15 This is what the Lord says:
(A)A voice is heard in (B)Ramah,
Lamenting and bitter weeping.
Rachel is weeping for her children;
She (C)refuses to be comforted for her children,
Because (D)they are no more.”

16 This is what the Lord says:

(E)Restrain your voice from weeping
And your eyes from tears;
For your (F)work will be rewarded,” declares the Lord,
“And they will (G)return from the land of the enemy.
17 There is (H)hope for your future,” declares the Lord,
“And your children will return to their own territory.
18 I have certainly heard Ephraim (I)grieving,
‘You have (J)disciplined me, and I was corrected,
Like an untrained (K)calf;
(L)Bring me back that I may be restored,
For You are the Lord my God.
19 For after I turned back, I (M)repented;
And after I was instructed, I [a](N)slapped my thigh;
I was (O)ashamed and also humiliated
Because I bore the shame of my youth.’
20 Is (P)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 [b](Q)heart yearns for him;
I will certainly (R)have mercy on him,” declares the Lord.

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 31:19 I.e., in regret
  2. Jeremiah 31:20 Lit inward parts

Lament Turned to Joy

15 This is what the Lord says:

A voice was heard in Ramah,
a lament with bitter weeping—
Rachel weeping for her children,
refusing to be comforted for her children
because they are no more.(A)

16 This is what the Lord says:

Keep your voice from weeping
and your eyes from tears,
for the reward for your work will come—
this is the Lord’s declaration—
and your children will return from the enemy’s land.
17 There is hope for your future(B)
this is the Lord’s declaration—
and your children will return to their own territory.
18 I have heard Ephraim moaning,
“You disciplined me, and I have been disciplined
like an untrained calf.
Restore me, and I will return,
for you, Lord, are my God.(C)
19 After I returned, I repented;
After I was instructed, I struck my thigh in grief.(D)
I was ashamed and humiliated
because I bore the disgrace of my youth.”
20 Isn’t Ephraim a precious son to Me,
a delightful child?
Whenever I speak against him,
I certainly still think about him.
Therefore, My inner being yearns for him;
I will truly have compassion on him.
This is the Lord’s declaration.

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