8. The Lord All-Powerful says, “At that timeI will break the yoke from their necksand tear off the ropes that hold them.Foreign people will never again make my people slaves.
9. They will serve the Lord their Godand David their king,whom I will send to them.
10. “So people of Jacob, my servants, don’t be afraid.Israel, don’t be frightened,” says the Lord.“I will soon save you from that faraway place where you are captives.I will save your family from that land.The people of Jacob will be safe and have peace again;there will be no enemy to frighten them.
11. I am with you and will save you,”says the Lord.“I will completely destroy all those nationswhere I scattered you,but I will not completely destroy you.I will punish you fairly,but I will still punish you.”
12. This is what the Lord said:“You people have a wound that cannot be cured;your injury will not heal.
13. There is no one to argue your caseand no cure for your sores.So you will not be healed.
14. All those nations who were your friends have forgotten you.They don’t care about you.I have hurt you as an enemy would.I punished you very hard,because your guilt was so greatand your sins were so many.
15. Why are you crying out about your injury?There is no cure for your pain.I did these things to you because of your great guilt,because of your many sins.
16. But all those nations that destroyed you will now be destroyed.All your enemies will become captives in other lands.Those who stole from you will have their own things stolen.Those who took things from you in war will have their own things taken.
17. I will bring back your healthand heal your injuries,” says the Lord,“because other people forced you away.They said about you, ‘No one cares about Jerusalem!’ ”
18. This is what the Lord said:“I will soon make the tents of Jacob’s people as they used to be,and I will have pity on Israel’s houses.The city will be rebuilt on its hill of ruins,and the king’s palace will stand in its proper place.
19. People in those places will sing songs of praise.There will be the sound of laughter.I will give them many childrenso their number will not be small.I will bring honor to themso no one will look down on them.