Jeremiah 31
New Living Translation
Hope for Restoration
31 “In that day,” says the Lord, “I will be the God of all the families of Israel, and they will be my people. 2 This is what the Lord says:
“Those who survive the coming destruction
will find blessings even in the barren land,
for I will give rest to the people of Israel.”
3 Long ago the Lord said to Israel:
“I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love.
With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself.
4 I will rebuild you, my virgin Israel.
You will again be happy
and dance merrily with your tambourines.
5 Again you will plant your vineyards on the mountains of Samaria
and eat from your own gardens there.
6 The day will come when watchmen will shout
from the hill country of Ephraim,
‘Come, let us go up to Jerusalem[a]
to worship the Lord our God.’”
7 Now this is what the Lord says:
“Sing with joy for Israel.[b]
Shout for the greatest of nations!
Shout out with praise and joy:
‘Save your people, O Lord,
the remnant of Israel!’
8 For I will bring them from the north
and from the distant corners of the earth.
I will not forget the blind and lame,
the expectant mothers and women in labor.
A great company will return!
9 Tears of joy will stream down their faces,
and I will lead them home with great care.
They will walk beside quiet streams
and on smooth paths where they will not stumble.
For I am Israel’s father,
and Ephraim is my oldest child.
10 “Listen to this message from the Lord,
you nations of the world;
proclaim it in distant coastlands:
The Lord, who scattered his people,
will gather them and watch over them
as a shepherd does his flock.
11 For the Lord has redeemed Israel
from those too strong for them.
12 They will come home and sing songs of joy on the heights of Jerusalem.
They will be radiant because of the Lord’s good gifts—
the abundant crops of grain, new wine, and olive oil,
and the healthy flocks and herds.
Their life will be like a watered garden,
and all their sorrows will be gone.
13 The young women will dance for joy,
and the men—old and young—will join in the celebration.
I will turn their mourning into joy.
I will comfort them and exchange their sorrow for rejoicing.
14 The priests will enjoy abundance,
and my people will feast on my good gifts.
I, the Lord, have spoken!”
Rachel’s Sadness Turns to Joy
15 This is what the Lord says:
“A cry is heard in Ramah—
deep anguish and bitter weeping.
Rachel weeps for her children,
refusing to be comforted—
for her children are gone.”
16 But now this is what the Lord says:
“Do not weep any longer,
for I will reward you,” says the Lord.
“Your children will come back to you
from the distant land of the enemy.
17 There is hope for your future,” says the Lord.
“Your children will come again to their own land.
18 I have heard Israel[c] saying,
‘You disciplined me severely,
like a calf that needs training for the yoke.
Turn me again to you and restore me,
for you alone are the Lord my God.
19 I turned away from God,
but then I was sorry.
I kicked myself for my stupidity!
I was thoroughly ashamed of all I did in my younger days.’
20 “Is not Israel still my son,
my darling child?” says the Lord.
“I often have to punish him,
but I still love him.
That’s why I long for him
and surely will have mercy on him.
21 Set up road signs;
put up guideposts.
Mark well the path
by which you came.
Come back again, my virgin Israel;
return to your towns here.
22 How long will you wander,
my wayward daughter?
For the Lord will cause something new to happen—
Israel will embrace her God.[d]”
23 This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says: “When I bring them back from captivity, the people of Judah and its towns will again say, ‘The Lord bless you, O righteous home, O holy mountain!’ 24 Townspeople and farmers and shepherds alike will live together in peace and happiness. 25 For I have given rest to the weary and joy to the sorrowing.”
26 At this, I woke up and looked around. My sleep had been very sweet.
27 “The day is coming,” says the Lord, “when I will greatly increase the human population and the number of animals here in Israel and Judah. 28 In the past I deliberately uprooted and tore down this nation. I overthrew it, destroyed it, and brought disaster upon it. But in the future I will just as deliberately plant it and build it up. I, the Lord, have spoken!
29 “The people will no longer quote this proverb:
‘The parents have eaten sour grapes,
but their children’s mouths pucker at the taste.’
30 All people will die for their own sins—those who eat the sour grapes will be the ones whose mouths will pucker.
31 “The day is coming,” says the Lord, “when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and Judah. 32 This covenant will not be like the one I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand and brought them out of the land of Egypt. They broke that covenant, though I loved them as a husband loves his wife,” says the Lord.
