For I know what I have planned for you,’ says the LORD.‘ I have plans to prosper you, not to harm you. I have plans to give you a future filled with hope.

耶和华说：我知道我向你们所怀的意念是赐平安的意念，不是降灾祸的意念，要叫你们末后有指望。

我知道我向你们所怀的意念是赐平安的意念，不是降灾祸的意念，要叫你们末后有指望。这是耶和华说的。

我知道我向你们所怀的意念是赐平安的意念，不是降灾祸的意念，要叫你们末后有指望。这是耶和华说的。

因为我知道我为你们安排的计划。我的计划不是要降祸给你们，而是要赐福给你们，使你们的未来充满希望。这是耶和华说的。

因我自己知道我为你们所定的计划，是使你们得平安，而不是遭受灾祸的计划；要赐给你们美好的前程和盼望。’这是耶和华的宣告。

耶和華說：我知道我向你們所懷的意念是賜平安的意念，不是降災禍的意念，要叫你們末後有指望。

我知道我向你們所懷的意念是賜平安的意念，不是降災禍的意念，要叫你們末後有指望。這是耶和華說的。

我知道我向你們所懷的意念是賜平安的意念，不是降災禍的意念，要叫你們末後有指望。這是耶和華說的。

因為我知道我為你們安排的計劃。我的計劃不是要降禍給你們，而是要賜福給你們，使你們的未來充滿希望。這是耶和華說的。

因我自己知道我為你們所定的計劃，是使你們得平安，而不是遭受災禍的計劃；要賜給你們美好的前程和盼望。’這是耶和華的宣告。

因為我知道我向你們懷的意念、永恆主發神諭說、是賜福利的意念，不是降災禍的意念；是要給你們好的晚景和希望。

耶和華曰、我為爾所存之念、我自知之、乃平康之念、非災害之念也、俾爾終有所望、

耶和華又云、予待爾將若何、予自知之、欲錫平康、不加災害、終有可望。

主又云、我為爾所懷之意、惟我知之、我意賜爾平康、不加災害、爾曹終有可望、

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord,“ plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

I know the plans I have for you,” announces the Lord.“ I want you to enjoy success. I do not plan to harm you. I will give you hope for the years to come.

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord.“ They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.

For I know the plans I have for you”— this is the LORD’s declaration—“ plans for your well-being, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.

For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the Lord,‘ plans for prosperity and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith Jehovah, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you hope in your latter end.

For I know the plans I have for you”— this is the Lord’s declaration—“ plans for your welfare, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you,” says Yahweh,“ thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you hope and a future.

“ Indeed, my plans are not like your plans, and my deeds are not like your deeds,for just as the sky is higher than the earth, so my deeds are superior to your deeds and my plans superior to your plans.The rain and snow fall from the sky and do not return, but instead water the earth and make it produce and yield crops, and provide seed for the planter and food for those who must eat.In the same way, the promise that I make does not return to me, having accomplished nothing. No, it is realized as I desire and is fulfilled as I intend.”Indeed you will go out with joy; you will be led along in peace; the mountains and hills will give a joyful shout before you, and all the trees in the field will clap their hands.

The LORD’s decisions stand forever; his plans abide throughout the ages.

O LORD, my God, you have accomplished many things; you have done amazing things and carried out your purposes for us. No one can thwart you! I want to declare them and talk about them, but they are too numerous to recount!

But they do not know what the LORD is planning; they do not understand his strategy. He has gathered them like stalks of grain to be threshed at the threshing floor.

But he is unchangeable, and who can change him? Whatever he has desired, he does.

It is good to wait patiently for deliverance from the LORD.

who announces the end from the beginning and reveals beforehand what has not yet occurred, who says,‘ My plan will be realized, I will accomplish what I desire,’who summons an eagle from the east, from a distant land, one who carries out my plan. Yes, I have decreed, yes, I will bring it to pass; I have formulated a plan, yes, I will carry it out.

