1While he was still confined in the guard’s courtyard, Jr 32:2 the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah a second time:

2“The Lord who made the earth, LXX; MT reads made it the Lord who forms it to establish it, Gn 2:18-19 Yahweh is His name, Ex 6:3 says this:

3Call to Me and I will answer you Ps 91:15; Jr 29:12 and tell you great and incomprehensible things you do not know. Is 48:6

4For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says concerning the houses of this city and the palaces of Judah’s kings, the ones torn down for defense against the siege ramps and the sword: Jr 32:24

5The people coming to fight the Chaldeans will fill the houses with the corpses of their own men that I strike down in My wrath and rage. I have hidden My face Dt 31:17; 32:20; Is 54:8 from this city because of all their evil.

6Yet I will certainly bring health Is 58:8; Jr 8:22; 30:17 and healing to it and will indeed heal them. I will let them experience the abundance Or fragrance ; Hb obscure of peace and truth. 2Kg 20:19; Est 9:30; Is 39:8

7I will restore the fortunes Or will end the captivity of Judah and of Israel and will rebuild them as in former times. Is 1:26

8I will purify them from all the wrongs they have committed against Me, Ps 51:2; Ezk 36:25; Heb 9:11-14 and I will forgive all the wrongs they have committed against Me, rebelling against Me.

9This city will bear on My behalf a name of joy, praise, and glory Dt 26:19; Jr 13:11; Zph 3:19-20 before all the nations of the earth, who will hear of all the good I will do for them. They will tremble with awe because of all the good and all the peace Jr 8:15; 14:19 I will bring about for them.

10“This is what the Lord says: In this place, which you say is a ruin, Jr 32:43 without man or beast — that is, in Judah’s cities and Jerusalem’s streets that are a desolation without man, without inhabitant, and without beast — there will be heard again

11a sound of joy and gladness, the voice of the groom and the bride, Jr 7:34; 16:9; 25:10 and the voice of those saying,

12“This is what the Lord of Hosts says: In this desolate place — without man or beast — and in all its cities there will once more be a grazing land where shepherds may rest flocks. Is 65:10; Ezk 34:12-15

13The flocks will again pass under the hands of the one who counts them Lv 27:32 in the cities of the hill country, Jr 17:26 the cities of the Judean foothills, the cities of the Negev, the land of Benjamin — the cities surrounding Jerusalem and Judah’s cities, says the Lord.

14“Look, the days are coming” —

15In those days and at that time

16In those days Judah will be saved,

17“For this is what the Lord says: David will never fail to have a man sitting on the throne of the house of Israel. 1Kg 2:4; 8:25; 9:5

18The Levitical priests will never fail to have a man always before Me to offer burnt offerings, to burn grain offerings, and to make sacrifices.” Jr 31:36; 35:19

19The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah:

20“This is what the Lord says: If you can break My covenant with the day and My covenant with the night so that day and night cease to come at their regular time, Gn 8:22; Is 54:9-10; Jr 31:35-37

21then also My covenant with My servant David 2Sm 7:11-16; 2Ch 21:7; Ps 89:3 may be broken so that he will not have a son reigning on his throne, and the Levitical priests will not be My ministers. Is 61:6; Ezk 45:4-5; Jl 1:9,13

22The hosts of heaven cannot be counted; the sand of the sea cannot be measured. Gn 22:17 So, too, I will make the descendants of My servant David and the Levites who minister to Me innumerable.”

23The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah:

24“Have you not noticed what these people have said? They say, ‘The Lord has rejected the two families He had chosen.’ Dt 7:6; 14:2 My people are treated with contempt and no longer regarded as a nation among them.

25This is what the Lord says: If I do not keep My covenant with the day and with the night and fail to establish the fixed order of heaven and earth, Ps 74:16-17

26then I might also reject the seed of Jacob and of My servant David — not taking from his descendants rulers over the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Instead, I will restore their fortunes Or Instead, I will end their captivity and have compassion on them.” Jr 12:15; 30:18; 31:20; 33:7; 42:12