Dual Panel1The Lord <03068> spoke to <0413> Jeremiah <03414> a second <08145> time while he <01931> was still <05750> confined <06113> in the courtyard <02691> of the guardhouse <04307>.
2“I, the Lord <03068>, do <06213> these things. I, the Lord <03068>, form <03335> the plan to bring <03559> them about. I am known <08034> as the Lord <03068>. I say <0559> to you,
3‘Call <07121> on <0413> me in prayer and I will answer <06030> you. I will show <05046> you great <01419> and mysterious things <01219> which you still do not <03808> know <03045> about.’
4For <03541> <03588> I, the Lord <03068> God <0430> of Israel <03478>, have something more to say <0559> about <05921> the houses <01004> in this <02063> city <05892> and the royal <04428> buildings <01004> which have been torn down <05422> for <0413> defenses against the siege ramps <05550> and military incursions <02719> of the Babylonians:
5‘The defenders of the city will go out <0935> and fight <03898> with <0854> the Babylonians <03778>. But they will only fill <04390> those houses and buildings with <0854> the dead bodies <06297> of the people <0120> that <0834> I will kill <05221> in my anger <0639> and my wrath <02534>. That will happen because <0834> I have decided to turn my back on <06440> <05641> this <02063> city <05892> on account <05921> of the wicked things <07451> they have done.
6But I will <05927> most surely <02005> heal the wounds <0724> of this city and restore <04832> it and its people to health <07495>. I will show <01540> them <01992> abundant <06283> peace <07965> and security <0571>.
7I will restore <07725> Judah <03063> and Israel <03478> and will rebuild <01129> them as they were in days of old <07223>.
8I will purify <02891> them from all <03605> the sin <05771> that <0834> they committed <02398> against me. I will forgive <05545> all <03605> <03605> their sins which <0834> they committed <02398> in rebelling <06586> against me.
9All <03605> the nations <01471> will hear <08085> about all <03605> the good <02896> things which <0834> I <0595> will do <06213> to them. This city will bring <01961> me fame <08034>, honor <08597>, and praise <08416> before them for the joy <08342> that I bring it. The nations will tremble <07264> in <05921> awe <06342> at <05921> all <03605> the peace <07965> and prosperity <02896> that <0834> I <0595> will provide <06213> for it.’
10“I, the Lord <03068>, say <0559>: ‘You <0859> and your people are saying <0559> about this <02088> place, “It lies in ruins <02720>. There are no <0369> people <0120> or <0369> animals <0929> in it.” That <01931> is true. The towns <05892> of Judah <03063> and the streets <02351> of Jerusalem <03389> will soon be desolate <08074>, uninhabited <0369> either by people or by animals <0929>. But happy sounds will again <05750> be heard <08085> in these places <04725>.
11Once again there will be sounds <06963> <06963> <06963> of joy <08342> and gladness <06963> and the glad <08057> celebrations <06963> of brides <03618> and grooms <02860>. Once again people will bring <0935> their thank offerings <08426> to the temple <01004> of the Lord and will say <0559>, “Give thanks <03034> to the Lord <03068> who rules over all <06635>. For <03588> the Lord <03068> is good <02896> and his unfailing <02617> love lasts forever <05769>.” For <03588> I, the Lord <03068>, affirm that I will restore <07725> the land <0776> <07622> to what it was in days of old.’
12“I, the Lord <03068> who rules over all <06635>, say <0559>: ‘This <02088> place <04725> will indeed lie in ruins <02720>. There will be no <0369> people <0120> or animals <0929> in it. But there will again be in it and in its towns <05892> sheepfolds <05116> where shepherds <07462> can rest <07257> their sheep <06629>.
13I, the Lord <03068>, say <0559> that shepherds will once again <05750> count <04487> their sheep <06629> as they pass <05674> into <05921> the fold. They will do this in all the towns <05892> <05892> in the southern hill country <02022>, the western foothills <08219>, the southern <05045> hill country <05892>, the territory <0776> of Benjamin <01144>, the villages surrounding <05439> Jerusalem <03389>, and the towns <05892> of Judah <03063>.’
14“I, the Lord <03068>, affirm <05002>: ‘The time <03117> will certainly come <0935> when I will fulfill <06965> my gracious <02896> promise <01697> concerning the nations of Israel <03478> and Judah <03063>.
15In those <01992> days <03117> and at that <01931> time <06256> I will raise up <06779> for them a righteous <06666> descendant <06780> of David <01732>. “‘He will do <06213> what is just <04941> and right <06666> in the land <0776>.
16Under his rule Judah <03063> will enjoy safety <03467> and Jerusalem <03389> will live <07931> in security <0983>. At that <02088> time Jerusalem will be called <07121> “The Lord <03068> has provided us with justice <06664>.”
17For <03588> I, the Lord <03068>, promise <0559>: “David <01732> will never <03808> lack <03772> a successor <0376> to occupy <03427> the throne <03678> over <05921> the nation <01004> of Israel <03478>.
18Nor <03808> will the Levitical <03881> priests <03548> ever lack <03772> someone <0376> to stand before <06440> me and continually <03117> <03605> offer up <05927> burnt offerings <05930>, sacrifice <06999> cereal offerings <04503>, and offer <06213> the other sacrifices <02077>.”’”
19The Lord <03068> spoke <01697> further to <0413> Jeremiah <03414>.
20“I, Lord <03068>, make the following <03541> promise <0559>: ‘I have made a covenant <01285> with the day <03117> and with the night <03915> that <01115> they <03915> <03119> will always come <01961> at their proper times <06256>. Only if <0518> you people could break <06565> that covenant
21could my covenant <01285> with <0854> my servant <05650> David <01732> and <01571> my covenant with the Levites ever be broken <06565>. So David will by all means always have <01961> a descendant <01121> to occupy <04427> his throne <03678> as king <04427> and <0854> the Levites <03881> will by all means always have priests <03548> who will minister <08334> before me.
22I will make the children <02233> who follow one another in the line of my servant <05650> David <01732> very numerous. I will also make the Levites <03881> who minister <08334> before me very numerous. I will make <07235> them all as <03651> numerous <07235> as the stars in the sky <08064> <06635> and as the sands <02344> which are on the seashore <03220>.’”
23The Lord <03068> spoke still further to <0413> Jeremiah <03414>.
24“You have surely noticed <07200> what <04100> these <02088> people <05971> are saying <01696>, haven’t you? They are saying <0559>, ‘The Lord <03068> has rejected <03988> the two <08147> families <04940> of Israel and Judah that <0834> he chose <0977>.’ So they have little regard <05006> that my people <05971> will ever again <05750> be <01961> a nation <01471>.
25But I, the Lord <03068>, make <0559> the following promise <0559>: I have made a covenant <01285> governing the coming of day <03119> and night <03915>. I have established the fixed laws <02708> governing <07760> heaven <08064> and earth <0776>.
26Just as surely as <01571> I have done this, so surely will I never reject <03988> the descendants <02233> of Jacob <03290>. Nor will I ever refuse to choose <03947> one of my servant <05650> David’s <01732> descendants <02233> to rule <04910> over <0413> the descendants <02233> of Abraham <085>, Isaac <03446>, and Jacob <03290>. Indeed <03588>, I will restore <07725> them and show mercy <07355> to them.”