Jeremiah 31
World English Bible
31 “At that time,” says Yahweh, “I will be the God of all the families of Israel, and they will be my people.”
2 Yahweh says, “The people who survive the sword found favor in the wilderness; even Israel, when I went to cause him to rest.”
3 Yahweh appeared of old to me, saying,
“Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love.
Therefore I have drawn you with loving kindness.
4 I will build you again,
and you will be built, O virgin of Israel.
You will again be adorned with your tambourines,
and will go out in the dances of those who make merry.
5 Again you will plant vineyards on the mountains of Samaria.
The planters will plant,
and will enjoy its fruit.
6 For there will be a day that the watchmen on the hills of Ephraim cry,
‘Arise! Let’s go up to Zion to Yahweh our God.’”
7 For Yahweh says,
“Sing with gladness for Jacob,
and shout for the chief of the nations.
Publish, praise, and say,
‘Yahweh, save your people,
the remnant of Israel!’
8 Behold, I will bring them from the north country,
and gather them from the uttermost parts of the earth,
along with the blind and the lame,
the woman with child and her who travails with child together.
They will return as a great company.
9 They will come with weeping.
I will lead them with petitions.
I will cause them to walk by rivers of waters,
in a straight way in which they won’t stumble;
for I am a father to Israel.
Ephraim is my firstborn.
10 “Hear Yahweh’s word, you nations,
and declare it in the distant islands. Say,
‘He who scattered Israel will gather him,
and keep him, as a shepherd does his flock.’
11 For Yahweh has ransomed Jacob,
and redeemed him from the hand of him who was stronger than he.
12 They will come and sing in the height of Zion,
and will flow to the goodness of Yahweh,
to the grain, to the new wine, to the oil,
and to the young of the flock and of the herd.
Their soul will be as a watered garden.
They will not sorrow any more at all.
13 Then the virgin will rejoice in the dance;
the young men and the old together;
for I will turn their mourning into joy,
and will comfort them, and make them rejoice from their sorrow.
14 I will satiate the soul of the priests with fatness,
and my people will be satisfied with my goodness,” says Yahweh.
15 Yahweh says:
“A voice is heard in Ramah,
lamentation and bitter weeping,
Rachel weeping for her children.
She refuses to be comforted for her children,
because they are no more.”
16 Yahweh says:
“Refrain your voice from weeping,
and your eyes from tears;
for your work will be rewarded,” says Yahweh.
“They will come again from the land of the enemy.
17 There is hope for your latter end,” says Yahweh.
“Your children will come again to their own territory.
18 “I have surely heard Ephraim grieving thus,
‘You have chastised me,
and I was chastised, as an untrained calf.
Turn me, and I will be turned;
for you are Yahweh my God.
19 Surely after that I was turned.
I repented.
After that I was instructed.
I struck my thigh.
I was ashamed, yes, even confounded,
because I bore the reproach of my youth.’
20 Is Ephraim my dear son?
Is he a darling child?
For as often as I speak against him,
I still earnestly remember him.
therefore my heart yearns for him.
I will surely have mercy on him,” says Yahweh.
21 “Set up road signs.
Make guideposts.
Set your heart toward the highway,
even the way by which you went.
Turn again, virgin of Israel.
Turn again to these your cities.
22 How long will you go here and there,
you backsliding daughter?
For Yahweh has created a new thing in the earth:
a woman will encompass a man.”
23 Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel, says: “Yet again they will use this speech in the land of Judah and in its cities, when I reverse their captivity: ‘Yahweh bless you, habitation of righteousness, mountain of holiness.’ 24 Judah and all its cities will dwell therein together, the farmers, and those who go about with flocks. 25 For I have satiated the weary soul, and I have replenished every sorrowful soul.”
26 On this I awakened, and saw; and my sleep was sweet to me.
27 “Behold, the days come,” says Yahweh, “that I will sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah with the seed of man and with the seed of animal. 28 It will happen that, like as I have watched over them to pluck up and to break down and to overthrow and to destroy and to afflict, so I will watch over them to build and to plant,” says Yahweh. 29 “In those days they will say no more,
“‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes,
and the children’s teeth are set on edge.’
30 But everyone will die for his own iniquity. Every man who eats the sour grapes, his teeth will be set on edge.
31 “Behold, the days come,” says Yahweh,
“that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel,
and with the house of Judah:
32 not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt;
which covenant of mine they broke,
although I was a husband to them,” says Yahweh.
33 “But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days,”
says Yahweh:
“I will put my law in their inward parts,
and I will write it in their heart.
I will be their God,
and they shall be my people.
34 They will no longer each teach his neighbor,
and every man teach his brother, saying, ‘Know Yahweh;’
for they will all know me,
from their least to their greatest,” says Yahweh:
“for I will forgive their iniquity,
and I will remember their sin no more.”
35 Yahweh, who gives the sun for a light by day,
and the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night,
who stirs up the sea, so that its waves roar;
Yahweh of Armies is his name, says:
36 “If these ordinances depart from before me,” says Yahweh,
“then the offspring of Israel also will cease from being a nation before me forever.”
37 Yahweh says: “If heaven above can be measured,
and the foundations of the earth searched out beneath,
then I will also cast off all the offspring of Israel for all that they have done,” says Yahweh.
38 “Behold, the days come,” says Yahweh, “that the city will be built to Yahweh from the tower of Hananel to the gate of the corner. 39 The measuring line will go out further straight onward to the hill Gareb, and will turn toward Goah. 40 The whole valley of the dead bodies and of the ashes, and all the fields to the brook Kidron, to the corner of the horse gate toward the east, will be holy to Yahweh. It will not be plucked up or thrown down any more forever.”
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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