Jeremiah 31:7-14
Expanded Bible
7 This is what the Lord says:
“·Be happy and sing [L Sing with joy] for the people of Jacob.
Shout for Israel, the ·greatest [head; foremost] of the nations.
·Sing your praises and shout this [L Make yourself heard, praise, and say]:
‘Lord, ·save [rescue] your people,
·those who are left alive from the nation [L the remnant] of Israel!’
8 Look, I will soon bring them [C the remnant of Israel] from the country in the north [C Babylon],
and I will gather them from the faraway places on earth.
Some of the people are blind and ·crippled [lame; Is. 35:5–6; Mic. 4:6–8].
Some of the women are pregnant, and some are ready to give birth.
A great ·many people [assembly] will ·come back [return].
9 They will be crying as they come,
·but they will pray as [L with supplications] I ·bring [lead] them back.
I will lead those people by streams of water [Ps. 23]
on an ·even road [straight way] where they will not stumble.
I am Israel’s father,
and ·Israel [L Ephraim; C the dominant tribe of the northern kingdom of Israel] is my firstborn son.
10 “Nations, listen to the ·message from [L word of] the Lord.
Tell this message in the faraway ·lands by the sea [coastlands]:
‘The one who scattered the people of Israel will ·bring them back [gather them],
and he will ·watch over [keep; guard] his people like a shepherd of a flock. [Num. 27:17; 2 Sam. 7:7; Ps. 78:70–72; Ezek. 34].’
11 The Lord will ·pay for [ransom] the people of Jacob
and will ·buy them back [redeem them] from ·people [L a hand/power] stronger than they were.
12 They [C people of Israel] will come to the high points of Jerusalem
and shout for joy.
·Their faces will shine with happiness [L They will be radiant] about all the good things from the Lord:
the grain, new wine, oil, young sheep, and young cows.
They will be like a garden that has plenty of water,
and they will not ·be troubled [languish] anymore.
13 Then ·young women [or virgins; C of Israel] will be happy and dance,
the young men and old men also.
I will change their ·sadness [mourning] into ·happiness [joy];
I will give them comfort and joy instead of ·sadness [lament; Ps. 30:11–12; 126].
14 The priests will have ·more than enough sacrifices [L their fill of fatness],
and my people will be ·filled [satisfied; sated] with the good things I give them!” says the Lord.
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