<p class="poetry">&#8220;I, the <sc>Lordsc>, promise<n id="1" /> that a new time will certainly come<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">when I will raise up for them a righteous branch,<n id="3" /> a descendant of David.p> <p class="poetry">He will rule over them with wisdom and understanding<n id="4" />p> <p class="poetry">and will do what is just and right in the land.<n id="5" />p>

<p class="bodytext">&#8220;So I, the <sc>Lordsc>, say:<n id="1" /> &#8216;A new time will certainly come.<n id="2" /> People now affirm their oaths with &#8220;I swear as surely as the <sc>Lordsc> lives who delivered the people of Israel out of Egypt.&#8221;

<p class="poetry">So the paths they follow will be dark and slippery.p> <p class="poetry">They will stumble and fall headlong.p> <p class="poetry">For I will bring disaster on them.p> <p class="poetry">A day of reckoning is coming for them.&#8221;<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">The <sc>Lordsc> affirms it!<n id="2" />p>

Let the prophet who has had a dream go ahead and tell his dream. Let the person who has received my message report that message faithfully. What is like straw cannot compare to what is like grain!<n id="1" /> I, the <sc>Lordsc>, affirm it!<n id="2" />

<p class="poetry">The sounds of battle<n id="1" /> will resound to the ends of the earth.p> <p class="poetry">For the <sc>Lordsc> will bring charges against the nations.<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">He will pass judgment on all humankindp> <p class="poetry">and will hand the wicked over to be killed in war.&#8217;<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">The <sc>Lordsc> so affirms it!<n id="4" />p>

Things will go better for the nation that submits to the yoke of servitude to<n id="1" /> the king of Babylon and is subject to him. I will leave that nation<n id="2" /> in its native land. Its people can continue to farm it and live in it. I, the <sc>Lordsc>, affirm it!&#8221;&#8217;&#8221;<n id="3" />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>

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="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>

<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">The <sc>Lordsc> says to her,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;Stop crying! Do not shed any more tears!<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">For your heartfelt repentance<n id="3" /> will be rewarded.p> <p class="poetry">Your children will return from the land of the enemy.p> <p class="poetry">I, the <sc>Lordsc>, affirm it!<n id="4" />p>

<t /><p class="bodytext">&#8220;Indeed, a time is coming,&#8221;<n id="1" /> says the <sc>Lordsc>,<n id="2" /> &#8220;when I will cause people and animals to sprout up in the lands of Israel and Judah.<n id="3" />

In the past I saw to it that they were uprooted and torn down, that they were destroyed and demolished. But now I will see to it that they are built up and firmly planted.<n id="1" /> I, the <sc>Lordsc>, affirm it!&#8221;<n id="2" />p>

<p class="bodytext">&#8220;Indeed, a time is coming,&#8221; says the <sc>Lordsc>,<n id="1" /> &#8220;when I will make a new covenant<n id="2" /> with the people of Israel and Judah.<n id="3" />

<p class="poetry">The <sc>Lordsc> affirms,<n id="1" /> &#8220;The descendants of Israel will notp> <p class="poetry">cease forever to be a nation in my sight.p> <p class="poetry">That could only happen if the fixed ordering of the heavenly lightsp> <p class="poetry">were to cease to operate before me.&#8221;<n id="2" />p>

Zedekiah will be carried off to Babylon and will remain there until I have fully dealt with him.<n id="1" /> I, the <sc>Lordsc>, affirm it!<n id="2" /> Even if you<n id="3" /> continue to fight against the Babylonians,<n id="4" /> you cannot win.&#8217;&#8221;p>

<t /><p class="bodytext">&#8220;I, the <sc>Lordsc>, affirm:<n id="1" /> &#8216;The time will certainly come when I will fulfill my gracious promise concerning the nations of Israel and Judah.<n id="2" />

But I will rescue you when it happens.<n id="1" /> I, the <sc>Lordsc>, affirm it!<n id="2" /> You will not be handed over to those whom you fear.<n id="3" />

I will certainly save you. You will not fall victim to violence.<n id="1" /> You will escape with your life<n id="2" /> because you trust in me. I, the <sc>Lordsc>, affirm it!&#8221;&#8217;&#8221;<n id="3" />p>