“ So now I am going to draw her back to me. I will lead her into the desert. There I will speak tenderly to her.

“后来我必劝导她，领她到旷野，对她说安慰的话。

因此，看哪，我要诱导她，领她到旷野，我要说动她的心。

因此，看哪，我要诱导她，领她到旷野，我要说动她的心。

“然而，我要挽回她，领她到旷野，柔声安慰她。

“因此，我要诱导她，领她到旷野，对她说安慰的话。

後來我必勸導她，領她到曠野，對她說安慰的話。

因此，看哪，我要誘導她，領她到曠野，我要說動她的心。

因此，看哪，我要誘導她，領她到曠野，我要說動她的心。

「然而，我要挽回她，領她到曠野，柔聲安慰她。

“因此，我要誘導她，領她到曠野，對她說安慰的話。

『因此你看吧、是我要誘導她，領她到野地，和她談心。

我將誘掖之、導之於野、以善言慰之、

厥後我勸迪斯民、導之於野、以善言慰藉、

雖然、厥後我仍勸誘之、導之於野、以善言慰藉其心、

“ Therefore I am now going to allure her; I will lead her into the wilderness and speak tenderly to her.

“ Therefore, behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak tenderly to her.

“ But then I will win her back once again. I will lead her into the desert and speak tenderly to her there.

Therefore, I am going to persuade her, lead her to the wilderness, and speak tenderly to her.

“ Therefore, behold, I am going to persuade her, Bring her into the wilderness, And speak kindly to her.

“ Therefore, behold, I will allure her, Will bring her into the wilderness, And speak comfort to her.

Therefore, behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably unto her.

Therefore, I am going to persuade her, lead her to the wilderness, and speak tenderly to her.

Therefore, behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably unto her.

However, in the future I will allure her; I will lead her back into the wilderness, and speak tenderly to her.

“ Therefore behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak tenderly to her.

The woman escaped into the desert where God had a place prepared for her. There she would be taken care of for 1,260 days.

“ Comfort my people,” says your God.“ Comfort them.Speak tenderly to the people of Jerusalem. Announce to them that their hard labor has been completed. Tell them that their sin has been paid for. Tell them the Lord has punished them enough for all their sins.”

I will send you among the nations. There I will judge you face to face. It will be as if I were judging you in the desert again.Long ago, I judged your people in the desert of Egypt. In the same way, I will judge you,” announces the Lord and King.

“ No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me brings them. Then I will raise them up on the last day.

The woman was given the two wings of a great eagle. She was given these wings so that she could fly away. She could fly to the place prepared for her in the desert. There she would be taken care of for three and a half years. She would be out of the serpent’s reach.

If she doesn’t stop it, I will strip her naked. I’ll make her as bare as she was on the day she was born. I’ll make her like a desert. She will become like dry land. And I’ll let her die of thirst.

Lord, be like a shepherd to your people. Take good care of them. They are your flock. They live by themselves in the safety of a forest. Rich grasslands are all around them. Let them eat grass in Bashan and Gilead just as they did long ago.The Lord says to his people,“ I showed you my wonders when you came out of Egypt long ago. In the same way, I will show them to you again.”When the nations see those wonders, they will be put to shame. All their power will be taken away from them. They will be so amazed that they won’t be able to speak or hear.They’ll be forced to eat dust like a snake. They’ll be like creatures that have to crawl on the ground. They’ll come out of their dens trembling with fear. They’ll show respect for the Lord our God. They will also have respect for his people.Lord, who is a God like you? You forgive sin. You forgive your people when they do what is wrong. You don’t stay angry forever. Instead, you take delight in showing your faithful love to them.Once again you will show loving concern for us. You will completely wipe out the evil things we’ve done. You will throw all our sins into the bottom of the sea.You will be faithful to Jacob’s people. You will show your love to Abraham’s children. You will do what you promised to do for our people. You made that promise long ago.

And I am going to be lifted up from the earth. When I am, I will bring all people to myself.”

