by Septuagint
[7] For thus saith the Lord to Jacob; Rejoice ye, and exult over the head of the nations: make proclamation, and praise ye: say, The Lord has delivered his people, the remnant of Israel. [8] Behold, I bring them from the north, and will gather them from the end of the earth to the feast of the passover: and the people shall beget a great multitude, and they shall return hither. [9] They went forth with weeping, and I will bring them back with consolation, causing them to lodge by the channels of waters in a straight way, and they shall not err in it: for I am become a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my first-born.
[10] Hear the words of the Lord, ye nations, and proclaim them to the islands afar off; say, He that scattered Israel will also gather him, and keep him as one that feeds his flock. [11] For the Lord has ransomed Jacob, he has rescued him out of the hand of them that were stronger than he. [12] And they shall come, and shall rejoice in the mount of Sion, and shall come to the good things of the Lord, even to a land of corn, and wine, and fruits, and cattle, and sheep: and their soul shall be as a fruitful tree; and they shall hunger no more. [13] Then shall the virgins rejoice in the assembly of youth, and the old men shall rejoice; and I will turn their mourning into joy, and will make them merry. [14] I will expand and cheer with wine the soul of the priests the sons of Levi, and my people shall be satisfied with my good things: thus saith the Lord.
[15] A voice was heard in Rama, of lamentation, and of weeping, and wailing; Rachel would not cease weeping for her children, because they are not.
[16] Thus saith the Lord; Let thy voice cease from weeping, and thine eyes from thy tears: for their is a reward for thy works; and they shall return from the land of thine enemies. [17] There shall be an abiding home for thy children.
[18] I have heard the sound of Ephraim lamenting, and saying, Thou hast chastened me, and I was chastened; I as a calf was not willingly taught: turn thou me, and I shall turn; for thou art the Lord my God. [19] For after my captivity I repented; and after I knew, I groaned for the day of shame, and shewed thee that I bore reproach from my youth. [20] Ephraim is a beloved son, a pleasing child to me: for because my words are in him, I will surely remember him: therefore I made haste to help him; I will surely have mercy upon him, saith the Lord.
[21] Prepare thyself, O Sion; execute vengeance; look to thy ways: return, O virgin of Israel, by the way by which thou wentest, return mourning to thy cities. [22] How long, O disgraced daughter, wilt thou turn away? for the Lord has created safety for a new plantation: men shall go about in safety.
[23] For thus saith the Lord; They shall yet speak this word in the land of Juda, and in the cities thereof, when I shall turn his captivity; blessed be the Lord on his righteous holy mountain! [24] And there shall be dwellers in the cities of Juda, and in all his land, together with the husbandman, and the shepherd shall go forth with the flock. [25] For I have saturated every thirsting soul, and filled every hungry soul. [26] Therefore I awake, and beheld; and my sleep was sweet to me.
[27] Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will sow the house of Israel and the house of Juda with the seed of man, and the seed of beast. [28] And it shall come to pass, that as I watched over them, to pull down, and to afflict, so will I watch over them, to build, and to plant, saith the Lord. [29] In those days they shall certainly not say, The fathers ate a sour grape, and the children’s teeth were set on edge. [30] But every one shall die in his own sin; and the teeth of him that eats the sour grape shall be set on edge.
[31] Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Juda: [32] not according to the covenant which I made with their fathers in the day when I took hold of their hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; for they abode not in my covenant, and I disregarded them, saith the Lord. [33] For this is my covenant which I will make with the house of Israel; after those days, saith the Lord, I will surely put my laws into their mind, and write them on their hearts; and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people. [34] And they shall not at all teach every one his fellow citizen, and every one his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least of them to the greatest of them: for I will be merciful to their iniquities, and their sins I will remember no more. [35] Thus saith the Lord, who gives the sun for a light by day, the moon and the stars for a light by night, and makes a roaring in the sea, so that the waves thereof roar; the Lord Almighty is his name: [36] if these ordinances cease from before me, saith the Lord, then shall the family of Israel cease to be a nation before me forever.
