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At the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah^[a] son of Josiah, king of Judah, this word came to Jeremiah from the Lord :^[b]

"This is what the Lord said to me: Make chains and yoke bars^(a) for yourself and put them on your neck.

Send word to the king of Edom, the king of Moab, the king of the Ammonites, the king of Tyre, and the king of Sidon^(b) through messengers who are coming to Zedekiah king of Judah in Jerusalem.

Command them to go to their masters, saying: This is what the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: This is what you must say to your masters:

By My great strength and outstretched arm,^(c) I made the earth,^(d) and the people, and animals on the face of the earth. I give it to anyone I please.^[c](e)

So now I have placed all these lands under the authority of My servant^(f) Nebuchadnezzar,^(g) king of Babylon. I have even given him the wild animals to serve him.

All nations will serve him, his son, and his grandson until the time for his own land comes, and then many nations and great kings will enslave him.^(h)

"As for the nation or kingdom that does not serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and does not place its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, that nation I will punish by sword, famine, and plague"—this is the Lord 's declaration—"until through him I have destroyed it.

But as for you, do not listen to your prophets, diviners,⁽ⁱ⁾ dreamers, fortune-tellers,^(j) or sorcerers^(k) who say to you, ‘Don't serve the king of Babylon!'

for they prophesy a lie to you so that you will be removed from your land. I will banish you, and you will perish.

But as for the nation that will put its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon and serve him, I will leave it in its own land, and that nation will cultivate^[d] it and reside in it." This is the Lord 's declaration.

I spoke to Zedekiah king of Judah^(l) in the same way: "Put your necks under the yoke of the king of Babylon, serve him and his people, and live!

Why should you and your people die^(m) by the sword, famine, or plague as the Lord has threatened against any nation that does not serve the king of Babylon?

Do not listen to the words of the prophets who are telling you, ‘You must not serve the king of Babylon,' for they are prophesying a lie to you.⁽ⁿ⁾

‘I have not sent them'—this is the Lord 's declaration—‘and they are prophesying falsely in My name; therefore, I will banish you, and you will perish—you and the prophets who are prophesying to you.'"

Then I spoke to the priests and all these people, saying, "This is what the Lord says: ‘Do not listen to the words of your prophets. They are prophesying to you, claiming, "Look, very soon now the articles of the Lord 's temple will be brought back from Babylon."^(o) They are prophesying a lie to you.

Do not listen to them. Serve the king of Babylon and live! Why should this city become a ruin?^(p)

If they are indeed prophets and if the word of the Lord is with them, let them intercede with the Lord of Hosts not to let the articles that remain in the Lord 's temple, in the palace of the king of Judah, and in Jerusalem go to Babylon.'

For this is what the Lord of Hosts says about the pillars, the sea, the water carts,^(q) and the rest of the articles that still remain in this city,

those Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon did not take when he deported Jeconiah^[e] son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, from Jerusalem to Babylon along with all the nobles of Judah^(r) and Jerusalem.

Yes, this is what the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel, says about the articles that remain in the temple of the Lord , in the palace of the king of Judah, and in Jerusalem:

‘They will be brought to Babylon and will remain there until I attend to them again.'^(s) This is the Lord 's declaration. ‘Then I will bring them up and restore them to this place.'"^(t)

In that same year, at the beginning of the reign of King Zedekiah of Judah,^(a) in the fifth month of the fourth year, the prophet Hananiah son of Azzur from Gibeon^(b) said to me in the temple of the Lord in the presence of the priests and all the people,

"This is what the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: ‘I have broken the yoke of the king of Babylon.^(c)

Within two years I will restore to this place all the articles of the Lord 's temple^(d) that King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon took from here and transported to Babylon.

And I will restore to this place Jeconiah^[a] son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, and all the exiles from Judah^(e) who went to Babylon'—this is the Lord 's declaration—‘for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon.'"

The prophet Jeremiah replied to the prophet Hananiah in the presence of the priests and all the people who were standing in the temple of the Lord .

The prophet Jeremiah said, "Amen!^(f) May the Lord do so. May the Lord make the words you have prophesied come true and may He restore the articles of the Lord 's temple and all the exiles from Babylon to this place!

Only listen to this message I am speaking in your hearing and in the hearing of all the people.

