There is no reason why you and your people should die in war<n id="1" /> or from starvation or disease!<n id="2" /> That&#8217;s what the <sc>Lordsc> says will happen to any nation<n id="3" /> that will not be subject to the king of Babylon.

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>

For the <sc>Lordsc> who rules over all<n id="1" /> has already spoken about the two bronze pillars,<n id="2" /> the large bronze basin called &#8216;The Sea,&#8217;<n id="3" /> and the movable bronze stands.<n id="4" /> He has already spoken about the rest of the valuable articles that are left in this city.

He has said, &#8216;They will be carried off to Babylon. They will remain there until it is time for me to show consideration for them again.<n id="1" /> Then I will bring them back and restore them to this place.&#8217; I, the <sc>Lordsc>, affirm this!&#8221;<n id="2" />p>

<p class="bodytext">Then the prophet Jeremiah responded to the prophet Hananiah in the presence of the priests and all the people who were standing in the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s temple.

So if a prophet prophesied<n id="1" /> peace and prosperity, it was only known that the <sc>Lordsc> truly sent him when what he prophesied came true.&#8221;p>

<p class="bodytext">But shortly after the prophet Hananiah had broken the yoke off the prophet Jeremiah&#8217;s neck, the <sc>Lordsc> spoke to Jeremiah.

&#8220;Go and tell Hananiah that the <sc>Lordsc> says,<n id="1" /> &#8216;You have indeed broken the wooden yoke. But you have<n id="2" /> only succeeded in replacing it with an iron one!<n id="3" />

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>

And all the exiles of Judah who are in Babylon will use them as examples when they put a curse on anyone. They will say, &#8220;May the <sc>Lordsc> treat you like Zedekiah and Ahab whom the king of Babylon roasted to death in the fire!&#8221;<n id="1" />

&#8220;The <sc>Lordsc> God of Israel says,<n id="1" /> &#8216;Write everything that I am about to tell you in a scroll.<n id="2" />

<p class="poetry">When the time for them to be rescued comes,&#8221;<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">says the <sc>Lordsc> who rules over all,<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;I will rescue you from foreign subjugation.<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">I will deliver you from captivity.<n id="4" />p> <p class="poetry">Foreigners will then no longer subjugate them.p>

<p class="poetry">Yes,<n id="1" /> I will restore you to health.p> <p class="poetry">I will heal your wounds.p> <p class="poetry">I, the <sc>Lordsc>, affirm it!<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">For you have been called an outcast,p> <p class="poetry">Zion, whom no one cares for.&#8221;p>

<t /><p class="bodytext">The <sc>Lordsc> says,p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;I will restore the ruined houses of the descendants of Jacob.p> <p class="poetry">I will show compassion on their ruined homes.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">Every city will be rebuilt on its former ruins.<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">Every fortified dwelling will occupy its traditional site.<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">The anger of the <sc>Lordsc> will not turn backp> <p class="poetry">until he has fully carried out his intended purposes.p> <p class="poetry">In days to come you will come to understand this.<n id="1" />p>

<p class="poetry">At that time I will be the God of all the clans of Israel<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">and they will be my people.p> <p class="poetry">I, the <sc>Lordsc>, affirm it!&#8221;<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">Yes, a time is comingp> <p class="poetry">when watchmen<n id="1" /> will call out on the mountains of Ephraim,p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;Come! Let us go to Zionp> <p class="poetry">to worship the <sc>Lordsc> our God!&#8221;&#8217;&#8221;<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">Hear what the <sc>Lordsc> has to say, O nations.p> <p class="poetry">Proclaim it in the faraway lands along the sea.p> <p class="poetry">Say, &#8220;The one who scattered Israel will regather them.p> <p class="poetry">He will watch over his people like a shepherd watches over his flock.&#8221;p>

<p class="poetry">I have indeed<n id="1" /> heard the people of Israel<n id="2" /> say mournfully,p> <p class="poetry">&#8216;We were like a calf untrained to the yoke.<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">You disciplined us and we learned from it.<n id="4" />p> <p class="poetry">Let us come back to you and we will do so,<n id="5" />p> <p class="poetry">for you are the <sc>Lordsc> our God.p>

<p class="poetry">How long will you vacillate,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">you who were once like an unfaithful daughter?<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">For I, the <sc>Lordsc>, promise<n id="3" /> to bring about something new<n id="4" /> on the earth,p> <p class="poetry">something as unique as a woman protecting a man!&#8217;&#8221;<n id="5" />p>