26Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah:
27“Behold I am the LORD, the God of all flesh. Is anything too wondrous for Me? 28Assuredly, thus said the LORD: I am delivering this city into the hands of the Chaldeans and of King Nebuchadrezzar of Babylon, and he shall capture it. 29And the Chaldeans who have been attacking this city shall come and set this city on fire and burn it down—with the houses on whose roofs they made offerings to Baal and poured out libations to other gods, so as to vex Me. 30For the people of Israel and Judah have done nothing but evil in My sight since their youth; the people of Israel have done nothing but vex Me by their conduct—declares the LORD. 31This city has aroused My anger and My wrath from the day it was built until this day; so that it must be removed from My sight 32because of all the wickedness of the people of Israel and Judah who have so acted as to vex Me—they, their kings, their officials, their priests and prophets, and the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 33They turned their backs to Me, not their faces; though I have taught them persistently, they do not give heed or accept rebuke. 34They placed their abominations in the House which bears My name and defiled it; 35and they built the shrines of Baal which are in the Valley of Ben-hinnom, where they offered up their sons and daughters to Molech—when I had never commanded, or even thought [of commanding], that they should do such an abominable thing, and so bring guilt on Judah.
36But now, assuredly, thus said the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning this city of which you say, “It is being delivered into the hands of the king of Babylon through the sword, through famine, and through pestilence”: 37See, I will gather them from all the lands to which I have banished them in My anger and wrath, and in great rage; and I will bring them back to this place and let them dwell secure. 38They shall be My people, and I will be their God. 39I will give them a single heart and a single nature to revere Me for all time, and it shall be well with them and their children after them. 40And I will make an everlasting covenant with them that I will not turn away from them and that I will treat them graciously; and I will put into their hearts reverence for Me, so that they do not turn away from Me. 41I will delight in treating them graciously, and I will plant them in this land faithfully, with all My heart and soul.
42For thus said the LORD: As I have brought this terrible disaster upon this people, so I am going to bring upon them the vast good fortune which I have promised for them. 43And fields shall again be purchased in this land of which you say, “It is a desolation, without man or beast; it is delivered into the hands of the Chaldeans.”
44Fields shall be purchased, and deeds written and sealed, and witnesses called in the land of Benjamin and in the environs of Jerusalem, and in the towns of Judah; the towns of the hill country, the towns of the Shephelah, and the towns of the Negeb. For I will restore their fortunes— declares the LORD.
33 The word of the LORD came to Jeremiah a second time, while he was still confined in the prison compound, as follows:
2Thus said the LORD who is planning it,
The LORD who is shaping it to bring it about,
Whose name is LORD:
3Call to Me, and I will answer you,
And I will tell you wondrous things,
Secrets you have not known.
4For thus said the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning the houses of this city and the palaces of the kings of Judah that were torn down a-for [defense] against the siegemounds and against the sword, 5and were filled by those who went to fight the Chaldeans,-a—with the corpses of the men whom I struck down in My anger and rage, hiding My face from this city because of all their wickedness: 6I am going to bring her relief and healing. I will heal them and reveal to them abundancea of true favor. 7And I will restore the fortunes of Judah and Israel, and I will rebuild them as of old. 8And I will purge them of all the sins which they committed against Me, and I will pardon all the sins which they committed against Me, by which they rebelled against Me. 9And she shall gain through Me renown, joy, fame, and glory above all the nations on earth, when they hear of all the good fortune I provide for them.b They will thrill and quiver because of all the good fortune and all the prosperity that I provide for her.
10Thus said the LORD: Again there shall be heard in this place, which you say is ruined, without man or beast—in the towns of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem that are desolate, without man, without inhabitants, without beast—11the sound of mirth and gladness, the voice of bridegroom and bride, the voice of those who cry, “Give thanks to the LORD of Hosts, for the LORD is good, for His kindness is everlasting!” as they bring thanksgiving offerings to the House of the LORD. For I will restore the fortunes of the land as of old—said the LORD.
12Thus said the LORD of Hosts: In this ruined place, without man and beast, and in all its towns, there shall again be a pasture for shepherds, where they can rest their flocks. 13In the towns of the hill country, in the towns of the Shephelah, and in the towns of the Negeb, in the land of Benjamin and in the environs of Jerusalem and in the towns of Judah, sheep shall pass again under the hands of one who counts them—said the LORD. 14See, days are coming—declares the LORD—when I will fulfill the promise that I made concerning the House of Israel and the House of Judah. 15In those days and at that time, I will raise up a true branch of David’s line, and he shall do what is just and right in the land. 16In those days Judah shall be delivered and Israel shall dwell secure. And this is what she shall be called: “The LORD is our Vindicator.” 17For thus said the LORD: There shall never be an end to men of David’s line who sit upon the throne of the House of Israel. 18Nor shall there ever be an end to the line of the levitical priests before Me, of those who present burnt offerings and turn the meal offering to smoke and perform sacrifices.
19The word of the LORD came to Jeremiah: 20Thus said the LORD: If you could break My covenant with the day and My covenant with the night, so that day and night should not come at their proper time, 21only then could My covenant with My servant David be broken—so that he would not have a descendant reigning upon his throne—or with My ministrants, the levitical priests. 22Like the host of heaven which cannot be counted, and the sand of the sea which cannot be measured, so will I multiply the offspring of My servant David, and of the Levites who minister to Me.
23The word of the LORD came to Jeremiah: 24You see what this people said: “The two families which the LORD chose have now been rejected by Him.” Thus they despise My people, a-and regard them as no longer a nation.-a 25Thus said the LORD: As surely as I have established My covenant with day and night—the laws of heaven and earth—26so I will never reject the offspring of Jacob and My servant David; I will never fail to take from his offspring rulers for the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Indeed, I will restore their fortunes and take them back in love.
34 The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD, when King Nebuchadrezzar of Babylon and all his army, and all the kingdoms of the earth and all the peoples under his sway, were waging war against Jerusalem and all its towns:
2Thus said the LORD, the God of Israel: Go speak to King Zedekiah of Judah, and say to him: “Thus said the LORD: I am going to deliver this city into the hands of the king of Babylon, and he will destroy it by fire. 3And you will not escape from him; you will be captured and handed over to him. a-And you will see the king of Babylon face to face and speak to him in person;-a and you will be brought to Babylon. 4But hear the word of the LORD, O King Zedekiah of Judah! Thus said the LORD concerning you: You will not die by the sword. 5You will die a peaceful death; and as incenseb was burned for your ancestors, the earlier kings who preceded you, so they will burn incenseb for you, and they will lament for you ‘Ah, lord!’ For I Myself have made the promise—declares the LORD.”
6The prophet Jeremiah spoke all these words to King Zedekiah of Judah in Jerusalem, 7when the army of the king of Babylon was waging war against Jerusalem and against the remaining towns of Judah—against Lachish and Azekah, for they were the only fortified towns of Judah that were left.
8The word which came to Jeremiah from