The prophets who preceded you and me from ancient times prophesied war, disaster,^[b] and plague against many lands and great kingdoms.

As for the prophet who prophesies peace—only when the word of the prophet comes true will the prophet be recognized as one the Lord has truly sent."^(g)

The prophet Hananiah then took the yoke bar from the neck of Jeremiah the prophet and broke it.^(h)

In the presence of all the people Hananiah proclaimed, "This is what the Lord says: ‘In this way, within two years I will break the yoke of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon from the neck of all the nations.'" Jeremiah the prophet then went on his way.

The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah after Hananiah the prophet had broken the yoke bar from the neck of Jeremiah the prophet:

"Go say to Hananiah: This is what the Lord says, ‘You broke a wooden yoke bar, but in its place you will make an iron yoke bar.'

For this is what the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel, says, ‘I have put an iron yoke on the neck of all these nations that they might serve King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon,⁽ⁱ⁾ and they will serve him.^(j) I have also put the wild animals under him.'"^(k)

The prophet Jeremiah said to the prophet Hananiah, "Listen, Hananiah! The Lord did not send you, but you have led these people to trust in a lie.^(l)

Therefore, this is what the Lord says: ‘I am about to send you off the face of the earth. You will die this year because you have spoken rebellion against the Lord .'"^(m)

And the prophet Hananiah died that year in the seventh month.

This is the text of the letter^(a) that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem to the rest of the elders of the exiles, the priests, the prophets, and all the people Nebuchadnezzar^(b) had deported from Jerusalem to Babylon.

This was after King Jeconiah,^[a](c) the queen mother, the court officials, the officials of Judah and Jerusalem, the craftsmen, and the metalsmiths had left Jerusalem.

The letter was sent by Elasah son of Shaphan and Gemariah son of Hilkiah^(d) whom Zedekiah king of Judah had sent to Babylon to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. The letter stated:

This is what the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel, says to all the exiles I deported from Jerusalem to Babylon:

"Build houses and live in them.^(e) Plant gardens and eat their produce.

Take wives and have sons and daughters. Take wives for your sons and give your daughters to men in marriage so that they may bear sons and daughters. Multiply there; do not decrease.

Seek the welfare of the city I have deported you to. Pray to the Lord on its behalf,^(f) for when it has prosperity, you will prosper."

For this is what the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: "Don't let your prophets who are among you^(g) and your diviners deceive you,^(h) and don't listen to the dreams you elicit from them,

for they are prophesying falsely to you in My name. I have not sent them."⁽ⁱ⁾ This is the Lord 's declaration.

For this is what the Lord says: "When 70 years for Babylon are complete,^(j) I will attend to you and will confirm My promise concerning you to restore you to this place.

For I know the plans I have for you"^(k)—this is the Lord 's declaration—"plans for your welfare, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.

You will call to Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.^(l)

You will seek Me^(m) and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.

I will be found by you"—this is the Lord 's declaration—"and I will restore your fortunes^[b](n) and gather you from all the nations and places where I banished you"—this is the Lord 's declaration. "I will restore you to the place I deported you from."^(o)

You have said, "The Lord has raised up prophets for us in Babylon!"

But this is what the Lord says concerning the king sitting on David's throne and concerning all the people living in this city—that is, concerning your brothers who did not go with you into exile.

This is what the Lord of Hosts says: "I am about to send against them sword, famine, and plague^(p) and will make them like rotten figs that are inedible because they are so bad.

I will pursue them with sword, famine, and plague. I will make them a horror to all the kingdoms of the earth—a curse and a desolation, an object of scorn and a disgrace among all the nations where I have banished them.^(q)

I will do this because they have not listened to My words"—this is the Lord 's declaration—"that I sent to them with My servants the prophets time and time again.^[c](r) And you too have not listened." This is the Lord 's declaration.

Hear the word of the Lord , all you exiles I have sent from Jerusalem to Babylon.^(s)

This is what the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel, says to Ahab son of Kolaiah and to Zedekiah son of Maaseiah, the ones prophesying a lie to you in My name:^(t) "I am about to hand them over to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and he will kill them before your very eyes.

Based on what happens to them, all the exiles of Judah who are in Babylon will create a curse^(u) that says, ‘May the Lord make you like Zedekiah and Ahab, whom the king of Babylon roasted in the fire!'^(v)

because they have committed an outrage^(w) in Israel by committing adultery with their neighbors' wives and have spoken a lie in My name, which I did not command them. I am He who knows, and I am a witness." This is the Lord 's declaration.

