Jeremiah 30-33

New International Version

Restoration of Israel

30 This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: ²“This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘Write^(A) in a book all the words I have spoken to you. ³The days^(B) are coming,’ declares the Lord, ‘when I will bring^(C) my people Israel and Judah back from captivity^[a] and restore^(D) them to the land I gave their ancestors to possess,’ says the Lord.”

⁴These are the words the Lord spoke concerning Israel and Judah: ⁵“This is what the Lord says:

“‘Cries of fear^(E) are heard—
    terror, not peace.
⁶Ask and see:
    Can a man bear children?
Then why do I see every strong man
    with his hands on his stomach like a woman in labor,^(F)
    every face turned deathly pale?^(G)
⁷How awful that day^(H) will be!
    No other will be like it.
It will be a time of trouble^(I) for Jacob,
    but he will be saved^(J) out of it.

⁸“‘In that day,’ declares the Lord Almighty,
    ‘I will break the yoke^(K) off their necks
and will tear off their bonds;^(L)
    no longer will foreigners enslave them.^(M)
⁹Instead, they will serve the Lord their God
    and David^(N) their king,^(O)
    whom I will raise up for them.

¹⁰“‘So do not be afraid,^(P) Jacob my servant;^(Q)
    do not be dismayed, Israel,’
declares the Lord.
‘I will surely save^(R) you out of a distant place,
    your descendants from the land of their exile.
Jacob will again have peace and security,^(S)
    and no one will make him afraid.^(T)
¹¹I am with you^(U) and will save you,’
    declares the Lord.
‘Though I completely destroy all the nations
    among which I scatter you,
    I will not completely destroy^(V) you.
I will discipline^(W) you but only in due measure;
    I will not let you go entirely unpunished.’^(X)

¹²“This is what the Lord says:

“‘Your wound^(Y) is incurable,
    your injury beyond healing.^(Z)
¹³There is no one to plead your cause,^(AA)
    no remedy for your sore,
    no healing^(AB) for you.
¹⁴All your allies^(AC) have forgotten you;
    they care nothing for you.
I have struck you as an enemy^(AD) would
    and punished you as would the cruel,^(AE)
because your guilt is so great
    and your sins^(AF) so many.
¹⁵Why do you cry out over your wound,
    your pain that has no cure?^(AG)
Because of your great guilt and many sins
    I have done these things to you.^(AH)

¹⁶“‘But all who devour^(AI) you will be devoured;
    all your enemies will go into exile.^(AJ)
Those who plunder^(AK) you will be plundered;
    all who make spoil of you I will despoil.
¹⁷But I will restore you to health
    and heal^(AL) your wounds,’
declares the Lord,
‘because you are called an outcast,^(AM)
    Zion for whom no one cares.’^(AN)

¹⁸“This is what the Lord says:

“‘I will restore the fortunes^(AO) of Jacob’s tents^(AP)
    and have compassion^(AQ) on his dwellings;
the city will be rebuilt^(AR) on her ruins,
    and the palace will stand in its proper place.
¹⁹From them will come songs^(AS) of thanksgiving^(AT)
    and the sound of rejoicing.^(AU)
I will add to their numbers,^(AV)
    and they will not be decreased;
I will bring them honor,^(AW)
    and they will not be disdained.
²⁰Their children^(AX) will be as in days of old,
    and their community will be established^(AY) before me;
    I will punish^(AZ) all who oppress them.
²¹Their leader^(BA) will be one of their own;
    their ruler will arise from among them.^(BB)
I will bring him near^(BC) and he will come close to me—
    for who is he who will devote himself
    to be close to me?’
declares the Lord.
²²“‘So you will be my people,^(BD)
    and I will be your God.^(BE)’”

²³See, the storm^(BF) of the Lord
    will burst out in wrath,
a driving wind swirling down
    on the heads of the wicked.
²⁴The fierce anger^(BG) of the Lord will not turn back^(BH)
    until he fully accomplishes
    the purposes of his heart.
In days to come
    you will understand^(BI) this.

31 “At that time,” declares the Lord, “I will be the God^(BJ) of all the families of Israel, and they will be my people.”

²This is what the Lord says:

“The people who survive the sword
will find favor^(BK) in the wilderness;
I will come to give rest^(BL) to Israel.”

