Jeremiah 31:7-14

International Children’s Bible

“Be happy and sing for the people of Jacob.
    Shout for Israel, the greatest of the nations.
Sing your praises and shout this:
    ‘Lord, save your people!
    Save those who are left alive from the nation of Israel!’
⁸ Look, I will bring Israel from the country in the north.
    I will gather them from the faraway places on earth.
Some of the people are blind and crippled.
    Some of the women will be pregnant and ready to give birth.
    A great many people will come back.
⁹ Those people will be crying as they come back.
    But they will pray as I bring them back.
I will lead those people by streams of water.
    I will lead them on an even road where they will not stumble.
This is because I am Israel’s father.
    And Israel is my firstborn son.

¹⁰ “Nations, listen to the message from the Lord.
    Tell this message in the faraway lands by the sea:
‘The one who scattered the people of Israel will bring them back together.
    And he will watch over his people like a shepherd.’
¹¹ The Lord will bring the people of Jacob back.
    The Lord will buy them back from people stronger than they were.
¹² The people of Israel will come to the high points of Jerusalem.
    There they will shout for joy.
Their faces will shine with happiness about all the good things from the Lord:
    the grain, new wine, oil, young sheep and cows.
They will be like a garden that has plenty of water.
    And the people of Israel will not be troubled anymore.
¹³ Then young women of Israel will be happy and dance.
    The young men and old men will also dance.
I will change their sadness into happiness.
    I will give them comfort and joy instead of sadness.
¹⁴ The priests will have more than enough sacrifices.
    And my people will be filled with the good things I give them!” says the Lord.