[37] Though the sky should be raised to a greater height, saith the Lord, and though the ground of the earth should be sunk lower beneath, yet I will not cast off the family of Israel, saith the Lord, for all that they have done.
[38] Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when the city shall be built to the Lord from the tower of Anameel to the gate of the corner. [39] And the measurement of it shall proceed in front of them as far as the hills of Gareb, and it shall be compassed with a circular wall of choice stones. [40] And all the Asaremoth even to Nachal Kedron, as far as the corner of the horse-gate eastward, shall be holiness to the Lord; and it shall not fail any more, and shall not be destroyed for ever.
Chapter 39
[1] The word that came from the Lord to Jeremiah in the tenth year of king Sedekias, this is the eighteenth year of king Nabuchodonosor king of Babylon.
[2] And the host of the king of Babylon had made a rampart against Jerusalem: and Jeremiah was kept in the court of the prison, which is in the king’s house; [3] in which king Sedekias had shut him up, saying, Wherefore dost thou prophesy, saying, Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will give this city into the hands of the king of Babylon, and he shall take it; [4] and Sedekias shall by no means be delivered out of the hand of the Chaldeans, for he shall certainly be given up into the hands of the king of Babylon, and his mouth shall speak to his mouth, and his eyes shall look upon his eyes; [5] and Sedekias shall go into Babylon, and dwell there?
[6] AND THE WORD OF THE LORD CAME TO JEREMIAS, SAYING, [7] Behold, Anameel the son of Salom thy father’s brother is coming to thee, saying, Buy thee my field that is in Anathoth: for thou hast the right to take it as a purchase.
[8] So Anameel the son of Salom my father’s brother came to me into the court of the prison, and said, Buy thee my field that is in the land of Benjamin, in Anathoth: for thou hast a right to buy it, and thou art the elder. So I knew that it was the word of the Lord. [9] And I bought the field of Anameel the son of my father’s brother, and I weighed him seventeen shekels of silver. [10] And I wrote it in a book, and sealed it, and took the testimony of witnesses, and weighed the money in the balance. [11] And I took the book of the purchase that was sealed; [12] and I gave it to Baruch son of Nerias, son of Maasaeas, in the sight of Anameel my father’s brother’s son, and in the sight of the men that stood by and wrote in the book of the purchase, and in the sight of the Jews that were in the court of the prison. [13] And I charged Baruch in their presence, saying, Thus saith the Lord Almighty; [14] Take this book of the purchase, and the book that has been read; and thou shalt put it into an earthen vessel, that it may remain many days. [15] For thus saith the Lord; There shall yet be bought fields and houses and vineyards in this land.
[16] And I prayed to the Lord after I had given the book of the purchase to Baruch the son of Nerias, saying,
[17] O ever living Lord! thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power, and with thy high and lofty arm: nothing can be hidden from thee. [18] Granting mercy to thousands, and recompensing the sins of the fathers into the bosoms of their children after them: the great, the strong God; [19] the Lord of great counsel, and mighty in deeds, the great Almighty God, and Lord of great name: thine eyes are upon the ways of the children of men, to give to every one according to his way: [20] who hast wrought signs and wonders in the land of Egypt even to this day, and in Israel, and among the inhabitants of the earth;
and thou didst make for thyself a name, as at this day; [21] and thou didst bring out thy people Israel out of the land of Egypt with signs, and with wonders, with a mighty hand, and with a high arm, and with great sights; [22] and thou gavest them this land, which thou didst swear to give to their fathers, a land flowing with milk and honey; [23] and they went in, and took it; but they hearkened not to thy voice, and walked not in thine ordinances; they did none of the things which thou didst command them, and they caused all these calamities to happen to them. [24] Behold, a multitude is come against the city to take it; and the city is given into the hands of the Chaldeans that fight against it, by the power of the sword, and the famine: as thou hast spoken, so has it happened. [25] And thou sayest to me, Buy thee the field for money; and I wrote a book, and sealed it, and took the testimony of witnesses: and the city is given into the hands of the Chaldeans.
