[1] Moreover the word of Yahweh came to Jeremiah the second time, while he
was yet shut up in the court of the guard, saying, [2] Thus says Yahweh who
does it, Yahweh who forms it to establish it; Yahweh is his name: [3] Call
to me, and I will answer you, and will show you great things, and
difficult, which you don`t know. [4] For thus says Yahweh, the God of
Israel, concerning the houses of this city, and concerning the houses of
the kings of Judah, which are broken down [to make a defense] against the
mounds and against the sword; [5] while [men] come to fight with the
Chaldeans, and to fill them with the dead bodies of men, whom I have killed
in my anger and in my wrath, and for all whose wickedness I have hid my
face from this city: [6] Behold, I will bring it health and cure, and I
will cure them; and I will reveal to them abundance of peace and truth. [7]
I will cause the captivity of Judah and the captivity of Israel to return,
and will build them, as at the first. [8] I will cleanse them from all
their iniquity, whereby they have sinned against me; and I will pardon all
their iniquities, whereby they have sinned against me, and whereby they
have transgressed against me. [9] [This city] shall be to me for a name of
joy, for a praise and for a glory, before all the nations of the earth,
which shall hear all the good that I do to them, and shall fear and tremble
for all the good and for all the peace that I procure to it. [10] Thus says
Yahweh: Yet again there shall be heard in this place, whereof you say, It
is waste, without man and without animal, even in the cities of Judah, and
in the streets of Jerusalem, that are desolate, without man and without
inhabitant and without animal, [11] the voice of joy and the voice of
gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the voice
of those who say, Give thanks to Yahweh of Hosts, for Yahweh is good, for
his lovingkindness endures forever; [and of them] who bring [sacrifices of]
thanksgiving into the house of Yahweh. For I will cause the captivity of
the land to return as at the first, says Yahweh. [12] Thus says Yahweh of
Hosts: Yet again shall there be in this place, which is waste, without man
and without animal, and in all the cities of it, a habitation of shepherds
causing their flocks to lie down. [13] In the cities of the hill-country,
in the cities of the lowland, and in the cities of the South, and in the
land of Benjamin, and in the places about Jerusalem, and in the cities of
Judah, shall the flocks again pass under the hands of him who numbers them,
says Yahweh. [14] Behold, the days come, says Yahweh, that I will perform
that good word which I have spoken concerning the house of Israel and
concerning the house of Judah. [15] In those days, and at that time, will I
cause a Branch of righteousness to grow up to David; and he shall execute
justice and righteousness in the land. [16] In those days shall Judah be
saved, and Jerusalem shall dwell safely; and this is [the name] whereby she
shall be called: Yahweh our righteousness. [17] For thus says Yahweh: David
shall never want a man to sit on the throne of the house of Israel; [18]
neither shall the priests the Levites want a man before me to offer burnt
offerings, and to burn meal-offerings, and to do sacrifice continually.
[19] The word of Yahweh came to Jeremiah, saying, [20] Thus says Yahweh: If
you can break my covenant of the day, and my covenant of the night, so that
there shall not be day and night in their season; [21] then may also my
covenant be broken with David my servant, that he shall not have a son to
reign on his throne; and with the Levites the priests, my ministers. [22]
As the host of the sky can`t be numbered, neither the sand of the sea
measured; so will I multiply the seed of David my servant, and the Levites
who minister to me. [23] The word of Yahweh came to Jeremiah, saying, [24]
Don`t you consider what this people has spoken, saying, The two families
which Yahweh did choose, he has cast them off? thus do they despise my
people, that they should be no more a nation before them. [25] Thus says
Yahweh: If my covenant of day and night fails, if I have not appointed the
ordinances of heaven and earth; [26] then will I also cast away the seed of
Jacob, and of David my servant, so that I will not take of his seed to be
rulers over the seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob: for I will cause their
captivity to return, and will have mercy on them.