“‘ For this is what the sovereign LORD says: Look, I myself will search for my sheep and seek them out.As a shepherd seeks out his flock when he is among his scattered sheep, so I will seek out my flock. I will rescue them from all the places where they have been scattered on a cloudy, dark day.I will bring them out from among the peoples and gather them from foreign countries; I will bring them to their own land. I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the streams and all the inhabited places of the land.In a good pasture I will feed them; the mountain heights of Israel will be their pasture. There they will lie down in a lush pasture, and they will feed on rich grass on the mountains of Israel.I myself will feed my sheep and I myself will make them lie down, declares the sovereign LORD.I will seek the lost and bring back the strays; I will bandage the injured and strengthen the sick, but the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them– with judgment!“‘ As for you, my sheep, this is what the sovereign LORD says: Look, I am about to judge between one sheep and another, between rams and goats.Is it not enough for you to feed on the good pasture, that you must trample the rest of your pastures with your feet? When you drink clean water, must you muddy the rest of the water by trampling it with your feet?As for my sheep, they must eat what you trampled with your feet, and drink what you have muddied with your feet!“‘ Therefore, this is what the sovereign LORD says to them: Look, I myself will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep.Because you push with your side and your shoulder, and thrust your horns at all the weak sheep until you scatter them abroad,I will save my sheep; they will no longer be prey. I will judge between one sheep and another.I will set one shepherd over them, and he will feed them– namely, my servant David. He will feed them and will be their shepherd.I, the LORD, will be their God, and my servant David will be prince among them; I, the LORD, have spoken!“‘ I will make a covenant of peace with them and will rid the land of wild beasts, so that they can live securely in the wilderness and even sleep in the woods.I will turn them and the regions around my hill into a blessing. I will make showers come down in their season; they will be showers that bring blessing.The trees of the field will yield their fruit and the earth will yield its crops. They will live securely on their land; they will know that I am the LORD, when I break the bars of their yoke and rescue them from the hand of those who enslaved them.They will no longer be prey for the nations and the wild beasts will not devour them. They will live securely and no one will make them afraid.I will prepare for them a healthy planting. They will no longer be victims of famine in the land and will no longer bear the insults of the nations.Then they will know that I, the LORD their God, am with them, and that they are my people, the house of Israel, declares the sovereign LORD.And you, my sheep, the sheep of my pasture, are my people, and I am your God, declares the sovereign LORD.’”

“ Go and shout this message to my people in the countries in the north. Tell them,‘ Come back to me, wayward Israel,’ says the LORD.‘ I will not continue to look on you with displeasure. For I am merciful,’ says the LORD.‘ I will not be angry with you forever.However, you must confess that you have done wrong, and that you have rebelled against the LORD your God. You must confess that you have given yourself to foreign gods under every green tree, and have not obeyed my commands,’ says the LORD.“ Come back to me, my wayward sons,” says the LORD,“ for I am your true master. If you do, I will take one of you from each town and two of you from each family group, and I will bring you back to Zion.I will give you leaders who will be faithful to me. They will lead you with knowledge and insight.In those days, your population will greatly increase in the land. At that time,” says the LORD,“ people will no longer talk about having the ark that contains the LORD’s covenant with us. They will not call it to mind, remember it, or miss it. No, that will not be done any more!At that time the city of Jerusalem will be called the LORD’s throne. All nations will gather there in Jerusalem to honor the LORD’s name. They will no longer follow the stubborn inclinations of their own evil hearts.At that time the nation of Judah and the nation of Israel will be reunited. Together they will come back from a land in the north to the land that I gave to your ancestors as a permanent possession.”“ I thought to myself,‘ Oh what a joy it would be for me to treat you like a son! What a joy it would be for me to give you a pleasant land, the most beautiful piece of property there is in all the world!’ I thought you would call me,‘ Father’ and would never cease being loyal to me.