To Shemaiah the Nehelamite you are to say,

"This is what the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: You^[d] in your own name have sent out letters to all the people of Jerusalem, to the priest Zephaniah^(x) son of Maaseiah, and to all the priests, saying:

‘The Lord has appointed you priest in place of Jehoiada the priest to be the chief officer^(y) in the temple of the Lord , responsible for every madman^(z) who acts like a prophet. You must confine him in the stocks^(aa) and an iron collar.

So now, why have you not rebuked Jeremiah of Anathoth who has been acting like a prophet among you?^(ab)

For he has sent word to us in Babylon, claiming, "The exile will be long. Build houses and settle down. Plant gardens and eat their produce."'"^(ac)

Zephaniah the priest read this letter in the hearing of Jeremiah the prophet.

Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah:

"Send a message to all the exiles, saying: This is what the Lord says concerning Shemaiah the Nehelamite. Because Shemaiah prophesied to you, though I did not send him, and made you trust a lie,^(ad)

this is what the Lord says: I am about to punish Shemaiah the Nehelamite and his descendants. There will not be even one of his descendants living among these people,^(ae) nor will any ever see the good that I will bring to My people"—this is the Lord 's declaration—"for he has preached rebellion against the Lord ."^(af)

This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord .

This is what the Lord , the God of Israel, says: "Write down on a scroll all the words that I have spoken to you,^(a)

for the days are certainly coming"—this is the Lord 's declaration—"when I will restore the fortunes^[a] of My people Israel and Judah"^(b)—the Lord 's declaration. "I will restore them to the land I gave to their ancestors and they will possess it."

These are the words the Lord spoke to Israel and Judah.

Yes, this is what the Lord says: We have heard a cry of terror, of dread—there is no peace.

Ask and see whether a male can give birth. Why then do I see every man with his hands on his stomach like a woman in labor and every face turned pale?

How awful that day will be!^(c) There will be none like it!^(d) It will be a time of trouble for Jacob, but he will be delivered out of it.

"On that day"—this is the declaration of the Lord of Hosts—"I will break his yoke from your neck^(e) and tear off your chains^(f) so strangers will never again enslave him.^(g)

They will serve the Lord their God and I will raise up David their king for them."^(h)

As for you, My servant Jacob,⁽ⁱ⁾ do not be afraid— this is the Lord 's declaration— and do not be dismayed, Israel, for without fail I will save you from far away, your descendants, from the land of their captivity! Jacob will return and have calm and quiet with no one to frighten him.^(j)

For I will be with you— this is the Lord 's declaration— to save you!^(k) I will bring destruction on all the nations where I have scattered you; however, I will not bring destruction on you. I will discipline you justly, and I will by no means leave you unpunished.^(l)

For this is what the Lord says: Your injury is incurable; your wound most severe.^(m)

No one takes up the case for your sores.⁽ⁿ⁾ There is no healing for you.

All your lovers have forgotten you; they no longer look for you, for I have struck you as an enemy would, with the discipline^(o) of someone cruel,^(p) because of your enormous guilt and your innumerable sins.

Why do you cry out about your injury? Your pain has no cure! I have done these things to you because of your enormous guilt and your innumerable sins.

Nevertheless, all who devoured you will be devoured,^(q) and all your adversaries—all of them— will go off into exile. Those who plunder you will be plundered, and all who raid you will be raided.

But I will bring you health^(r) and will heal you of your wounds— this is the Lord 's declaration— for they call you Outcast, Zion whom no one cares about.

This is what the Lord says: I will certainly restore the fortunes^[b] of Jacob's tents^(s) and show compassion on his dwellings. Every city will be rebuilt on its mound; every citadel will stand on its proper site.

Thanksgiving will come out of them, a sound of celebration. I will multiply them, and they will not decrease;^(t) I will honor them, and they will not be insignificant.

His children will be as in past days; his congregation will be established in My presence. I will punish all his oppressors.^(u)

Jacob's leader will be one of them; his ruler will issue from him. I will invite him to Me, and he will approach Me,^(v) for who would otherwise risk his life to approach Me? This is the Lord 's declaration.

