Jeremiah 31:23-40

YAHWEH, the God of Israel, Commander of Angel Armies, says, “This blessing will once again be heard throughout Judah and its towns when I bring their captives home: “ ‘May YAHWEH bless the Holy Place where he lives, O holy mountain of Jerusalem!’ “People throughout Judah and her towns will live together in peace, both the farmers and shepherds with their flocks. For I will refresh the weary soul and satisfy all those who have given up on life.” At this, I awoke and realized that my sleep had been sweet to me. “Look, the days are coming,” YAHWEH declares, “when I will repopulate the land of Israel and Judah with both people and livestock. I have watched over them to uproot, to knock down, to overthrow, destroy, and bring calamity, so now, I will carefully watch over them as they start over again and rebuild. And I will help them grow,” declares YAHWEH. “In those days, people will no longer quote the proverb: ‘Children must pay the consequences of their fathers’ sins.’ “Rather, everyone who eats sour grapes will have a stomachache. Each one will be responsible for their own sins.” YAHWEH declares: “Look, the days are coming when I will enter into a brand-new covenant with the people of Israel and Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt. They broke that covenant even though I was their husband,” declares YAHWEH. “No, this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel when the time has come,” declares YAHWEH. “I will embed my law into the core of their being and write it on their hearts and minds. Then I will truly be their God, and they will truly be my people. None of them will have to teach their friends or family, saying, ‘Come and know YAHWEH intimately!’ No, from the least to the greatest, they will all know me intimately,” YAHWEH declares, “for I will remove their guilt and wipe their sin from my memory.” “I am YAHWEH All-Powerful. I declare to you: I order the sun to light up the day, the stars and moon to brighten the night. I stir the sea and make the ocean waves roar. My name is YAHWEH, Commander of Angel Armies. Just as this established order will not pass away, so I will never let Israel cease from being a nation. “I, YAHWEH, have spoken. It is impossible for you to measure the heavens above or to fathom the foundations of the earth below. In the same way, it is impossible for me to reject my people Israel, no matter what they have done,” declares YAHWEH. “Look, the days are coming when the people will rebuild Jerusalem for me,” declares YAHWEH. “They will rebuild it from the northeast Tower of Hananel to the northwest Corner Gate. And the measuring line will stretch out farther to the Gareb Hill, turning then to Goah. And the entire Hinnom Valley, with its bones and ashes, and all the fields as far as the brook Kidron, to the corner of the Horse Gate eastward, will be consecrated and sacred to YAHWEH. Jerusalem will never be overthrown or destroyed again.”

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