a distant land [of exile]
And your descendants from the land of their captivity.
Jacob will return and will be quiet and at ease,
And no one will make him afraid.
11 
‘For I am with you,’ says the Lord, ‘to save you;
For I will destroy completely all the nations where I have scattered you,
But I will not destroy you completely.
But I will judge and discipline you fairly
And will by no means regard you as guiltless and leave you unpunished.’

12 
“For thus says the Lord,
‘Your wound is incurable
And your injury is beyond healing.
13 
‘There is no one to plead your cause;
No [device to close and allow the] healing of your wound,
No recovery for you.
14 
‘All your lovers (allies) have forgotten you;
They do not seek and long for you.
For I have injured you with the wound of an enemy,
With the punishment of a cruel and merciless foe,
Because your guilt is great
And your sins are glaring and innumerable.
15 
‘Why do you cry out over your injury [since it is the natural result of your sin]?
Your pain is incurable (deadly).
Because your guilt is great
And your sins are glaring and innumerable,
I have done these things to you.
16 
‘Therefore all who devour you will be devoured;
And all your adversaries, every one of them, will go into captivity.
And they who plunder you will become plunder,
And all who prey upon you I will give for prey.
17 
‘For I will restore health to you
And I will heal your wounds,’ says the Lord,
‘Because they have called you an outcast, saying:
“This is Zion; no one seeks her and no one cares for her.”’

Restoration of Jacob

18 
“Thus says the Lord,
‘Behold (hear this), I will restore the fortunes of the tents of Jacob
And have mercy on his dwelling places;
The city will be rebuilt on its [old, mound-like] ruin,
And the palace will stand on its rightful place.
19 
‘From them (city, palace) will come [songs of] thanksgiving
And the voices of those who dance and celebrate.
And I will multiply them and they will not be diminished [in number];
I will also honor them and they will not be insignificant.
20 
‘Their children too will be as in former times,
And their congregation will be established before Me;
And I will punish all their oppressors.
21 
‘Their prince will be one of them,
And their ruler will come forward from among them.
I will bring him near and he shall approach Me,
For who is he who would have the boldness and would dare [on his own initiative] to risk his life to approach Me?’ says the Lord.
22 
‘Then you shall be My people,
And I will be your God.’”(C)

23 
Behold, the tempest of the Lord!
Wrath has gone forth,
A sweeping and gathering tempest;
It will burst on the head of the wicked.
24 
The fierce (righteous) anger of the Lord will not turn back
Until He has fulfilled and until He has accomplished
The intent of His heart (mind);
In the latter days you will understand this.

Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 30:6 The midsection of the body between the lower ribs and the hips.