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Now this is what the Lord says:
“Sing with joy for Israel.[a]
    Shout for the greatest of nations!
Shout out with praise and joy:
‘Save your people, O Lord,
    the remnant of Israel!’
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!
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!”

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Footnotes

  1. 31:7 Hebrew Jacob; also in 31:11. See note on 5:20.

For this is what the Lord says:
(A)Sing aloud with joy for Jacob,
And be joyful with the [a](B)chief of the nations;
Proclaim, give praise, and say,
Lord, (C)save Your people,
The (D)remnant of Israel!’
Behold, I am (E)bringing them from the north country,
And I will (F)gather them from the remote parts of the earth,
Among them those who are (G)blind and those who (H)limp,
The pregnant woman and she who is in labor, together;
They will return here as a great assembly.
(I)They will come with weeping,
And by pleading I will bring them;
I will lead them by (J)streams of waters,
On a straight path on which they will (K)not stumble;
For I am a (L)father to Israel,
And Ephraim is (M)My firstborn.”

10 Hear the word of the Lord, you nations,
And declare it in the (N)coastlands far away,
And say, “He who scattered Israel will (O)gather him,
And He will keep him as a (P)shepherd keeps his flock.”
11 For the Lord has (Q)ransomed Jacob
And redeemed him from the hand of him who was (R)stronger than he.
12 “They will (S)come and shout for joy on the (T)height of Zion,
And they will be (U)radiant over the [b]bounty of the Lord
Over the (V)grain, the new wine, the oil,
And over the young of the (W)flock and the herd.
And their life will be like a (X)watered garden,
And they will (Y)never languish again.
13 Then the virgin will rejoice in the (Z)dance,
And the young men and the old together;
For I will (AA)turn their mourning into joy
And comfort them, and give them (AB)joy for their sorrow.
14 I will refresh the soul of the priests with [c]abundance,
And My people will be (AC)satisfied with My goodness,” declares the Lord.

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 31:7 Lit head
  2. Jeremiah 31:12 Lit goodness
  3. Jeremiah 31:14 Lit fatness