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.”

Thus says the Lord,
“The people who survived the sword
(C)Found grace in the wilderness—
Israel, when it went to (D)find its rest.”
The Lord appeared to [a]him from afar, saying,
“I have (E)loved you with an everlasting love;
Therefore I have drawn you with (F)lovingkindness.
(G)Again I will build you and you will be rebuilt,
O virgin of Israel!
Again you will [b]take up your (H)tambourines,
And go forth to the dances of the (I)merrymakers.
“Again you will (J)plant vineyards
On the [c]hills of Samaria;
The planters will plant
And will [d]enjoy them.
“For there will be a day when watchmen
On the hills of Ephraim call out,
‘Arise, and (K)let us go up to Zion,
To the Lord our God.’”

For thus says the Lord,
(L)Sing aloud with gladness for Jacob,
And shout among the [e](M)chief of the nations;
Proclaim, give praise and say,
‘O Lord, (N)save Your people,
The (O)remnant of Israel.’
“Behold, I am (P)bringing them from the north country,
And I will (Q)gather them from the remote parts of the earth,
Among them the (R)blind and the (S)lame,
The woman with child and she who is in labor with child, together;
A great [f]company, they will return here.
(T)With weeping they will come,
And by supplication I will lead them;
I will make them walk by (U)streams of waters,
On a straight path in which they will (V)not stumble;
For I am a (W)father to Israel,
And Ephraim is (X)My firstborn.”

10 Hear the word of the Lord, O nations,
And declare in the (Y)coastlands afar off,
And say, “He who scattered Israel will (Z)gather him
And keep him as a (AA)shepherd keeps his flock.”
11 For the Lord has (AB)ransomed Jacob
And redeemed him from the hand of him who was (AC)stronger than he.
12 “They will (AD)come and shout for joy on the (AE)height of Zion,
And they will be (AF)radiant over the [g]bounty of the Lord
Over the (AG)grain and the new wine and the oil,
And over the young of the (AH)flock and the herd;
And their life will be like a (AI)watered garden,
And they will (AJ)never languish again.
13 “Then the virgin will rejoice in the (AK)dance,
And the young men and the old, together,
For I will (AL)turn their mourning into joy
And will comfort them and give them (AM)joy for their sorrow.
14 “I will [h]fill the soul of the priests with [i]abundance,
And My people will be (AN)satisfied with My goodness,” declares the Lord.

15 Thus says the Lord,
(AO)A voice is heard in (AP)Ramah,
Lamentation and bitter weeping.
Rachel is weeping for her children;
She (AQ)refuses to be comforted for her children,
Because (AR)they are no more.”

16 Thus says the Lord,

(AS)Restrain your voice from weeping
And your eyes from tears;
For your (AT)work will be rewarded,” declares the Lord,
“And they will (AU)return from the land of the enemy.
17 “There is (AV)hope for your future,” declares the Lord,
“And your children will return to their own territory.
18 “I have surely heard Ephraim (AW)grieving,
‘You have (AX)chastised me, and I was chastised,
Like an untrained (AY)calf;
(AZ)Bring me back that I may be restored,
For You are the Lord my God.
19 ‘For after I turned back, I (BA)repented;
And after I was instructed, I (BB)smote on my thigh;
I was (BC)ashamed and also humiliated
Because I bore the reproach of my youth.’
20 “Is (BD)Ephraim My dear son?
Is he a delightful child?
Indeed, as often as I have spoken against him,
I certainly still remember him;
Therefore My [j](BE)heart yearns for him;
I will surely (BF)have mercy on him,” declares the Lord.

21 “Set up for yourself roadmarks,
Place for yourself guideposts;
(BG)Direct your [k]mind to the highway,
The way by which you went.
(BH)Return, O virgin of Israel,
Return to these your cities.
22 “How long will you go here and there,
O (BI)faithless daughter?
For the Lord has created a new thing in the earth—
A woman will encompass a man.”

23 Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, “Once again they will speak this word in the land of Judah and in its cities when I (BJ)restore their [l]fortunes,

‘The Lord bless you, O (BK)abode of righteousness,
O (BL)holy hill!’

24 Judah and all its cities will (BM)dwell together in it, the farmer and they who go about with flocks. 25 (BN)For I satisfy the weary ones and [m]refresh everyone who languishes.” 26 At this I (BO)awoke and looked, and my (BP)sleep was pleasant to me.

A New Covenant

27 “Behold, days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will (BQ)sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah with the seed of man and with the seed of beast. 28 As I have (BR)watched over them to (BS)pluck up, to break down, to overthrow, to destroy and to bring disaster, so I will watch over them to (BT)build and to plant,” declares the Lord.

29 “In those days they will not say again,
(BU)The fathers have eaten sour grapes,
And the children’s teeth are [n]set on edge.’