[26] And the word of the Lord came to me, saying,
[27] I am the Lord, the God of all flesh: shall anything be hidden from me! [28] Therefore thus saith the Lord God of Israel; This city shall certainly be delivered into the hands of the king of Babylon, and he shall take it: [29] and the Chaldeans shall come to war against this city, and they shall burn this city with fire, and shall burn down the houses wherein they burnt incense on the roofs thereof to Baal, and poured drink-offerings to other gods, to provoke me. [30] For the children of Israel and the children of Juda alone did evil in my sight from their youth. [31] For this city was obnoxious to my anger and my wrath, from the day that they built it even to this day; that I should remove it from my presence, [32] because of all the wickedness of the children of Israel and Juda, which they wrought to provoke me, they and their kings, and their princes, and their priests, and their prophets, the men of Juda, and the dwellers in Jerusalem. [33] And they turned the back to me, and not the face: whereas I taught them early in the morning, but they hearkened no more to receive instructions. [34] And they set their pollutions in the house, on which my name was called, by their uncleannesses. [35] And they built to Baal the altars that are in the valley of the son of Ennom, to offer their sons and their daughters to king Moloch; which things I commanded them not, neither came it into my mind that they should do this abomination, to cause Juda to sin.
[36] And now thus has the Lord God of Israel said concerning this city, of which thou sayest, it shall be delivered into the hands of the king of Babylon by the sword, and by famine, and banishment. [37] Behold, I will gather them out of every land, where I have scattered them in my anger, and my wrath, and great fury; and I will bring them back into this place, and will cause them to dwell safely: [38] and they shall be to me a people, and I will be to them a god. [39] And I will give them another way, and another heart, to fear me continually, and that for good to them and their children after them. [40] And I will make with them an everlasting covenant, which I will by no means turn away from them, and I will put my fear into their heart, that they may not depart from me. [41] And I will visit them to do them good, and I will plant them in this land in faithfulness, and with all my heart, and with all my soul.
[42] For thus saith the Lord; As I have brought upon this people all these great evils, so will I bring upon them all the good things which I pronounced upon them. [43] And there shall yet be fields bought in the land, of which thou sayest, it shall be destitute of man and beast; and they are delivered into the hands of the Chaldeans. [44] And they shall buy fields for money, and thou shalt write a book, and seal it, and shalt take the testimony of witnesses in the land of Benjamin, and round about Jerusalem, and in the cities of Juda, and in the cities of the mountain, and in the cities of the plain, and in the cities of the south: for I will turn their captivity.
Chapter 40
[1] And the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah the second time, when he was yet bound in the court of the prison, saying,
[2] Thus saith the Lord, who made the earth and formed it, to establish it; the Lord is his name; [3] Cry to me, and I will answer thee, and I will declare to thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not. [4] For thus saith the Lord concerning the houses of this city, and concerning the houses of the king of Juda, which have been pulled down for mounds and fortifications, [5] to fight against the Chaldeans, and to fill it with the corpses of men, whom I smote in mine anger and my wrath, and turned away my face from them, for all their wickedness: [6] Behold, I bring upon her healing and cure, and I will show myself to them, and will heal her, and make both peace and security.
[7] And I will turn the captivity of Juda, and the captivity of Israel, and will build them, even as before. [8] And I will cleanse them from all their iniquities, whereby they have sinned against me, and will not remember their sins, whereby they have sinned against me, and revolted from me. [9] And it shall be for joy and praise, and for glory to all the people of the earth, who shall hear all the good that I will do: and they shall fear and be provoked for all the good things and for all the peace which I will bring upon them.