³The Lord appeared to us in the past,^[b] saying:

“I have loved^(BM) you with an everlasting love;
    I have drawn^(BN) you with unfailing kindness.
⁴I will build you up again,
    and you, Virgin^(BO) Israel, will be rebuilt.^(BP)
Again you will take up your timbrels^(BQ)
    and go out to dance^(BR) with the joyful.^(BS)
⁵Again you will plant^(BT) vineyards
    on the hills of Samaria;^(BU)
the farmers will plant them
    and enjoy their fruit.^(BV)
⁶There will be a day when watchmen^(BW) cry out
    on the hills of Ephraim,
‘Come, let us go up to Zion,
    to the Lord our God.’”^(BX)

⁷This is what the Lord says:

“Sing^(BY) with joy for Jacob;
    shout for the foremost^(BZ) of the nations.
Make your praises heard, and say,
    ‘Lord, save^(CA) your people,
    the remnant^(CB) of Israel.’
⁸See, I will bring them from the land of the north^(CC)
    and gather^(CD) them from the ends of the earth.
Among them will be the blind^(CE) and the lame,^(CF)
    expectant mothers and women in labor;
    a great throng will return.
⁹They will come with weeping;^(CG)
    they will pray as I bring them back.
I will lead^(CH) them beside streams of water^(CI)
    on a level^(CJ) path where they will not stumble,
because I am Israel’s father,^(CK)
    and Ephraim is my firstborn son.

¹⁰“Hear the word of the Lord, you nations;
    proclaim it in distant coastlands:^(CL)
‘He who scattered^(CM) Israel will gather^(CN) them
    and will watch over his flock like a shepherd.’^(CO)
¹¹For the Lord will deliver Jacob
    and redeem^(CP) them from the hand of those stronger^(CQ) than they.
¹²They will come and shout for joy^(CR) on the heights^(CS) of Zion;
    they will rejoice in the bounty^(CT) of the Lord—
the grain, the new wine and the olive oil,^(CU)
    the young of the flocks^(CV) and herds.
They will be like a well-watered garden,^(CW)
    and they will sorrow^(CX) no more.
¹³Then young women will dance and be glad,
    young men and old as well.
I will turn their mourning^(CY) into gladness;
    I will give them comfort^(CZ) and joy^(DA) instead of sorrow.
¹⁴I will satisfy^(DB) the priests^(DC) with abundance,
    and my people will be filled with my bounty,^(DD)”
declares the Lord.

¹⁵This is what the Lord says:

“A voice is heard in Ramah,^(DE)
    mourning and great weeping,
Rachel weeping for her children
    and refusing to be comforted,^(DF)
    because they are no more.”^(DG)

¹⁶This is what the Lord says:

“Restrain your voice from weeping
    and your eyes from tears,^(DH)
for your work will be rewarded,^(DI)”
declares the Lord.
    “They will return^(DJ) from the land of the enemy.
¹⁷So there is hope^(DK) for your descendants,”
declares the Lord.
    “Your children^(DL) will return to their own land.

¹⁸“I have surely heard Ephraim’s moaning:
    ‘You disciplined^(DM) me like an unruly calf,^(DN)
    and I have been disciplined.
Restore^(DO) me, and I will return,
    because you are the Lord my God.
¹⁹After I strayed,^(DP)
    I repented;
after I came to understand,
    I beat^(DQ) my breast.
I was ashamed^(DR) and humiliated
    because I bore the disgrace of my youth.’^(DS)
²⁰Is not Ephraim my dear son,
    the child^(DT) in whom I delight?
Though I often speak against him,
    I still remember^(DU) him.
Therefore my heart yearns for him;
    I have great compassion^(DV) for him,”
declares the Lord.

²¹“Set up road signs;
    put up guideposts.^(DW)
Take note of the highway,^(DX)
    the road that you take.
Return,^(DY) Virgin^(DZ) Israel,
    return to your towns.
²²How long will you wander,^(EA)
    unfaithful^(EB) Daughter Israel?
The Lord will create a new thing^(EC) on earth—
    the woman will return to^[c]^(ED) the man.”

²³This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: “When I bring them back from captivity,^[d]^(EE) the people in the land of Judah and in its towns will once again use these words: ‘The Lord bless^(EF) you, you prosperous city,^(EG) you sacred mountain.’^(EH) ²⁴People will live^(EI) together in Judah and all its towns—farmers and those who move about with their flocks.^(EJ) ²⁵I will refresh the weary^(EK) and satisfy the faint.”^(EL)

²⁶At this I awoke^(EM) and looked around. My sleep had been pleasant to me.

