Jeremiah

Warnings about Jerusalem's destruction due to unfaithfulness, with promises of a new covenant.

Chapter 33

1 Moreover the word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah the second time, while he was yet shut up in the court of the prison, saying,

*Additionally, the Lord's message reached Jeremiah for a second time while he was still in the prison courtyard, saying,

2 Thus saith the LORD the maker thereof, the LORD that formed it, to establish it; the LORD is his name;

*Thus says the Lord, the one who made it, the Lord who formed it for establishment; the Lord is his name.

3 Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.

*Ask me, and I'll reply, telling you amazing and powerful things you don't know yet.

4 For thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning the houses of this city, and concerning the houses of the kings of Judah, which are thrown down by the mounts, and by the sword;

*So says the Lord, the God of Israel, about the homes in this city and the homes of Judah's kings, which are destroyed by hills and by swords.

5 They come to fight with the Chaldeans, but it is to fill them with the dead bodies of men, whom I have slain in mine anger and in my fury, and for all whose wickedness I have hid my face from this city.

*They join the battle against the Chaldeans, but they find many dead people, which I killed because of my anger and rage at their wrongdoing. I had turned away from this city due to their wickedness.

6 Behold, I will bring it health and cure, and I will cure them, and will reveal unto them the abundance of peace and truth.

*Look, I will make it healthy and fix it, and I will heal them, and show them lots of peace and truth.

7 And I will cause the captivity of Judah and the captivity of Israel to return, and will build them, as at the first.

*I will bring back the exile of Judah and Israel, and rebuild them as before.

8 And I will cleanse them from all their iniquity, whereby they have sinned against me; and I will pardon all their iniquities, whereby they have sinned, and whereby they have transgressed against me.

*I will clear them of all their wrongdoings that they've done against me, and I will forgive all their sins, both the ones they've committed and the ones they've broken rules for, against me.

9 And it shall be to me a name of joy, a praise and an honour before all the nations of the earth, which shall hear all the good that I do unto them: and they shall fear and tremble for all the goodness and for all the prosperity that I procure unto it.

*It will be a source of happiness and pride for me, as well as recognition from people around the world. They will hear about the good things I do for them and will be afraid and amazed at all the great things and wealth I bring to it.

10 Thus saith the LORD; Again there shall be heard in this place, which ye say shall be desolate without man and without beast, even in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, that are desolate, without man, and without inhabitant, and without beast,

*So says the Lord: Once more, people and animals will return to this place you think is empty, including the cities of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem, which are now empty, without anyone living there or any animals.

11 The voice of joy, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride, the voice of them that shall say, Praise the LORD of hosts: for the LORD is good; for his mercy endureth for ever: and of them that shall bring the sacrifice of praise into the house of the LORD. For I will cause to return the captivity of the land, as at the first, saith the LORD.

*The happy voices, the wedding voices, the voices saying "Praise the great God," for he is good and his kindness lasts forever. These voices bring praise to the Lord in his house. I will again free the land from captivity, just like before, says the Lord.

12 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Again in this place, which is desolate without man and without beast, and in all the cities thereof, shall be an habitation of shepherds causing their flocks to lie down.

*So says the Lord of armies: In this empty place, with no people or animals, and in all its cities, shepherds will live, letting their sheep rest.

13 In the cities of the mountains, in the cities of the vale, and in the cities of the south, and in the land of Benjamin, and in the places about Jerusalem, and in the cities of Judah, shall the flocks pass again under the hands of him that telleth them, saith the LORD.

*In the mountain cities, valley cities, southern cities, Benjamin's land, nearby Jerusalem, and Judah's cities, sheep will be shepherded by their caretakers again, says the Lord.

14 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will perform that good thing which I have promised unto the house of Israel and to the house of Judah.

*Look, the time will come, says the Lord, when I will do the good thing I promised to the people of Israel and Judah.

15 In those days, and at that time, will I cause the Branch of righteousness to grow up unto David; and he shall execute judgment and righteousness in the land.

*In that period, I'll make a righteous branch grow for David. He will enforce justice and fairness on the earth.

16 In those days shall Judah be saved, and Jerusalem shall dwell safely: and this is the name wherewith she shall be called, The LORD our righteousness.

*In those times, Judah will be rescued and Jerusalem will be safe. They will be called "The LORD Our Righteousness."

17 For thus saith the LORD; David shall never want a man to sit upon the throne of the house of Israel;

*So, God says, "David will always have someone sitting on the throne of Israel's house."

18 Neither shall the priests the Levites want a man before me to offer burnt offerings, and to kindle meat offerings, and to do sacrifice continually.

*The priests called Levites won't need anyone else to regularly offer burnt offerings, light meat offerings, and perform constant sacrifices for me.

19 And the word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah, saying,

*And God spoke to Jeremiah, saying,

20 Thus saith the LORD; If ye can break my covenant of the day, and my covenant of the night, and that there should not be day and night in their season;

*So says the Lord: If you can break my daytime agreement and my nighttime agreement, and make it so there is no day or night in their proper time.

21 Then may also my covenant be broken with David my servant, that he should not have a son to reign upon his throne; and with the Levites the priests, my ministers.

*Then let my promise with David, my servant, be broken, so he doesn't have a son to rule his kingdom. Also, let it be broken with the Levites, my priest helpers.

22 As the host of heaven cannot be numbered, neither the sand of the sea measured: so will I multiply the seed of David my servant, and the Levites that minister unto me.

*Just like there are too many stars in the sky and too much sand on the beach to count, I will greatly increase the descendants of David, my special helper, and the Levites who serve me.

23 Moreover the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah, saying,

*Additionally, the LORD spoke to Jeremiah through a message, saying,

24 Considerest thou not what this people have spoken, saying, The two families which the LORD hath chosen, he hath even cast them off? thus they have despised my people, that they should be no more a nation before them.

*Do you not notice what these people are saying? They claim that the two families God chose have been rejected, and so they look down on my people, thinking they will no longer be a nation.

25 Thus saith the LORD; If my covenant be not with day and night, and if I have not appointed the ordinances of heaven and earth;

*So says the Lord: If my agreement isn't about day and night, and if I haven't set up the rules for heaven and earth.

26 Then will I cast away the seed of Jacob, and David my servant, so that I will not take any of his seed to be rulers over the seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob: for I will cause their captivity to return, and have mercy on them.

*Then I will reject Jacob's descendants and David, my special helper. I won't let any of their family rule over the families of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Instead, I will bring them back from being captured and show them kindness.

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