Jeremiah 33:3-13

‘Judah, pray to me, and I will answer you. I will tell you important secrets you have never heard before.’ This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says about the houses in Jerusalem and the royal palaces of Judah that have been torn down to be used in defense of the attack by the Babylonian army: ‘Some people will come to fight against the Babylonians. They will fill these houses with the bodies of people I killed in my hot anger. I have turned away from this city because of all the evil its people have done. “ ‘But then I will bring health and healing to the people there. I will heal them and let them enjoy great peace and safety. I will bring Judah and Israel back from captivity and make them strong countries as in the past. They sinned against me, but I will wash away that sin. They did evil and turned away from me, but I will forgive them. Then “Jerusalem” will be to me a name that brings joy! And people from all nations of the earth will praise it when they hear about the good things I am doing there. They will be surprised and shocked at all the good things and the peace I will bring to Jerusalem.’ “You are saying, ‘Our country is an empty desert, without people or animals.’ But this is what the LORD says: It is now quiet in the streets of Jerusalem and in the towns of Judah, without people or animals, but it will be noisy there soon! There will be sounds of joy and gladness and the happy sounds of brides and bridegrooms. There will be the sounds of people bringing to the Temple of the LORD their offerings of thanks to the LORD. They will say, ‘Praise the LORD All-Powerful, because the LORD is good! His love continues forever!’ They will say this because I will again do good things for Judah, as I did in the beginning,” says the LORD. This is what the LORD All-Powerful says: “This place is empty now, without people or animals. But there will be shepherds in all the towns of Judah and pastures where they let their flocks rest. Shepherds will again count their sheep as the sheep walk in front of them. They will count them in the mountains and in the western hills, in southern Judah and the land of Benjamin, and around Jerusalem and the other towns of Judah!” says the LORD.