The Promise Worth Writing Down.

הַדָּבָר֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר הָיָ֣ה אֶֽל־יִרְמְיָ֔הוּ מֵאֵ֥ת יְהוָ֖ה לֵאמֹֽר׃

The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord :

כֹּֽה־אָמַ֧ר יְהוָ֛ה אֱלֹהֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לֵאמֹ֑ר כְּתָב־לְךָ֗ אֵ֧ת כָּל־הַדְּבָרִ֛ים אֲשֶׁר־דִּבַּ֥רְתִּי אֵלֶ֖יךָ אֶל־סֵֽפֶר׃

[2] “Thus says the Lord , the God of Israel: Write in a book all the words that I have spoken to you.

כִּ֠י הִנֵּ֨ה יָמִ֤ים בָּאִים֙ נְאֻם־יְהוָ֔ה וְ֠שַׁבְתִּי אֶת־שְׁב֨וּת עַמִּ֧י יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל וִֽיהוּדָ֖ה אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֑ה וַהֲשִׁבֹתִ֗ים אֶל־הָאָ֛רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־נָתַ֥תִּי לַאֲבוֹתָ֖ם וִֽירֵשֽׁוּהָ׃ פ

[3] For behold, days are coming, declares the Lord , when I will restore the fortunes of my people, Israel and Judah, says the Lord , and I will bring them back to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall take possession of it.”

וְאֵ֣לֶּה הַדְּבָרִ֗ים אֲשֶׁ֨ר דִּבֶּ֧ר יְהוָ֛ה אֶל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל וְאֶל־יְהוּדָֽה׃

[4] These are the words that the Lord spoke concerning Israel and Judah:

כִּי־כֹה֙ אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה ק֥וֹל חֲרָדָ֖ה שָׁמָ֑עְנוּ פַּ֖חַד וְאֵ֥ין שָׁלֽוֹם׃

[5] “Thus says the Lord : We have heard a cry of panic, of terror, and no peace.

שַׁאֲלוּ־נָ֣א וּרְא֔וּ אִם־יֹלֵ֖ד זָכָ֑ר מַדּוּעַ֩ רָאִ֨יתִי כָל־גֶּ֜בֶר יָדָ֤יו עַל־חֲלָצָיו֙ כַּיּ֣וֹלֵדָ֔ה וְנֶהֶפְכ֥וּ כָל־פָּנִ֖ים לְיֵרָקֽוֹן׃

[6] Ask now, and see, can a man bear a child? Why then do I see every man with his hands on his stomach like a woman in labor? Why has every face turned pale?

ה֗וֹי כִּ֥י גָד֛וֹל הַיּ֥וֹם הַה֖וּא מֵאַ֣יִן כָּמֹ֑הוּ וְעֵֽת־צָרָ֥ה הִיא֙ לְיַֽעֲקֹ֔ב וּמִמֶּ֖נָּה יִוָּשֵֽׁעַ׃

[7] Alas! That day is so great there is none like it; it is a time of distress for Jacob; yet he shall be saved out of it.

וְהָיָה֩ בַיּ֨וֹם הַה֜וּא נְאֻ֣ם׀ יְהוָ֣ה צְבָא֗וֹת אֶשְׁבֹּ֤ר עֻלּוֹ֙ מֵעַ֣ל צַוָּארֶ֔ךָ וּמוֹסְרוֹתֶ֖יךָ אֲנַתֵּ֑ק וְלֹא־יַעַבְדוּ־ב֥וֹ ע֖וֹד זָרִֽים׃

[8] “And it shall come to pass in that day, declares the Lord of hosts, that I will break his yoke from off your neck, and I will burst your bonds, and foreigners shall no more make a servant of him.

וְעָ֣בְד֔וּ אֵ֖ת יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹֽהֵיהֶ֑ם וְאֵת֙ דָּוִ֣ד מַלְכָּ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר אָקִ֖ים לָהֶֽם׃ ס

[9] But they shall serve the Lord their God and David their king, whom I will raise up for them.

