| International Standard Version | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1"At that time," declares the LORD, "I'll be the God of all the families of Israel, and they will be my people." | 1"At that time"--this is the LORD's declaration--"I will be the God of all the families of Israel, and they will be My people." |
| 2This is what the LORD says: "The people who survived the sword, found favor in the desert while Israel was seeking rest. | 2This is what the LORD says: They found favor in the wilderness-- the people who survived the sword. When Israel went to find rest, |
| 3The LORD appeared to Israel from far away and said, "I've loved you with an everlasting love, therefore I've drawn you with gracious love. | 3the LORD appeared to him from far away. I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore, I have continued to extend faithful love to you. |
| 4I'll again build you, and you will be rebuilt, Virgin Israel! You will again take up your tambourines and go out to dance with those who are filled with joy. | 4Again I will build you so that you will be rebuilt, Virgin Israel. You will take up your tambourines again and go out in joyful dancing. |
| 5You will again plant vineyards on the hills of Samaria where planters had planted and defiled the fruit. | 5You will plant vineyards again on the mountains of Samaria; the planters will plant and will enjoy the fruit. |
| 6For there will be a day when the watchmen will call out on the hills of Ephraim, 'Arise, let's go up to Zion to the LORD our God.'" | 6For there will be a day when watchmen will call out in the hill country of Ephraim, "Get up, let's go up to Zion, to Yahweh our God!" |
| 7For this is what the LORD says: "Cry out with joy for Jacob and shout for the chief among the nations. Announce, give praise, and say, 'Lord, save your people, the remnant of Israel.' | 7For this is what the LORD says: Sing with joy for Jacob; shout for the chief of the nations! Proclaim, praise, and say, " LORD, save Your people, the remnant of Israel!" |
| 8Look, I'm bringing them from the northern region, and I'll gather them from the farthest parts of the earth. among them will be the blind and the lame, together with the pregnant woman and the woman in labor. A large group will return here. | 8Watch! I am going to bring them from the northern land. I will gather them from remote regions of the earth-- the blind and the lame will be with them, along with those who are pregnant and those about to give birth. They will return here as a great assembly! |
| 9They'll come crying, and I'll lead them as they pray for mercy. I'll make them walk by streams of water, along a straight path on which they won't stumble. For I am Israel's father, and Ephraim is my firstborn." | 9They will come weeping, but I will bring them back with consolation. I will lead them to wadis filled with water by a smooth way where they will not stumble, for I am Israel's Father, and Ephraim is My firstborn. |
| 10Nations, listen to this message from the LORD, and declare it in the distant coastlands. Say, "The one who scattered Israel will gather him and keep him as a shepherd keeps his flock." | 10Nations, hear the word of the LORD, and tell it among the far off coastlands! Say: The One who scattered Israel will gather him. He will watch over him as a shepherd guards his flock, |
| 11For the LORD will deliver Jacob and redeem him from the hand of one stronger than he. | 11for the LORD has ransomed Jacob and redeemed him from the power of one stronger than he. |
| 12They'll come and cry out with joy on the heights of Zion. They'll be radiant over the LORD's goodness, over the grain, the new wine, the fresh oil, and over the young of the flocks and herds. Their lives will be like a well-watered garden. They'll never again grow faint. | 12They will come and shout for joy on the heights of Zion; they will be radiant with joy because of the LORD's goodness, because of the grain, the new wine, the fresh oil, and because of the young of the flocks and herds. Their life will be like an irrigated garden, and they will no longer grow weak from hunger. |
| 13The virgins will rejoice with dancing, together with young men and old men. For I'll turn their mourning into joy, and I'll comfort them and give them gladness instead of sorrow. | 13Then the young woman will rejoice with dancing, while young and old men rejoice together. I will turn their mourning into joy, give them consolation, and bring happiness out of grief. |
| 14I'll give the priests abundant provisions, and my people will be satisfied with my goodness," declares the LORD. | 14I will refresh the priests with an abundance, and My people will be satisfied with My goodness. This is the LORD's declaration. |
| 15This is what the LORD says: "A voice is heard in Ramah, lamentation and bitter crying. Rachel is crying, and she refuses to be comforted for her children, because they are no longer alive." | 15This is what the LORD says: A voice was heard in Ramah, a lament with bitter weeping-- Rachel weeping for her children, refusing to be comforted for her children because they are no more. |
| 16This is what the LORD says: "Restrain your voice from crying, and your eyes from tears, for there is a reward for your work," declares the LORD. "They'll return from the enemy's land. | 16This is what the LORD says: Keep your voice from weeping and your eyes from tears, for the reward for your work will come-- this is the LORD's declaration-- and your children will return from the enemy's land. |
| 17There is hope for your future," declares the LORD. "Your children will return to their own territory." | 17There is hope for your future-- this is the LORD's declaration-- and your children will return to their own territory. |
| 18"I've certainly heard Ephraim shuddering with grief as they said, 'You have disciplined me, and I'm disciplined like an untrained calf. Restore me, and let me return, for you are the LORD my God. | 18I have heard Ephraim moaning, "You disciplined me, and I have been disciplined like an untrained calf. Restore me, and I will return, for you, LORD, are my God. |
| 19Indeed, after I turned away, then I repented. And after I came to understand, I slapped my forehead. I was both ashamed and humiliated because I bear the disgrace of my youth.'" | 19After I returned, I repented; After I was instructed, I struck my thigh in grief. I was ashamed and humiliated because I bore the disgrace of my youth." |
| 20"Is Ephraim my dear son? Is he a darling child? Indeed, as often as I've spoken about him, I surely still remember him. Therefore I deeply yearn for him. I'll surely have great compassion on him," declares the LORD. | 20Isn't Ephraim a precious son to Me, a delightful child? Whenever I speak against him, I certainly still think about him. Therefore, My inner being yearns for him; I will truly have compassion on him. This is the LORD's declaration. |