In this way all Israel will be saved. It is written,“ The God who saves will come from Mount Zion. He will remove sin from Jacob’s family.Here is my covenant with them. I will take away their sins.”( Isaiah 59:20, 21; 27:9; Jeremiah 31:33, 34)

“ But a new day is coming,” announces the Lord.“ At that time here is what people will no longer say.‘ As sure as he is alive, the Lord brought the Israelites up out of Egypt.’

Strengthen the hands of those who are weak. Help those whose knees give way.Say to those whose hearts are afraid,“ Be strong and do not fear. Your God will come. He will pay your enemies back. He will come to save you.”

Take me away with you. Let us hurry! King Solomon, bring me into your palace.”“ King Solomon, you fill us with joy. You make us happy. We praise your love more than we praise wine.”“ It is right for them to love you!

“ You have established special times to go without eating. They are your fasts in the fourth, fifth, seventh and tenth months. They will become days of joy. They will be happy times for Judah. It will happen if you take delight in telling the truth and bringing about peace.”He continued,“ Many nations will still come to you. And those who live in many cities will also come.The people who live in one city will go to another city. They will say,‘ Let’s go right away to ask the Lord for his blessing. Let’s look to him as our God. We ourselves are going.’Large numbers of people and nations will come to Jerusalem. They will look to me. They will ask me to bless them.”He continued,“ At that time many people of all nations and languages will take hold of one Jew. They will grab hold of the hem of his robe. And they will say,‘ We want to go to Jerusalem with you. We’ve heard that God is with you.’ ”

Here is what you people of Judah are saying about this city.“ By war, hunger and plague it will be handed over to the king of Babylon.” But here is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says.“ You can be sure that I will gather my people again. I will send them away when my burning anger blazes out against them. But I will bring them back to this place. And I will let them live in safety.They will be my people. And I will be their God.I will give them a single purpose in life. Then, they will always have respect for me. Then all will go well for them. And it will also go well for their children after them.I will make a covenant with them that will last forever. I promise that I will never stop doing good to them. I will cause them to respect me. Then they will never turn away from me again.I will take pleasure in doing good things for them. I will certainly plant them in this land. I will do these things with all my heart and soul.”

Go. Announce this message to the people in the north. Tell them,“‘ Israel, you have not been faithful,’ announces the Lord.‘ Return to me. Then I will do good things for you again. That’s because I am faithful,’ announces the Lord.‘ I will not be angry with you forever.Admit that you are guilty of doing what is wrong. You have refused to obey me. I am the Lord your God. You have committed adultery with other gods. You worshiped them under every green tree. And you have not obeyed me,’ ” announces the Lord.“ You people have not been faithful,” announces the Lord.“ Return to me. I am your husband. I will choose one of you from each town. I will choose two from each territory. And I will bring you to the city of Zion.Then I will give you shepherds who are dear to my heart. Their knowledge and understanding will help them lead you.In those days there will be many more of you in the land,” announces the Lord.“ Then people will not talk about the ark of the covenant of the Lord anymore. It will never enter their minds. They will not remember it. The ark will not be missed. And another one will not be made.At that time they will call Jerusalem The Throne of the Lord. All the nations will gather together there. They will go there to honor me. They will no longer do what their stubborn and evil hearts want them to do.In those days the people of Judah will join the people of Israel. Together they will come from a land in the north. They will come to the land I gave to your people of long ago. I wanted them to have it as their very own.“ I myself said,“‘ I would gladly treat you like my children. I would give you a pleasant land. It is the most beautiful land any nation could have.’ I thought you would call me‘ Father.’ I hoped you would always obey me.But you people are like a woman who is not faithful to her husband. Israel, you have not been faithful to me,” announces the Lord.A cry is heard on the bare hilltops. The people of Israel are weeping and begging for help. That’s because their lives are so twisted. They’ve forgotten the Lord their God.“ You have not been faithful,” says the Lord.“ Return to me. I will heal you. Then you will not turn away from me anymore.”“ Yes,” the people say.“ We will come to you. You are the Lord our God.The gods we worship on the hills and mountains are useless. You are the Lord our God. You are the only one who can save us.From our earliest years shameful gods have harmed us. They have eaten up everything our people of long ago worked for. They have eaten up our flocks and herds. They’ve destroyed our sons and daughters.

