¹The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD , saying ,

²“The LORD , the God of Israel , says , ‘Write all the words that I have spoken to you in a book .

³For , behold , the days come ,’ says the LORD , ‘that I will reverse the captivity of my people Israel and Judah ,’ says the LORD . ‘I will cause them to return to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they will possess it .’”

⁴These are the words that the LORD spoke concerning Israel and concerning Judah .

⁵For the LORD says :

“We have heard a voice of trembling ;

a voice of fear , and not of peace .

⁶Ask now , and see whether a man travails with child .

Why do I see every man with his hands on his waist , as a woman in travail ,

and all faces are turned pale ?

⁷Alas , for that day is great , so that none is like it !

It is even the time of Jacob ’s trouble ;

but he will be saved out of it .

⁸It will come to pass in that day , says the LORD of Armies , that I will break his yoke from off your neck ,

and will burst your bonds .

Strangers will no more make them their bondservants;

⁹but they will serve the LORD their God ,

and David their king ,

whom I will raise up to them .

¹⁰Therefore don’t be afraid , O Jacob my servant , says the LORD .

Don’t be dismayed , Israel .

For , behold , I will save you from afar ,

and save your offspring from the land of their captivity .

Jacob will return ,

and will be quiet and at ease .

No one will make him afraid .

¹¹For I am with you , says the LORD , to save you ;

for I will make a full end of all the nations where I have scattered you ,

but I will not make a full end of you ;

but I will correct you in measure ,

and will in no way leave you unpunished .”

¹²For the LORD says ,

“Your hurt is incurable .

Your wound is grievous .

¹³There is no one to plead your cause ,

that you may be bound up .

You have no healing medicines .

¹⁴All your lovers have forgotten you .

They don’t seek you .

For I have wounded you with the wound of an enemy,

with the chastisement of a cruel one ,

for the greatness of your iniquity ,

because your sins were increased .

¹⁵Why do you cry over your injury ?

Your pain is incurable.

For the greatness of your iniquity ,

because your sins have increased ,

I have done these things to you .

¹⁶Therefore all those who devour you will be devoured.

All your adversaries , everyone of them , will go into captivity .

Those who plunder you will be plunder .

I will make all who prey on you become prey.

¹⁷For I will restore health to you ,

and I will heal you of your wounds ,” says the LORD ,

“because they have called you an outcast ,

saying, ‘It is Zion , whom no man seeks after .’”

¹⁸The LORD says :

“Behold , I will reverse the captivity of Jacob ’s tents ,

and have compassion on his dwelling places .

The city will be built on its own hill,

and the palace will be inhabited in its own place .

¹⁹Thanksgiving will proceed out of them

with the voice of those who make merry .

I will multiply them ,

and they will not be few ;

I will also glorify them ,

and they will not be small .

²⁰Their children also will be as before ,

and their congregation will be established before me .

I will punish all who oppress them .

²¹Their prince will be one of them ,

and their ruler will proceed from amongst them .

I will cause him to draw near ,

and he will approach me ;

for who is he who has had boldness to approach me ?” says the LORD .

²²“You shall be my people ,

and I will be your God.

²³Behold , the LORD ’s storm , his wrath , has gone out ,

a sweeping storm ;

it will burst on the head of the wicked .

²⁴The fierce anger of the LORD will not return until he has accomplished ,

and until he has performed the intentions of his heart .

In the latter days you will understand it .”