Don’t Despair, Israel

30 1-2 This is the Message Jeremiah received from God: “God’s Message, the God of Israel: ‘Write everything I tell you in a book.

“‘Look. The time is coming when I will turn everything around for my people, both Israel and Judah. I, God, say so. I’ll bring them back to the land I gave their ancestors, and they’ll take up ownership again.’”

This is the way God put it to Israel and Judah:

5-7 God’s Message:

“‘Cries of panic are being heard.
    The peace has been shattered.
Ask around! Look around!
    Can men bear babies?
So why do I see all these he-men
    holding their bellies like women in labor,
Faces contorted,
    pale as death?
The blackest of days,
    no day like it ever!
A time of deep trouble for Jacob—
    but he’ll come out of it alive.

8-9 “‘And then I’ll enter the darkness.
    I’ll break the yoke from their necks,
Cut them loose from the harness.
    No more slave labor to foreigners!
They’ll serve their God
    and the David-King I’ll establish for them.

10-11 “‘So fear no more, Jacob, dear servant.
    Don’t despair, Israel.
Look up! I’ll save you out of faraway places,
    I’ll bring your children back from exile.
Jacob will come back and find life good,
    safe and secure.
I’ll be with you. I’ll save you.
    I’ll finish off all the godless nations
Among which I’ve scattered you,
    but I won’t finish you off.
I’ll punish you, but fairly.
    I won’t send you off with just a slap on the wrist.’

12-15 “This is God’s Message:

“‘You’re a burned-out case,
    as good as dead.
Everyone has given up on you.
    You’re hopeless.
All your fair-weather friends have skipped town
    without giving you a second thought.
But I delivered the knockout blow,
    a punishment you will never forget,
Because of the enormity of your guilt,
    the endless list of your sins.
So why all this self-pity, licking your wounds?
    You deserve all this, and more.
Because of the enormity of your guilt,
    the endless list of your sins,
I’ve done all this to you.

16-17 “‘Everyone who hurt you will be hurt;
    your enemies will end up as slaves.
Your plunderers will be plundered;
    your looters will become loot.
As for you, I’ll come with healing,
    curing the incurable,
Because they all gave up on you
    and dismissed you as hopeless—
    that good-for-nothing Zion.’

18-21 “Again, God’s Message:

“‘I’ll turn things around for Jacob.
    I’ll compassionately come in and rebuild homes.
The town will be rebuilt on its old foundations;
    the mansions will be splendid again.
Thanksgivings will pour out of the windows;
    laughter will spill through the doors.
Things will get better and better.
    Depression days are over.
They’ll thrive, they’ll flourish.
    The days of contempt will be over.
They’ll look forward to having children again,
    to being a community in which I take pride.
I’ll punish anyone who hurts them,
    and their prince will come from their own ranks.
One of their own people shall be their leader.
    Their ruler will come from their own ranks.
I’ll grant him free and easy access to me.
    Would anyone dare to do that on his own,
    to enter my presence uninvited?’ God’s Decree.

22 “‘And that’s it: You’ll be my very own people,
    I’ll be your very own God.’”

23-24 Look out! God’s hurricane is let loose,
    his hurricane blast,
Spinning the heads of the wicked like dust devils!
    God’s raging anger won’t let up
Until he’s made a clean sweep
    completing the job he began.
When the job’s done
    you’ll see it’s been well done.

* * *

Restoration of Israel

30 This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘Write(A) in a book all the words I have spoken to you. The 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.”

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

“‘Cries of fear(E) are heard—
    terror, not peace.
Ask 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)
How 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.

“‘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)
Instead, 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)
11 I 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)
13 There is no one to plead your cause,(AA)
    no remedy for your sore,
    no healing(AB) for you.
14 All 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.
15 Why 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.
17 But 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.
19 From 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.
20 Their 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.
21 Their 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)’”

23 See, the storm(BF) of the Lord
    will burst out in wrath,
a driving wind swirling down
    on the heads of the wicked.
24 The 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.

Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 30:3 Or will restore the fortunes of my people Israel and Judah