At that time I will be the God of all the clans of Israel and they will be my people. I, the LORD, affirm it!”The LORD says,“ The people of Israel who survived death at the hands of the enemy will find favor in the wilderness as they journey to find rest for themselves.In a far-off land the LORD will manifest himself to them. He will say to them,‘ I have loved you with an everlasting love. That is why I have continued to be faithful to you.I will rebuild you, my dear children Israel, so that you will once again be built up. Once again you will take up the tambourine and join in the happy throng of dancers.Once again you will plant vineyards on the hills of Samaria. Those who plant them will once again enjoy their fruit.Yes, a time is coming when watchmen will call out on the mountains of Ephraim,“ Come! Let us go to Zion to worship the LORD our God!”’”Moreover, the LORD says,“ Sing for joy for the descendants of Jacob. Utter glad shouts for that foremost of the nations. Make your praises heard. Then say,‘ LORD, rescue your people. Deliver those of Israel who remain alive.’Then I will reply,‘ I will bring them back from the land of the north. I will gather them in from the distant parts of the earth. Blind and lame people will come with them, so will pregnant women and women about to give birth. A vast throng of people will come back here.They will come back shedding tears of contrition. I will bring them back praying prayers of repentance. I will lead them besides streams of water, along smooth paths where they will never stumble. I will do this because I am Israel’s father; Ephraim is my firstborn son.’”Hear what the LORD has to say, O nations. Proclaim it in the faraway lands along the sea. Say,“ The one who scattered Israel will regather them. He will watch over his people like a shepherd watches over his flock.”For the LORD will rescue the descendants of Jacob. He will secure their release from those who had overpowered them.They will come and shout for joy on Mount Zion. They will be radiant with joy over the good things the LORD provides, the grain, the fresh wine, the olive oil, the young sheep and calves he has given to them. They will be like a well-watered garden and will not grow faint or weary any more.The LORD says,“ At that time young women will dance and be glad. Young men and old men will rejoice. I will turn their grief into gladness. I will give them comfort and joy in place of their sorrow.I will provide the priests with abundant provisions. My people will be filled to the full with the good things I provide.”The LORD says,“ A sound is heard in Ramah, a sound of crying in bitter grief. It is the sound of Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because her children are gone.”The LORD says to her,“ Stop crying! Do not shed any more tears! For your heartfelt repentance will be rewarded. Your children will return from the land of the enemy. I, the LORD, affirm it!Indeed, there is hope for your posterity. Your children will return to their own territory. I, the LORD, affirm it!I have indeed heard the people of Israel say mournfully,‘ We were like a calf untrained to the yoke. You disciplined us and we learned from it. Let us come back to you and we will do so, for you are the LORD our God.For after we turned away from you we repented. After we came to our senses we beat our breasts in sorrow. We are ashamed and humiliated because of the disgraceful things we did previously.’Indeed, the people of Israel are my dear children. They are the children I take delight in. For even though I must often rebuke them, I still remember them with fondness. So I am deeply moved with pity for them and will surely have compassion on them. I, the LORD, affirm it!I will say,‘ My dear children of Israel, keep in mind the road you took when you were carried off. Mark off in your minds the landmarks. Make a mental note of telltale signs marking the way back. Return, my dear children of Israel. Return to these cities of yours.How long will you vacillate, you who were once like an unfaithful daughter? For I, the LORD, promise to bring about something new on the earth, something as unique as a woman protecting a man!’”The LORD God of Israel who rules over all says,“ I will restore the people of Judah to their land and to their towns. When I do, they will again say of Jerusalem,‘ May the LORD bless you, you holy mountain, the place where righteousness dwells.’The land of Judah will be inhabited by people who live in its towns as well as by farmers and shepherds with their flocks.I will fully satisfy the needs of those who are weary and fully refresh the souls of those who are faint.Then they will say,‘ Under these conditions I can enjoy sweet sleep when I wake up and look around.’”“ Indeed, a time is coming,” says the LORD,“ when I will cause people and animals to sprout up in the lands of Israel and Judah.In the past I saw to it that they were uprooted and torn down, that they were destroyed and demolished. But now I will see to it that they are built up and firmly planted. I, the LORD, affirm it!”“ When that time comes, people will no longer say,‘ The parents have eaten sour grapes, but the children’s teeth have grown numb.’Rather, each person will die for his own sins. The teeth of the person who eats the sour grapes will themselves grow numb.“ Indeed, a time is coming,” says the LORD,“ when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and Judah.It will not be like the old covenant that I made with their ancestors when I delivered them from Egypt. For they violated that covenant, even though I was like a faithful husband to them,” says the LORD.“ But I will make a new covenant with the whole nation of Israel after I plant them back in the land,” says the LORD.“ I will put my law within them and write it on their hearts and minds. I will be their God and they will be my people.

( 3: 1) After all of this I will pour out my Spirit on all kinds of people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your elderly will have revelatory dreams; your young men will see prophetic visions.Even on male and female servants I will pour out my Spirit in those days.I will produce portents both in the sky and on the earth– blood, fire, and columns of smoke.The sunlight will be turned to darkness and the moon to the color of blood, before the day of the LORD comes– that great and terrible day!It will so happen that everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be delivered. For on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be those who survive, just as the LORD has promised; the remnant will be those whom the LORD will call.

