1Moreover the word of Jehovah came unto Jeremiah the second time , while he was yet shut up in the court of the guard , saying , 2Thus saith Jehovah that doeth it , Jehovah that formeth it to establish it ; Jehovah is his name : 3Call unto me , and I will answer thee , and will show thee great things , and difficult , which thou knowest not . 4For thus saith Jehovah , the God of Israel , concerning the houses of this city , and concerning the houses of the kings of Judah , which are broken down to make a defence against the mounds and against the sword ; 5while men come to fight with the Chaldeans , and to fill them with the dead bodies of men , whom I have slain in mine anger and in my wrath , and for all whose wickedness I have hid my face from this city : 6Behold , I will bring it health and cure , and I will cure them ; and I will reveal unto them abundance of peace and truth.
The New Covenant and Righteous Branch
7And I will cause the captivity of Judah and the captivity of Israel to return , and will build them , as at the 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 against me , and whereby they have transgressed against me . 9And this city shall be to me for a name of joy , for a praise and for a glory , before all the nations of the earth, which shall hear all the good that I do unto them , and shall fear and tremble for all the good and for all the peace that I procure unto it . 10Thus saith Jehovah : Yet again there shall be heard in this place , whereof ye say, It is waste , 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, 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 say , Give thanks to Jehovah of hosts , for Jehovah is good , for his lovingkindness endureth for ever ; and of them that bring sacrifices of thanksgiving into the house of Jehovah . For I will cause the captivity of the land to return as at the first , saith Jehovah . 12Thus saith Jehovah of hosts : Yet again shall there be in this place , which is waste , without man and without beast, and in all the cities thereof , a habitation of shepherds causing their flocks to lie down . 13In the cities of the hill-country, in the cities of the lowland , 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 again pass under the hands of him that numbereth them , saith Jehovah . 14Behold , the days come , saith Jehovah , that I will perform that good word which I have spoken concerning the house of Israel and concerning the house of Judah . 15In those days , and at that time , will I cause a Branch of righteousness to grow up unto David ; and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. 16In those days shall Judah be saved , and Jerusalem shall dwell safely; and this is the name whereby she shall be called : Jehovah our righteousness .
The Eternal Nature of God's Covenant
17For thus saith Jehovah : David shall never want a man to sit upon the throne of the house of Israel ; 18neither shall the priests the Levites want a man before me to offer burnt-offerings, and to burn meal-offerings, and to do sacrifice continually . 19And the word of Jehovah came unto Jeremiah , saying , 20Thus saith Jehovah : If ye can break my covenant of the day , and my covenant of the night , so that there shall not be day and night in their season ; 21then may also my covenant be broken with David my servant , that he shall not have a son to reign upon his throne ; and with the Levites the priests , my ministers . 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 . 23And the word of Jehovah came to Jeremiah , saying , 24Considerest thou not what this people have spoken , saying , The two families which Jehovah did choose, he hath cast them off ? thus do they despise my people , that they should be no more a nation before them . 25Thus saith Jehovah : If my covenant of day and night stand not , if I have not appointed the ordinances of heaven and earth ; 26then will I also cast away the seed of Jacob , and of David my servant , so that I will not take of his seed to be rulers over the seed of Abraham , Isaac , and Jacob : for I will cause their captivity to return , and will have mercy on them .