1 The Lord said:Israel, I promisethat someday all your tribeswill again be my people,and I will be your God.
2 In the desert I was kindto those who escaped death.I gave them peace,and when the time is right,I'll do the same for you.I, the Lord, have spoken.
3 Some time ago, the Lord appeared to me and told me to say:Israel, I will always love you;that's why I've been so patientand kind.
4 You are precious to me,and so I will rebuildyour nation.Once again you will dance for joyand play your tambourines.
5 You will plant vineyardson the hills of Samariaand enjoy the grapes.
6 Someday those who guardthe hill country of Ephraimwill shout, “Let's go to Zionand worship the Lord our God.”
7 The Lord says:Celebrate and sing for Israel,the greatest of nations.Offer praises and shout,“Come and rescueyour people, Lord!Save what's left of Israel.”
8 I, the Lord, will bringmy people back from Babyloniaand everywhere else on earth.The blind and the lamewill be there.Expectant mothersand women about to give birthwill come and be partof that great crowd.
9 They will weep and prayas I bring them home.I will lead themto streams of water.They will walk on a level roadand not stumble.I am a father to Israel,my favorite children.
10 Listen to me, you nationsnearby or across the sea.I scattered the people of Israel,but I will gather them again.I will protect them like a shepherdguarding a flock;
11 I will rescue them from enemieswho could overpower them.
12 My people will cometo Mount Zionand celebrate;their faces will glowbecause of my blessings.I'll give them grain, grapes,and olive oil,as well as sheep and cattle.Israel will be prosperousand grow like a gardenwith plenty of water.
13 Young women and young men,together with the elderly,will celebrate and dance,because I will comfort themand turn their sorrowinto happiness.
14 I will bless my peoplewith more foodthan they need,and the priests will enjoythe choice cuts of meat.I, the Lord, have spoken.
15 In Ramah a voice is heard,crying and weeping loudly.Rachel mourns for her childrenand refuses to be comforted,because they are dead.*
16 But I, the Lord, sayto dry your tears.Someday your childrenwill come homefrom the enemy's land.Then all you have done for themwill be greatly rewarded.
17 So don't lose hope.I, the Lord, have spoken.
18 The people of Israel moanand say to me,“We were like wild bulls,but you, Lord, broke us,and we learned to obey.You are our God—please let us come home.
19 When we were young,we strayed and sinned,but then we realizedwhat we had done.We are ashamed and disgracedand want to return to you.”
20 People of Israel,you are my own dear children.Don't I love you best of all?Though I often make threats,I want you to be near me,so I will have mercy on you.I, the Lord, have spoken.
21 With rock piles and signposts,mark the road well,my dear people.The road by which you leftby will now lead you home.
22 Will you ever decideto be faithful?I will make sure that somedaythings will be different,as different as a womanprotecting a man.
23 The Lord All-Powerful, the God of Israel, said:I promise to set the people of Judah free and to lead them back to their hometowns. And when I do, they will once again say,“We pray that the Lordwill bless his home,the sacred hill in Jerusalemwhere his temple stands.”
24 The people will live in Jerusalem and in the towns of Judah. Some will be farmers, and others will be shepherds.
25 Those who feel tired and worn out will find new life and energy,
26 and when they sleep, they will wake up refreshed.
27 Someday, Israel and Judah will be my field where my people and their livestock will grow.
28 In the past, I took care to uproot them, to tear them down, and to destroy them. But when that day comes, I will take care to plant them and help them grow.
29 No longer will anyone go around saying,“Sour grapes eaten by parentsleave a sour taste in the mouthsof their children.”
30 When that day comes, only those who eat sour grapes will get the sour taste, and only those who sin will be put to death.
31 The Lord said:The time will surely come when I will make a new agreement with the people of Israel and Judah.
32 It will be different from the agreement I made with their ancestors when I led them out of Egypt. Although I was their God, they broke that agreement.
33 Here is the new agreement that I, the Lord, will make with the people of Israel:“I will write my lawson their hearts and minds.I will be their God,and they will be my people.
34 “No longer will they have to teach one another to obey me. I, the Lord, promise that all of them will obey me, ordinary people and rulers alike. I will forgive their sins and forget the evil things they have done.”
35 I am the Lord All-Powerful.I command the sunto give light each day,the moon and starsto shine at night,and ocean waves to roar.
36 I will never forgetto give those commands,and I will never let Israelstop being a nation.I, the Lord, have spoken.
37 Can you measure the heavens?Can you explorethe depths of the earth?That's how hard it would befor me to reject Israel forever,even though they have sinned.I, the Lord, have spoken.
38 The Lord said:Someday, Jerusalem will truly belong to me. It will be rebuilt with a boundary line running from Hananel Tower to Corner Gate.
39 From there, the boundary will go in a straight line to Gareb Hill, then turn toward Goah.
40 Even that disgusting Hinnom Valley will be sacred to me, and so will the eastern slopes that go down from Horse Gate into Kidron Valley. Jerusalem will never again be destroyed.