“ Go. Announce my message to the people in Jerusalem. I want everyone to hear it. Tell them,“ Here is what the Lord says.“‘ I remember how faithful you were to me when you were young. You loved me as if you were my bride. You followed me through the desert. Nothing had been planted there.

“ But now I will bring health and healing to Jerusalem. I will heal my people. I will let them enjoy great peace and security.I will bring Judah and Israel back from the places where they have been taken. I will build up the nation again. It will be just as it was before.I will wash from its people all the sins they have committed against me. And I will forgive all the sins they committed when they turned away from me.Then this city will bring me fame, joy, praise and honor. All the nations on earth will hear about the good things I do for this city. They will see the great success and peace I give it. Then they will be filled with wonder. And they will tremble with fear.”The Lord says,“ You say about this place,‘ It’s a dry and empty desert. It doesn’t have any people or animals in it.’ The towns of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem are now deserted. So they do not have any people or animals living in them. But happy sounds will be heard there once more.They will be the sounds of joy and gladness. The voices of brides and grooms will fill the streets. And the voices of those who bring thank offerings to my house will be heard there. They will say,“‘ Give thanks to the Lord who rules over all, because he is good. His faithful love continues forever.’ That’s because I will bless this land with great success again. It will be as it was before,” says the Lord.The Lord who rules over all says,“ This place is a desert. It does not have any people or animals in it. But there will again be grasslands near all its towns. Shepherds will rest their flocks there.Flocks will again pass under the hands of shepherds as they count their sheep,” says the Lord.“ That will be done in the towns of the central hill country. It will be done in the western hills and the Negev Desert. It will be done in the territory of Benjamin. And it will be done in the villages around Jerusalem and in the towns of Judah.“ The days are coming,” announces the Lord.“ At that time I will fulfill my good promise to my people. I made it to the people of Israel and Judah.“ Here is what I will do in those days and at that time. I will make a godly Branch grow from David’s royal line. He will do what is fair and right in the land.In those days Judah will be saved. Jerusalem will live in safety. And it will be called The Lord Who Makes Us Right With Himself.”The Lord says,“ David will always have a son to sit on the throne of Israel.The priests, who are Levites, will always have a man to serve me. He will sacrifice burnt offerings. He will burn grain offerings. And he will offer sacrifices.”A message from the Lord came to Jeremiah.The Lord said,“ Could you ever break my covenant with the day? Could you ever break my covenant with the night? Could you ever stop day and night from coming at their appointed times?Only then could my covenant with my servant David be broken. Only then could my covenant with the Levites who serve me as priests be broken. Only then would David no longer have someone from his family line to rule on his throne.Here is what I will do for my servant David. And here is what I will do for the Levites who serve me. I will make their children after them as many as the stars in the sky. And I will make them as many as the grains of sand on the seashore. It will be impossible to count them.”A message from the Lord came to Jeremiah. The Lord said,“ Haven’t you noticed what these people are saying? They say,‘ The Lord once chose the two kingdoms of Israel and Judah. But now he has turned his back on them.’ So they hate my people. They do not think of them as a nation anymore.I say,‘ What if I had not made my covenant with day and night? What if I had not established the laws of heaven and earth?Only then would I turn my back on the children of Jacob and my servant David. Only then would I not choose one of David’s sons to rule over the children of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. But I will bless my people with great success again. I will love them with tender love.’ ”

Then her husband went to see her. He tried to talk her into coming back with him. He had his servant and two donkeys with him. She took her husband into her parents’ home. When her father saw him, he gladly welcomed him.

