Then the word of the LORD
came
to Jeremiah
the second
time
, while he was still
1 aconfined
in the court
of the guard
, saying
,
"Thus says
athe LORD
who made
1the earth, the LORD
who formed
it to establish
it, the bLORD
is His name
,
` aCall to Me and I will answer
you, and I will tell
you bgreat
and mighty
things
, cwhich you do not know
.'
"For thus says
the LORD
God
of Israel
concerning
the ahouses
of this
city
, and concerning
the houses
of the kings
of Judah
which are broken
down
to make a defense against
the bsiege
ramps
and against
the sword
,
`While they are coming to afight
with the Chaldeans
and to fill
them with the corpses
of men
whom
I have slain
in My anger
and in My wrath
, and I have bhidden
My face
from this
city
because
of all
their wickedness
:
`Behold, I will bring
to it ahealth
and healing
, and I will heal
them; and I will reveal
to them an babundance
of peace
and truth
.
`I will arestore the 1fortunes
of Judah
and the fortunes
of Israel
and will brebuild
them as they were at first
.
`I will acleanse them from all
their iniquity
by which
they have sinned
against Me, and I will pardon
all
their iniquities
by which
they have sinned
against Me and by which
they have transgressed
against Me.
` 1It will be to Me a aname of joy
, praise
and glory
before ball
the nations
of the earth
which
will hear
of all
the cgood
that I do
for them, and they will dfear
and tremble
because
of all
the good
and all
the peace
that I make
for it.'
"Thus says
the LORD
, `Yet
again
there will be heard
in this
place
, of which
you say
, "It is a awaste
, without
man
and without
beast
," that is, in the cities
of Judah
and in the streets
of Jerusalem
that are bdesolate
, without
man
and without
inhabitant
and without
beast
,
the voice of ajoy
and the voice
of gladness
, the voice
of the bridegroom
and the voice
of the bride
, the voice
of those who say
, " bGive
thanks
to the LORD
of hosts
, For the LORD
is good
, For His lovingkindness
is everlasting
"; and of those who bring
a cthank
offering
into the house
of the LORD
. For I will restore
the 1fortunes
of the land
as they were at first
,' says
the LORD
.
"Thus says
the LORD
of hosts
, `There will again
be in this
place
which is waste
, awithout
man
or beast
, and in all
its cities
, a 1habitation
of shepherds
who rest
their bflocks
.
`In the acities of the hill
country
, in the cities
of the lowland
, in the cities
of the Negev
, in the land
of Benjamin
, in the environs
of Jerusalem
and in the cities
of Judah
, the flocks
will again
bpass
under
the hands
of the one who numbers
them,' says
the LORD
.
`Behold, adays
are coming
,' declares
the LORD
, `when I will bfulfill
the good
word
which
I have spoken
concerning
the house
of Israel
and the house
of Judah
.
`In those days
and at that time
I will cause a arighteous
Branch
of David
to spring
forth
; and He shall execute
bjustice
and righteousness
on the earth
.
`In those days
aJudah
will be saved
and Jerusalem
will dwell
in safety
; and this
is the name by which
she will be called
: the bLORD
is our righteousness
.'
"For thus says
the LORD
, ` 1David
shall anever
lack
a man
to sit
on the throne
of the house
of Israel
;
1and the aLevitical priests
shall never
lack
a man
before
Me to offer
burnt
offerings
, to burn
grain offerings
and to bprepare
sacrifices
2continually
.' "
The word of the LORD
came
to Jeremiah
, saying
,
"Thus says
the LORD
, `If
you can abreak
My covenant
for the day
and My covenant
for the night
, so that day
and night
will not be at their appointed
time
,
then aMy covenant may also
be broken
with David
My servant
so that he will not have
a son
to reign
on his throne
, and with the Levitical
priests
, My ministers
.
`As the ahost of heaven
cannot
be counted
and the bsand
of the sea
cannot
be measured
, so
I will cmultiply
the 1descendants
of David
My servant
and the dLevites
who minister
to Me.' "
And the word of the LORD
came
to Jeremiah
, saying
,
"Have you not observed what
this
people
have spoken
, saying
, `The atwo
families
which
the LORD
chose
, He has brejected
them'? Thus they cdespise
My people
, no
longer
are they as a nation
1in their sight
.
"Thus says
the LORD
, `If
My acovenant
for day
and night
stand not, and the 1fixed
patterns
of heaven
and earth
I have bnot established
,
then I would areject
the 1descendants
of Jacob
and David
My servant
, 2not taking
from his 1descendants
brulers
over
the 1descendants
of Abraham
, Isaac
and Jacob
. But I will crestore
their 3fortunes
and will have
dmercy
on them.' "