Return to the LORD and repent! Say to him:“ Completely forgive our iniquity; accept our penitential prayer, that we may offer the praise of our lips as sacrificial bulls.Assyria cannot save us; we will not ride warhorses. We will never again say,‘ Our gods’ to what our own hands have made. For only you will show compassion to Orphan Israel!”“ I will heal their waywardness and love them freely, for my anger will turn away from them.I will be like the dew to Israel; he will blossom like a lily, he will send down his roots like a cedar of Lebanon.His young shoots will grow; his splendor will be like an olive tree, his fragrance like a cedar of Lebanon.People will reside again in his shade; they will plant and harvest grain in abundance. They will blossom like a vine, and his fame will be like the wine from Lebanon.O Ephraim, I do not want to have anything to do with idols anymore! I will answer him and care for him. I am like a luxuriant cypress tree; your fruitfulness comes from me!Who is wise? Let him discern these things! Who is discerning? Let him understand them! For the ways of the LORD are right; the godly walk in them, but in them the rebellious stumble.

“ Comfort, comfort my people,” says your God.“ Speak kindly to Jerusalem, and tell her that her time of warfare is over, that her punishment is completed. For the LORD has made her pay double for all her sins.”A voice cries out,“ In the wilderness clear a way for the LORD; construct in the desert a road for our God.Every valley must be elevated, and every mountain and hill leveled. The rough terrain will become a level plain, the rugged landscape a wide valley.The splendor of the LORD will be revealed, and all people will see it at the same time. For the LORD has decreed it.”A voice says,“ Cry out!” Another asks,“ What should I cry out?” The first voice responds:“ All people are like grass, and all their promises are like the flowers in the field.The grass dries up, the flowers wither, when the wind sent by the LORD blows on them. Surely humanity is like grass.The grass dries up, the flowers wither, but the decree of our God is forever reliable.”Go up on a high mountain, O herald Zion! Shout out loudly, O herald Jerusalem! Shout, don’t be afraid! Say to the towns of Judah,“ Here is your God!”Look, the sovereign LORD comes as a victorious warrior; his military power establishes his rule. Look, his reward is with him; his prize goes before him.Like a shepherd he tends his flock; he gathers up the lambs with his arm; he carries them close to his heart; he leads the ewes along.Who has measured out the waters in the hollow of his hand, or carefully measured the sky, or carefully weighed the soil of the earth, or weighed the mountains in a balance, or the hills on scales?Who comprehends the mind of the LORD, or gives him instruction as his counselor?From whom does he receive directions? Who teaches him the correct way to do things, or imparts knowledge to him, or instructs him in skillful design?Look, the nations are like a drop in a bucket; they are regarded as dust on the scales. He lifts the coastlands as if they were dust.Not even Lebanon could supply enough firewood for a sacrifice; its wild animals would not provide enough burnt offerings.All the nations are insignificant before him; they are regarded as absolutely nothing.To whom can you compare God? To what image can you liken him?A craftsman casts an idol; a metalsmith overlays it with gold and forges silver chains for it.To make a contribution one selects wood that will not rot; he then seeks a skilled craftsman to make an idol that will not fall over.Do you not know? Do you not hear? Has it not been told to you since the very beginning? Have you not understood from the time the earth’s foundations were made?He is the one who sits on the earth’s horizon; its inhabitants are like grasshoppers before him. He is the one who stretches out the sky like a thin curtain, and spreads it out like a pitched tent.He is the one who reduces rulers to nothing; he makes the earth’s leaders insignificant.Indeed, they are barely planted; yes, they are barely sown; yes, they barely take root in the earth, and then he blows on them, causing them to dry up, and the wind carries them away like straw.“ To whom can you compare me? Whom do I resemble?” says the Holy One.Look up at the sky! Who created all these heavenly lights? He is the one who leads out their ranks; he calls them all by name. Because of his absolute power and awesome strength, not one of them is missing.Why do you say, Jacob, Why do you say, Israel,“ The LORD is not aware of what is happening to me, My God is not concerned with my vindication”?Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is an eternal God, the creator of the whole earth. He does not get tired or weary; there is no limit to his wisdom.He gives strength to those who are tired; to the ones who lack power, he gives renewed energy.Even youths get tired and weary; even strong young men clumsily stumble.But those who wait for the LORD’s help find renewed strength; they rise up as if they had eagles’ wings, they run without growing weary, they walk without getting tired.

