30. Ever since they were young, the people of Israel and Judah have done what I consider evil. The people of Israel have made me furious by what they’ve done,” declares the Lord.
31. “The people in this city have made me so angry and furious from the day they built it to this day. So now I must remove this city from my presence.
32. “The people of Israel and Judah have made me furious because they are evil. The people, their kings and officials, their priests and prophets, and the Judeans and those who live in Jerusalem
33. have turned their backs, not their faces to me. I taught them again and again, but they refused to listen and learn.
34. They set up their detestable idols in the temple that is called by my name, and they dishonored it.
35. In the valley of Ben Hinnom they built worship sites for Baal to sacrifice their sons and daughters to Molech. I didn’t ask them to do this. It never entered my mind. I didn’t make Judah sin.
36. “You have said this about the city, ‘Because of wars, famines, and plagues it will be handed over to the king of Babylon.’ Now this is what the Lord God of Israel says:
37. I am going to gather the people from all the lands where I scattered them in my anger, fury, and terrifying wrath. I will bring them back to this place and make them live here securely.
38. They will be my people, and I will be their God.
39. I will give them the same attitude and the same purpose so that they will fear me as long as they live. This will be for their own good and for the good of their children.
40. I will make an eternal promise to them that I will never stop blessing them. I will make them fear me so that they will never turn away from me.