²⁷“The days are coming,”^(EN) declares the Lord, “when I will plant^(EO) the kingdoms of Israel and Judah with the offspring of people and of animals. ²⁸Just as I watched^(EP) over them to uproot^(EQ) and tear down, and to overthrow, destroy and bring disaster,^(ER) so I will watch over them to build and to plant,”^(ES) declares the Lord. ²⁹“In those days people will no longer say,

‘The parents^(ET) have eaten sour grapes,
and the children’s teeth are set on edge.’^(EU)

³⁰Instead, everyone will die for their own sin;^(EV) whoever eats sour grapes—their own teeth will be set on edge.

³¹“The days are coming,” declares the Lord,
    “when I will make a new covenant^(EW)
with the people of Israel
    and with the people of Judah.
³²It will not be like the covenant^(EX)
    I made with their ancestors^(EY)
when I took them by the hand
    to lead them out of Egypt,^(EZ)
because they broke my covenant,
    though I was a husband^(FA) to^[e] them,^[f]”
declares the Lord.
³³“This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel
    after that time,” declares the Lord.
“I will put my law in their minds^(FB)
    and write it on their hearts.^(FC)
I will be their God,
    and they will be my people.^(FD)
³⁴No longer will they teach^(FE) their neighbor,
    or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’
because they will all know^(FF) me,
    from the least of them to the greatest,”
declares the Lord.
“For I will forgive^(FG) their wickedness
    and will remember their sins^(FH) no more.”

³⁵This is what the Lord says,

he who appoints^(FI) the sun
    to shine by day,
who decrees the moon and stars
    to shine by night,^(FJ)
who stirs up the sea^(FK)
    so that its waves roar^(FL)—
    the Lord Almighty is his name:^(FM)
³⁶“Only if these decrees^(FN) vanish from my sight,”
    declares the Lord,
“will Israel^(FO) ever cease
    being a nation before me.”

³⁷This is what the Lord says:

“Only if the heavens above can be measured^(FP)
and the foundations of the earth below be searched out
will I reject^(FQ) all the descendants of Israel
because of all they have done,”
declares the Lord.

³⁸“The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when this city will be rebuilt^(FR) for me from the Tower of Hananel^(FS) to the Corner Gate.^(FT) ³⁹The measuring line^(FU) will stretch from there straight to the hill of Gareb and then turn to Goah. ⁴⁰The whole valley^(FV) where dead bodies^(FW) and ashes are thrown, and all the terraces out to the Kidron Valley^(FX) on the east as far as the corner of the Horse Gate,^(FY) will be holy^(FZ) to the Lord. The city will never again be uprooted or demolished.”

Jeremiah Buys a Field

32 This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord in the tenth^(GA) year of Zedekiah king of Judah, which was the eighteenth^(GB) year of Nebuchadnezzar. ²The army of the king of Babylon was then besieging^(GC) Jerusalem, and Jeremiah the prophet was confined^(GD) in the courtyard of the guard^(GE) in the royal palace of Judah.

³Now Zedekiah king of Judah had imprisoned him there, saying, “Why do you prophesy^(GF) as you do? You say, ‘This is what the Lord says: I am about to give this city into the hands of the king of Babylon, and he will capture^(GG) it. ⁴Zedekiah^(GH) king of Judah will not escape^(GI) the Babylonians^[g]^(GJ) but will certainly be given into the hands of the king of Babylon, and will speak with him face to face and see him with his own eyes. ⁵He will take^(GK) Zedekiah to Babylon, where he will remain until I deal with him,^(GL) declares the Lord. If you fight against the Babylonians, you will not succeed.’”^(GM)

⁶Jeremiah said, “The word of the Lord came to me: ⁷Hanamel son of Shallum your uncle is going to come to you and say, ‘Buy my field at Anathoth,^(GN) because as nearest relative it is your right and duty^(GO) to buy it.’

⁸“Then, just as the Lord had said, my cousin Hanamel came to me in the courtyard of the guard and said, ‘Buy my field^(GP) at Anathoth in the territory of Benjamin. Since it is your right to redeem it and possess it, buy it for yourself.’

“I knew that this was the word of the Lord; ⁹so I bought the field^(GQ) at Anathoth from my cousin Hanamel and weighed out for him seventeen shekels^[h] of silver.^(GR) ¹⁰I signed and sealed the deed,^(GS) had it witnessed,^(GT) and weighed out the silver on the scales. ¹¹I took the deed of purchase—the sealed copy containing the terms and conditions, as well as the unsealed copy— ¹²and I gave this deed to Baruch^(GU) son of Neriah,^(GV) the son of Mahseiah, in the presence of my cousin Hanamel and of the witnesses who had signed the deed and of all the Jews sitting in the courtyard of the guard.

