Study Desk

This is what the Lord said, "At that time I will be the God of all the tribes of Israel. And they will be my people."

They will come back crying, but I will lead them and comfort them. I will lead them by streams of water. I will lead them on an easy road, where they will not stumble. I will lead them in that way because I am Israel's father. And Ephraim is my firstborn son.

The people of Israel will come to the top of Zion, and they will shout with joy. Their faces will shine with happiness about the good things the Lord gives them. He will give them grain, new wine, olive oil, young sheep and cattle. They will be like a garden that has plenty of water. And the people of Israel will not be troubled anymore.

It will not be like the agreement I made with their ancestors. I made that agreement when I took them by the hand and brought them out of Egypt. I was their master, but they broke that agreement." This message is from the Lord .

"In the future I will make this agreement with the people of Israel." This message is from the Lord . "I will put my teachings in their minds, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.

People will not have to teach their neighbors and relatives to know the Lord , because all people, from the least important to the most important, will know me." This message is from the Lord . "I will forgive them for the evil things they did. I will not remember their sins."

The Lord says, "I will never reject the descendants of Israel. That would happen only if people could measure the sky above, and learn all the secrets of the earth below. Only then would I reject them for the bad things they have done." This message is from the Lord .

I gave the deed to Baruch son of Neriah, the son of Mahseiah. I did this while my cousin Hanamel and the other witnesses were there. They also signed the deed. There were also many people of Judah sitting in the courtyard who saw me give the deed to Baruch.

You plan and do great things. You see everything that people do. You give a reward to those who do good things, and you punish those who do bad things—you give them what they deserve.

They came into this land and took it for their own. But they didn't obey you. They didn't follow your teachings or do what you commanded. So you made all these terrible things happen to them.

"And now the enemy has surrounded the city. They are building ramps so that they can get over the walls of Jerusalem and capture it. Because of war, hunger, and disease, the city of Jerusalem will fall to the Babylonian army. The Babylonians are attacking the city now. You said this would happen, and now you see it is happening.

The Babylonian army is already attacking the city of Jerusalem. They will soon enter the city and start a fire. They will burn down this city. There are houses in this city where the people of Jerusalem made me angry by offering sacrifices to the false god Baal on the housetops. And they poured out drink offerings to other idol gods. The Babylonian army will burn down those houses.

I have watched the people of Israel and the people of Judah. Everything they do is evil. They have done evil things since they were young. The people of Israel have made me very angry because they worship idols that they made with their own hands." This message is from the Lord .

"They should have come to me for help, but they turned their backs to me. I tried to teach them again and again, but they would not listen to me. I tried to correct them, but they would not listen.

They have made their idols, and I hate those idols. They put their idols in the Temple that is called by my name, so they made my Temple ‘dirty.'

"In the Valley of Ben Hinnom, they built high places to the false god Baal. They built those worship places so that they could burn their sons and daughters as sacrifices. I never commanded them to do such a terrible thing. I never even thought the people of Judah would do such a terrible thing.

I will give them the desire to be one, united people. They will have one goal—to worship me all their lives. They and their children will want to do this.

"‘I will make an agreement with the people of Israel and Judah that will last forever. In this agreement I will never turn away from them. I will always be good to them. I will make them want to respect me. Then they will never turn away from me.

They will make me happy. I will enjoy doing good to them. And I will surely plant them in this land and make them grow. I will do this with all my heart and soul.'"

They will use their money and buy fields. They will sign and seal their agreements. They will witness the people signing their deeds. They will again buy fields in the land where the tribe of Benjamin lives, in the area around Jerusalem, in the towns of the land of Judah, in the hill country, in the western foothills, and in the area of the southern desert. This will happen because I will bring them back home." This message is from the Lord .