Promises of Peace and Prosperity

1While Jeremiah was still confined in the courtyard of the guard, the LORD gave him this second message: 2“This is what the LORD says—the LORD who made the earth, who formed and established it, whose name is the LORD: 3Ask me and I will tell you remarkable secrets you do not know about things to come. 4For this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: You have torn down the houses of this city and even the king’s palace to get materials to strengthen the walls against the siege ramps and swords of the enemy. 5You expect to fight the Babylonians,a but the men of this city are already as good as dead, for I have determined to destroy them in my terrible anger. I have abandoned them because of all their wickedness.

6“Nevertheless, the time will come when I will heal Jerusalem’s wounds and give it prosperity and true peace. 7I will restore the fortunes of Judah and Israel and rebuild their towns. 8I will cleanse them of their sins against me and forgive all their sins of rebellion. 9Then this city will bring me joy, glory, and honor before all the nations of the earth! The people of the world will see all the good I do for my people, and they will tremble with awe at the peace and prosperity I provide for them.

10“This is what the LORD says: You have said, ‘This is a desolate land where people and animals have all disappeared.’ Yet in the empty streets of Jerusalem and Judah’s other towns, there will be heard once more 11the sounds of joy and laughter. The joyful voices of bridegrooms and brides will be heard again, along with the joyous songs of people bringing thanksgiving offerings to the LORD. They will sing,

‘Give thanks to the LORD of Heaven’s Armies,

for the LORD is good.

His faithful love endures forever!’

For I will restore the prosperity of this land to what it was in the past, says the LORD.

12“This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says: This land—though it is now desolate and has no people and animals—will once more have pastures where shepherds can lead their flocks. 13Once again shepherds will count their flocks in the towns of the hill country, the foothills of Judah,b the Negev, the land of Benjamin, the vicinity of Jerusalem, and all the towns of Judah. I, the LORD, have spoken!

14“The day will come, says the LORD, when I will do for Israel and Judah all the good things I have promised them.

15“In those days and at that time

I will raise up a righteous descendantc from King David’s line.

He will do what is just and right throughout the land.

16In that day Judah will be saved,

and Jerusalem will live in safety.

And this will be its name:

‘The LORD Is Our Righteousness.’d

17For this is what the LORD says: David will have a descendant sitting on the throne of Israel forever. 18And there will always be Levitical priests to offer burnt offerings and grain offerings and sacrifices to me.”

19Then this message came to Jeremiah from the LORD: 20“This is what the LORD says: If you can break my covenant with the day and the night so that one does not follow the other, 21only then will my covenant with my servant David be broken. Only then will he no longer have a descendant to reign on his throne. The same is true for my covenant with the Levitical priests who minister before me. 22And as the stars of the sky cannot be counted and the sand on the seashore cannot be measured, so I will multiply the descendants of my servant David and the Levites who minister before me.”

23The LORD gave another message to Jeremiah. He said, 24“Have you noticed what people are saying?—‘The LORD chose Judah and Israel and then abandoned them!’ They are sneering and saying that Israel is not worthy to be counted as a nation. 25But this is what the LORD says: I would no more reject my people than I would change my laws that govern night and day, earth and sky. 26I will never abandon the descendants of Jacob or David, my servant, or change the plan that David’s descendants will rule the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Instead, I will restore them to their land and have mercy on them.”