1 And the word of Jehovah came to Jeremiah a second time, when he was as yet a captive in the court of the prison, saying, --

2 Thus saith Jehovah that made it, Jehovah who formed it to establish it? Jehovah is his name, --

3 Call to me and I will answer thee, And declare to thee great things And hidden things which thou knowest not,

4 For thus, saith Jehovah, the God of Israel, -- As to the houses of this city, And as to the houses of the kings of Judah, Which have been thrown down By the warlike engines and by the sword;

5 They come to fight with the Chaldeans, Even to fill them (houses) with the carcasses of men, Whom I have smitten in my wrath and indignation. And because I hid my face from this city On account of all its wickedness, --

6 Behold I will bring to it restoration and healing. And I will heal them and open for them An abundance of peace and truth;

7 And I will restore the captivity of Judah And the captivity of Israel, And build them as at the beginning;

8 And I will cleanse them from all their iniquity, By which they have sinned against me, And will forgive all their iniquities, By which they have sinned against me, And by which they have acted wickedly towards me:

9 And it shall be for me a name of joy, A praise and glory, among all nations of the earth, Who shall hear of all the good which I shall do to them, And fear shall they and tremble for all the good And all the peace which I shall give them.

10 Thus saith Jehovah, -- Yet heard in this place, of which ye say -- "Desolate it is, without man and without beast Even in the cities of Judah And in the streets of Jerusalem, Which are reduced to solitude, without man, And without an inhabitant, and without a beast," --

11 Shall be the voice of joy and the voice of gladness, The bridegroom's voice and the voice of the bride, The voice of them who say, "Praise Jehovah of hosts, For good is Jehovah, for his mercy is for ever," -- Of them who shall bring the sacrifice of praise Into the house of Jehovah; For I will restore the captivity of the land As at the first, saith Jehovah.

12 Thus saith Jehovah of hosts, -- There shall yet be in this place, Desolate, without man and beast, And in all its cities, the habitation Of shepherds making their flock to lie down:

13 In the cities of the mountain and the cities of the plain, And in the cities of the south and in the land of Benjamin, And around Jerusalem, and in the cities of Judah, Shall sheep yet pass under the hands Of a numberer, saith Jehovah.

14 Behold, the days come, saith Jehovah, That I will confirm my good word, Which I have spoken to the house of Israel, And to the house of Judah:

15 In those days and at that time I will make to grow to David a branch of righteousness, And he will do judgment and righteousness in the land.

16 In those days saved shall be Judah, And Jerusalem shall dwell in safety; And this is the name by which she shall be called, Jehovah our Righteousness.

17 For thus saith Jehovah, -- Not fail to David shall a man To sit on the throne of the house of Israel;

18 And to the priests, the Levites, not fail shall a man, To offer before me burnt-offerings, To burn an oblation and to sacrifice continually.

19 And the word of Jehovah came to Jeremiah, saying, --

20 Thus saith Jehovah, If void ye can make My covenant as to the day, And my covenant as to the night, That the day and night should not be in their seasons;

21 Then void shall be made my covenant With David my servant, That he should have no son to reign on his throne, And with the Levites, the priests, my ministers.

22 As the hosts of the heavens cannot be numbered, Nor the sand of the sea be measured; So will I multiply the seed of David my servant, And of the Levites my ministers.

23 And the word of Jehovah came to Jeremiah, saying, -- Hast thou not seen how this people speak, saying, -- "There are two families whom Jehovah has chosen, But he has rejected them;"

24 And my people have they despised, So as no more to regard them as a nation.

25 Thus saith Jehovah, If I have not settled My covenant with the day and the night, And the laws of the heavens and the earth, Then I will reject the seed of Jacob And of David my servant, So as not to take of his seed to be rulers Over the seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob: For I will restore their captivity And will shew mercy to them.