However, in the future I will allure her; I will lead her back into the wilderness, and speak tenderly to her.From there I will give back her vineyards to her, and turn the“ Valley of Trouble” into an“ Opportunity for Hope.” There she will sing as she did when she was young, when she came up from the land of Egypt.“ At that time,” declares the LORD,“ you will call,‘ My husband’; you will never again call me,‘ My master.’For I will remove the names of the Baal idols from your lips, so that you will never again utter their names!”“ At that time I will make a covenant for them with the wild animals, the birds of the air, and the creatures that crawl on the ground. I will abolish the warrior’s bow and sword– that is, every weapon of warfare– from the land, and I will allow them to live securely.”I will commit myself to you forever; I will commit myself to you in righteousness and justice, in steadfast love and tender compassion.I will commit myself to you in faithfulness; then you will acknowledge the LORD.”“ At that time, I will willingly respond,” declares the LORD.“ I will respond to the sky, and the sky will respond to the ground;then the ground will respond to the grain, the new wine, and the olive oil; and they will respond to‘ God Plants’( Jezreel)!Then I will plant her as my own in the land. I will have pity on‘ No Pity’( Lo-Ruhamah). I will say to‘ Not My People’( Lo-Ammi),‘ You are my people!’ And he will say,‘ You are my God!’”

Shout for joy, Daughter Zion! Shout out, Israel! Be happy and boast with all your heart, Daughter Jerusalem!The LORD has removed the judgment against you; he has turned back your enemy. Israel’s king, the LORD, is in your midst! You no longer need to fear disaster.On that day they will say to Jerusalem,“ Don’t be afraid, Zion! Your hands must not be paralyzed from panic!The LORD your God is in your midst; he is a warrior who can deliver. He takes great delight in you; he renews you by his love; he shouts for joy over you.”“ As for those who grieve because they cannot attend the festivals– I took them away from you; they became tribute and were a source of shame to you.Look, at that time I will deal with those who mistreated you. I will rescue the lame sheep and gather together the scattered sheep. I will take away their humiliation and make the whole earth admire and respect them.At that time I will lead you– at the time I gather you together. Be sure of this! I will make all the nations of the earth respect and admire you when you see me restore you,” says the LORD.

Then the leaders of Judah will say to themselves,‘ The inhabitants of Jerusalem are a means of strength to us through their God, the LORD who rules over all.’On that day I will make the leaders of Judah like an igniter among sticks and a burning torch among sheaves, and they will burn up all the surrounding nations right and left. Then the people of Jerusalem will settle once more in their place, the city of Jerusalem.The LORD also will deliver the homes of Judah first, so that the splendor of the kingship of David and of the people of Jerusalem may not exceed that of Judah.On that day the LORD himself will defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the weakest among them will be like mighty David, and the dynasty of David will be like God, like the angel of the LORD before them.So on that day I will set out to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.”“ I will pour out on the kingship of David and the population of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication so that they will look to me, the one they have pierced. They will lament for him as one laments for an only son, and there will be a bitter cry for him like the bitter cry for a firstborn.

The LORD says,“ I will restore the ruined houses of the descendants of Jacob. I will show compassion on their ruined homes. Every city will be rebuilt on its former ruins. Every fortified dwelling will occupy its traditional site.Out of those places you will hear songs of thanksgiving and the sounds of laughter and merriment. I will increase their number and they will not dwindle away. I will bring them honor and they will no longer be despised.The descendants of Jacob will enjoy their former privileges. Their community will be reestablished in my favor and I will punish all who try to oppress them.One of their own people will be their leader. Their ruler will come from their own number. I will invite him to approach me, and he will do so. For no one would dare approach me on his own. I, the LORD, affirm it!Then you will again be my people and I will be your God.

Rejoice greatly, daughter of Zion! Shout, daughter of Jerusalem! Look! Your king is coming to you: he is legitimate and victorious, humble and riding on a donkey– on a young donkey, the foal of a female donkey.I will remove the chariot from Ephraim and the warhorse from Jerusalem, and the battle bow will be removed. Then he will announce peace to the nations. His dominion will be from sea to sea and from the Euphrates River to the ends of the earth.Moreover, as for you, because of our covenant relationship secured with blood, I will release your prisoners from the waterless pit.Return to the stronghold, you prisoners, with hope; today I declare that I will return double what was taken from you.I will bend Judah as my bow; I will load the bow with Ephraim, my arrow! I will stir up your sons, Zion, against yours, Greece, and I will make you, Zion, like a warrior’s sword.Then the LORD will appear above them, and his arrow will shoot forth like lightning; the Lord GOD will blow the trumpet and will sally forth on the southern storm winds.The LORD who rules over all will guard them, and they will prevail and overcome with sling stones. Then they will drink, and will become noisy like drunkards, full like the sacrificial basin or like the corners of the altar.On that day the LORD their God will deliver them as the flock of his people, for they are the precious stones of a crown sparkling over his land.How precious and fair! Grain will make the young men flourish and new wine the young women.

