fra Biblica1Til den tid vil alle Israels slægter anerkende mig som deres Gud, og de skal være mit folk.2De, som ikke blev dræbt af fjendens sværd, vil opleve min nåde i det fremmede. Når de søger min fred,3vil jeg komme til dem fra et fjernt land. Israel, jeg elsker dig med en evig og uforanderlig kærlighed. Derfor er jeg trofast over for dig.4Du faldne Israels jomfru, jeg rejser dig op, så du kan danse af glæde til tamburinens rytmer.5Du skal atter plante vingårde på Samarias bjerge og nyde frugten af dit arbejde.6Engang i fremtiden vil vagterne på Efraims bjerge råbe: ‚Kom, lad os tage op til Zion og tilbede Herren, vores Gud.’ ”7Hør, hvad Herren siger: „Syng af glæde over Israels folk, bryd ud i jubel over den ypperligste blandt nationerne. Lovpris mig og bed mig om at redde Israels rest.8Fra landet mod nord og fra jordens fjerneste afkroge samler jeg mit folk og fører dem hjem. Iblandt dem er der blinde og lamme, gravide og fødende kvinder. Det er en stor forsamling, der vender hjem.9De beder og græder af glæde, mens jeg fører dem hjem. Jeg bereder vejen for dem, så de ikke snubler, jeg sørger for frisk vand til dem på rejsen. Jeg er som en far for Israel, Efraim er min førstefødte søn.”10Hør Herrens ord, I fremmede nationer, råb det ud i fjerne lande. Herren, som engang adspredte Israel, vil samle sit folk og våge over dem, som en hyrde vogter sin hjord.11Han løskøber Israel og redder dem fra nationer, som er stærkere end dem.12De skal vende hjem til Zions bjerg, syngende og jublende over Herrens gode gaver: masser af korn, vin, oliven, får og kvæg. Deres land bliver som en frodig have, og deres ulykke er overstået.13Herren siger: „De unge piger vil danse af glæde og mændene slutte sig til dem, både gamle og unge. Jeg vender deres sorg til jubel, jeg trøster dem og giver dem ny livsglæde.14Jeg giver præsterne en overflod af ofre, ja, hele mit folk skal mættes med velsignelse.”15Herren talte igen til mig og sagde: „I Rama høres der skrig, jamren og højlydt gråd. Det er Rakel, der græder over sine børn. Hun vil ikke lade sig trøste, for børnene er borte.16Men Herren siger: Græd ikke mere, for jeg har hørt dine bønner. De landflygtige vil vende tilbage fra fjendens land.17Der er håb for din fremtid, siger Herren, for dine børn skal vende hjem til deres land.18Jeg har hørt, hvordan Efraim stønner: ‚Herre, du straffede mig hårdt, men det var nødvendigt, for jeg var som en ustyrlig kalv. Hvis du vil tage imod mig, vil jeg vende tilbage til dig, for du er Herren, min Gud.19Jeg vendte mig bort fra dig, men jeg angrede det bittert og græmmede mig over min dumhed. Jeg blev ydmyget, og nu skammer jeg mig over min ungdoms uforstand.’20Efraim er stadig min kære søn, siger Herren. Jeg var nødt til at straffe ham, men jeg elsker ham stadig og længes efter at vise min barmhjertighed imod ham.21Når du føres bort fra dit land, skal du markere den vej, du følger, så du kan finde hjem igen, du Israels jomfru.22Hvor længe vil min egenrådige datter strejfe omkring? Jeg vil skabe noget helt nyt, så Israel vil række ud efter sin Gud.”[1]23Herren, den Almægtige, Israels Gud, siger: „Når jeg fører Judas folk hjem, vil man over hele landet og i byerne igen sige: ‚Herren velsigne dig, du hellige bjerg, hvor retfærdigheden råder.’24Da vil byerne igen blive befolket. Landmændene vil opdyrke jorden og hyrderne passe deres flokke af får, geder og køer.25Jeg giver den trætte hvile og den udkørte ny styrke.26Da vil man sige: ‚Nu kan jeg sove i fred og vågne udhvilet op.’ ”27Herren siger: „Der kommer en tid, hvor jeg forøger antallet af indbyggere og kvæg i Israel og Juda.28Jeg rykkede mit folk op med rode, nedrev deres huse og ødelagde deres land, men til den tid vil jeg plante dem på ny og genopbygge deres land.29Man vil ikke længere bruge det gamle ordsprog: ‚Fædrene spiste sure druer, og børnene kom til at lide under det.’30Nej, den som spiser sure druer, må nu selv lide under det. Enhver skal dø for sin egen synd.”31„Engang i fremtiden vil jeg gennemføre en ny pagt med Israels og Judas folk,” siger Herren.32„Den nye pagt vil ikke komme til at ligne den, jeg oprettede med deres forfædre, da jeg tog dem ved hånden og førte dem ud af slaveriet i Egypten. De brød jo min pagt, selv om jeg var som en trofast ægtemand.33Den ny pagt, som jeg vil oprette med Israels folk engang i fremtiden, bygger på følgende løfte: Jeg vil lægge