15. The Lord says,“A sound is heard in Ramah,a sound of crying in bitter grief.It is the sound of Rachel weeping for her childrenand refusing to be comforted, because her children are gone.”
16. The Lord says to her,“Stop crying! Do not shed any more tears!For your heartfelt repentance will be rewarded.Your children will return from the land of the enemy.I, the Lord, affirm it!
17. Indeed, there is hope for your posterity.Your children will return to their own territory.I, the Lord, affirm it!
18. I have indeed heard the people of Israel say mournfully,‘We were like a calf untrained to the yoke.You disciplined us and we learned from it.Let us come back to you and we will do so,for you are the Lord our God.
19. For after we turned away from you we repented.After we came to our senses we beat our breasts in sorrow.We are ashamed and humiliatedbecause of the disgraceful things we did previously.’
20. Indeed, the people of Israel are my dear children.They are the children I take delight in.For even though I must often rebuke them,I still remember them with fondness.So I am deeply moved with pity for themand will surely have compassion on them.I, the Lord, affirm it!
21. I will say, ‘My dear children of Israel, keep in mindthe road you took when you were carried off.Mark off in your minds the landmarks.Make a mental note of telltale signs marking the way back.Return, my dear children of Israel.Return to these cities of yours.
22. How long will you vacillate,you who were once like an unfaithful daughter?For I, the Lord, promise to bring about something new on the earth,something as unique as a woman protecting a man!’”
23. The Lord God of Israel who rules over all says, “I will restore the people of Judah to their land and to their towns.When I do, they will again say of Jerusalem, ‘May the Lord bless you, you holy mountain,the place where righteousness dwells.’
24. The land of Judah will be inhabited by people who live in its townsas well as by farmers and shepherds with their flocks.
25. I will fully satisfy the needs of those who are wearyand fully refresh the souls of those who are faint.
26. Then they will say, ‘Under these conditions I can enjoy sweet sleepwhen I wake up and look around.’”
27. “Indeed, a time is coming,” says the Lord, “when I will cause people and animals to sprout up in the lands of Israel and Judah.
28. In the past I saw to it that they were uprooted and torn down, that they were destroyed and demolished. But now I will see to it that they are built up and firmly planted. I, the Lord, affirm it!”
29. “When that time comes, people will no longer say, ‘The parents have eaten sour grapes, but the children’s teeth have grown numb.’