Shepherd your people with your shepherd’s rod, the flock that belongs to you, the one that lives alone in a thicket, in the midst of a pastureland. Allow them to graze in Bashan and Gilead, as they did in the old days.“ As in the days when you departed from the land of Egypt, I will show you miraculous deeds.”Nations will see this and be disappointed by all their strength, they will put their hands over their mouths, and act as if they were deaf.They will lick the dust like a snake, like serpents crawling on the ground. They will come trembling from their strongholds to the LORD our God; they will be terrified of you.There is no other God like you! You forgive sin and pardon the rebellion of those who remain among your people. You do not remain angry forever, but delight in showing loyal love.You will once again have mercy on us; you will conquer our evil deeds; you will hurl our sins into the depths of the sea.You will be loyal to Jacob and extend your loyal love to Abraham, which you promised on oath to our ancestors in ancient times.

“ For the LORD who rules over all says,‘ As I had planned to hurt you when your fathers made me angry,’ says the LORD who rules over all,‘ and I was not sorry,so, to the contrary, I have planned in these days to do good to Jerusalem and Judah– do not fear!

Afterward, the Israelites will turn and seek the LORD their God and their Davidic king. Then they will submit to the LORD in fear and receive his blessings in the future.

Look, the sovereign LORD is watching the sinful nation, and I will destroy it from the face of the earth. But I will not completely destroy the family of Jacob,” says the LORD.“ For look, I am giving a command and I will shake the family of Israel together with all the nations. It will resemble a sieve being shaken, when not even a pebble falls to the ground.All the sinners among my people will die by the sword– the ones who say,‘ Disaster will not come near, it will not confront us.’“ In that day I will rebuild the collapsing hut of David. I will seal its gaps, repair its ruins, and restore it to what it was like in days gone by.As a result they will conquer those left in Edom and all the nations subject to my rule.” The LORD, who is about to do this, is speaking!“ Be sure of this, the time is coming,” says the LORD,“ when the plowman will catch up to the reaper and the one who stomps the grapes will overtake the planter. Juice will run down the slopes, it will flow down all the hillsides.I will bring back my people, Israel; they will rebuild the cities lying in rubble and settle down. They will plant vineyards and drink the wine they produce; they will grow orchards and eat the fruit they produce.I will plant them on their land and they will never again be uprooted from the land I have given them,” says the LORD your God.

He will assume his post and shepherd the people by the LORD’s strength, by the sovereign authority of the LORD his God. They will live securely, for at that time he will be honored even in the distant regions of the earth.He will give us peace. Should the Assyrians try to invade our land and attempt to set foot in our fortresses, we will send against them seven shepherd-rulers, make that eight commanders.They will rule the land of Assyria with the sword, the land of Nimrod with a drawn sword. Our king will rescue us from the Assyrians should they attempt to invade our land and try to set foot in our territory.Those survivors from Jacob will live in the midst of many nations. They will be like the dew the LORD sends, like the rain on the grass, that does not hope for men to come or wait around for humans to arrive.