Then the angel of the Lord spoke up. He said,“ Lord, you rule over all. How long will you keep from showing your tender love to Jerusalem? How long will you keep it from the towns of Judah? You have been angry with them for 70 years.”So the Lord replied with kind and comforting words. He spoke them to the angel who talked with me.Then the angel said,“ Announce this message. Say,‘ The Lord who rules over all says,“ I am very jealous for my people in Jerusalem and Zion.And I am very angry with the nations that feel secure. I was only a little angry with my people. But the nations went too far and tried to wipe them out.”“‘ So the Lord says,“ I will return to Jerusalem. I will show its people my tender love. My temple will be rebuilt there. Workers will use a measuring line when they rebuild Jerusalem,” announces the Lord.“‘ He says,“ My towns will be filled with good things once more. I will comfort Zion. And I will choose Jerusalem again.” ’ ”

“‘ “Mountains of Israel, you will produce branches and bear fruit for my people Israel. They will come home soon.I am concerned about you. I will do good things for you. Farmers will plow your ground. They will plant seeds in it.I will cause many people to live in Israel. The towns will no longer be empty. Their broken- down houses will be rebuilt.I will cause many people and animals to live in you, Israel. They will have many babies. I will cause people to make their homes in your towns, just as I did in the past. I will help you succeed more than ever before. Then you will know that I am the Lord.I will let my people Israel live there again. They will possess you. They will receive you as their own. You will never take their children away from them again.” ’ ”The Lord and King says,“ People say to you mountains,‘ You destroy people. You let your nation’s children be taken away.’But I will not let you destroy people anymore. I will no longer let your nation’s children be taken away,” announces the Lord and King.“ You will not have to listen to the nations laughing at you anymore. People will no longer make fun of you. You will not let your nation fall,” announces the Lord and King.

The Lord and King says,“ I will now cause the people of Jacob to recover from my judgment. I will show my tender love for all the people of Israel. I will make sure that my name is kept holy.My people will forget the shameful things they have done. They will not remember all the ways they were unfaithful to me. They used to live in safety in their land. At that time no one made them afraid.So I will bring them back from the nations. I will gather them from the countries of their enemies. And I will use them to prove to many nations how holy I am.Then they will know that I am the Lord their God. I let the nations take my people away as prisoners. But now I will bring them back to their own land. I will not leave anyone behind.I will no longer turn my face away from the people of Israel. I will pour out my Spirit on them,” announces the Lord and King.

