1. While Jeremiah was still being held in the courtyard of the prison, the Lord spoke his word to him a second time. The Lord said,
2. “I made ⌊the earth⌋, formed it, and set it in place. My name is the Lord. This is what the Lord says:
3. Call to me, and I will answer you. I will tell you great and mysterious things that you do not know.
4. The houses in this city and the palaces of the kings of Judah have been torn down to be used against the dirt ramps and weapons of the Babylonians. This is what the Lord God of Israel says about this:
5. The people of Israel fought the Babylonians. Now their houses are filled with the bodies of their own people I killed in my anger and my fury. I will hide my face from this city because of its wickedness.
6. “But I will heal this city and restore it to health. I will heal its people, and I will give them peace and security.
7. I will restore Judah and Israel and rebuild them as they were before.
8. I will cleanse them from all the sins that they have committed against me. I will forgive them for all the sins that they have committed against me and for rebelling against me.
9. Then Jerusalem will be my source of joy, praise, and honor. All the nations on earth will hear about all the blessings that I will give to Jerusalem. They will be afraid and tremble because of all the prosperity that I will provide for it.
10. “This is what the Lord says: You have said that this place is ruined and that no people or animals live in it. It’s true! The cities of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem are deserted. No people or animals live there. But once again you will hear
11. the sounds of joy and happiness and the sounds of brides and grooms. You will hear those who bring thank offerings to the Lord’s temple say,‘Give thanks to the Lord of Armies because the Lord is good,because his mercy endures forever.’I will restore the fortunes of the land to what they were before,” says the Lord.
12. “This is what the Lord of Armies says: In this deserted place, where no people or animals live, and in all its cities, there will once again be pastures where shepherds can rest their flocks.
13. In the cities on the mountains, in the foothills, in the Negev, in the territory of Benjamin, in the area around Jerusalem, and in the cities of Judah, shepherds will once again count their sheep,” says the Lord.
14. “The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will keep the promise that I made to Israel and Judah.
15. In those days and at that time, I will cause a righteous branch to spring up for David. He will do what is fair and right in the land.
16. In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will live securely. Jerusalem will be called The Lord Our Righteousness.
17. “This what the Lord says: David will never fail to have a descendant sitting on the throne of Israel.
18. The Levitical priests will never fail to have a descendant in my presence to sacrifice burnt offerings, to burn grain offerings, and to prepare daily sacrifices.”