“ As for you, son of man, prophesy to the mountains of Israel, and say:‘ O mountains of Israel, hear the word of the LORD!This is what the sovereign LORD says: The enemy has spoken against you, saying“ Aha!” and,“ The ancient heights have become our property!”’So prophesy and say:‘ This is what the sovereign LORD says: Surely because they have made you desolate and crushed you from all directions, so that you have become the property of the rest of the nations, and have become the subject of gossip and slander among the people,therefore, O mountains of Israel, hear the word of the sovereign LORD: This is what the sovereign LORD says to the mountains and hills, the ravines and valleys, and to the desolate ruins and the abandoned cities that have become prey and an object of derision to the rest of the nations round about–therefore this is what the sovereign LORD says: Surely I have spoken in the fire of my zeal against the rest of the nations, and against all Edom, who with great joy and utter contempt have made my land their property and prey, because of its pasture.’“ Therefore prophesy concerning the land of Israel, and say to the mountains and hills, the ravines and valleys,‘ This is what the sovereign LORD says: Look, I have spoken in my zeal and in my anger, because you have endured the insults of the nations.So this is what the sovereign LORD says: I vow that the nations around you will endure insults as well.“‘ But you, mountains of Israel, will grow your branches, and bear your fruit for my people Israel; for they will arrive soon.For indeed, I am on your side; I will turn to you, and you will be plowed and planted.I will multiply your people– the whole house of Israel, all of it. The cities will be populated and the ruins rebuilt.I will increase the number of people and animals on you; they will increase and be fruitful. I will cause you to be inhabited as in ancient times, and will do more good for you than at the beginning of your history. Then you will know that I am the LORD.I will lead people, my people Israel, across you; they will possess you and you will become their inheritance. No longer will you bereave them of their children.“‘ This is what the sovereign LORD says: Because they are saying to you,“ You are a devourer of men, and bereave your nation of children,”therefore you will no longer devour people and no longer bereave your nation of children, declares the sovereign LORD.I will no longer subject you to the nations’ insults; no longer will you bear the shame of the peoples, and no longer will you bereave your nation, declares the sovereign LORD.’”The word of the LORD came to me:“ Son of man, when the house of Israel was living on their own land, they defiled it by their behavior and their deeds. In my sight their behavior was like the uncleanness of a woman having her monthly period.So I poured my anger on them because of the blood they shed on the land and because of the idols with which they defiled it.I scattered them among the nations; they were dispersed throughout foreign countries. In accordance with their behavior and their deeds I judged them.But when they arrived in the nations where they went, they profaned my holy name. It was said of them,‘ These are the people of the LORD, yet they have departed from his land.’I was concerned for my holy reputation which the house of Israel profaned among the nations where they went.“ Therefore say to the house of Israel,‘ This is what the sovereign LORD says: It is not for your sake that I am about to act, O house of Israel, but for the sake of my holy reputation which you profaned among the nations where you went.I will magnify my great name that has been profaned among the nations, that you have profaned among them. The nations will know that I am the LORD, declares the sovereign LORD, when I magnify myself among you in their sight.“‘ I will take you from the nations and gather you from all the countries; then I will bring you to your land.I will sprinkle you with pure water and you will be clean from all your impurities. I will purify you from all your idols.I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit within you. I will remove the heart of stone from your body and give you a heart of flesh.I will put my Spirit within you; I will take the initiative and you will obey my statutes and carefully observe my regulations.Then you will live in the land I gave to your fathers; you will be my people, and I will be your God.I will save you from all your uncleanness. I will call for the grain and multiply it; I will not bring a famine on you.I will multiply the fruit of the trees and the produce of the fields, so that you will never again suffer the disgrace of famine among the nations.Then you will remember your evil behavior and your deeds which were not good; you will loathe yourselves on account of your sins and your abominable deeds.Understand that it is not for your sake I am about to act, declares the sovereign LORD. Be ashamed and embarrassed by your behavior, O house of Israel.“‘ This is what the sovereign LORD says: In the day I cleanse you from all your sins, I will populate the cities and the ruins will be rebuilt.The desolate land will be plowed, instead of being desolate in the sight of everyone who passes by.They will say,“ This desolate land has become like the garden of Eden; the ruined, desolate, and destroyed cities are now fortified and inhabited.”Then the nations which remain around you will know that I, the LORD, have rebuilt the ruins and replanted what was desolate. I, the LORD, have spoken– and I will do it!’“ This is what the sovereign LORD says: I will allow the house of Israel to ask me to do this for them: I will multiply their people like sheep.

But have my words and statutes, which I commanded my servants the prophets, not outlived your fathers? Then they paid attention and confessed,‘ The LORD who rules over all has indeed done what he said he would do to us, because of our sinful ways.’”

On that day the bells of the horses will bear the inscription“ HOLY TO THE LORD.” The cooking pots in the LORD’s temple will be as holy as the bowls in front of the altar.Every cooking pot in Jerusalem and Judah will become holy in the sight of the LORD who rules over all, so that all who offer sacrifices may come and use some of them to boil their sacrifices in them. On that day there will no longer be a Canaanite in the house of the LORD who rules over all.

