Jeremiah 30
30
The Restoration.#30:1–31:40] These two chapters contain salvation oracles that originally expressed the double expectation that the Lord would return the exiled survivors of the Northern Kingdom of Israel and reunite Israel and Judah as one kingdom under a just Davidic king. They were probably composed early in Josiah’s reign (the reference of v. 9), when he took advantage of Assyria’s internal disintegration and asserted control over northern Israel (cf. 2 Kgs 23:15–17). With the destruction of Jerusalem, the oracles were re-worked to include Judah and their fulfillment along with the renewal of the Davidic dynasty became associated with the eschatological “day of the Lord.” 1This word came to Jeremiah from the Lord: 2Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Write down on a scroll all the words I have spoken to you.#Jer 36:2; Hb 2:2; Rev 1:11. 3For indeed, the days are coming—oracle of the Lord—when I will restore the fortunes of my people Israel and Judah—oracle of the Lord. I will bring them back to the land which I gave to their ancestors, and they shall take possession of it.#Jer 29:14; 31:8, 10, 23; 32:37, 44; Ez 39:25; Am 9:14.
4These are the words the Lord spoke to Israel and to Judah: 5Thus says the Lord:
We hear a cry of fear:
terror, not peace.
6Inquire and see:
does a male give birth?
Why, then, do I see all these men,
their hands on their loins
Like women in labor,
all their faces drained of color?#Jer 6:24; 50:43.
7Ah! How mighty is that day—
there is none like it!
A time of distress for Jacob,
though he shall be saved from it.#Am 5:18; Zep 1:14–15.
8On that day—oracle of the Lord of hosts—I will break his yoke off your neck and snap your bonds. Strangers shall no longer enslave them;#Is 14:5–6; Ez 34:27. 9instead, they shall serve the Lord, their God, and David, their king,#David, their king: a descendant of David (“his leader” in v. 21) who, like his ancestor, would rule a unified kingdom and “walk in the ways of the Lord,” as the Deuteronomistic historians claimed David did. Other prophets also refer to this idealized ruler as “David”; cf. Ez 34:23–24; 37:24–25; Hos 3:5. whom I will raise up for them.#Ez 34:23; 37:24; Hos 3:5; Lk 1:69.
10But you, my servant Jacob, do not fear!—oracle of the Lord—
do not be dismayed, Israel!
For I will soon deliver you from places far away,
your offspring from the land of their exile;
Jacob shall again find rest,
secure, with none to frighten him,#Jer 46:27; Is 43:5.
11for I am with you—oracle of the Lord—to save you.
I will bring to an end all the nations
among whom I have scattered you;
but you I will not bring to an end.
I will chastise you as you deserve,
I will not let you go unpunished.#Jer 46:28; Ez 11:16–17; Am 9:8–9.
12For thus says the Lord:
Incurable is your wound,
grievous your injury;#Jer 10:19; 14:17; 15:18.
13There is none to plead your case,
no remedy for your running sore,
no healing for you.
14All your lovers have forgotten you,
they do not seek you out.
I struck you as an enemy would strike,
punishing you cruelly.#Jer 22:22; Lam 1:19.
15Why cry out over your wound?
There is no relief for your pain.
Because of your great guilt,
your numerous sins,
I have done this to you.#Jer 15:18.
16Yet all who devour you shall be devoured,
all your enemies shall go into exile.
All who plunder you shall become plunder,
all who pillage you I will hand over to be pillaged.#Jer 2:3.
17For I will restore your health;
I will heal your injuries—oracle of the Lord.
“The outcast” they have called you,
“whom no one looks for.”#Jer 33:6.
18Thus says the Lord:
See! I will restore the fortunes of Jacob’s tents,
on his dwellings I will have compassion;
A city shall be rebuilt upon its own ruins,
a citadel restored where it should be.#Jer 33:7, 11; Ezr 6:3–15; Ez 36:10.
19From them will come praise,
the sound of people rejoicing.
I will increase them, they will not decrease,
I will glorify them, they will not be insignificant.#Is 35:10; 51:11.
20His children shall be as of old,
his assembly shall stand firm in my presence,
I will punish all his oppressors.#Is 49:26.