וְאַתָּ֡ה אַל־תִּירָא֩ עַבְדִּ֨י יַעֲקֹ֤ב נְאֻם־יְהוָֹה֙ וְאַל־תֵּחַ֣ת יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל כִּ֠י הִנְנִ֤י מוֹשִֽׁיעֲךָ֙ מֵֽרָח֔וֹק וְאֶֽת־זַרְעֲךָ֖ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ שִׁבְיָ֑ם וְשָׁ֧ב יַעֲקֹ֛ב וְשָׁקַ֥ט וְשַׁאֲנַ֖ן וְאֵ֥ין מַחֲרִֽיד׃

[10] “Then fear not, O Jacob my servant, declares the Lord , nor be dismayed, O Israel; for behold, I will save you from far away, and your offspring from the land of their captivity. Jacob shall return and have quiet and ease, and none shall make him afraid.

כִּֽי־אִתְּךָ֥ אֲנִ֛י נְאֻם־יְהוָ֖ה לְהֽוֹשִׁיעֶ֑ךָ כִּי֩ אֶעֱשֶׂ֨ה כָלָ֜ה בְּכָֽל־הַגּוֹיִ֣ם׀ אֲשֶׁ֧ר הֲפִצוֹתִ֣יךָ שָּׁ֗ם אַ֤ךְ אֹֽתְךָ֙ לֹֽא־אֶעֱשֶׂ֣ה כָלָ֔ה וְיִסַּרְתִּ֙יךָ֙ לַמִּשְׁפָּ֔ט וְנַקֵּ֖ה לֹ֥א אֲנַקֶּֽךָּ׃ פ

[11] For I am with you to save you, declares the Lord ; I will make a full end of all the nations among whom I scattered you, but of you I will not make a full end. I will discipline you in just measure, and I will by no means leave you unpunished.

כִּ֣י כֹ֥ה אָמַ֛ר יְהוָ֖ה אָנ֣וּשׁ לְשִׁבְרֵ֑ךְ נַחְלָ֖ה מַכָּתֵֽךְ׃

[12] “For thus says the Lord : Your hurt is incurable, and your wound is grievous.

אֵֽין־דָּ֥ן דִּינֵ֖ךְ לְמָז֑וֹר רְפֻא֥וֹת תְּעָלָ֖ה אֵ֥ין לָֽךְ׃

[13] There is none to uphold your cause, no medicine for your wound, no healing for you.

כָּל־מְאַהֲבַ֣יִךְ שְׁכֵח֔וּךְ אוֹתָ֖ךְ לֹ֣א יִדְרֹ֑שׁוּ כִּי֩ מַכַּ֨ת אוֹיֵ֤ב הִכִּיתִיךְ֙ מוּסַ֣ר אַכְזָרִ֔י עַ֚ל רֹ֣ב עֲוֺנֵ֔ךְ עָצְמ֖וּ חַטֹּאתָֽיִךְ׃

[14] All your lovers have forgotten you; they care nothing for you; for I have dealt you the blow of an enemy, the punishment of a merciless foe, because your guilt is great, because your sins are flagrant.

מַה־תִּזְעַק֙ עַל־שִׁבְרֵ֔ךְ אָנ֖וּשׁ מַכְאֹבֵ֑ךְ עַ֣ל׀ רֹ֣ב עֲוֺנֵ֗ךְ עָֽצְמוּ֙ חַטֹּאתַ֔יִךְ עָשִׂ֥יתִי אֵ֖לֶּה לָֽךְ׃

[15] Why do you cry out over your hurt? Your pain is incurable. Because your guilt is great, because your sins are flagrant, I have done these things to you.

לָכֵ֞ן כָּל־אֹכְלַ֙יִךְ֙ יֵאָכֵ֔לוּ וְכָל־צָרַ֥יִךְ כֻּלָּ֖ם בַּשְּׁבִ֣י יֵלֵ֑כוּ וְהָי֤וּ שֹׁאסַ֙יִךְ֙ לִמְשִׁסָּ֔ה וְכָל־בֹּזְזַ֖יִךְ אֶתֵּ֥ן לָבַֽז׃

[16] Therefore all who devour you shall be devoured, and all your foes, every one of them, shall go into captivity; those who plunder you shall be plundered, and all who prey on you I will make a prey.