mine love i deres indre og skrive dem på deres hjerter. Jeg vil være deres Gud, og de skal være mit folk.34Da skal man ikke længere sige til sine venner eller familie, at de bør kende mig som deres herre, for alle, både små og store, vil forstå, at jeg er Herren. For jeg vil tilgive dem deres skyld og udslette deres synder af min hukommelse.”35Herren, den Almægtige, som satte solen til at skinne om dagen og månen og stjernerne til at lyse om natten, og som sætter havet i oprør, så bølgerne bruser, aflægger følgende løfte:36„Så længe verden består, skal også Israels folk bestå.37Det er lige så utænkeligt, at jeg skulle forkaste Israels folk på grund af deres synder, som det er, at nogen kan måle universets størrelse eller udforske jordens fundament.”38-39„Der kommer en dag,” siger Herren, „hvor hele Jerusalem skal genopbygges og give mig ære, fra Hananels tårn i det nordøstlige hjørne til Hjørneporten i nordvest, fra Gareb-højen i sydvest til Goa i sydøst.40Da skal hele byen være indviet til mig, endog gravpladsen og askedyngen i dalen udenfor samt markerne ude i Kedrondalen helt til Hesteporten mod øst, og da skal byen aldrig mere ødelægges.”
1“At that time, declares the Lord, I will be the God of all the clans of Israel, and they shall be my people.” (Jer 30,22; Jer 30,24; 2.Kor 6,18)2Thus says the Lord: “The people who survived the sword found grace in the wilderness; when Israel sought for rest, (Salm 95,11; Es 63,14; Jer 30,10)3the Lord appeared to him[1] from far away. I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you. (5.Mos 7,8; 5.Mos 10,15; Salm 36,10; Hos 11,4; Mal 1,2; Rom 11,28)4Again I will build you, and you shall be built, O virgin Israel! Again you shall adorn yourself with tambourines and shall go forth in the dance of the merrymakers. (2.Mos 15,20; Dom 11,34; Dom 21,21; 2.Sam 6,14; Es 61,10; Jer 31,13; Jer 31,28; Jer 33,7)5Again you shall plant vineyards on the mountains of Samaria; the planters shall plant and shall enjoy the fruit. (Es 65,21; Amos 9,14)6For there shall be a day when watchmen will call in the hill country of Ephraim: ‘Arise, and let us go up to Zion, to the Lord our God.’” (Josva 24,33; Es 2,3; Es 27,13)7For thus says the Lord: “Sing aloud with gladness for Jacob, and raise shouts for the chief of the nations; proclaim, give praise, and say, ‘O Lord, save your people, the remnant of Israel.’ (Salm 118,25; Es 12,6; Es 65,18; Amos 6,1)8Behold, I will bring them from the north country and gather them from the farthest parts of the earth, among them the blind and the lame, the pregnant woman and she who is in labor, together; a great company, they shall return here. (Es 35,5; Jer 3,18; Jer 6,22; Jer 23,3)9With weeping they shall come, and with pleas for mercy I will lead them back, I will make them walk by brooks of water, in a straight path in which they shall not stumble, for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn. (2.Mos 4,22; Ez 3,13; Ez 10,1; Salm 23,2; Salm 89,27; Es 35,6; Es 35,8; Es 43,19; Es 49,10; Es 49,11; Jer 3,21; Jer 50,4; Zak 12,10; Rom 8,15)10“Hear the word of the Lord, O nations, and declare it in the coastlands far away; say, ‘He who scattered Israel will gather him, and will keep him as a shepherd keeps his flock.’ (Es 40,11; Jer 31,8)11For the Lord has ransomed Jacob and has redeemed him from hands too strong for him. (Es 43,1; Es 44,23; Es 48,20; Es 49,24)12They shall come and sing aloud on the height of Zion, and they shall be radiant over the goodness of the Lord, over the grain, the wine, and the oil, and over the young of the flock and the herd; their life shall be like a watered garden, and they shall languish no more. (5.Mos 12,17; Es 2,2; Es 35,10; Es 58,11; Hos 3,5; Mika 4,1)13Then shall the young women rejoice in the dance, and the young men and the old shall be merry. I will turn their mourning into joy; I will comfort them, and give them gladness for sorrow. (Jer 31,4; Joh 16,20)14I will feast the soul of the priests with abundance, and my people shall be satisfied with my goodness, declares the Lord.” (Jer 31,25)15Thus says the Lord: “A voice is heard in Ramah, lamentation and bitter weeping. Rachel is weeping for her children; she refuses to be comforted for her children, because they are no more.” (1.Mos 35,19; 1.Mos 48,7; Josva 18,25; 1.Sam 10,2; Jer 10,20; Matt 2,18)16Thus says the Lord: “Keep your voice