“ At that time I will be the God of all the families of Israel,” announces the Lord.“ And they will be my people.”The Lord says,“ Some of my people will live through everything their enemies do to them. They will find help in the desert. I will come to give peace and rest to Israel.”The Lord appeared to us in the past. He said,“ I have loved you with a love that lasts forever. I have kept on loving you with a kindness that never fails.I will build you up again. Nation of Israel, you will be rebuilt. Once again you will use your tambourines to celebrate. You will go out and dance with joy.Once again you will plant vineyards on the hills of Samaria. Farmers will plant them. They will enjoy their fruit.There will be a day when those on guard duty will cry out. They will stand on the hills of Ephraim. And they will shout,‘ Come! Let’s go up to Zion. Let’s go up to where the Lord our God is.’ ”The Lord says,“ Sing for joy because the people of Jacob are blessed. Shout because the Lord has made them the greatest nation. Make your praises heard. Say,‘ Lord, save your people. Save the people who are left alive in Israel.’I will bring them from the land of the north. I will gather them from one end of the earth to the other. Even those who are blind and those who can’t walk will be among them. Pregnant women and women having their babies will be among them also. Many of them will return.Their eyes will be filled with tears as they come. They will pray as I bring them back. I will lead them beside streams of water. I will lead them on a level path where they will not trip or fall. I am Israel’s father. And Ephraim is my oldest son.“ Listen to my message, you nations. Announce it on shores far away. Say,‘ He who scattered Israel will gather them. He will watch over his flock like a shepherd.’I will set the people of Jacob free. I will save them from those who are stronger than they are.They will come and shout for joy on Mount Zion. They will be joyful because of everything I give them. I give them grain, olive oil and fresh wine. I give them the young animals in their flocks and herds. Israel will be like a garden that has plenty of water. And they will not be sad anymore.Then young women will dance and be glad. And so will the men, young and old alike. I will turn their mourning into gladness. I will comfort them. And I will give them joy instead of sorrow.I will satisfy the priests. I will give them more than enough. And my people will be filled with the good things I give them,” announces the Lord.The Lord says,“ A voice is heard in Ramah. It is the sound of weeping and deep sadness. Rachel is weeping for her children. She refuses to be comforted, because they are gone.”The Lord says,“ Do not weep anymore. Do not let tears fall from your eyes. I will reward you for your work,” announces the Lord.“ Your children will return from the land of the enemy.So there is hope for your children,” announces the Lord.“ Your children will return to their own land.“ I have heard the groans of Ephraim’s people. They say,‘ You corrected us like a calf you were training. And we have been trained. Bring us back to you, and we will come back. You are the Lord our God.After we wandered away from you, we turned away from our sins. After we learned our lesson, we beat our chests in sorrow. We were full of shame. What we did when we were young brought dishonor on us.’Aren’t the people of Ephraim my dear children? Aren’t they the children I take delight in? I often speak against them. But I still remember them. So my heart longs for them. I love them with a tender love,” announces the Lord.The Lord says,“ Put up road signs. Set up stones to show the way. Look carefully for the highway. Look for the road you will take. Return, people of Israel. Return to your towns.How long will you wander, my people Israel, who are not faithful to me? I will create a new thing on earth. The woman will return to the man.”The Lord who rules over all is the God of Israel. He says,“ I will bring them back from the place where they were taken. Here is what the people in Judah and its towns will say once again.‘ May the Lord bless you, you successful city. Sacred mountain, may he bless you.’People will live together in Judah and all its towns. Farmers and shepherds will live there.I will give rest to those who are tired. I will satisfy those who are weak.”When I heard this, I woke up and looked around. My sleep had been pleasant to me.Here is what the Lord announces.“ The days are coming when I will plant the kingdoms of Israel and Judah again. I will plant them with children and young animals.I watched over Israel and Judah to pull them up by the roots. I tore them down. I crushed them. I destroyed them. I brought horrible trouble on them. But now I will watch over them to build them up and plant them,” announces the Lord.“ In those days people will no longer say,“‘ The parents have eaten sour grapes. But the children have a bitter taste in their mouths.’Instead, everyone will die for their own sin. The one who eats sour grapes will taste how bitter they are.“ The days are coming,” announces the Lord.“ I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel. I will also make it with the people of Judah.It will not be like the covenant I made with their people of long ago. That was when I took them by the hand. I led them out of Egypt. But they broke my covenant. They did it even though I was like a husband to them,” announces the Lord.“ This is the covenant I will make with Israel after that time,” announces the Lord.“ I will put my law in their minds. I will write it on their hearts. I will be their God. And they will be my people.They will not need to teach their neighbor anymore. And they will not need to teach one another anymore. They will not need to say,‘ Know the Lord.’ That’s because everyone will know me. From the least important of them to the most important, all of them will know me,” announces the Lord.“ I will forgive their evil ways. I will not remember their sins anymore.”The Lord speaks. He makes the sun shine by day. He orders the moon and stars to shine at night. He stirs up the ocean. He makes its waves roar. His name is the Lord Who Rules Over All.“ Suppose my orders for creation disappear from my sight,” announces the Lord.“ Only then will the people of Israel stop being a nation in my sight.”The Lord says,“ Suppose the sky above could be measured. Suppose the foundations of the earth below could be completely discovered. Only then would I turn away the people of Israel. Even though they have committed many sins, I will still accept them,” announces the Lord.

But the Lord wants to have mercy on you. So he will rise up to give you his tender love. The Lord is a God who is always fair. Blessed are all those who wait for him to act!

