Jeremiah 30

1 Yahweh gave me another message. He said,

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

2 “[I], Yahweh, the God whom the Israeli people [say they belong to], am telling you that you should write down everything that I have said to you.

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

3 [I want you to know that] some day I will free my people, [the people of] Israel and Judah, from being slaves [in Babylon]. I will bring them back to this land that I gave to their ancestors, and this land will belong to them again. [That will surely happen because] I, Yahweh, have said it.”

For, 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.’”

4 Yahweh gave [to me] another message concerning [the people of] Israel and Judah.

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

5 This is what he said: “I hear people screaming because they are terrified [DOU]; there is no peace [in the land].

For the LORD says: “We have heard a voice of trembling; a voice of fear, and not of peace.

6 But think about this: Men certainly do not [RHQ] give birth to babies. Therefore, why do strong men stand there, with their faces very white/pale, with their hands pressed against their stomachs, like women who are about to give birth to babies?

Ask 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?

7 [Terrible things will soon happen]; that will be a terrible day! There has never been such a time. It will be a time when [my] Israeli people will experience great trouble, but [finally] they will be saved [from their sufferings].”

Alas, 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.

8 The Commander of the armies of angels says this: “At that time [it will be as though] I will sever/cut the ropes [that are around my people], and I will free them from being (slaves/forced to do what the King of Babylon wants them to do) [MET]. People in other countries will no longer be their bosses.

It will come to pass in that day, says the LORD of Hosts, that I will break his yoke from off your neck, and will burst your bonds. Strangers will no more make them their bondservants;

9 My people will [again] serve me, Yahweh, their God, and [they will serve a king who is a descendant of] King David; [they will serve the king] whom I will appoint for them.

but they will serve the LORD their God, and David their king, whom I will raise up to them.

10 So, [you people of] Israel who serve me, do not be dismayed/worried [now], because [some day] I will bring you back from distant places; I will bring your descendants [back home] from the land to which they were exiled. [Then you] Israeli people will [again] live peacefully and safely, and there will not be any [nation] that will cause you to be terrified.

Therefore 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.

11 I, Yahweh, say that I will be with you and will rescue you; I will completely destroy the nations to which I have scattered you. But I will not completely destroy you. I will punish you [for your many sins], but I will punish you [only] as severely as you deserve: I would be doing wrong if I did not punish you at all.”

For 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.”

12 Yahweh [also] says this: “[You have (suffered very much/endured many disasters)]; [it is as though] you have a terrible wound that cannot be cured.

For the LORD says, “Your hurt is incurable. Your wound is grievous.

13 There is no one to help you, no one to put a bandage on your wound. There is no [medicine that will] heal you.

There is no one to plead your cause, that you may be bound up. You have no healing medicines.

14 All your allies [MET] have deserted you and they do not want to help you [any more]. [It is true that] I have punished you severely, [like your] enemies would wound you, because you have committed many sins and you are very guilty.

All 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.

15 [Because that is true], why do you protest about my punishing you, [as though I had caused] a wound that could not be cured [RHQ]? It was necessary for me to punish you, because you had committed many sins and you were very guilty.

Why 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.

16 But [some day] all those who [are trying to] destroy you will be destroyed; all your enemies will be exiled [to other nations]. All those who have stolen things from you will have their [valuable] possessions stolen, and all those who attack you will be attacked.

Therefore 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.

17 [Everyone] says that you are (outcasts/people that they no longer associate with), and that [you live in] Jerusalem, a city that no one cares about.” But Yahweh says, “I will heal your injuries/wounds and cause you to be healthy again.”

For 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.’”

18 This is what Yahweh says: “I will bring the people of Israel back from the lands to which they were taken and enable them to possess their land and their houses again. [When that happens], Jerusalem will be rebuilt on top of its ruins, and the [king’s] palace will be rebuilt to be like it was before.

The 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.

19 People will [again] sing joyfully to thank [me], and I will cause there to be more people [in Jerusalem], not fewer; I will cause them to be honored, not despised.

Thanksgiving 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.

20 Their children will [prosper] like they did before. I will cause them to be a group of people [who worship] me, and I will punish any [nation] that oppresses them.

Their children also will be as before, and their congregation will be established before me. I will punish all who oppress them.

21 One of their own people will be their king, and I will invite him to come close to me [to worship me], because no one [RHQ] would (dare/have courage) to come close to me [if I did not invite him].

Their 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 [Israeli people] will be my people, and I will be your God.”

“You shall be my people, and I will be your God.

23 Yahweh will punish [MTY] [your enemies]; [it will be like a great] storm; it will come down [like] a whirlwind, swirling around the heads of wicked people.

Behold, the LORD’s storm, his wrath, has gone out, a sweeping storm; it will burst on the head of the wicked.

24 He will not stop being angry until he completely accomplishes [all] that he has planned. In the future, you will understand [all] of this [clearly].

The 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.”