| 21Set up markers for yourselves. Erect signposts for yourselves. Pay attention to the highway, to the road you traveled. Return, virgin Israel, return to these cities of yours. | 21Set up road markers for yourself; establish signposts! Keep the highway in mind, the way you have traveled. Return, Virgin Israel! Return to these cities of yours. |
| 22How long will you go this way and that, rebellious daughter? Indeed, the LORD will create a new thing on the earth; a woman will protect a man. | 22How long will you turn here and there, faithless daughter? For the LORD creates something new in the land-- a female will shelter a man. |
| 23This is what the LORD of the Heavenly Armies, the God of Israel, says: "They'll again speak this message in the land of Judah and its towns when I restore their fortunes: 'The LORD bless you, righteous dwelling, holy mountain.' | 23This is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: "When I restore their fortunes, they will once again speak this word in the land of Judah and in its cities, 'May the LORD bless you, righteous settlement, holy mountain.' |
| 24Judah and all its towns will live together in the land, along with farmers and those who follow the flock. | 24Judah and all its cities will live in it together--also farmers and those who move with the flocks-- |
| 25I'll provide abundance for those who are weary, and fill all who are faint." | 25for I satisfy the thirsty person and feed all those who are weak." |
| 26Then I awoke and looked around, and I had had a pleasant sleep. | 26At this I awoke and looked around. My sleep had been most pleasant to me. |
| 27"Look, days are coming," declares the LORD, "when I'll sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah using people and animals as seed. | 27"The days are coming"--this is the LORD's declaration--"when I will sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah with the seed of man and the seed of beast. |
| 28Just as I've watched over them to pull up, tear down, overthrow, destroy, and bring disaster, so I'll watch over them to build and to plant," declares the LORD. | 28Just as I watched over them to uproot and to tear them down, to demolish and to destroy, and to cause disaster, so will I be attentive to build and to plant them," says the LORD. |
| 29"In those days people will no longer say, 'The fathers have eaten sour grapes, but the children's teeth have been set on edge.' | 29"In those days, it will never again be said: The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge. |
| 30Instead, each person will die for his own iniquity. Everyone who eats sour grapes will have his own teeth set on edge." | 30Rather, each will die for his own wrongdoing. Anyone who eats sour grapes--his own teeth will be set on edge. |
| 31"Look, days are coming," declares the LORD, "when I'll make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah. | 31"Look, the days are coming"--this is the LORD's declaration--"when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. |
| 32It won't be like the covenant I made with their ancestors on the day I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt. They broke my covenant, although I was a husband to them," declares the LORD. | 32This one will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt--a covenant they broke even though I had married them"--the LORD's declaration. |
| 33"Rather, this is the covenant that I'll make with the house of Israel after those days," declares the LORD. "I'll put my Law within them and will write it on their hearts. I'll be their God and they will be my people. | 33"Instead, this is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after those days"--the LORD's declaration. "I will put My teaching within them and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be My people. |
| 34No longer will a person teach his neighbor or his relative: 'Know the LORD.' Instead, they'll all know me, from the least to the greatest of them," declares the LORD. "Indeed, I'll forgive their iniquity, and I'll remember their sin no more." | 34No longer will one teach his neighbor or his brother, saying, 'Know the LORD,' for they will all know Me, from the least to the greatest of them"--this is the LORD's declaration. "For I will forgive their wrongdoing and never again remember their sin. |
| 35This is what the LORD says, who gives the sun for light by day, the laws that govern the moon and stars for light by night, and who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar. The LORD of the Heavenly Armies is his name: | 35This is what the LORD says: The One who gives the sun for light by day, the fixed order of moon and stars for light by night, who stirs up the sea and makes its waves roar-- Yahweh of Hosts is His name: |
| 36"If these laws cease to function in my presence," declares the LORD, "then the descendants of Israel will cease to be a nation in my presence for all time!" | 36If this fixed order departs from My presence-- this is the LORD's declaration-- then also Israel's descendants will cease to be a nation before Me forever. |
| 37This is what the LORD says: "If the heavens could be measured above, or the foundations of the earth be searched out below, then I also would reject all the descendants of Israel because of everything they have done," declares the LORD. | 37This is what the LORD says: If the heavens above can be measured and the foundations of the earth below explored, I will reject all of Israel's descendants because of all they have done-- this is the LORD's declaration. |
| 38"Look, days are coming," declares the LORD, "when the city of the LORD will be rebuilt from the Tower of Hananel to the Corner Gate. | 38"Look, the days are coming"--the LORD's declaration--"when the city from the Tower of Hananel to the Corner Gate will be rebuilt for the LORD. |
| 39A measuring line will go straight out from there to the hill of Gareb, and then it will turn to Goah. | 39A measuring line will once again stretch out straight to the hill of Gareb and then turn toward Goah. |
| 40The whole valley of dead bodies and ashes and all the fields as far as the Brook Kidron to the corner of the Horse Gate toward the east will be holy to the LORD. It won't be uprooted or overthrown again, forever." | 40The whole valley--the corpses, the ashes, and all the fields as far as the Kidron Valley to the corner of the Horse Gate to the east--will be holy to the LORD. It will never be uprooted or demolished again." |
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