“ The time will come when I will set up David’s fallen shelter. I will repair its broken walls. I will rebuild what was destroyed. I will make it what it used to be.Then my people will take control of those who are left alive in Edom. They will also possess all the nations that belong to me,” announces the Lord. He will do all these things.“ The days are coming,” announces the Lord.“ At that time those who plow the land will catch up with those who harvest the crops. Those who stomp on grapes will catch up with those who plant the vines. Fresh wine will drip from the mountains. It will flow down from all the hills.I will bring my people Israel back home. I will bless them with great success again. They will rebuild the destroyed cities and live in them. They will plant vineyards and drink the wine they produce. They will make gardens and eat their fruit.I will plant Israel in their own land. They will never again be removed from the land I have given them,” says the Lord your God.

You can be sure that I will comfort Zion’s people. I will look with loving concern on all their destroyed buildings. I will make their deserts like Eden. I will make their dry and empty land like the garden of the Lord. Joy and gladness will be there. People will sing and give thanks to me.“ Listen to me, my people. Pay attention, my nation. My instruction will go out to the nations. I make everything right. That will be a guiding light for them.The time for me to set you free is near. I will soon save you. My powerful arm will make everything right among the nations. The islands will put their hope in me. They will wait for my powerful arm to act.Look up toward the heavens. Then look at the earth. The heavens will vanish like smoke. The earth will wear out like clothes. Those who live there will die like flies. But I will save you forever. My saving power will never end.“ Listen to me, you who know what is right. Pay attention, you who have taken my instruction to heart. Do not be afraid when mere human beings make fun of you. Do not be terrified when they laugh at you.They will be like clothes that moths have eaten up. They will be like wool that worms have chewed up. But my saving power will last forever. I will save you for all time to come.”Wake up, arm of the Lord! Wake up! Dress yourself with strength as if it were your clothes! Wake up, just as you did in the past. Wake up, as you did long ago. Didn’t you cut Rahab to pieces? Didn’t you stab that sea monster to death?Didn’t you dry up the Red Sea? Didn’t you dry up those deep waters? You made a road on the bottom of that sea. Then those who were set free went across.Those the Lord has saved will return to their land. They will sing as they enter the city of Zion. Joy that lasts forever will be like beautiful crowns on their heads. They will be filled with gladness and joy. Sorrow and sighing will be gone.The Lord says to his people,“ I comfort you because of who I am. Why are you afraid of mere human beings? They are like grass that dries up.How can you forget me? I made you. I stretch out the heavens. I lay the foundations of the earth. Why are you terrified every day? Is it because those who are angry with you are crushing you? Is it because they are trying to destroy you? Their anger can’t harm you anymore.You prisoners who are so afraid will soon be set free. You will not die in your prison cells. You will not go without food.I am the Lord your God. I stir up the ocean. I make its waves roar. My name is the Lord Who Rules Over All.I have put my words in your mouth. I have kept you safe in the palm of my hand. I set the heavens in place. I laid the foundations of the earth. I say to Zion,‘ You are my people.’ ”Wake up, Jerusalem! Wake up! Get up! The Lord has handed you the cup of his great anger. And you have drunk from it. That cup makes people unsteady on their feet. And you have drunk from it to the very last drop.Among all the children who were born to you there was none to guide you. Among all the children you brought up there was none to lead you by the hand.Nothing but trouble has come to you. You have been wiped out and destroyed. And you have suffered hunger and war. No one feels sorry for you. No one can comfort you.Your children have fainted. They lie helpless at every street corner. They are like antelope that have been caught in a net. They have felt the full force of the Lord’ s great anger. Jerusalem, your God had to warn them strongly.So listen to me, you suffering people of Jerusalem. You have been made drunk, but not by drinking wine.Your Lord and King speaks. He is your God. He stands up for his people. He says,“ I have taken from you the cup of my great anger. It made you unsteady on your feet. But you will never drink from that cup again.Instead, I will give it to those who made you suffer. They said to you,‘ Fall down flat on the ground. Then we can walk all over you.’ And that is exactly what you did. You made your back like a street to be walked on.”