from weeping, and your eyes from tears, for there is a reward for your work, declares the Lord, and they shall come back from the land of the enemy. (Ez 1,5; Hos 1,11)17There is hope for your future, declares the Lord, and your children shall come back to their own country. (Jer 29,11)18I have heard Ephraim grieving, ‘You have disciplined me, and I was disciplined, like an untrained calf; bring me back that I may be restored, for you are the Lord my God. (Salm 80,3; Jer 31,9; Klag 5,21)19For after I had turned away, I relented, and after I was instructed, I struck my thigh; I was ashamed, and I was confounded, because I bore the disgrace of my youth.’ (5.Mos 30,2; Jer 3,25; Ez 21,12)20Is Ephraim my dear son? Is he my darling child? For as often as I speak against him, I do remember him still. Therefore my heart[2] yearns for him; I will surely have mercy on him, declares the Lord. (Ord 8,30; Høj 5,4; Es 16,11; Jer 31,18)21“Set up road markers for yourself; make yourself guideposts; consider well the highway, the road by which you went. Return, O virgin Israel, return to these your cities. (Es 57,14; Es 62,10; Jer 50,4)22How long will you waver, O faithless daughter? For the Lord has created a new thing on the earth: a woman encircles a man.” (Jer 2,18; Jer 2,23; Jer 2,36; Jer 49,4)23Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: “Once more they shall use these words in the land of Judah and in its cities, when I restore their fortunes: “‘The Lord bless you, O habitation of righteousness, O holy hill!’ (Salm 122,6; Es 1,26; Jer 30,3; Jer 50,7; Zak 8,3)24And Judah and all its cities shall dwell there together, and the farmers and those who wander with their flocks. (Jer 33,13)25For I will satisfy the weary soul, and every languishing soul I will replenish.” (Salm 36,8; Jer 31,14)26At this I awoke and looked, and my sleep was pleasant to me.27“Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah with the seed of man and the seed of beast. (Salm 22,30; Es 53,10; Jer 9,25; Ez 36,11; Hos 2,23; Zak 10,9)28And it shall come to pass that as I have watched over them to pluck up and break down, to overthrow, destroy, and bring harm, so I will watch over them to build and to plant, declares the Lord. (Jer 1,10; Jer 24,6; Jer 31,40; Jer 32,42; Jer 44,27)29In those days they shall no longer say: “‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge.’ (Klag 5,7; Ez 18,2)30But everyone shall die for his own iniquity. Each man who eats sour grapes, his teeth shall be set on edge. (Ez 18,4)
The New Covenant
31“Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, (Luk 22,20; 2.Kor 3,6; Heb 8,8)32not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the Lord. (5.Mos 1,31; Jer 3,14)33For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. (Salm 37,31; Jer 30,22; Jer 32,40; Ez 37,26; Hos 2,23; Zak 8,8; Zak 13,9; 2.Kor 3,3; Heb 10,16; Åb 21,7)34And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.” (Es 43,25; Es 54,13; Jer 6,13; Jer 33,8; Jer 36,3; Jer 50,20; Mika 7,18; Ap G 10,43; Rom 11,27; Heb 10,17)35Thus says the Lord, who gives the sun for light by day and the fixed order of the moon and the stars for light by night, who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar— the Lord of hosts is his name: (1.Mos 1,16; Jer 10,16; Jer 31,36)36“If this fixed order departs from before me, declares the Lord, then shall the offspring of Israel cease from being a nation before me forever.” (Salm 148,6; Es 54,9; Jer 33,20)37Thus says the Lord: “If the heavens above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth below can be explored, then I will cast off all the offspring of Israel for all that they have done, declares the Lord.” (Rom 11,1)38“Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when the city shall be rebuilt for the Lord from the Tower of Hananel to the Corner Gate. (2.Kong 14,13; Neh 3,1; Neh 12,39; Jer 31,27; Jer 31,31; Zak 14,10)39And the measuring line shall go out farther, straight to the hill Gareb, and shall then turn to Goah. (Ez 40,3; Zak 1,16; Zak 2,1; Åb 11,1)40The whole valley of the dead bodies and the ashes, and all the fields as far as the brook Kidron, to the corner of the Horse Gate toward the east, shall be sacred to the Lord. It shall not be plucked up or overthrown anymore forever.” (2.Sam 15,23; 2.Krøn 23,15; Es 52,1; Jer 7,31; Jer 31,28; Joel 3,17)