I will have compassion on you so that he in turn will have mercy on you and allow you to return to your land.’p>

I will make myself available to you,&#8217;<n id="1" /> says the <sc>Lordsc>.<n id="2" /> &#8216;Then I will reverse your plight<n id="3" /> and will regather you from all the nations and all the places where I have exiled you,&#8217; says the <sc>Lordsc>.<n id="4" /> &#8216;I will bring you back to the place from which I exiled you.&#8217;p>

<p class="bodytext">&#8220;Come back to me, my wayward sons,&#8221; says the <sc>Lordsc>, &#8220;for I am your true master.<n id="1" /> If you do,<n id="2" /> I will take one of you from each town and two of you from each family group, and I will bring you back to Zion.

So<n id="1" /> I will carry you far off<n id="2" /> and throw you away. I will send both you and the city I gave to you and to your ancestors out of my sight.<n id="3" />

Do not listen to them,<n id="1" /> because their prophecies are lies.<n id="2" /> Listening to them will only cause you<n id="3" /> to be taken far away from your native land. I will drive you out of your country and you will die in exile.<n id="4" />

I will give you leaders<n id="1" /> who will be faithful to me.<n id="2" /> They will lead you with knowledge and insight.

Do not be afraid of the king of Babylon whom you now fear.<n id="1" /> Do not be afraid of him because I will be with you to save you and to rescue you from his power. I, the <sc>Lordsc>, affirm it!<n id="2" />

<t /><p class="poetry">&#8220;So, once more I will state my case<n id="1" /> against you,&#8221; says the <sc>Lordsc>.p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;I will also state it against your children and grandchildren.<n id="2" />p>

<p class="bodytext">Yet even then<n id="1" /> I will not completely destroy you,&#8221; says the <sc>Lordsc>.

If you stop doing these things,<n id="1" /> I will allow you to continue to live in this land<n id="2" /> which I gave to your ancestors as a lasting possession.<n id="3" />p>

In anger, in fury, and in wrath I myself will fight against you with my mighty power and great strength!<n id="1" />

King Zedekiah said to them, &#8220;Very well, you can do what you want with him.<n id="1" /> For I cannot do anything to stop you.&#8221;<n id="2" />

<p class="bodytext">&#8220;For the <sc>Lordsc> says, &#8216;Only when the seventy years of Babylonian rule<n id="1" /> are over will I again take up consideration for you.<n id="2" /> Then I will fulfill my gracious promise to you and restore<n id="3" /> you to your homeland.<n id="4" />

&#8216;If you will just stay<n id="1" /> in this land, I will build you up. I will not tear you down. I will firmly plant you.<n id="2" /> I will not uproot you. For I am filled with sorrow because of the disaster that I have brought on you.

<p class="poetry">I brought you<n id="1" /> into a fertile landp> <p class="poetry">so you could enjoy<n id="2" /> its fruits and its rich bounty.p> <p class="poetry">But when you entered my land, you defiled it;<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">you made the land I call my own<n id="4" /> loathsome to me.p>

The <sc>Lordsc> God of Israel who rules over all<n id="1" /> says: Change the way you have been living and do what is right.<n id="2" /> If you do, I will allow you to continue to live in this land.<n id="3" />

And I will drive you out of my sight just like I drove out your relatives, the people of Israel.&#8217;&#8221;<n id="1" />p>

<p class="bodytext">The <sc>Lordsc> says,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;Yes indeed,<n id="2" /> I am sending an enemy against youp> <p class="poetry">that will be like poisonous snakes which cannot be charmed away.<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">And they will inflict fatal wounds on you.&#8221;<n id="4" />p>

For I, the <sc>Lordsc>, affirm<n id="1" /> that I did not send them. They are prophesying lies to you. If you<n id="2" /> listen to them, I will drive you and the prophets who are prophesying lies out of the land and you will all die in exile.&#8221;<n id="3" />p>

Work to see that the city where I sent you as exiles enjoys peace and prosperity. Pray to the <sc>Lordsc> for it. For as it prospers you will prosper.&#8217;p>