21His leader#His leader: cf. v. 9. Approach me: i.e., in the sanctuary of the Temple for worship. This new David is given a priestly function to perform on behalf of the assembly. To approach God on one’s own brings death; cf. Lv 16:1–2. shall be one of his own,
and his ruler shall emerge from his ranks.
He shall approach me when I summon him;
Why else would he dare
approach me?—oracle of the Lord.
22You shall be my people,
and I will be your God.#Jer 24:7; 31:1, 33; 32:38; Lv 26:12; Ez 11:20; 36:28.
23Look! The storm of the Lord!
His wrath breaks out
In a whirling storm
that bursts upon the heads of the wicked.#Jer 23:19.
24The anger of the Lord will not abate
until he has carried out completely
the decisions of his heart.
In days to come
you will fully understand it.#Jer 23:20.
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Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc
Jeremiah 30
30
Don’t Despair, Israel
1-2This is the Message Jeremiah received from God: “God’s Message, the God of Israel: ‘Write everything I tell you in a book.
3“‘Look. The time is coming when I will turn everything around for my people, both Israel and Judah. I, God, say so. I’ll bring them back to the land I gave their ancestors, and they’ll take up ownership again.’”
4This is the way God put it to Israel and Judah:
5-7“God’s Message:
“‘Cries of panic are being heard.
The peace has been shattered.
Ask around! Look around!
Can men bear babies?
So why do I see all these he-men
holding their bellies like women in labor,
Faces contorted,
pale as death?
The blackest of days,
no day like it ever!
A time of deep trouble for Jacob—
but he’ll come out of it alive.
8-9“‘And then I’ll enter the darkness.
I’ll break the yoke from their necks,
Cut them loose from the harness.
No more slave labor to foreigners!
They’ll serve their God
and the David-King I’ll establish for them.
10-11“‘So fear no more, Jacob, dear servant.
Don’t despair, Israel.
Look up! I’ll save you out of faraway places,
I’ll bring your children back from exile.
Jacob will come back and find life good,
safe and secure.
I’ll be with you. I’ll save you.
I’ll finish off all the godless nations
Among which I’ve scattered you,
but I won’t finish you off.
I’ll punish you, but fairly.
I won’t send you off with just a slap on the wrist.’
12-15“This is God’s Message:
“‘You’re a burned-out case,
as good as dead.
Everyone has given up on you.
You’re hopeless.
All your fair-weather friends have skipped town
without giving you a second thought.
But I delivered the knockout blow,
a punishment you will never forget,
Because of the enormity of your guilt,
the endless list of your sins.
So why all this self-pity, licking your wounds?
You deserve all this, and more.
Because of the enormity of your guilt,
the endless list of your sins,
I’ve done all this to you.
16-17“‘Everyone who hurt you will be hurt;
your enemies will end up as slaves.
Your plunderers will be plundered;
your looters will become loot.
As for you, I’ll come with healing,
curing the incurable,
Because they all gave up on you
and dismissed you as hopeless—
that good-for-nothing Zion.’
18-21“Again, God’s Message:
“‘I’ll turn things around for Jacob.
I’ll compassionately come in and rebuild homes.
The town will be rebuilt on its old foundations;
the mansions will be splendid again.
Thanksgivings will pour out of the windows;
laughter will spill through the doors.
Things will get better and better.
Depression days are over.
They’ll thrive, they’ll flourish.
The days of contempt will be over.
They’ll look forward to having children again,
to being a community in which I take pride.
I’ll punish anyone who hurts them,
and their prince will come from their own ranks.
One of their own people shall be their leader.
Their ruler will come from their own ranks.
I’ll grant him free and easy access to me.
Would anyone dare to do that on his own,
to enter my presence uninvited?’ God’s Decree.
22“‘And that’s it: You’ll be my very own people,
I’ll be your very own God.’”
23-24Look out! God’s hurricane is let loose,
his hurricane blast,
Spinning the heads of the wicked like dust devils!
God’s raging anger won’t let up
Until he’s made a clean sweep
completing the job he began.
When the job’s done
you’ll see it’s been well done.
* * *
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THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson. All rights reserved. Used by permission of NavPress. Represented by Tyndale House Publishers.