Jeremiah

Moreover the word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah the second time, while he was yet shut up in the court of the prison, saying,

1The word of the LORD came to Jeremiah a second time, while he was still shut up in the courtyard of the guard.

2Thus saith the LORD the maker thereof, the LORD that formed it, to establish it; the LORD is his name;

2This is what the LORD says. He made the earth, shaped it, and set it firmly in place. The LORD is his name.

3Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.

3Call to me, and I will answer you. I will show you great and hidden things that you do not know.

4For thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning the houses of this city, and concerning the houses of the kings of Judah, which are thrown down by the mounts, and by the sword;

4This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says about the houses of this city and the palaces of Judah's kings. They were pulled down to make a defense against the enemy's siege ramps and swords.

5They come to fight with the Chaldeans, but it is to fill them with the dead bodies of men, whom I have slain in mine anger and in my fury, and for all whose wickedness I have hid my face from this city.

5The Babylonians are coming to fight. Those places will be filled with the bodies of men I strike down in my anger. I have turned my face away from this city because of all its evil.

NoteThe KJV says "Chaldeans." That was another name for the people of Babylon, whose army was attacking Jerusalem at this time.

6Behold, I will bring it health and cure, and I will cure them, and will reveal unto them the abundance of peace and truth.

6Even so, I will bring this city health and healing. I will heal its people and show them great peace and truth.

7And I will cause the captivity of Judah and the captivity of Israel to return, and will build them, as at the first.

7I will bring Judah and Israel back from captivity. I will build them up again, just as they were at first.

8And I will cleanse them from all their iniquity, whereby they have sinned against me; and I will pardon all their iniquities, whereby they have sinned, and whereby they have transgressed against me.

8I will wash them clean from all the wrong they did against me. I will forgive every sin and every act of rebellion against me.

9And it shall be to me a name of joy, a praise and an honour before all the nations of the earth, which shall hear all the good that I do unto them: and they shall fear and tremble for all the goodness and for all the prosperity that I procure unto it.

9Then this city will bring me joy, praise, and honor in front of all the nations on earth. They will hear about all the good I do for it. They will shake with awe at all the goodness and peace I give it.

10Thus saith the LORD; Again there shall be heard in this place, which ye say shall be desolate without man and without beast, even in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, that are desolate, without man, and without inhabitant, and without beast,

10This is what the LORD says. You say this place is a wasteland, with no people and no animals. But in the towns of Judah and the empty streets of Jerusalem, sounds will be heard again.

11The voice of joy, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride, the voice of them that shall say, Praise the LORD of hosts: for the LORD is good; for his mercy endureth for ever: and of them that shall bring the sacrifice of praise into the house of the LORD. For I will cause to return the captivity of the land, as at the first, saith the LORD.

11There will be sounds of joy and gladness, the voice of the groom and the voice of the bride. People will bring thank offerings into the LORD's house and say, "Give thanks to the LORD of Armies, for the LORD is good. His faithful love lasts forever." For I will bring the land back from captivity, as it was at first, says the LORD.

Note"The LORD of hosts" means the LORD who commands armies. It is a title for God, used often in this book.

12Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Again in this place, which is desolate without man and without beast, and in all the cities thereof, shall be an habitation of shepherds causing their flocks to lie down.

12This is what the LORD of Armies says. This place is now empty of people and animals. But here, and in all its towns, there will again be pastures where shepherds rest their flocks.

13In the cities of the mountains, in the cities of the vale, and in the cities of the south, and in the land of Benjamin, and in the places about Jerusalem, and in the cities of Judah, shall the flocks pass again under the hands of him that telleth them, saith the LORD.

13Again the flocks will pass under the hand of the one who counts them, says the LORD. This will happen in the hill towns, the western foothills, and the southern desert. It will happen in the land of Benjamin, around Jerusalem, and in the towns of Judah.

14Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will perform that good thing which I have promised unto the house of Israel and to the house of Judah.

14Look, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will keep the good promise I made to Israel and Judah.

15In those days, and at that time, will I cause the Branch of righteousness to grow up unto David; and he shall execute judgment and righteousness in the land.

15In those days and at that time, I will make a righteous Branch grow up from David's family. He will do what is just and right in the land.

16In those days shall Judah be saved, and Jerusalem shall dwell safely: and this is the name wherewith she shall be called, The LORD our righteousness.

16In those days Judah will be saved, and Jerusalem will live in safety. The city will be called by this name: The LORD Our Righteousness.

17For thus saith the LORD; David shall never want a man to sit upon the throne of the house of Israel;

17For this is what the LORD says: David will always have someone from his family to sit on the throne of Israel.

NoteIn 1611 English, "want" meant "lack." The verse says David will never lack a descendant on the throne, not that he will never desire one.

18Neither shall the priests the Levites want a man before me to offer burnt offerings, and to kindle meat offerings, and to do sacrifice continually.

18And the priests, who are Levites, will always have someone to stand before me. They will offer burnt offerings, burn grain offerings, and bring sacrifices day after day.

NoteA "meat offering" in the KJV is a grain offering, made of flour and oil. In 1611, "meat" meant food of any kind.

19And the word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah, saying,

19The word of the LORD came to Jeremiah:

20Thus saith the LORD; If ye can break my covenant of the day, and my covenant of the night, and that there should not be day and night in their season;

20This is what the LORD says. I made an agreement with the day and with the night, so each one comes at its set time. Suppose you could break that agreement.

21Then may also my covenant be broken with David my servant, that he should not have a son to reign upon his throne; and with the Levites the priests, my ministers.

21Then my agreement with my servant David could also be broken, so that no son of his would rule on his throne. The same would be true of my agreement with the Levite priests who serve me.

22As the host of heaven cannot be numbered, neither the sand of the sea measured: so will I multiply the seed of David my servant, and the Levites that minister unto me.

22The stars in the sky cannot be counted. The sand of the sea cannot be measured. In the same way, I will multiply the descendants of my servant David and the Levites who serve me.

23Moreover the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah, saying,

23The word of the LORD came to Jeremiah again:

24Considerest thou not what this people have spoken, saying, The two families which the LORD hath chosen, he hath even cast them off? thus they have despised my people, that they should be no more a nation before them.

24Have you noticed what these people are saying? "The LORD chose two families, and now he has thrown them away." So they look down on my people and no longer count them as a nation.

25Thus saith the LORD; If my covenant be not with day and night, and if I have not appointed the ordinances of heaven and earth;

25This is what the LORD says: I made my agreement with the day and the night. I set the fixed order of the heavens and the earth.

26Then will I cast away the seed of Jacob, and David my servant, so that I will not take any of his seed to be rulers over the seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob: for I will cause their captivity to return, and have mercy on them.

26Suppose that were not so. Then I would throw away the descendants of Jacob and of my servant David. I would not choose one of his family to rule the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. But I will bring them back from captivity and show them mercy.