Jeremiah 30

¹ The word which came to Jeremiah from Yahweh, as follows,

² 'Yahweh, God of Israel, says this, "Write for yourself in a book al the words I have spoken to you.

³ For look, the days are coming, Yahweh declares, when I shal bring back the captives of my peopleIsrael (and Judah), Yahweh says. I shall make them come back and take possession of the country I gave totheir ancestors." '

⁴ These are the words Yahweh spoke about Israel (and Judah):

⁵ Yahweh says this: We have heard a cry of panic, of terror, not of peace.

⁶ Now ask and see: can a man bear children? Then why do I see each man with his hands on his loinslike a woman in labour? Why has every face grown pale?

⁷ Disaster! This is the great day, no other like it: a time of distress for Jacob, though he will be savedfrom it.

⁸ (That day, Yahweh Sabaoth declares, I shal break the yoke now on your neck and snap your chains;and foreigners wil enslave you no more,

⁹ but Israel and Judah wil serve Yahweh their God, and David their king whom I shal raise up for them.)

¹⁰ So do not be afraid, my servant Jacob, Yahweh declares, Israel, do not be alarmed: for look, I shalrescue you from distant countries and your descendants from the country where they are captive. Jacob wilreturn and be at peace, secure, with no one to trouble him.

¹¹ For I am with you to save you, Yahweh declares, I shal make an end of all the nations where I havedriven you, but I shall not make an end of you, only discipline you in moderation, not to let you go quiteunpunished.

¹² Yes, Yahweh says this: Your wound is incurable, your injury past healing.

¹³ There is no one to plead your cause; for an ulcer there are remedies, but for you no cure at al .

¹⁴ Al your lovers have forgotten you, they look for you no more. Yes, I have struck you as an enemystrikes, with cruel punishment (because of your great guilt and countless sins).

¹⁵ Why cry out because of your wound? Your pain is incurable! Because of your great guilt andcountless sins, I have treated you like this.

¹⁶ But al those who devoured you wil be devoured, al your enemies, al , go into captivity, those whodespoiled you will be despoiled, and al who pillaged you be pil aged.

¹⁷ For I shal restore you to health and heal your wounds, Yahweh declares, you who used to be called'Outcast', 'Zion for whom no one cares'.

¹⁸ Yahweh says this: Look, I shal restore the tents of Jacob and take pity on his dwel ings: the town wilbe rebuilt on its mound, the stronghold where it ought to stand.

¹⁹ From them wil come thanksgiving and shouts of joy. I shal make them increase, they wil notdecrease; I shal make them honoured, no more to be humbled.

²⁰ Their sons wil be as once they were, their community fixed firmly before me, and I shal punish alltheir oppressors.

²¹ Their prince wil be one of their own, their ruler come from their own people, and I shal permit him toapproach me freely; for who, otherwise, would be so bold as to approach me, Yahweh demands?

²² You wil be my people and I shal be your God.

²³ Look, Yahweh's hurricane, his wrath, bursts out, a roaring hurricane, to burst on the heads of thewicked;

²⁴ Yahweh's burning anger wil not turn aside until he has performed, has carried out, what he has inmind. In the final days, you wil understand this.