14. You became friends with many nations, but those nations don’t care about you. Your ‘friends’ have forgotten you. I hurt you like an enemy. I punished you very hard. I did this because of your great guilt. I did this because of your many sins.
15. Israel and Judah, why are you still crying about your wound? There is no cure for it. I did this to you because of your great guilt. I did this because of your many sins.
16. Those nations destroyed you, but now they have been destroyed. Israel and Judah, your enemies will become captives. They stole things from you, but others will steal from them. They took things from you in war, but others will take things from them in war.
17. And I will bring your health back and heal your wounds,” says the Lord, “because other people said you were outcasts. They said, ‘No one cares about Zion.’”
18. This is what the Lord says: “Jacob’s people are now in captivity, but they will come back. And I will have pity on Jacob’s houses. The city is now only an empty hill covered with ruined buildings, but the city will be rebuilt on its hill. And the king’s palace will be rebuilt where it should be.
19. People in those places will sing songs of praise, and there will be the sound of laughter. I will give them many children. Israel and Judah will not be small. I will bring honor to them. No one will look down on them.
20. Jacob’s family will be like the family of Israel long ago. I will make Israel and Judah strong, and I will punish those who hurt them.”
21. The Lord says, “One of their own people will lead them. That ruler will come from my people. People can come close to me only if I ask them to. So I will ask that leader to come to me, and he will be close to me.
22. You will be my people, and I will be your God.”
23. The Lord was very angry! He punished the people. The punishment came like a storm. It came like a tornado against those wicked people.