Jeremiah 30

1This message came to Jeremiah from the LORD: 2The LORD, the God of Israel, says this: “Write down in a book all the words I have spoken to you. 3For the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will restore the fortunes of my people Israel and Judah, says the LORD. I will bring them back to the land I gave their ancestors, and they will possess it.”

4These are the words the LORD spoke concerning Israel and Judah: 5For the LORD says this: “We have heard a cry of panic, of terror, and there is no peace.” 6Ask and see: can a man give birth? Then why do I see every man with his hands pressed to his sides like a woman in labor, every face gone deathly pale? 7Woe! That day is great; there is no other like it. It is a time of distress for Jacob, yet he will be saved out of it. 8On that day, declares the LORD of Armies, I will break his yoke from your neck and tear off your bonds, and foreigners will no longer make him serve them. 9They will serve the LORD their God instead and David their king, whom I will raise up for them.

10So you, Jacob my servant, do not be afraid, declares the LORD; do not be dismayed, Israel. For I will save you from a far country, and your descendants from the land where they are captives. Jacob will come home and have quiet and rest, and no one will make him afraid. 11For I am with you to save you, declares the LORD. I will bring to an end all the nations among whom I scattered you, but you I will not bring to an end. I will discipline you, but justly, and I will not let you go unpunished.

12For the LORD says this: Your injury cannot be cured; your wound is severe. 13There is no one to take up your cause, no one for your sore; there are no remedies, no healing for you. 14All your lovers have forgotten you; they do not care about you. For I have struck you as an enemy strikes, with the punishment of a cruel foe, because your guilt is great and your sins are many. 15Why cry out over your injury? Your pain cannot be cured. Because your guilt is great and your sins are many, I have done these things to you. 16Yet all who devour you will be devoured, and all your foes, every one of them, will go into captivity. Those who plunder you will become plunder, and all who prey on you I will hand over as prey. 17But I will restore you to health and heal your wounds, declares the LORD, because they have called you an outcast: “This is Zion; no one cares about her.”

18The LORD says this: I will restore the fortunes of the tents of Jacob and show compassion to his homes. The city will be rebuilt on its ruin mound, and the palace will stand where it should. 19From them will come songs of thanks and the sound of people celebrating. I will make them many, and they will not dwindle; I will bring them honor, and they will not be looked down on. 20Their children will be as they were long ago; their congregation will be firmly established before me, and I will punish all who oppress them. 21One of their own will be their leader; their ruler will come from among them. I will bring him near, and he will come close to me, for who would dare to risk his life by coming close to me? declares the LORD. 22So you will be my people, and I will be your God.

23Look, the storm of the LORD! Fury has burst out, a whirlwind sweeping on; it will crash down on the heads of the wicked. 24The fierce anger of the LORD will not turn away until he has fully carried out what he has purposed in his heart. In the days ahead you will understand this.