33 “But this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel after those days,” says the Lord. “I will put my instructions deep within them, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. 34 And they will not need to teach their neighbors, nor will they need to teach their relatives, saying, ‘You should know the Lord.’ For everyone, from the least to the greatest, will know me already,” says the Lord. “And I will forgive their wickedness, and I will never again remember their sins.”
35 It is the Lord who provides the sun to light the day
and the moon and stars to light the night,
and who stirs the sea into roaring waves.
His name is the Lord of Heaven’s Armies,
and this is what he says:
36 “I am as likely to reject my people Israel
as I am to abolish the laws of nature!”
37 This is what the Lord says:
“Just as the heavens cannot be measured
and the foundations of the earth cannot be explored,
so I will not consider casting them away
for the evil they have done.
I, the Lord, have spoken!
38 “The day is coming,” says the Lord, “when all Jerusalem will be rebuilt for me, from the Tower of Hananel to the Corner Gate. 39 A measuring line will be stretched out over the hill of Gareb and across to Goah. 40 And the entire area—including the graveyard and ash dump in the valley, and all the fields out to the Kidron Valley on the east as far as the Horse Gate—will be holy to the Lord. The city will never again be captured or destroyed.”
Jeremiah 31
International Standard Version
31 “At that time,” declares the Lord, “I’ll be the God of all the families of Israel, and they will be my people.”
The Lord Promises Restoration
2 This is what the Lord says:
“The people who survived the sword,
found favor in the desert
while Israel was seeking rest.[a]
3 The Lord appeared to Israel[b] from far away and said,[c]
“I’ve loved you with an everlasting love,
therefore I’ve drawn you with gracious love.
4 I’ll again build you, and you will be rebuilt,
Virgin Israel!
You will again take up your tambourines
and go out to dance with those who are filled with joy.
5 You will again plant vineyards on the hills of Samaria
where planters had planted and defiled the fruit.[d]
6 For there will be a day when the watchmen
will call out on the hills of Ephraim,
‘Arise, let’s go up to Zion to the Lord our God.’”
The Blessings of Returning from Exile
7 For this is what the Lord says:
“Cry out with joy for Jacob
and shout for the chief among the nations.
Announce, give praise, and say,
‘Lord, save your people, the remnant of Israel.’
8 Look, I’m bringing them from the northern region,[e]
and I’ll gather them from the farthest parts of the earth.
Among them will be the blind and the lame,
together with the pregnant woman
and the woman in labor.
A large group will return here.
9 They’ll come crying,
and I’ll lead them as they pray for mercy.[f]
I’ll make them walk by streams of water,
along a straight path on which they won’t stumble.
For I am Israel’s father,
and Ephraim is my firstborn.”
10 Nations, listen to this message from the Lord,
and declare it in the distant coastlands.
Say, “The one who scattered Israel will gather him
and keep him as a shepherd keeps his flock.”
11 For the Lord will deliver Jacob
and redeem him from the hand of one stronger than he.
12 They’ll come and cry out with joy
on the heights of Zion.
They’ll be radiant over the Lord’s goodness,
over the grain, the new wine, the fresh oil,
and over the young of the flocks and herds.
Their lives will be like a well-watered garden.
They’ll never again grow faint.[g]
13 The virgins will rejoice with dancing,
together with young men and old men.
For I’ll turn their mourning into joy,
and I’ll comfort them and give them gladness
instead of sorrow.
14 I’ll give the priests abundant provisions,[h]
and my people will be satisfied with my goodness,”
declares the Lord.
The End of Rachel’s Mourning
15 This is what the Lord says:
“A voice is heard in Ramah,
lamentation and bitter crying.
Rachel is crying,
and she refuses to be comforted for her children,
because they are no longer alive.”
16 This is what the Lord says:
“Restrain your voice from crying,
and your eyes from tears,
for there is a reward for your work,”
declares the Lord.
“They’ll return from the enemy’s land.
17 There is hope for your future,”
declares the Lord.
“Your[i] children will return to their own territory.”
Ephraim’s Prayer and Confession
18 “I’ve certainly heard Ephraim
shuddering with grief as they said,[j]
‘You have disciplined me,
and I’m disciplined like an untrained calf.
Restore me, and let me return,[k]
for you are the Lord my God.
19 Indeed, after I turned away, then I repented.
And after I came to understand,
I slapped my forehead.[l]
I was both ashamed and humiliated
because I bear the disgrace of my youth.’”