You will be My people, and I will be your God.^(w)

Look, a storm from the Lord !^(x) Wrath has gone out, a churning storm. It will whirl about the heads of the wicked.

The Lord 's burning anger will not turn back until He has completely fulfilled the purposes of His heart. In time to come you will understand it.^(y)

"At that time"—this is the Lord 's declaration—"I will be the God of all the families of Israel,^(a) and they will be My people."

This is what the Lord says: They found favor in the wilderness^(b)— the people who survived the sword. When Israel went to find rest,

the Lord appeared to him^[a] from far away. I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore, I have continued to extend faithful love to you.^(c)

Again I will build you so that you will be rebuilt, Virgin Israel. You will take up your tambourines again^(d) and go out in joyful dancing.

You will plant vineyards again on the mountains of Samaria; the planters will plant and will enjoy the fruit.^(e)

For there will be a day when watchmen will call out in the hill country of Ephraim, "Get up, let's go up to Zion,^(f) to Yahweh our God!"

For 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,^(g) the remnant of Israel!"

Watch! I am going to bring them from the northern land. I will gather them from remote regions of the earth^(h)— 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!⁽ⁱ⁾

They will come weeping, but I will bring them back with consolation.^[b](j) I will lead them to wadis filled with water by a smooth way where they will not stumble,^(k) for I am Israel's Father, and Ephraim is My firstborn.

Nations, hear the word of the Lord , and tell it among the far off coastlands!^(l) Say: The One who scattered Israel will gather him. He will watch over him as a shepherd guards his flock,

for the Lord has ransomed Jacob and redeemed him from the power of one stronger than he.^(m)

They will come and shout for joy on the heights of Zion; they will be radiant with joy⁽ⁿ⁾ because of^(o) the Lord 's goodness, because of the grain, the new wine, the fresh oil,^(p) 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.

Then the young woman will rejoice with dancing, while young and old men rejoice together. I will turn their mourning into joy,^(q) give them consolation, and bring happiness out of grief.

I will refresh the priests with an abundance,^[c](r) and My people will be satisfied with My goodness. This is the Lord 's declaration.

This 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.^(s)

This 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.

There is hope for your future^(t)— this is the Lord 's declaration— and your children will return to their own territory.

I 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.^(u)

After I returned, I repented; After I was instructed, I struck my thigh in grief.^(v) I was ashamed and humiliated because I bore the disgrace of my youth."

Isn'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.

Set up road markers^(w) for yourself; establish signposts! Keep the highway in mind, the way you have traveled. Return, Virgin Israel! Return to these cities of yours.

How long will you turn here and there, faithless daughter?^(x) For the Lord creates something new in the land^[d]— a female^[e] will shelter^[f] a man.

This is what the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: "When I restore their fortunes,^[g] they will once again speak this word in the land of Judah and in its cities, ‘May the Lord bless you, righteous settlement,^(y) holy mountain.'^(z)

Judah and all its cities will live in it together—also farmers and those who move^[h] with the flocks—

for I satisfy the thirsty person and feed all those who are weak."

At this I awoke and looked around. My sleep had been most pleasant to me.

"The days are coming"—this is the Lord 's declaration—"when I will sow the house of Israel^(aa) and the house of Judah with the seed of man and the seed of beast.

Just 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,"^(ab) says the Lord .

"In those days, it will never again be said: The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge.^(ac)

Rather, each will die for his own wrongdoing.^(ad) Anyone who eats sour grapes—his own teeth will be set on edge.

"Look, the days are coming"—this is the Lord 's declaration—"when I will make a new covenant^(ae) with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah.

This 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"^(af)—the Lord 's declaration.

"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.

No longer will one teach his neighbor or his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord ,'^(ag) 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^(ah) and never again remember their sin."^(ai)

This 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^(aj)— Yahweh of Hosts is His name:

If 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.^(ak)

This 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.

"Look, the days are coming"—the Lord 's declaration—"when the city^[i] from the Tower of Hananel^(al) to the Corner Gate^(am) will be rebuilt for the Lord .

A measuring line will once again stretch out straight to the hill of Gareb^(an) and then turn toward Goah.

The whole valley—the corpses, the ashes, and all the fields as far as the Kidron Valley^(ao) to the corner of the Horse Gate^(ap) to the east—will be holy to the Lord . It will never be uprooted or demolished again."