[10] Thus saith the Lord; There shall yet be heard in this place, of which ye say, it is destitute of men and cattle, in the cities of Juda, and in the streets of Jerusalem, the places that have been made desolate for want of men and cattle, [11] the voice of gladness, and the voice of joy, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride, the voice of men saying, Give thanks to the Lord Almighty: for the Lord is good; for his mercy endures fore ever: and they shall bring gifts into the house of the Lord; for I will turn all the captivity of that land as before, said the Lord. [12] Thus saith the Lord of hosts; There shall yet be in this place, that is desert for want of man and beast, in all the cities thereof, resting-places for shepherds causing their flocks to lie down. [13] In the cities of the hill country, and in the cities of the valley, and in the cities of the south, and in the land of Benjamin, and in the cities round about Jerusalem, and in the cities of Juda, flocks shall yet pass under the hand of him that numbers them, saith the Lord.
Chapter 41
[1] The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord (now Nabuchodonosor king of Babylon, and all his army, and all the country of his dominion, were warring against Jerusalem, and against all the cities of Juda,) saying,
[2] Thus has the Lord said; Go to Sedekias king of Juda, and thou shalt say to him, Thus has the Lord said, This city shall certainly be delivered into the hands of the king of Babylon, and he shall take it, and shall burn it with fire: [3] and thou shalt not escape out of his hand, but shalt certainly be taken, and shalt be given into his hands; and thine eyes shall see his eyes, and thou shalt enter into Babylon.
[4] But hear the word of the Lord, O Sedekias king of Juda; Thus saith the Lord, [5] Thou shalt die in peace: and as they wept for thy fathers that reigned before thee, they shall weep also for thee, saying, Ah lord! and they shall lament for thee down to the grave: for I have spoken the word, said the Lord.
[6] And Jeremiah spoke to king Sedekias all these words in Jerusalem. [7] And the host of the king of Babylon warred against Jerusalem, and against the cities of Juda, and against Lachis, and against Azeca: for these strong cities were left among the cities of Juda.
[8] The word that came from the Lord to Jeremiah, after king Sedekias had concluded a covenant with the people, to proclaim a release; [9] That every one should set at liberty his servant, and every one has handmaid, the Hebrew man and Hebrew woman, that no man of Juda should be a bondman. [10] Then all the nobles, and all the people who had entered into the covenant, engaging to set free every one his man-servant, and every one his maid, turned, [11] and gave them over to be men-servants and maid-servants.
[12] And the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah, saying, [13] Thus saith the Lord; I made a covenant with your fathers in the day wherein I took them out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage, saying, [14] When six years are accomplished, thou shalt set free thy brother the Hebrew, who shall be sold to thee: for he shall serve thee six years, and then thou shalt let him go free: but they hearkened not to me,
and inclined not their ear. [15] And this day they turned to do that which was right in my sight, to proclaim every one the release of his neighbour; and they had concluded a covenant before me, in the house whereon my name is called. [16] But ye turned and profaned my name, to bring back every one his servant, and every one his handmaid, whom ye had sent forth free and at their own disposal, to be to you men-servants and maid-servants.
[17] Therefore thus said the Lord; Ye have not hearkened to me, to proclaim a release every one to his neighbour: behold, I proclaim a release to you, to the sword, and to the pestilence, and to the famine; and I will give you up to dispersion among all the kingdoms of the earth. [18] And I will give the men that have transgressed my covenant, who have not kept my covenant, which they made before me, the calf which they prepared to sacrifice with it, [19] the princes of Juda, and the men in power, and the priests, and the people; [20] I will even give them to their enemies, and their carcases shall be food for the birds of the sky and for the wild beasts of the earth. [21] And I will give Sedekias king of Judea, and their princes, into the hands of their enemies, and the host of the king of Babylon shall come upon them that run away from them. [22] Behold, I will give command, saith the Lord, and will bring them back to this land; and they shall fight against it, and take it, and burn it with fire, and the cities of Juda; and I will make them desolate without inhabitants.