Open English Translation JER Chapter 31

31 Yahweh declares that at that time, I’ll be the god to all of Yisrael’s families, and they’ll be my people. 2 Yahweh says this:

A people, the survivors after being attacked in war,

found favour in the wilderness,

Yisrael going to find a peaceful place.

3 From far off, Yahweh appeared to me: I’ve always loved you

therefore I’ve displayed loyal commitment to help you endure.

4 I’ll rebuild you, and you’ll be restored, Yisrael’s pretty daughter.

Again you’ll adorn yourself with your tambourines,

≈ and will go out in the dance of those celebrating.

5 You’ll plant vineyards again on the Shomron (Samaria) hills.

The planters will plant and make them productive.

6 Yes, there’ll be a day when the watchers in the Efrayim hill country will call out,

‘Get ready and let’s go up to our god Yahweh at Tsiyyon (Zion),’

7 because Yahweh says this:

“Sing for Yisrael (Yakov) with gladness,

≈ and shout for this leader of the nations.

Cause it to be heard, praise, and say,

‘Yahweh, save your people, the remnant of Yisrael.’

8 Listen, I’m bringing them back from the land in the north,

≈ and I’ll gather them from the remote parts of the world.

Among them are the blind and the lame,

and pregnant women together with those giving birth.

A large number of people will return here.

9 They’ll be weeping as they come,

and as they request me, I’ll bring them out.

I’ll cause them to walk to streams of water on a straight road.

They won’t stumble on it.

because I’ve become a father for Yisrael,

≈ and Efrayim,[fn] he’s my firstborn.

10 Listen to Yahweh’s message, you nations,

and declare it in the coastlands from far off, and say,

‘The one scattering Yisrael will gather him back,

and he’ll protect him like a shepherd of his flock,

11 because Yahweh has ransomed Yisrael (Yakov)

and paid the price to free it from the power of a nation that’s stronger than it.

12 Then they’ll come and sing on Tsiyyon’s (Zion’s) heights,

and they’ll be radiant about Yahweh’s goodness:

about the grain, about the new wine and the fresh oil,

and about the young from the flock and the herd.

Their soul will be like a watered garden,

and they won’t be weakened again.

13 Then the young women will celebrate with dancing,

≈ along with the young and old men together.

I’ll turn their mourning into happiness and I’ll comfort them,

≈ and I’ll give them reason for celebration rather than sorrow.

14 I’ll satisfy the priests’ appetites for good food

and my people will be pleased by my goodness.

That is Yahweh’s declaration.

15 Yahweh says this,

“A voice is heard in Ramah, wailing,

bitter weeping.[ref]

Rachel is weeping over her sons.

She refuses to be comforted over her sons,

because he is no more.”[ref]

16 Yahweh says this,

“Don’t cry any more,

≈ and keep the tears out of your eyes,

→ because there’s a reward for your work,

→ and they’ll return from the enemy’s country.”

That is Yahweh’s declaration.

17 There’s hope for your future,

and your children will return to their border.

That is Yahweh’s declaration.

18 I’ve heard Yisrael (Heb. Efrayim) upset at itself, saying,

You disciplined me,

and I was disciplined like an untrained calf.

Restore me so I can return

because you’re my god Yahweh.

19 Yes, after I turned away, I repented,

and afer I was instructed, I slapped my thigh.

I was ashamed and also humiliated

because I still bore the reproach from my youthful rebellion.

20 Isn’t Yisrael (Heb. Efrayim) a precious son to me,

or a child that I really liked?

Yes, as often as I speak against him,

I still continually remember him.

Therefore I groan deep down for him.

I’ll always feel compassionate towards him.

That is Yahweh’s declaration.

21 Set signposts up for yourself.

≈ Place markers where you can see them.

Set the highway as your goal—

≈ the path that you went on.

Yisrael’s young daughter, return—

≈ return to those cities of yours.

22 How much longer will you waver, you apostate daughter?

Yes, Yahweh has created something new in the land—

a woman protects[fn] a man.

23 Yisrael’s god, Commander-in-chief Yahweh says this:

When I restore the prosperity of Yehudah and its cities,

again they’ll restore this saying,

‘May Yahweh bless you—

Yahweh who’s the repository of righteousness—

≈ mountain of holiness.’

24 Then Yehudah and all its cities will live in the land together—

farmers, and also shepherds who roam around with their flocks,

25 because I satisfy those who are weary,

≈ and I refresh everyone who’s become faint.

26 After that, I woke up and looked around,

and I’d had a good sleep.

27 Yahweh declares:

Listen, there’s a time coming when I’ll sow the Yisrael and Yehudah regions with the seeds of people and animals so they’ll multiply all around.

28 Just like how I supervised them to uproot and tear down,

and to overthrow and destroy and do harm,

now I’ll keep watch as they build and plant.

That is Yahweh’s declaration.

29 Then at that time, they’ll no longer say:

‘The parents ate sour grapes,

→ but it’s the teeth of the children that are set on edge.’[ref]

30 because everyone will die for their own disobedience,

i.e., whoever eats sour grapes will have their own teeth set on edge.

31 Listen, Yahweh declares that the time is coming when I’ll make a new agreement with the people of Yisrael and Yehudah.[ref] 32 It won’t be like the agreement that I made with their ancestors at the time when I took hold of their hand to bring them out from Egypt, when they broke my agreement even though I was a husband to them. That is Yahweh’s declaration. 33 Yes, Yahweh declares that this is the agreement that I’ll make with the Israeli people after that time: I’ll put my law inside them—writing it on their heart, and I will be their god, and they will be a people for me.[ref] 34 Then each man will no longer teach his neighbour or his brother, saying, ‘Know Yahweh’, because all of them will know me—from the smallest of them to the greatest, because I’ll forgive their disobedience, and I won’t remember their wickedness any longer.[ref]

35 Yahweh says this:

I’m the one who gives the sun for light during the day,

≈ and the moon and the stars for light at night.

He stirs up the ocean, so that its waves roar,

His name is Commander-in-chief Yahweh.

36 Yahweh declares that if these elements stopped working,

then Yisrael would also permanently cease to exist as a nation.

37 Yahweh says this:

If the skies above could be measured and be searched out,

as well as the foundations of the earth below,

then I would also reject all of Yisrael’s descendants

for everything that they’ve done.

That is Yahweh’s declaration.

38 Listen, Yahweh declares that the time is coming when the city will be rerebuilt for Yahweh—from Hananel’s tower all the way to the Corner Gate. 39 After that, the measuring line will be stretched over Garev Hill and around to Goah. 40 Then all the valley of the corpses and ashes, and all the fields as far as the Kidron brook, to the corner of the Horses Gate toward the east, will be holiness to Yahweh. It won’t be uprooted, and it’ll never be overthrown again.