Jeremiah 31:1-22

The Israelites will return to their own land

1 The Lord says this:

‘When that time comes,

I will be the God of every family in Israel.

And they will be my people.’

2 The Lord says,

‘I was kind to the Israelites

when they travelled in the desert.

I helped those that the enemy had not killed,

as they looked for a place where they could rest.’

3 At that time long ago,

the Lord showed himself to his people.

He said, ‘I have always loved you

and I always will love you.

My faithful love for you continues for ever.

4 My special people of Israel,

I will make you strong again.

You will be so happy that you dance,

as people make music with tambourines.

5 You will again plant vines

on the hills in Samaria.

Yes, farmers will plant vines

and they will eat their fruit.

6 There will be a time when guards will call out,

as they watch for danger in the hills of Ephraim.

They will shout, “Let us go up to Zion,

to worship the Lord our God.” ’

7 The Lord says this:

‘Sing with joy for Jacob's descendants!

They are the greatest of all the nations!

Praise the Lord with loud voices!

Say, “Lord, please save your people.

Save those Israelites who are still alive.”

8 See what I will do!

I will bring them back from the land in the north.

Wherever they are, I will bring them back.

A great crowd of my people will return.

Blind people will be among them,

and people who cannot walk well.

There will be pregnant women

and some who will very soon give birth.

9 They will be weeping as they come.

They will pray for my help as I lead them.

I will lead them beside streams of fresh water,

and on flat paths where they will not fall down.

I will help them because I am a father for Israel's people.

Ephraim is like my firstborn son.’

10 People of all nations,

listen to the Lord's message.

Shout it aloud for everyone to hear,

even those who live on the coasts far away.

Say, ‘The Lord chased Israel's people away,

but now he will bring them back.

He will take care of them,

like a shepherd who takes care of his sheep.’

11 Yes, the Lord will rescue Jacob's descendants.

He will pay the cost to let them be free.

They will no longer be under the power of people who were stronger than them.

12 His people will come back to Mount Zion,

and they will shout with joy.

They will be very happy

because of all the good things that the Lord gives to them.

There will be grain to make bread,

new wine and olive oil.

There will be lambs and young cows.

They will grow and be strong,

like a garden that has plenty of water.

They will not be weak or sad any more.

13 The Lord says this:

‘Young women will dance because they are happy.

The young men and the old men will also be happy.

I will cause them to laugh instead of weep.

I will comfort them,

so that they are happy instead of sad.

14 I will give the priests plenty of good things.

My people will have everything that they need,

because of all the good things that I give to them.’

15 The Lord says,

‘You can hear a sad noise in Ramah.

Someone is weeping with a loud voice.

It is Rachel, and she is weeping for her children.

Nobody can help her to stop weeping,

because her children are dead.’

16 The Lord says,

‘Stop crying!

Do not weep any more!

I will help you because of what you have done.

Your children will return from the land of their enemies.’

That is what the Lord says.

17 ‘Yes, you will have descendants in the future.

Your children will return to their own land.’

That is what the Lord says.

18 ‘I have heard Israel's people when they are sad.

They say to me, “You punished us,

and we accepted it.

You taught us to obey you,

like a farmer teaches an ox to work for him.

So let us come back to serve you.

We are ready to return to you,

because you are the Lord, our God.

19 After we turned away from you,

we were sorry that we had done that.

We understood what we had done,

and we showed that we were sad.

We were ashamed and upset,

because of the disgusting things that we did when we were young.”

20 But Israel's people are my own dear children.

I still love them,

even when I have to speak against them.

I can never forget them.

I only want to help them.

I will certainly be kind to them.’

That is what the Lord says.

21 ‘People of Israel, put up signs along the roads,

so that you know the way to go.

Remember the road that you travelled on

when you went away from your land.

Now return, my special people, Israel.

Return to your cities that you had to leave.

22 You went away from me,

like a daughter who refuses to obey her father.

Do not continue to turn away from me.

I, the Lord, promise to do a new thing.

Women will take care of men!’