God’s Gracious Response
20 “Is Ephraim my dear son?
Is he a darling child?
Indeed, as often as I’ve spoken about him,
I surely still remember him.
Therefore I deeply yearn for him.
I’ll surely have great compassion on him,”
declares the Lord.
21 Set up markers for yourselves.
Erect signposts for yourselves.
Pay attention to the highway,
to the road you traveled.
Return, virgin Israel,
return to these cities of yours.
22 How long will you go this way and that,
rebellious daughter?
Indeed, the Lord will create a new thing on the earth;
a woman will protect[m] a man.
23 This is what the Lord of the Heavenly Armies, the God of Israel, says: “They’ll again speak this message in the land of Judah and its towns when I restore their fortunes:[n] ‘The Lord bless you, righteous dwelling, holy mountain.’ 24 Judah and all its towns will live together in the land,[o] along with farmers and those who follow the flock. 25 I’ll provide abundance for those who are weary, and fill all who are faint.” 26 Then I awoke and looked around, and I had had a pleasant sleep.
Restoration and Responsibility
27 “Look, days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I’ll sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah using people and animals as seed.[p] 28 Just as I’ve watched over them to pull up, tear down, overthrow, destroy, and bring disaster, so I’ll watch over them to build and to plant,” declares the Lord. 29 “In those days people will no longer say, ‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes, but the children’s teeth have been set on edge.’ 30 Instead, each person will die for his own iniquity. Everyone who eats sour grapes will have his own[q] teeth set on edge.”
The New Covenant
31 “Look, days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I’ll make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah. 32 It won’t be like the covenant I made with their ancestors on the day I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt. They broke my covenant, although I was a husband to them,” declares the Lord. 33 “Rather, this is the covenant that I’ll make with the house of Israel after those days,” declares the Lord. “I’ll put my Law[r] within them and will write it on their hearts. I’ll be their God and they will be my people. 34 No longer will a person teach his neighbor or his relative: ‘Know the Lord.’ Instead, they’ll all know me, from the least to the greatest of them,” declares the Lord. “Indeed, I’ll forgive their iniquity, and I’ll remember their sin no more.”
35 This is what the Lord says,
who gives the sun for light by day,
the laws that govern the moon and stars for light by night,
and who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar.
The Lord of the Heavenly Armies is his name:
36 “If these laws cease to function in my presence,”
declares the Lord,
“then the descendants of Israel will cease to be
a nation in my presence for all time!”
37 This is what the Lord says:
“If the heavens could be measured above,
or the foundations of the earth be searched out below,
then I also would reject all the descendants of Israel
because of everything they have done,”
declares the Lord.
38 “Look, days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when the city of the Lord will be rebuilt[s] from the Tower of Hananel to the Corner Gate. 39 A measuring line will go straight out from there to the hill of Gareb, and then it will turn to Goah. 40 The whole valley of dead bodies and ashes and all the fields as far as the Brook Kidron to the corner of the Horse Gate toward the east will be holy to the Lord. It won’t be uprooted or overthrown again, forever.”
Footnotes
- Jeremiah 31:2 Lit. while going to find rest for him, Israel; cf. Deut 28:65
- Jeremiah 31:3 Lit. to me; i.e. here Jeremiah personifies Israel
- Jeremiah 31:3 The Heb. lacks and said
- Jeremiah 31:5 I.e. had used the fruit for inappropriate purposes
- Jeremiah 31:8 Lit. the land of the north
- Jeremiah 31:9 Lit. I’ll lead them with prayer for mercy
- Jeremiah 31:12 I.e. from lack of food and drink
- Jeremiah 31:14 Lit. fatness
- Jeremiah 31:17 The Heb. lacks Your
- Jeremiah 31:18 The Heb. lacks as they said
- Jeremiah 31:18 Or repent
- Jeremiah 31:19 Lit. thigh; i.e. as a sign of remorse
- Jeremiah 31:22 Lit. surround
- Jeremiah 31:23 Or return them from captivity
- Jeremiah 31:24 Lit. in it
- Jeremiah 31:27 Lit. with the seed of people and the seed of animals
- Jeremiah 31:30 The Heb. lacks own
- Jeremiah 31:33 Or instruction
- Jeremiah 31:38 Or the city will be rebuilt for the Lord
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