כִּי֩ אַעֲלֶ֨ה אֲרֻכָ֥ה לָ֛ךְ וּמִמַּכּוֹתַ֥יִךְ אֶרְפָּאֵ֖ךְ נְאֻם־יְהוָ֑ה כִּ֤י נִדָּחָה֙ קָ֣רְאוּ לָ֔ךְ צִיּ֣וֹן הִ֔יא דֹּרֵ֖שׁ אֵ֥ין לָֽהּ׃ ס

[17] For I will restore health to you, and your wounds I will heal, declares the Lord , because they have called you an outcast: ‘It is Zion, for whom no one cares!’

כֹּ֣ה׀ אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֗ה הִנְנִי־שָׁב֙ שְׁבוּת֙ אָהֳלֵ֣י יַֽעֲק֔וֹב וּמִשְׁכְּנֹתָ֖יו אֲרַחֵ֑ם וְנִבְנְתָ֥ה עִיר֙ עַל־תִּלָּ֔הּ וְאַרְמ֖וֹן עַל־מִשְׁפָּט֥וֹ יֵשֵֽׁב׃

[18] “Thus says the Lord : Behold, I will restore the fortunes of the tents of Jacob and have compassion on his dwellings; the city shall be rebuilt on its mound, and the palace shall stand where it used to be.

וְיָצָ֥א מֵהֶ֛ם תּוֹדָ֖ה וְק֣וֹל מְשַׂחֲקִ֑ים וְהִרְבִּתִים֙ וְלֹ֣א יִמְעָ֔טוּ וְהִכְבַּדְתִּ֖ים וְלֹ֥א יִצְעָֽרוּ׃

[19] Out of them shall come songs of thanksgiving, and the voices of those who celebrate. I will multiply them, and they shall not be few; I will make them honored, and they shall not be small.

וְהָי֤וּ בָנָיו֙ כְּקֶ֔דֶם וַעֲדָת֖וֹ לְפָנַ֣י תִּכּ֑וֹן וּפָ֣קַדְתִּ֔י עַ֖ל כָּל־לֹחֲצָֽיו׃

[20] Their children shall be as they were of old, and their congregation shall be established before me, and I will punish all who oppress them.

וְהָיָ֨ה אַדִּיר֜וֹ מִמֶּ֗נּוּ וּמֹֽשְׁלוֹ֙ מִקִּרְבּ֣וֹ יֵצֵ֔א וְהִקְרַבְתִּ֖יו וְנִגַּ֣שׁ אֵלָ֑י כִּי֩ מִ֨י הוּא־זֶ֜ה עָרַ֧ב אֶת־לִבּ֛וֹ לָגֶ֥שֶׁת אֵלַ֖י נְאֻם־יְהוָֽה׃

[21] Their prince shall be one of themselves; their ruler shall come out from their midst; I will make him draw near, and he shall approach me, for who would dare of himself to approach me? declares the Lord .

וִהְיִ֥יתֶם לִ֖י לְעָ֑ם וְאָ֣נֹכִ֔י אֶהְיֶ֥ה לָכֶ֖ם לֵאלֹהִֽים׃ ס

[22] And you shall be my people, and I will be your God.”

הִנֵּ֣ה׀ סַעֲרַ֣ת יְהוָ֗ה חֵמָה֙ יָֽצְאָ֔ה סַ֖עַר מִתְגּוֹרֵ֑ר עַ֛ל רֹ֥אשׁ רְשָׁעִ֖ים יָחֽוּל׃

[23] Behold the storm of the Lord ! Wrath has gone forth, a whirling tempest; it will burst upon the head of the wicked.

לֹ֣א יָשׁ֗וּב חֲרוֹן֙ אַף־יְהוָ֔ה עַד־עֲשֹׂת֥וֹ וְעַד־הֲקִימ֖וֹ מְזִמּ֣וֹת לִבּ֑וֹ בְּאַחֲרִ֥ית הַיָּמִ֖ים תִּתְבּ֥וֹנְנוּ בָֽהּ׃

[24] The fierce anger of the Lord will not turn back until he has executed and accomplished the intentions of his mind. In the latter days you will understand this.