"Thereforesay,'Thussaysthe LordGOD,"ThoughI had removedthem faraway among the nationsand thoughI had scatteredthem among the countries,yet I was a sanctuaryfor them a littlewhilein the countrieswherethey had gone."'
You hidethem in the secretplaceof Your presencefrom the conspiraciesof man;You keepthem secretlyin a shelterfrom the strifeof tongues.
You giveus as sheepto be eatenAnd have scatteredus among the nations.
Lord,You have beenour dwellingplacein allgenerations.
He who dwellsin the shelterof the MostHighWill abidein the shadowof the Almighty.
The nameof the LORDis a strongtower;The righteousrunsinto it and is safe.
then the LORDwill createoverthe wholeareaof MountZionand overher assembliesa cloudby day,even smoke,and the brightnessof a flamingfireby night;for overallthe glorywill be a canopy.
"Then He shall becomea sanctuary;But to boththe housesof Israel,a stoneto strikeand a rockto stumbleover, [And] a snareand a trapfor the inhabitantsof Jerusalem.
Then the priestsand the prophetsspoketo the officialsand to allthe people,saying,"A deathsentencefor thisman!For he has prophesiedagainstthiscityas you have heardin your hearing."
The priestsand the prophetsand allthe peopleheardJeremiahspeakingthesewordsin the houseof the LORD.
For I knowthe plansthat I havefor you,' declaresthe LORD,'plansfor welfareand not for calamityto giveyou a futureand a hope.
Seekthe welfareof the citywhereI have sentyou into exile,and prayto the LORDon its behalf;for in its welfareyou will havewelfare.'
For I am with you,' declaresthe LORD,'to saveyou; For I will destroycompletelyallthe nationswhereI have scatteredyou, OnlyI will not destroyyou completely.But I will chastenyou justlyAnd will by nomeansleaveyou unpunished.'
Hearthe wordof the LORD,O nations,And declarein the coastlandsafaroff,And say,"He who scatteredIsraelwill gatherhim And keephim as a shepherdkeeps his flock."
Do not be afraidof the kingof Babylon,whomyou are [now] fearing;do not be afraidof him,' declaresthe LORD,for I am with you to saveyou and deliveryou from his hand.
"AlsoI sworeto them in the wildernessthat I would scatterthem among the nationsand dispersethem among the lands,
Yet in spiteof this,when they are in the landof their enemies,I will not rejectthem, norwill I so abhorthem as to destroythem, breakingMy covenantwith them; for I am the LORDtheir God.
"Hothere!Fleefrom the landof the north,"declaresthe LORD,"for I have dispersedyou as the fourwindsof the heavens,"declaresthe LORD.
"The LORDwill scatteryou among the peoples,and you will be leftfewin numberamong the nationswherethe LORDdrivesyou.