But I will save my sheep. They will not be carried off anymore. I will judge between one sheep and another.I will place one shepherd over them. He will belong to the family line of my servant David. He will take good care of them. He will look after them. He will be their shepherd.I am the Lord. I will be their God. And my servant from David’s family line will be the prince among them. I have spoken. I am the Lord.“ I will make a covenant with them. It promises to give them peace. I will get rid of the wild animals in the land. Then my sheep can live safely in the desert. They can sleep in the forests.I will make them and the places surrounding my holy mountain of Zion a blessing. I will send down rain at the right time. There will be showers of blessing.The trees will bear their fruit. And the ground will produce its crops. The people will be secure in their land. I will break the chains that hold them. I will save them from the power of those who made them slaves. Then they will know that I am the Lord.The nations will not carry them off anymore. Wild animals will no longer eat them up. They will live in safety. And no one will make them afraid.I will give them a land that is famous for its crops. They will never again be hungry there. The nations will not make fun of them anymore.Then they will know that I am with them. I am the Lord their God. And the Israelites will know that they are my people,” announces the Lord and King.“ You are my sheep. You belong to my flock. And I am your God,” announces the Lord and King.

Then he longed for Jacob’s daughter Dinah. He fell in love with her and spoke tenderly to her.

Then the Lord said to me,“ Son of man, these bones stand for all the people of Israel. The people say,‘ Our bones are dried up. We’ve lost all hope. We are destroyed.’So prophesy. Tell them,‘ The Lord and King says,“ My people, I am going to open up your graves. I am going to bring you out of them. I will take you back to the land of Israel.So I will open up your graves and bring you out of them. Then you will know that I am the Lord. You are my people.I will put my Spirit in you. And you will live again. I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I have spoken. I have done it,” announces the Lord.’ ”A message from the Lord came to me. The Lord said,“ Son of man, get a stick of wood. Write on it,‘ Belonging to the tribe of Judah and the Israelites who are connected with it.’ Then get another stick. Write on it,‘ Ephraim’s stick. Belonging to the tribes of Joseph and all the Israelites connected with them.’Join them together into one stick in your hand.“ Your people will ask you,‘ What do you mean by this?’Tell them,‘ The Lord and King says,“ I am going to get the stick of Joseph and the Israelites connected with it. That stick is in Ephraim’s hand. I am going to join it to Judah’s stick. I will make them a single stick of wood in my hand.” ’Show them the sticks you wrote on.Tell them,‘ The Lord and King says,“ I will take the Israelites out of the nations where they have gone. I will gather them together from all around. I will bring them back to their own land.There I will make them one nation. They will live on the mountains of Israel. All of them will have one king. They will never be two nations again. They will never again be separated into two kingdoms.They will no longer make themselves‘ unclean’ by worshiping any of their evil gods. They will not do wrong things anymore. They always turn away from me. But I will save them from that sin. I will make them pure and‘ clean.’ They will be my people. And I will be their God.“‘ “A man who belongs to the family line of my servant David will be their king. All of them will have one shepherd. They will obey my laws. And they will be careful to keep my rules.They will live in the land I gave to my servant Jacob. That is where your people of long ago lived. They, their children, their children’s children, and their children after them will live there forever. And my servant from David’s family line will be their prince forever.I will make a covenant with them. It promises to give them peace. The covenant will last forever. I will make them my people. And I will cause there to be many of them. I will put my temple among them forever.I will live with them. I will be their God. And they will be my people.My temple will be among them forever. Then the nations will know that I make Israel holy. I am the Lord.” ’ ”