A second angel followed the first, declaring:“ Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great city! She made all the nations drink of the wine of her immoral passion.”A third angel followed the first two, declaring in a loud voice:“ If anyone worships the beast and his image, and takes the mark on his forehead or his hand,that person will also drink of the wine of God’s anger that has been mixed undiluted in the cup of his wrath, and he will be tortured with fire and sulfur in front of the holy angels and in front of the Lamb.And the smoke from their torture will go up forever and ever, and those who worship the beast and his image will have no rest day or night, along with anyone who receives the mark of his name.”This requires the steadfast endurance of the saints– those who obey God’s commandments and hold to their faith in Jesus.Then I heard a voice from heaven say,“ Write this:‘ Blessed are the dead, those who die in the Lord from this moment on!’”“ Yes,” says the Spirit,“ so they can rest from their hard work, because their deeds will follow them.”Then I looked, and a white cloud appeared, and seated on the cloud was one like a son of man! He had a golden crown on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand.

“ As for you, son of man, prophesy against Gog, and say:‘ This is what the sovereign LORD says: Look, I am against you, O Gog, chief prince of Meshech and Tubal!I will turn you around and drag you along; I will lead you up from the remotest parts of the north and bring you against the mountains of Israel.I will knock your bow out of your left hand and make your arrows fall from your right hand.You will fall dead on the mountains of Israel, you and all your troops and the people who are with you. I give you as food to every kind of bird and every wild beast.You will fall dead in the open field; for I have spoken, declares the sovereign LORD.I will send fire on Magog and those who live securely in the coastlands; then they will know that I am the LORD.“‘ I will make my holy name known in the midst of my people Israel; I will not let my holy name be profaned anymore. Then the nations will know that I am the LORD, the Holy One of Israel.Realize that it is coming and it will be done, declares the sovereign LORD. It is the day I have spoken about.“‘ Then those who live in the cities of Israel will go out and use the weapons for kindling– the shields, bows and arrows, war clubs and spears– they will burn them for seven years.They will not need to take wood from the field or cut down trees from the forests, because they will make fires with the weapons. They will take the loot from those who looted them and seize the plunder of those who plundered them, declares the sovereign LORD.“‘ On that day I will assign Gog a grave in Israel. It will be the valley of those who travel east of the sea; it will block the way of the travelers. There they will bury Gog and all his horde; they will call it the valley of Hamon-Gog.For seven months Israel will bury them, in order to cleanse the land.All the people of the land will bury them, and it will be a memorial for them on the day I magnify myself, declares the sovereign LORD.They will designate men to scout continually through the land, burying those who remain on the surface of the ground, in order to cleanse it. They will search for seven full months.When the scouts survey the land and see a human bone, they will place a sign by it, until those assigned to burial duty have buried it in the valley of Hamon-Gog.( A city by the name of Hamonah will also be there.) They will cleanse the land.’“ As for you, son of man, this is what the sovereign LORD says: Tell every kind of bird and every wild beast:‘ Assemble and come! Gather from all around to my slaughter which I am going to make for you, a great slaughter on the mountains of Israel! You will eat flesh and drink blood.You will eat the flesh of warriors and drink the blood of the princes of the earth– the rams, lambs, goats, and bulls, all of them fattened animals of Bashan.You will eat fat until you are full, and drink blood until you are drunk, at my slaughter which I have made for you.You will fill up at my table with horses and charioteers, with warriors and all the soldiers,’ declares the sovereign LORD.“ I will display my majesty among the nations. All the nations will witness the judgment I have executed, and the power I have exhibited among them.Then the house of Israel will know that I am the LORD their God, from that day forward.The nations will know that the house of Israel went into exile due to their iniquity, for they were unfaithful to me. So I hid my face from them and handed them over to their enemies; all of them died by the sword.According to their uncleanness and rebellion I have dealt with them, and I hid my face from them.“ Therefore this is what the sovereign LORD says: Now I will restore the fortunes of Jacob, and I will have mercy on the entire house of Israel. I will be zealous for my holy name.They will bear their shame for all their unfaithful acts against me, when they live securely on their land with no one to make them afraid.When I have brought them back from the peoples and gathered them from the countries of their enemies, I will magnify myself among them in the sight of many nations.Then they will know that I am the LORD their God, because I sent them into exile among the nations, and then gathered them into their own land. I will not leave any of them in exile any longer.I will no longer hide my face from them, when I pour out my Spirit on the house of Israel, declares the sovereign LORD.”