¹³“In their presence I gave Baruch these instructions: ¹⁴‘This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Take these documents, both the sealed^(GW) and unsealed copies of the deed of purchase, and put them in a clay jar so they will last a long time. ¹⁵For this is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Houses, fields and vineyards will again be bought in this land.’^(GX)

¹⁶“After I had given the deed of purchase to Baruch^(GY) son of Neriah, I prayed to the Lord:

¹⁷“Ah, Sovereign Lord,^(GZ) you have made the heavens and the earth^(HA) by your great power and outstretched arm.^(HB) Nothing is too hard^(HC) for you. ¹⁸You show love^(HD) to thousands but bring the punishment for the parents’ sins into the laps^(HE) of their children^(HF) after them. Great and mighty God,^(HG) whose name is the Lord Almighty,^(HH) ¹⁹great are your purposes and mighty are your deeds.^(HI) Your eyes are open to the ways of all mankind;^(HJ) you reward each person according to their conduct and as their deeds deserve.^(HK) ²⁰You performed signs and wonders^(HL) in Egypt^(HM) and have continued them to this day, in Israel and among all mankind, and have gained the renown^(HN) that is still yours. ²¹You brought your people Israel out of Egypt with signs and wonders, by a mighty hand^(HO) and an outstretched arm^(HP) and with great terror.^(HQ) ²²You gave them this land you had sworn to give their ancestors, a land flowing with milk and honey.^(HR) ²³They came in and took possession^(HS) of it, but they did not obey you or follow your law;^(HT) they did not do what you commanded them to do. So you brought all this disaster^(HU) on them.

²⁴“See how the siege ramps^(HV) are built up to take the city. Because of the sword, famine and plague,^(HW) the city will be given into the hands of the Babylonians who are attacking it. What you said^(HX) has happened,^(HY) as you now see. ²⁵And though the city will be given into the hands of the Babylonians, you, Sovereign Lord, say to me, ‘Buy the field^(HZ) with silver and have the transaction witnessed.^(IA)’”

²⁶Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: ²⁷“I am the Lord, the God of all mankind.^(IB) Is anything too hard for me?^(IC) ²⁸Therefore this is what the Lord says: I am about to give this city into the hands of the Babylonians and to Nebuchadnezzar^(ID) king of Babylon, who will capture it.^(IE) ²⁹The Babylonians who are attacking this city will come in and set it on fire; they will burn it down,^(IF) along with the houses^(IG) where the people aroused my anger by burning incense on the roofs to Baal and by pouring out drink offerings^(IH) to other gods.^(II)

³⁰“The people of Israel and Judah have done nothing but evil in my sight from their youth;^(IJ) indeed, the people of Israel have done nothing but arouse my anger^(IK) with what their hands have made,^(IL) declares the Lord. ³¹From the day it was built until now, this city^(IM) has so aroused my anger and wrath that I must remove^(IN) it from my sight. ³²The people of Israel and Judah have provoked^(IO) me by all the evil^(IP) they have done—they, their kings and officials,^(IQ) their priests and prophets, the people of Judah and those living in Jerusalem. ³³They turned their backs^(IR) to me and not their faces; though I taught^(IS) them again and again, they would not listen or respond to discipline.^(IT) ³⁴They set up their vile images^(IU) in the house that bears my Name^(IV) and defiled^(IW) it. ³⁵They built high places for Baal in the Valley of Ben Hinnom^(IX) to sacrifice their sons and daughters to Molek,^(IY) though I never commanded—nor did it enter my mind^(IZ)—that they should do such a detestable^(JA) thing and so make Judah sin.^(JB)

³⁶“You are saying about this city, ‘By the sword, famine and plague^(JC) it will be given into the hands of the king of Babylon’; but this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ³⁷I will surely gather^(JD) them from all the lands where I banish them in my furious anger^(JE) and great wrath; I will bring them back to this place and let them live in safety.^(JF) ³⁸They will be my people,^(JG) and I will be their God. ³⁹I will give them singleness^(JH) of heart and action, so that they will always fear^(JI) me and that all will then go well for them and for their children after them. ⁴⁰I will make an everlasting covenant^(JJ) with them: I will never stop doing good to them, and I will inspire^(JK) them to fear me, so that they will never turn away from me.^(JL) ⁴¹I will rejoice^(JM) in doing them good^(JN) and will assuredly plant^(JO) them in this land with all my heart and soul.^(JP)

⁴²“This is what the Lord says: As I have brought all this great calamity^(JQ) on this people, so I will give them all the prosperity I have promised^(JR) them. ⁴³Once more fields will be bought^(JS) in this land of which you say, ‘It is a desolate^(JT) waste, without people or animals, for it has been given into the hands of the Babylonians.’ ⁴⁴Fields will be bought for silver, and deeds^(JU) will be signed, sealed and witnessed^(JV) in the territory of Benjamin, in the villages around Jerusalem, in the towns of Judah and in the towns of the hill country, of the western foothills and of the Negev,^(JW) because I will restore^(JX) their fortunes,^[i] declares the Lord.”

