¶ At the same time (sayeth the LORD) shall I be the God of all the generations of Israel, and they shall be my people.
Thus sayeth the LORD: The people of Israel which escaped in the wilderness from the sword, found grace to come in to their rest.
Even so shall the LORD now also appear unto me from far, and say: I love thee with an everlasting love, therefore do I spread my mercy before thee.
I will repair thee again (O thou daughter of Israel) that thou mayest be fast and sure. Thou shalt take thy tabrets again, and go forth with them, that lead the dance.
Thou shalt plant vines again upon the hills of Samaria, and the grape gathers shall plant and sing.
And when it is time, the watchmen upon the mount of Ephraim shall cry: Arise, let us go up unto Sion to our LORD God,
for thus sayeth the LORD: Rejoice with gladness because of Iacob, cry unto the head of the Gentiles: speak out, sing, and say: the LORD shall deliver his people, the remnant of Israel, and make them whole.
Behold, I will bring them again from out of the north land, and gather them from the ends of the world, with the blind and lame that are among them, with the women that be great with child, and such as be also delivered: and the company of them that come again, shall be great.
They departed from hence in heaviness, but with joy will I bring them hither again. I will lead them by the rivers of water in a straight way, where they shall not stumble: For I will be Israel's father, and Ephraim shall be my firstborn.
¶ Hear the word of the LORD, O ye Gentiles, preach in the Isles, that lie far off, and say: He that hath scattered Israel, shall gather him together again, and shall keep him as a shepherd doth his flock.
For the LORD shall redeem Iacob, and rid him from the hand of the violent.
And they shall come, and rejoice upon the hill of Sion, and shall have plenteousness of goods, which the LORD shall give them: Namely, wheat, wine, oil, young sheep and calves. And their conscience shall be as a well watered garden, for they shall no more be hungry.
Then shall the maid rejoice in the dance, yea both young and old folks. For I will turn their sorrow into gladness, and will comfort them and make them joyful, even from their hearts.
I will pour plenteousness upon the hearts of the priests, and my people shall be satisfied with good things, sayeth the LORD.
Thus sayeth the LORD: The voice of heaviness, weeping and lamentation came up in to heaven: even of Rachel mourning for her children, and would not be comforted, because they were away.
But now sayeth the LORD: Leave off from weeping, and crying, withhold thine eyes from tears, for thy labour shall be rewarded, sayeth the LORD. And they shall come again out of the land of their enemies:
Yea even thy posterity shall have consolation in this (sayeth the LORD) that thy children shall come again into their own land.
¶ Moreover I heard Ephraim, that was led away captive, complain on this manner: O LORD, thou hast corrected me, and thy chastening have I received, as an untamed calf. Convert thou me, and I shall be converted, for thou art my LORD God.
Yea as soon as thou turnest me, I shall reform myself: and when I understand, I shall smite upon my thigh. For verily I have committed shameful things: O let my youth bear this reproof and confusion.
Upon this complaint, I thought thus by my self: Is not Ephraim my dear son? Is he not the child, with whom I have had all mirth and pastime? for since the time that I first communed with him, I have him ever in remembrance: therefore my very heart driveth me unto him, gladly and lovingly will I have mercy upon him, sayeth the LORD.
Get the watchman, provide teachers for thee: set thine heart upon the right way, that thou shouldest walk, and turn again (O thou daughter of Israel) turn again to these cities of thine.
How long wilt thou go astray, O thou shrinking daughter? For the LORD will work a new thing upon earth: A woman shall compass a man.
For thus sayeth the LORD of Hosts the God of Israel: It will come thereto, that when I have brought Iuda out of captivity, these words shall be heard in the land and in his cities: The LORD, which is the fair bridegroom of righteousness, make thee fruitful O thou holy hill:
And there shall dwell Iuda, and all her cities, the shepherds and husbandmen:
For I shall feed the hungry soul, and refresh all faint hearts.
When I hear this I came again to myself, and mused, like as I had been waked out of a sweet sleep.
¶ Behold (sayeth the LORD) the days come, that I will sow the house of Israel and the house of Iuda with men and with cattle.
Yea it shall come thereto, that like as I have gone about in times past to root them out, to scatter them, to break them down, to destroy them and chasten them: Even so will I also go diligently about, to build them up again, and to plant them, sayeth the LORD.
Then shall it no more be said: the fathers have eaten a sour grape, and the children's teeth are set on edge:
for every one shall die for his own misdeed, so that who so eateth a sower grape, his teeth shall be set on edge.
Behold, the days come (sayeth the LORD) that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Iudah:
not after the covenant that I made with their fathers, when I took them by the hand, and led them out of the land of Egypt: which covenant they brake, wherefore I punished them sore, sayeth the LORD:
But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, sayeth the LORD: I will plant my law in the inward parts of them, and write it in their hearts, and will be their God, and they shall be my people.
And from thence forth shall no man teach his neighbour or his brother, and say: Know the LORD: But they shall all know me, from the lowest unto the highest, sayeth the LORD. For I will forgive their misdeeds, and will never remember their sins any more.
¶ Thus sayeth the LORD which gave the sun to be a light for the day, and the moon and stars to shine in the night: which moveth the sea, so that the floods thereof wax fierce: his name is the LORD of Hosts.
Like as this ordinance shall never be taken out of my sight, sayeth the LORD: So shall the seed of Israel never cease, but all way be a people before me.
Moreover, thus sayeth the LORD: like as the heaven above can not be measured, and as the foundations of the earth beneath may not be sought out: So will I also not cast out the whole seed of Israel, for that they have committed, sayeth the LORD.
Behold, the days come sayeth the LORD, that the city of the LORD shall be enlarged from the tower of Hananeel, unto the gate of the corner wall.
From thence shall the right measure be taken before her unto the hill top of Gareb, and shall come about Gaath,
and the whole valley of the dead carcasses, and of the ashes, and all Ceremoth unto the brook of Cedron: and from thence unto the corner of the horse gate toward the East, whereas the Sanctuary of the LORD also shall be set. And when it is now builded, and set up of this fashion it shall never be broken, nor cast down any more.
Praise the Everlasting Lord for His Faithful Word.