The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD: “Thus says the LORD God of Israel, ‘Write in a book all the words which I have spoken to you. For behold (hear this), the days are coming,’ says the LORD, ‘when I will restore the fortunes of My people Israel and Judah,’ says the LORD, ‘and I will return them to the land that I gave to their forefathers and they will take possession of it.’ ”
Now these are the words the LORD spoke concerning Israel and Judah:
“Thus says the LORD,
‘We have heard a terrified voice
Of panic and dread, and there is no peace.
‘Ask now, and see
Whether a man can give birth [to a child].
Why then do I see every man
With his hands on his loins, as a woman in labor?
Why have all faces turned pale?
‘Alas! for that day is great,
There is none like it;
It is the time of Jacob’s [unequaled] trouble,
But he will be saved from it. [Matt 24:29, 30; Rev 7:14]
‘It shall come about on that day,’ says the LORD of hosts, ‘that I will break the yoke off your neck and I will tear off your bonds and force apart your shackles; and strangers will no longer make slaves of the people [of Israel]. But they shall serve the LORD their God and [the descendant of] David their King, whom I will raise up for them. [Jer 23:5]
‘Fear not, O Jacob My servant,’ says the LORD,
‘Nor be dismayed or downcast, O Israel;
For behold, I will save you from a distant land [of exile]
And your descendants from the land of their captivity.
Jacob will return and will be quiet and at ease,
And no one will make him afraid.
‘For I am with you,’ says the LORD, ‘to save you;
For I will destroy completely all the nations where I have scattered you,
But I will not destroy you completely.
But I will judge and discipline you fairly
And will by no means regard you as guiltless and leave you unpunished.’
¶“For thus says the LORD,
‘Your wound is incurable
And your injury is beyond healing.
‘There is no one to plead your cause;
No [device to close and allow the] healing of your wound,
No recovery for you.
‘All your lovers (allies) have forgotten you;
They do not seek and long for you.
For I have injured you with the wound of an enemy,
With the punishment of a cruel and merciless foe,
Because your guilt is great
And your sins are glaring and innumerable.
‘Why do you cry out over your injury [since it is the natural result of your sin]?
Your pain is incurable (deadly).
Because your guilt is great
And your sins are glaring and innumerable,
I have done these things to you.
‘Therefore all who devour you will be devoured;
And all your adversaries, every one of them, will go into captivity.
And they who plunder you will become plunder,
And all who prey upon you I will give for prey.
‘For I will restore health to you
And I will heal your wounds,’ says the LORD,
‘Because they have called you an outcast, saying:
“This is Zion; no one seeks her and no one cares for her.” ’
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