1The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying,
2Thus hath said the Lord the God of Israel, saying, Write thee all the words that I have spoken unto thee in a book.
3For, behold, days are coming, saith the Lord, when I will bring back again the captivity of my people Israel and Judah, saith the Lord; and I will cause them to return to the land that I have given to their fathers, and they shall possess it.
4And these are the words that the Lord spoke concerning Israel and concerning Judah;
5For thus hath said the Lord, A voice of terror have we heard, dread, and no peace.
6Ask ye now, and see whether a male doth give birth to a child? wherefore do I see every man with his hands on his loins, as a woman in giving birth? and why are all faces turned pale?
7Alas, for that day is great, there is none like it; and a time of distress it is unto Jacob; yet out of it shall he be saved.
8And it shall come to pass on that day, saith the Lord of hosts, that I will break his yoke from off thy neck, and thy bands will I burst asunder; and strangers shall not make him serve any more;
9But they shall serve the Lord their God, and David their king, whom I will raise up unto them.
10And thou—do not fear, O my servant Jacob, saith the Lord; and be not dismayed, O Israel; for, behold, I will save thee from afar, and thy seed from the land of their captivity: and Jacob shall return, and shall be at rest, and be secure, with none to terrify him.
11For with thee am I, saith the Lord, to save thee: though I make a full end of all the nations whither I have scattered thee, yet of thee will I not make a full end; but I will correct thee in moderation, and will not leave thee altogether unpunished.
12For thus hath said the Lord, Incurable is thy bruise, and painful, thy wound.
13There is no one to plead thy cause, to bind up [thy wound]: useful remedies there are none for thee.
14All thy lovers have forgotten thee; thee they seek not; for with the blow of an enemy have I smitten thee, with cruel chastisement, for the multitude of thy iniquity, because thy sins were so numerous.
15Why wilt thou cry out because of thy breach? for thy pain which is incurable? because of the multitude of thy iniquity, because thy sins were so numerous, have I done these things unto thee.
16Nevertheless all they that devour thee shall be devoured; and all thy adversaries, all of them, shall go into captivity; and they that plunder thee shall be [given up] to plunder, and all that prey upon thee will I give up for a prey.
17For I will place a healing plaster on thy bruise, and of thy wounds will I cure thee, saith the Lord; because they called thee “an Outcast.” “This is Zion, whom no one seeketh after.”
18Thus hath said the Lord, Behold, I will bring back again the captivity of the tents of Jacob, and on his dwelling-places will I have mercy; and the city shall be rebuilt upon her own heap of ruins, and the palace shall be inhabited after its [ancient] manner.
19And there shall proceed out of them thanksgiving, and the voice of those that make merry: and I will multiply them, and they shall not be diminished; I will also make them numerous, and they shall not be made few in number.
20And their children shall be as aforetimes, and their congregation shall be firmly established before me, and I will punish all that oppress them.
21And their leader shall be of themselves, and their ruler shall proceed from the midst of them; and I will cause him to draw near, and he shall approach unto me; for who is this that will venture of his own heart to approach unto me? saith the Lord.
22And ye shall be unto me for a people, and I will be unto you for a God.
23Behold, the storm-wind of the Lord goeth forth with fury, an abiding storm-wind: upon the head of the wicked shall it fall.
24The fierceness of the anger of the Lord will not turn back, until he have done, and until he have fulfilled the purposes of his heart: in the latter days shall ye understand this.