“ But then I will purify what all the nations say. And they will use their words to worship me. They will serve me together.My scattered people will come to me from beyond the rivers of Cush. They will worship me. They will bring me offerings.Jerusalem, you have done many wrong things to me. But at that time you will not be put to shame anymore. That’s because I will remove from this city those who think so highly of themselves. You will never be proud again on my holy mountain of Zion.But inside your city I will leave those who are not proud at all. Those who are still left alive will trust in the Lord.They will not do anything wrong. They will not tell any lies. They will not say anything to fool other people. They will eat and lie down in peace. And no one will make them afraid.”People of Zion, sing! Israel, shout loudly! People of Jerusalem, be glad! Let your hearts be full of joy.The Lord has stopped punishing you. He has made your enemies turn away from you. The Lord is the King of Israel. He is with you. You will never again be afraid that others will harm you.The time is coming when people will say to Jerusalem,“ Zion, don’t be afraid. Don’t give up.The Lord your God is with you. He is the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you. In his love he will no longer punish you. Instead, he will sing for joy because of you.”The Lord says to his people,“ You used to celebrate my appointed feasts in Jerusalem. You are sad because you can’t do that anymore. Other people make fun of you because of that. That sadness was a heavy load for you to carry. But I will remove that load from you.At that time I will punish all those who crushed you. I will save those among you who are disabled. I will gather those who have been taken away. I will give them praise and honor in every land where they have been put to shame.At that time I will gather you together. And I will bring you home. I will give you honor and praise among all the nations on earth. I will bless you with great success again,” says the Lord.

The Lord says,“ I will bless Jacob’s people with great success again. I will show tender love to Israel. Jerusalem will be rebuilt where it was destroyed. The palace will stand in its proper place.From those places the songs of people giving thanks will be heard. The sound of great joy will come from there. I will cause there to be more of my people. There will not be fewer of them. I will bring them honor. People will have respect for them.Things will be as they used to be for Jacob’s people. I will make their community firm and secure. I will punish everyone who treats them badly.Their leader will be one of their own people. Their ruler will rise up from among them. I will bring him near. And he will come close to me. He will commit himself to serve me,” announces the Lord.“ So you will be my people. And I will be your God.”

Shout for joy, you heavens! Be glad, you earth! Burst into song, you mountains! The Lord will comfort his people. He will show his tender love to those who are suffering.But the city of Zion said,“ The Lord has deserted me. The Lord has forgotten me.”The Lord answers,“ Can a mother forget the baby who is nursing at her breast? Can she stop having tender love for the child who was born to her? She might forget her child. But I will not forget you.I have written your name on the palms of my hands. Your walls are never out of my sight.Your people will hurry back. Those who destroyed you so completely will leave you.Look up. Look all around you. All your people are getting together to come back to you. You can be sure that I live,” announces the Lord.“ And you can be just as sure that your people will be like decorations you will wear. Like a bride, you will wear them proudly.“ Zion, you were destroyed. Your land was left empty. It was turned into a dry and empty desert. But now you will be too small to hold all your people. And those who destroyed you will be far away.The children born during your time of sorrow will speak to you. They will say,‘ This city is too small for us. Give us more space to live in.’Then you will say to yourself,‘ Whose children are these? I lost my children. And I couldn’t have any more. My children were taken far away from me. And no one wanted them. Who brought these children up? I was left all alone. So where have these children come from?’ ”The Lord and King continues,“ I will call out to the nations. I will give a signal to them. They will bring back your sons in their arms. They will carry your daughters on their hips.Their kings will become like fathers to you. Their queens will be like mothers who nurse you. They will bow down to you with their faces toward the ground. They will kiss the dust at your feet to show you their respect. Then you will know that I am the Lord. Those who put their hope in me will not be ashamed.”Can goods that were stolen by soldiers be taken away from them? Can prisoners be set free from the powerful Babylonians?“ Yes, they can,” the Lord answers.“ Prisoners will be taken away from soldiers. Stolen goods will be taken back from the powerful Babylonians. Zion, I will fight against those who fight against you. And I will save your people.I will make those who treat you badly eat the flesh of others. They will drink blood and get drunk on it as if it were wine. Then everyone on earth will know that I am the one who saves you. I am the Lord. I set you free. I am the Mighty One of Jacob.”

So I led them out of Egypt. I brought them into the Desert of Sinai.