30 But (BV)everyone will die for his own iniquity; each man who eats the sour grapes, his teeth will be [o]set on edge.

31 (BW)Behold, days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will make a (BX)new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, 32 not like the (BY)covenant which I made with their fathers in the day I (BZ)took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, My (CA)covenant which they broke, although I was a husband to them,” declares the Lord. 33 “But (CB)this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days,” declares the Lord, “(CC)I will put My law within them and on their heart I will write it; and (CD)I will be their God, and they shall be My people. 34 They will (CE)not teach again, each man his neighbor and each man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they will all (CF)know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them,” declares the Lord, “for I will (CG)forgive their iniquity, and their (CH)sin I will remember no more.”

35 Thus says the Lord,
Who (CI)gives the sun for light by day
And the [p]fixed order of the moon and the stars for light by night,
Who (CJ)stirs up the sea so that its waves roar;
(CK)The Lord of hosts is His name:
36 (CL)If [q]this fixed order departs
From before Me,” declares the Lord,
“Then the offspring of Israel also will (CM)cease
From being a nation before Me [r]forever.”

37 Thus says the Lord,

(CN)If the heavens above can be measured
And the foundations of the earth searched out below,
Then I will also (CO)cast off all the offspring of Israel
For all that they have done,” declares the Lord.

38 “Behold, days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when the (CP)city will be rebuilt for the Lord from the (CQ)Tower of Hananel to the (CR)Corner Gate. 39 The (CS)measuring line will go out farther straight ahead to the hill Gareb; then it will turn to Goah. 40 And (CT)the whole valley of the dead bodies and of the ashes, and all the fields as far as the brook (CU)Kidron, to the corner of the (CV)Horse Gate toward the east, shall be (CW)holy to the Lord; it will not be plucked up or overthrown anymore forever.”

Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 31:3 Lit me
  2. Jeremiah 31:4 Or be adorned with
  3. Jeremiah 31:5 Or mountains
  4. Jeremiah 31:5 Lit defile
  5. Jeremiah 31:7 Lit head
  6. Jeremiah 31:8 Or assembly
  7. Jeremiah 31:12 Lit goodness
  8. Jeremiah 31:14 Lit saturate
  9. Jeremiah 31:14 Lit fatness
  10. Jeremiah 31:20 Lit inward parts
  11. Jeremiah 31:21 Lit heart
  12. Jeremiah 31:23 Or captivity
  13. Jeremiah 31:25 Lit fill
  14. Jeremiah 31:29 Or dull
  15. Jeremiah 31:30 Or dull
  16. Jeremiah 31:35 Lit statutes
  17. Jeremiah 31:36 Lit these statutes
  18. Jeremiah 31:36 Lit all the days

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

This is what the Lord says:

“The people who survive the sword
    will find favor(B) in the wilderness;
    I will come to give rest(C) to Israel.”

The Lord appeared to us in the past,[a] saying:

“I have loved(D) you with an everlasting love;
    I have drawn(E) you with unfailing kindness.
I will build you up again,
    and you, Virgin(F) Israel, will be rebuilt.(G)
Again you will take up your timbrels(H)
    and go out to dance(I) with the joyful.(J)
Again you will plant(K) vineyards
    on the hills of Samaria;(L)
the farmers will plant them
    and enjoy their fruit.(M)
There will be a day when watchmen(N) cry out
    on the hills of Ephraim,
‘Come, let us go up to Zion,
    to the Lord our God.’”(O)

This is what the Lord says:

“Sing(P) with joy for Jacob;
    shout for the foremost(Q) of the nations.
Make your praises heard, and say,
    Lord, save(R) your people,
    the remnant(S) of Israel.’
See, I will bring them from the land of the north(T)
    and gather(U) them from the ends of the earth.
Among them will be the blind(V) and the lame,(W)
    expectant mothers and women in labor;
    a great throng will return.
They will come with weeping;(X)
    they will pray as I bring them back.
I will lead(Y) them beside streams of water(Z)
    on a level(AA) path where they will not stumble,
because I am Israel’s father,(AB)
    and Ephraim is my firstborn son.

10 “Hear the word of the Lord, you nations;
    proclaim it in distant coastlands:(AC)
‘He who scattered(AD) Israel will gather(AE) them
    and will watch over his flock like a shepherd.’(AF)
11 For the Lord will deliver Jacob
    and redeem(AG) them from the hand of those stronger(AH) than they.
12 They will come and shout for joy(AI) on the heights(AJ) of Zion;
    they will rejoice in the bounty(AK) of the Lord
the grain, the new wine and the olive oil,(AL)
    the young of the flocks(AM) and herds.
They will be like a well-watered garden,(AN)
    and they will sorrow(AO) no more.
13 Then young women will dance and be glad,
    young men and old as well.
I will turn their mourning(AP) into gladness;
    I will give them comfort(AQ) and joy(AR) instead of sorrow.
14 I will satisfy(AS) the priests(AT) with abundance,
    and my people will be filled with my bounty,(AU)
declares the Lord.

