Commentary on Jeremiah and Lamentations - Volume 4

1The word which came to Jeremiah from Jehovah, saying, —

2Thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel, saying, — Write thee all the words which I have spoken to thee in a book;

3 For, be- hold, the days are coming, saith Jehovah, when I shall restore the captivity of my people Israel and Judah, saith Jehovah; and I will restore them to the land which I gave to their fathers, and they shall possess it.

4Even these are the words which Jehovah hath spoken of Israel and Judah, —

5Surely thus saith Jehovah, — A voice of trembling have we heard, Of fear and not of peace.

6Ask and see, can a male bring forth? Why have I seen all men With their hands on their loins as a woman in travail? Turned also are all faces into paleness.

7Alas! for great that day, none like it, Even a time of distress to Jacob; Yet from it shall he be saved:

8And it shall be in that day, saith Jehovah of hosts, ThatI will break the yoke from thy neck, And thy bands will I burst asunder, And no more force thee to serve shall strangers;

9But serve shall they Jehovah their God, And David their king, whom I will raise up for them.

10And thou Jacob my servant, fear not, saith Jehovah, And be not thou, Israel, afraid; For behold I will save thee from far, And thy seed from the land of their captivity, And dwell shall Jacob, and rest, and be secure, And none shall terrify him:

11For I shall bewith thee, saith Jehovah, to save thee; For I will make an end of all the nations, Among whom I shall scatter thee; Yet of thee I will not make an end: But I will chastise thee in moderation, And I will not wholly cut thee off.

12For thus saith Jehovah, Grievous thy bruise, desperate thy wound!

13No one undertakes thy cause; For a cure, medicines and healing thou hast not.

14All thy friends forget thee, they ask not for thee; For with the stroke of an enemy have I struck thee, With the chastisement of the cruel, On account of the multitude of thine iniquity, Because prevailed have thy sins.

15Why criest thou because of thy bruise? Heavy is thy sorrow: For the multitude of thine iniquity. Because thy sins have prevailed, Have I done these things to thee.

16Therefore, all who devour thee shall be devoured, And all thine enemies shall go into captivity, And they who plunder thee shall become a plunder, And all who spoil thee shall be a spoil:

17For I will bring a healing to thee, And from thy wounds will I heal thee, saith Jehovah; Because an outcast have they called thee, Sion, Whom no one careth for.

18Thus saith Jehovah, — Behold, I will restore the captivity of Jacob’s tents, And his dwellings will I pity; And built shall be the city on its heaps, And the palace in its own place shall stand:

19And go forth from them shall praise and the voice of joy; And I will increase them, and they shall not be lessened; And I will honor them, and they shall not be degraded;

20And his children shall be as at the beginning, And his assembly before me shall be established, And I will visit all his oppressors:

21And his valiant manshall be from himself, And his ruler from his midst shall come forth; And I will bring him nigh, and he shall come to me; For who is he who forms his heart, That he may come to me, saith Jehovah!

22And ye shall be my people, and I will be your God.

23Behold asa tempest shall Jehovah’s wrath go forth, Asan involving tempest; On the head of the ungodly shall it settle:

24Not return shall the fury of Jehovah’s wrath, Till he performs it, and till he effects the thoughts of his heart; In the latter days ye shall understand this.