Promise of Restoration

33 While Jeremiah was still confined^(JY) in the courtyard^(JZ) of the guard, the word of the Lord came to him a second time:^(KA) ²“This is what the Lord says, he who made the earth,^(KB) the Lord who formed it and established it—the Lord is his name:^(KC) ³‘Call^(KD) to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable^(KE) things you do not know.’ ⁴For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says about the houses in this city and the royal palaces of Judah that have been torn down to be used against the siege^(KF) ramps^(KG) and the sword ⁵in the fight with the Babylonians^[j]: ‘They will be filled with the dead bodies of the people I will slay in my anger and wrath.^(KH) I will hide my face^(KI) from this city because of all its wickedness.

⁶“‘Nevertheless, I will bring health and healing to it; I will heal^(KJ) my people and will let them enjoy abundant peace^(KK) and security. ⁷I will bring Judah^(KL) and Israel back from captivity^[k]^(KM) and will rebuild^(KN) them as they were before.^(KO) ⁸I will cleanse^(KP) them from all the sin they have committed against me and will forgive^(KQ) all their sins of rebellion against me. ⁹Then this city will bring me renown,^(KR) joy, praise^(KS) and honor^(KT) before all nations on earth that hear of all the good things I do for it; and they will be in awe and will tremble^(KU) at the abundant prosperity and peace I provide for it.’

¹⁰“This is what the Lord says: ‘You say about this place, “It is a desolate waste, without people or animals.”^(KV) Yet in the towns of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem that are deserted,^(KW) inhabited by neither people nor animals, there will be heard once more ¹¹the sounds of joy and gladness,^(KX) the voices of bride and bridegroom, and the voices of those who bring thank offerings^(KY) to the house of the Lord, saying,

“Give thanks to the Lord Almighty,
for the Lord is good;^(KZ)
his love endures forever.”^(LA)

For I will restore the fortunes^(LB) of the land as they were before,^(LC)’ says the Lord.

¹²“This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘In this place, desolate^(LD) and without people or animals^(LE)—in all its towns there will again be pastures for shepherds to rest their flocks.^(LF) ¹³In the towns of the hill^(LG) country, of the western foothills and of the Negev,^(LH) in the territory of Benjamin, in the villages around Jerusalem and in the towns of Judah, flocks will again pass under the hand^(LI) of the one who counts them,’ says the Lord.

¹⁴“‘The days are coming,’ declares the Lord, ‘when I will fulfill the good promise^(LJ) I made to the people of Israel and Judah.

¹⁵“‘In those days and at that time
    I will make a righteous^(LK) Branch^(LL) sprout from David’s line;^(LM)
    he will do what is just and right in the land.
¹⁶In those days Judah will be saved^(LN)
    and Jerusalem will live in safety.^(LO)
This is the name by which it^[l] will be called:^(LP)
    The Lord Our Righteous Savior.’^(LQ)

¹⁷For this is what the Lord says: ‘David will never fail^(LR) to have a man to sit on the throne of Israel, ¹⁸nor will the Levitical^(LS) priests^(LT) ever fail to have a man to stand before me continually to offer burnt offerings, to burn grain offerings and to present sacrifices.^(LU)’”

¹⁹The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: ²⁰“This is what the Lord says: ‘If you can break my covenant with the day^(LV) and my covenant with the night, so that day and night no longer come at their appointed time,^(LW) ²¹then my covenant^(LX) with David my servant—and my covenant with the Levites^(LY) who are priests ministering before me—can be broken and David will no longer have a descendant to reign on his throne.^(LZ) ²²I will make the descendants of David my servant and the Levites who minister before me as countless^(MA) as the stars in the sky and as measureless as the sand on the seashore.’”

²³The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: ²⁴“Have you not noticed that these people are saying, ‘The Lord has rejected the two kingdoms^[m]^(MB) he chose’? So they despise^(MC) my people and no longer regard them as a nation.^(MD) ²⁵This is what the Lord says: ‘If I have not made my covenant with day and night^(ME) and established the laws^(MF) of heaven and earth,^(MG) ²⁶then I will reject^(MH) the descendants of Jacob^(MI) and David my servant and will not choose one of his sons to rule over the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. For I will restore their fortunes^[n]^(MJ) and have compassion^(MK) on them.’”