(Matthew 2:16–18)
1
“At that time,” a declaration of YHWH, “I am the God of all families of Israel, || And they are My people.”
2
Thus said YHWH: “A people remaining from the sword || Have found grace in the wilderness || When Israel went to find rest.”
3
YHWH has appeared to me from afar, “I have loved you with perpetual love, || Therefore I have drawn you [with] kindness.
4
I build you again, || And you have been built, || O virgin of Israel, || You put on your tambourines again, || And have gone out in the chorus of the playful.
5
You plant vineyards in mountains of Samaria again, || Planters have planted, and made common.
6
For there is a day, || Watchmen have cried on Mount Ephraim, || Rise, and we go up to Zion, to our God YHWH”;
7
For thus said YHWH: “Sing [with] joy for Jacob, || And cry aloud at the head of the nations, || Sound, praise, and say, || Save, O YHWH, Your people, the remnant of Israel.
8
Behold, I am bringing them in from the north country, || And have gathered them from the sides of the earth, || Blind and lame [are] among them, || Conceiving and travailing one—together, || A great assembly—they return here.
9
They come in with weeping, || And I bring them with supplications, || I cause them to go to streams of waters, || In a right way—they do not stumble in it, || For I have been a Father to Israel, || And Ephraim—he [is] My firstborn.”
10
Hear a word of YHWH, O nations, || And declare among the far off in the islands, and say: He who is scattering Israel gathers him, || And has kept His flock as a shepherd,
11
For YHWH has ransomed Jacob, || And redeemed him from a hand stronger than he.
12
And they have come in, || And have sung in the high place of Zion, || And flowed to the goodness of YHWH, || For wheat, and for new wine, and for oil, || And for the young of the flock and herd, || And their soul has been as a watered garden, || And they do not add to grieve anymore.
13
“Then a virgin rejoices in a chorus, || Both young men and old men—together, || And I have turned their mourning to joy, || And have comforted them, || And gladdened them above their sorrow,
14
And satisfied the soul of the priests [with] fatness, || And My people are satisfied with My goodness,” || A declaration of YHWH.
15
Thus said YHWH: “A voice is heard in Ramah, || Wailing [and] the weeping of bitterness, || Rachel is weeping for her sons, || She has refused to be comforted for her sons, because they are not.”
16
Thus said YHWH: “Withhold your voice from weeping, and your eyes from tears, || For there is a reward for your work,” || A declaration of YHWH, || “And they have turned back from the land of the enemy.
17
And there is hope for your latter end,” || A declaration of YHWH, || “And the sons have turned back [to] their border.
18
I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself, || You have disciplined me, || And I am disciplined, as a heifer [that is] not taught, || Turn me back, and I turn back, || For You [are] my God YHWH.
19
For after my turning back I regretted, || And after my being instructed I struck on the thigh, || I have been ashamed, I have also blushed, || For I have borne the reproach of my youth.
20
Is Ephraim a precious son to Me? A child of delights? For since My speaking against him, || I still thoroughly remember him, || Therefore My bowels have been moved for him, || I love him greatly,” || A declaration of YHWH.
21
“Set up signs for yourself, || Make heaps for yourself, || Set your heart to the highway, the way you went, || Turn back, O virgin of Israel, || Turn back to these cities of yours.
22
Until when do you withdraw yourself, O backsliding daughter? For YHWH has prepared a new thing in the land, || Woman surrounds man.”
23
Thus said YHWH of Hosts, God of Israel: “Still they say this word in the land of Judah, || And in its cities, || In My turning back [to] their captivity, || YHWH blesses you, habitation of righteousness, || Mountain of holiness.
24
And farmers have dwelt in Judah, || And in all its cities together, || And they have journeyed in order.
25
For I have satiated the weary soul, || And I have filled every grieved soul.”
The New Covenant
(Hebrews 8:6–13)
26
On this I have awoken, and I behold, and my sleep has been sweet to me.
27
“Behold, days are coming,” || A declaration of YHWH, || “And I have sown the house of Israel, || And the house of Judah, || With seed of man and seed of beast.
28
And it has been, as I watched over them to pluck up, || And to break down, and to throw down, || And to destroy, and to afflict; So I watch over them to build, and to plant,” || A declaration of YHWH.
29
“In those days they no longer say: Fathers have eaten unripe fruit, || And the sons’ teeth are blunted.
30
But—each dies for his own iniquity, || Every man who is eating the unripe fruit, || His teeth are blunted.
31
Behold, days are coming,” || A declaration of YHWH, || “And I have made a new covenant || With the house of Israel || And with the house of Judah,
32
Not like the covenant that I made with their fathers, || In the day of My laying hold on their hand, || To bring them out of the land of Egypt, || In that they made My covenant void, || And I ruled over them,” || A declaration of YHWH.
33
“For this [is] the covenant that I make, || With the house of Israel, after those days,” || A declaration of YHWH, || “I have given My law in their inward part, || And I write it on their heart, || And I have been their God, || And they are My people.
34
And they do not teach anymore || Each his neighbor, and each his brother, || Saying, Know YHWH, || For they all know Me, from their least to their greatest,” || A declaration of YHWH; “For I pardon their iniquity, || And I make no more mention of their sin.”
35
Thus said YHWH, || Who is giving the sun for a light by day, || The statutes of moon and stars for a light by night, || Quieting the sea when its billows roar, || YHWH of Hosts [is] His Name:
36
“If these statutes depart from before Me,” || A declaration of YHWH, || “Even the seed of Israel ceases || From being a nation before Me [for] all the days.”
37
Thus said YHWH: “If the heavens above can be measured, || And the foundations of earth searched below, || Even I kick against all the seed of Israel, || For all that they have done,” || A declaration of YHWH.
38
“Behold, days [are coming],” || A declaration of YHWH, || “And the city has been built for YHWH, || From the Tower of Hananeel to the Corner Gate.
39
And the measuring line has gone out again before it, over the height of Gareb, || And it has gone around to Goah.
40
And all the valley of the carcasses and of the ashes, || And all the fields to the Brook of Kidron, || To the corner of the Horse Gate eastward, || [Are] holy to YHWH, || It is not plucked up, || Nor is it thrown down anymore for all time!”
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