30 Yahweh gave Yirmiyah (Jeremiah) a message, saying: 2 Yisrael’s (Israel’s) god, Yahweh says this: Write down on a scroll all the messages that I’ve given you, 3 because listen to Yahweh’s declaration: The time is coming when I’ll restore my people of Yisrael and Yehudah (Judah) from captivity, and I’ll bring them back to the land that I have to their ancestors, and they’ll take possession of it again.
4 Now these are the messages that Yahweh spoke concerning Yisrael and Yehudah:
5 Yes, Yahweh says this:
A cry of panic and terror has been heard,
≈ and there’s no peace.
6 Please ask and find out: can males give birth?
Why do I see every strong man with his hands on his hips like a woman in labour?
And why has everyone’s faces gone so pale?
7 Oh dear, that will be a terrible day like nothing that’s come before.
≈ It’ll be a distressing time for Ya’akov (Jacob),
→ but he’ll be rescued from it.
8 Then Commander-in-chief Yahweh declares that at that time I’ll break his yoke off your neck, and I’ll pull your chains apart, and foreigners will no longer enslave your country. 9 Then they’ll serve their god Yahweh, and their king on David’s throne who I’ll appoint for them.
10 Then Yahweh declares:
Then you, my servant Ya’akov, don’t be afraid,
≈ and don’t be dismayed, Yisrael (Israel),
because listen, I’m rescuing you from afar,
and your descendants from the land where they were held captive.
Yisrael will return and be left alone and at ease,
and there won’t be anyone making it afraid.[ref]
11 Yahweh declares:
Yes, I’m with you to rescue you,
because I’ll completely destroy all the nations that I’ve scattered you to,
but I won’t completely destroy you.
I’ll discipline you according to justice,
but I won’t just let you off what you deserve.
12 Yes, Yahweh says this:
Your fracture is incurable.
≈ Your wound is severe.
13 There’s no one pleading your cause.
There’s no medicines for your wound.
≈ There’s no healing for you.
14 All your lovers have forgotten you—
≈ they don’t care about you.
Yes, I’ve struck you like an enemy would,
≈ with the discipline of a cruel ,
due to the severity of your wickedness.
≈ You’ve disobeyed so frequently.
15 Why do you cry out about your fracture—
≈ about your incurable pain?
Your wickedness has been severe.
≈ You’ve disobeyed so often
→ so I’ve done those to you.
16 Because of that, all those who devoured you will be devoured,
≈ and all of your adversaries, every one of them, will go into captivity.
Then the ones plundering you will become like plunder,
≈ and all those preying on you, I’ll give as spoil.
17 Yes, I’ll bring healing to you,
and I’ll heal you from your wounds
because they’ve called you an outcast.
‘She is Tsiyon (Zion)—no one cares about her.’
That is Yahweh’s declaration.
18 Yahweh says this:
Listen, I’m restoring the fortune of Ya’akov’s (Jacob’s) descendants,
≈ and I will have compassion on the places where they live.
Each city will be rebuilt on its mound,
≈ and each fortress will sit on its proper place.
19 Then thanksgiving will go out from them,
≈ and the sound of those laughing.
I’ll multiply them, and they won’t diminish in number,
→ and I’ll make them honoured—
≈ they won’t become insignificant.
20 Then its children will be as in former times,
and its community will be established under my supervision,
and I’ll punish all those who oppress it.
21 Its king will be from among it,
≈ and its ruler will come from its middle.
Then I’ll bring it near, and it will approach me,
because who is this that has pledged its heart to approach me?
That is Yahweh’s declaration.
22 You’ll be my people
and I’ll become your god.
23 Listen, Yahweh’s storm of rage has gone out—
a storm whirling around the heads of wicked people.
24 Yahweh’s burning anger won’t turn back
until he’s established and completed what he’s planned.
You’ll all understand it in the days to come.