15 This is what the Lord says:

“A voice is heard in Ramah,(AV)
    mourning and great weeping,
Rachel weeping for her children
    and refusing to be comforted,(AW)
    because they are no more.”(AX)

16 This is what the Lord says:

“Restrain your voice from weeping
    and your eyes from tears,(AY)
for your work will be rewarded,(AZ)
declares the Lord.
    “They will return(BA) from the land of the enemy.
17 So there is hope(BB) for your descendants,”
declares the Lord.
    “Your children(BC) will return to their own land.

18 “I have surely heard Ephraim’s moaning:
    ‘You disciplined(BD) me like an unruly calf,(BE)
    and I have been disciplined.
Restore(BF) me, and I will return,
    because you are the Lord my God.
19 After I strayed,(BG)
    I repented;
after I came to understand,
    I beat(BH) my breast.
I was ashamed(BI) and humiliated
    because I bore the disgrace of my youth.’(BJ)
20 Is not Ephraim my dear son,
    the child(BK) in whom I delight?
Though I often speak against him,
    I still remember(BL) him.
Therefore my heart yearns for him;
    I have great compassion(BM) for him,”
declares the Lord.

21 “Set up road signs;
    put up guideposts.(BN)
Take note of the highway,(BO)
    the road that you take.
Return,(BP) Virgin(BQ) Israel,
    return to your towns.
22 How long will you wander,(BR)
    unfaithful(BS) Daughter Israel?
The Lord will create a new thing(BT) on earth—
    the woman will return to[b](BU) the man.”

23 This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: “When I bring them back from captivity,[c](BV) the people in the land of Judah and in its towns will once again use these words: ‘The Lord bless(BW) you, you prosperous city,(BX) you sacred mountain.’(BY) 24 People will live(BZ) together in Judah and all its towns—farmers and those who move about with their flocks.(CA) 25 I will refresh the weary(CB) and satisfy the faint.”(CC)

26 At this I awoke(CD) and looked around. My sleep had been pleasant to me.

27 “The days are coming,”(CE) declares the Lord, “when I will plant(CF) the kingdoms of Israel and Judah with the offspring of people and of animals. 28 Just as I watched(CG) over them to uproot(CH) and tear down, and to overthrow, destroy and bring disaster,(CI) so I will watch over them to build and to plant,”(CJ) declares the Lord. 29 “In those days people will no longer say,

‘The parents(CK) have eaten sour grapes,
    and the children’s teeth are set on edge.’(CL)

30 Instead, everyone will die for their own sin;(CM) whoever eats sour grapes—their own teeth will be set on edge.

31 “The days are coming,” declares the Lord,
    “when I will make a new covenant(CN)
with the people of Israel
    and with the people of Judah.
32 It will not be like the covenant(CO)
    I made with their ancestors(CP)
when I took them by the hand
    to lead them out of Egypt,(CQ)
because they broke my covenant,
    though I was a husband(CR) to[d] them,[e]
declares the Lord.
33 “This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel
    after that time,” declares the Lord.
“I will put my law in their minds(CS)
    and write it on their hearts.(CT)
I will be their God,
    and they will be my people.(CU)
34 No longer will they teach(CV) their neighbor,
    or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’
because they will all know(CW) me,
    from the least of them to the greatest,”
declares the Lord.
“For I will forgive(CX) their wickedness
    and will remember their sins(CY) no more.”

35 This is what the Lord says,

he who appoints(CZ) the sun
    to shine by day,
who decrees the moon and stars
    to shine by night,(DA)
who stirs up the sea(DB)
    so that its waves roar(DC)
    the Lord Almighty is his name:(DD)
36 “Only if these decrees(DE) vanish from my sight,”
    declares the Lord,
“will Israel(DF) ever cease
    being a nation before me.”

37 This is what the Lord says:

“Only if the heavens above can be measured(DG)
    and the foundations of the earth below be searched out
will I reject(DH) all the descendants of Israel
    because of all they have done,”
declares the Lord.

38 “The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when this city will be rebuilt(DI) for me from the Tower of Hananel(DJ) to the Corner Gate.(DK) 39 The measuring line(DL) will stretch from there straight to the hill of Gareb and then turn to Goah. 40 The whole valley(DM) where dead bodies(DN) and ashes are thrown, and all the terraces out to the Kidron Valley(DO) on the east as far as the corner of the Horse Gate,(DP) will be holy(DQ) to the Lord. The city will never again be uprooted or demolished.”

Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 31:3 Or Lord has appeared to us from afar
  2. Jeremiah 31:22 Or will protect
  3. Jeremiah 31:23 Or I restore their fortunes
  4. Jeremiah 31:32 Hebrew; Septuagint and Syriac / and I turned away from
  5. Jeremiah 31:32 Or was their master