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The Lord says, “At that time [L and in those days]
    the ·people [L sons] of Israel and Judah will come together.
    They will cry and ·look for [L seek] the Lord their God.
Those people will ask ·how to go [L the way/path] to ·Jerusalem [L Zion; C the location of the Temple]
    and will start in that direction.
They will come and join themselves to the Lord.
    They will make an ·agreement [covenant; treaty] with him that will last forever,
an ·agreement [covenant; treaty] that will never be forgotten [31:31–34].

“My people have been like lost sheep.
    Their ·leaders [L shepherds] have led them ·in the wrong way [astray]
and made them wander around in the mountains and hills.
    They forgot where their ·resting place [fold] was [Ps. 23].
Whoever ·saw [L found] my people ·hurt [L devoured] them.
    And those ·enemies [foes] said, ‘We ·did nothing wrong [are not guilty].
Those people sinned against the Lord, their ·true [L righteous] ·resting place [fold],
    the God their fathers ·trusted [hoped in].’

“·Run away [Flee] from Babylon,
    and leave the land of the ·Babylonians [L Chaldeans].
    Be like the goats that lead the flock.
I will soon ·arouse [L stir up] and bring against Babylon
    ·many great nations [a large assembly of nations] from the north [C led by Persia].
They will take their places for war against it,
    and it will be captured ·by people from the north [L from there].
Their arrows are like trained soldiers
    who do not return [C from war] with empty hands.
10 The ·enemy will take all the wealth from the Babylonians [L Chaldeans will be plundered].
    ·Those enemy soldiers will get all they want [L The plunderers will be satisfied/sated],” says the Lord.

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“In those days and at that time,” says the Lord, “the children of Israel will come, they and the children of Judah together; they will come up weeping [in repentance] as they come and seek the Lord their God [inquiring for and of Him]. They will ask the way to Zion, with their faces in that direction, saying, ‘Come, let us join ourselves to the Lord in an everlasting covenant that will not be forgotten.’


“My people have become lost sheep;
Their shepherds have led them astray.
They have made them turn aside [to the seductive places of idolatry] on the mountains.
They have gone along [from one sin to another] from mountain to hill;
They have forgotten their [own] resting place.(A)

“All who found them have devoured them;
And their adversaries have said, ‘We are not guilty,
Because they have sinned against the Lord [and are no longer holy to Him], their [true] habitation of righteousness and justice,
Even the Lord, the [confident] hope of their fathers.’


“Wander away from the midst of Babylon
And go out of the land of the Chaldeans;
Be like the male goats [who serve as leaders] at the head of the flocks.(B)

“For behold, I will stir up and bring up against Babylon
An assembly of great nations from the north country.
They will equip themselves and set up the battle lines against her;
From there she will be taken captive.
Their arrows will be like an expert warrior
Who will not return empty-handed.
10 
“Chaldea will become plunder;
All who plunder her will be satisfied,” says the Lord.

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