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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.

Liberation from Captivity Promised

30 The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel says: ‘(A)Write all the words which I have spoken to you in a book. For behold, (B)days are coming,’ declares the Lord, ‘when I will (C)restore the fortunes of My people (D)Israel and Judah.’ The Lord says, ‘I will also (E)bring them back to the land that I gave to their forefathers, and they shall take possession of it.’”

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

“For this is what the Lord says:

[a]I have heard a sound of (F)terror,
Of fear, and there is no peace.
Ask now, and see
If a male can give birth.
Why do I see every man
With his hands on his waist, (G)as a woman in childbirth?
And why have all faces turned pale?
Woe, for that (H)day is great,
There is (I)none like it;
And it is the time of Jacob’s (J)distress,
Yet he will be (K)saved from it.

‘It shall come about on that day,’ declares the Lord of armies, ‘that I will (L)break his yoke from [b]their necks and will tear to pieces [c]their (M)restraints; and strangers will no longer (N)make [d]them their slaves. But they shall serve the Lord their God and (O)David their king, whom I will raise up for them.

10 And (P)do not fear, Jacob My servant,’ declares the Lord,
‘And do not be dismayed, Israel;
For behold, I am going to save you (Q)from far away,
And your [e]descendants from the land of their captivity.
And Jacob will return and be (R)at peace, without anxiety,
And (S)no one will make him afraid.
11 For (T)I am with you,’ declares the Lord, ‘to save you;
For I will completely (U)destroy all the nations where I have scattered you,
Only I will (V)not destroy you completely.
But I will (W)discipline you fairly
And will by no means leave you unpunished.’

12 “For this is what the Lord says:
‘Your broken limb is irreparable,
And your (X)wound is incurable.
13 There is no one to plead your cause;
No healing for your sore,
(Y)No recovery for you.
14 All your (Z)lovers have forgotten you,
They do not seek you;
For I have (AA)wounded you with the wound of an enemy,
With the (AB)punishment of a (AC)cruel one,
Because your (AD)wrongdoing is great,
And your (AE)sins are numerous.
15 Why do you cry out over your injury?
Your pain is incurable.
Because your wrongdoing is great
And your sins are numerous,
I have done these things to you.
16 Therefore all who (AF)devour you will be devoured;
And all your adversaries, every one of them, (AG)will go into captivity;
And those who plunder you will become plunder,
And all who plunder you I will turn into plunder.
17 For I will [f]restore you to [g](AH)health
And I will heal you of your wounds,’ declares the Lord,
‘Because they have called you an (AI)outcast, saying:
“It is Zion; no one [h]cares for her.”’

Restoration of Jacob

18 “This is what the Lord says:
‘Behold, I will (AJ)restore the fortunes of the tents of Jacob
And (AK)have compassion on his dwellings;
And the (AL)city will be rebuilt on its ruins,
And the (AM)palace will stand on its rightful place.
19 From them will come a (AN)song of thanksgiving
And the voices of those who [i](AO)celebrate;
And I will (AP)multiply them and they will not decrease;
I will (AQ)honor them and they will not be insignificant.
20 [j]Their children also will be as before,
And [k]their congregation will be (AR)established before Me;
And I will punish all [l]their oppressors.
21 [m]Their (AS)leader shall be one of them,
And [n]their ruler will come out from [o]their midst;
And I will (AT)bring him near and he shall approach Me;
For [p]who would dare to risk his life to (AU)approach Me?’ declares the Lord.
22 ‘You shall be (AV)My people,
And I will be your God.’”

23 Behold, the (AW)tempest of the Lord!
Wrath has gone forth,
A [q]sweeping tempest;
It will whirl upon the head of the wicked.
24 The (AX)fierce anger of the Lord will not turn back
Until He has performed and accomplished
The intent of His heart.
In the (AY)latter days you will understand this.

Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 30:5 Lit We
  2. Jeremiah 30:8 As in LXX; MT your neck
  3. Jeremiah 30:8 As in LXX; MT your
  4. Jeremiah 30:8 Lit him their slave
  5. Jeremiah 30:10 Lit seed
  6. Jeremiah 30:17 Lit cause to go up
  7. Jeremiah 30:17 Or healing
  8. Jeremiah 30:17 Lit is seeking
  9. Jeremiah 30:19 Or dance
  10. Jeremiah 30:20 Lit His
  11. Jeremiah 30:20 Lit his
  12. Jeremiah 30:20 Lit his
  13. Jeremiah 30:21 Lit his
  14. Jeremiah 30:21 Lit his
  15. Jeremiah 30:21 Lit his
  16. Jeremiah 30:21 Lit who is he that gives his heart in pledge
  17. Jeremiah 30:23 Or raging