1 The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying,
‘We have heard a voice of trembling,
Of [a]fear, and not of peace.
Whether a [b]man is ever in [c]labor with child?
So why do I see every man with his hands on his loins
Like a woman in labor,
And all faces turned pale?
So that none is like it;
And it is the time of Jacob’s trouble,
But he shall be saved out of it.
Says the Lord of hosts,
‘That I will break his yoke from your neck,
And will burst your bonds;
Foreigners shall no more enslave them.
And David their king,
Whom I will raise up for them.
‘Nor be dismayed, O Israel;
For behold, I will save you from afar,
And your seed from the land of their captivity.
Jacob shall return, have rest and be quiet,
And no one shall make him afraid.
Though I make a full end of all nations where I have scattered you,
Yet I will not make a complete end of you.
But I will correct you in justice,
And will not let you go altogether unpunished.’
‘Your affliction is incurable,
Your wound is severe.
That you may be bound up;
You have no healing medicines.
They do not seek you;
For I have wounded you with the wound of an enemy,
With the chastisement of a cruel one,
For the multitude of your iniquities,
Because your sins have increased.
Your sorrow is incurable.
Because of the multitude of your iniquities,
Because your sins have increased,
I have done these things to you.
And all your adversaries, every one of them, shall go into captivity;
Those who plunder you shall become plunder,
And all who prey upon you I will make a prey.
And heal you of your wounds,’ says the Lord,
‘Because they called you an outcast saying:
“This is Zion;
No one seeks her.” ’
‘Behold, I will bring back the captivity of Jacob’s tents,
And have mercy on his dwelling places;
The city shall be built upon its own [d]mound,
And the palace shall remain according to its own plan.
And the voice of those who make merry;
I will multiply them, and they shall not diminish;
I will also glorify them, and they shall not be small.
And their congregation shall be established before Me;
And I will punish all who oppress them.
And their governor shall come from their midst;
Then I will cause him to draw near,
And he shall approach Me;
For who is this who pledged his heart to approach Me?’ says the Lord.
And I will be your God.’ ”
Goes forth with fury,
A [e]continuing whirlwind;
It will fall violently on the head of the wicked.
And until He has performed the intents of His heart.
In the latter days you will consider it.