Jeremiah31
English Standard Version
1At that , the Lord, I will be the of the of , and they shall be my .
2 the Lord: The who the in the ; when for ,
3the Lord to him . I have you with an ; I have my to you.
4 I will you, and you shall be , O ! you shall with and shall go in the of the .
5 you shall on the of ; the shall and shall enjoy the .
6 there shall a when will in the of : , and let us to , to the Lord our .
7 the Lord: with for , and for the of the ; , give , and , O Lord, your , the of .
8 , I will them the and them the of the , among them the and the , the and she who is in , ; a , they shall .
9With they shall , and with I will them back, I will make them by of , in a in which they shall , I am a to , and is my .
10 the of the Lord, O , and it in the ; , He who will him, and will him as a keeps his .
11 the Lord has and has him too him.
12They shall and on the of , and they shall be over the of the Lord, the , , , and the of the and the ; their shall be like a , and they shall .
13 shall the in the , and the and the shall be . I will their into ; I will them, and give them .
14I will the of the with , and my shall be with my , the Lord.
15 the Lord: A is in , and . is her ; she to be her , they are no .
16 the Lord: your , and your , there a for your , the Lord, and they shall come the of the .
17There for your , the Lord, and your shall come to their own .
18I , You have me, and I was , like an ; bring me I may be , you are the Lord my .
19 I had , I , and I was , I my ; I was , and I was , I the of my .
20Is my ? he my ? as as I against him, I him . my for him; I will have on him, the Lord.
21Set for yourself; ; the , the by which you . , O , to your .
22How will you , O ? the Lord has a on the : a a .
23 the Lord of , the of : Once they shall in the of and in its , when I their : The Lord you, O of , O !
24And and its shall there , and the and those who with their .
25 I will the , and I will .
26 I and , and my was to me.
27 , the are , the Lord, when I will the of and the of with the of and the of .
28And it shall come to pass that as I have them to pluck and , to , , and bring , I will them to and to , the Lord.
29In those they shall : The have , and the are .
30 shall for his own . who , his shall be .
31 , the are , the Lord, when I will a with the of and the of ,
32 like the I with their on the when I them by the to bring them the of , my they , though I was their , the Lord.
33 is the that I will with the of those , the Lord: I will my them, and I will it their . And I will be their , and they shall be my .
34And shall his and his , , the Lord, they shall me, the of them the , the Lord. I will their , and I will their .
35 the Lord, who the for by and the of the and the for by , who the so that its — the Lord of is his :
36 this me, the Lord, shall the of being a me .
37 the Lord: the can be , and the of the can be , will the of they have , the Lord.
38 , the are , the Lord, when the shall be for the Lord the of to the .
39And the shall , to the , and shall then to .
40The of the and the , and the as as the , the of the toward the , shall be to the Lord. It shall be .
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Jeremiah 31.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: The restoration of Israel. (1-9). Promises of guidance and happiness; Rachel lamenting. (10-17). Ephraim laments his errors. (18-20). The promised Saviour. (21-26). God's care over the church. (27-34). Peace and prosperity in gospel time. (35-40).
vv1-9
God assures his people that he will again take them into covenant relation to himself. When brought very low, and difficulties appear, it is good to remember that it has been so with the church formerly. But it is hard under present frowns to take comfort from former smiles; yet it is the happiness of those who, through grace, are interested in the love of God, that it is an everlasting love, from everlasting in the counsels, to everlasting in the continuance. Those whom God loves with this love, he will draw to himself, by the influences of his Spirit upon their souls. When praising God for what he has done, we must call upon him for the favours his church needs and expects. When the Lord calls, we must not plead that we cannot come; for he that calls us, will help us, will strengthen us. The goodness of God shall lead them to repentance. And they shall weep for sin with more bitterness, and more tenderness, when delivered out of their captivity, than when groaning under it. If we take God for our Father, and join the church of the first-born, we shall want nothing that is good for us. These predictions doubtless refer also to a future gathering of the Israelites from all quarters of the globe. And they figuratively describe the conversion of sinners to Christ, and the plain and safe way in which they are led.
vv10-17
He that scattered Israel, knows where to find them. It is comfortable to observe the goodness of the Lord in the gifts of providence. But our souls are never valuable as gardens, unless watered with the dews of God's Spirit and grace. A precious promise follows, which will not have full accomplishment except in the heavenly Zion. Let them be satisfied of God's loving-kindness, and they will be satisfied with it, and desire no more to make them happy. Rachel is represented as rising from her grave, and refusing to be comforted, supposing her offspring rooted out. The murder of the children at Bethlehem, by Herod, Matt. 2:16-18, in some degree fulfilled this prediction, but could not be its full meaning. If we have hope in the end, concerning an eternal inheritance, for ourselves and those belonging to us, all temporal afflictions may be borne, and will be for our good.
vv18-20
Ephraim (the ten tribes) is weeping for sin. He is angry at himself for his sin, and folly, and frowardness. He finds he cannot, by his own power, keep himself close with God, much less bring himself back when he is revolted. Therefore he prays, Turn thou me, and I shall be turned. His will was bowed to the will of God. When the teaching of God's Spirit went with the corrections of his providence, then the work was done. This is our comfort in affliction, that the Lord thinks upon us. God has mercy in store, rich mercy, sure mercy, suitable mercy, for all who seek him in sincerity.
Key Words
עֵת: time, especially (adverb with preposition) now, when, etc.
נְאֻם: an oracle
אֱלֹהִים: gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlative
כֹּל: properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)
מִשְׁפָּחָה: a family, i.e. circle of relatives; figuratively, a class (of persons), a species (of animals) or sort (of things); by extension a tribe or people
יִשְׂרָאֵל: Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity
עַם: a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of Israel); hence (collectively) troops or attendants; figuratively, a flock
כֹּה: properly, like this, i.e. by implication, (of manner) thus (or so); also (of place) here (or hither); or (of time) now
אָמַר: to say (used with great latitude)
שָׂרִיד: a survivor
Cross References
Jeremiah 31Herod's slaughter of the Bethlehem infants explicitly fulfills Rachel weeping for her children in Ramah.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Explicitly quotes Jeremiah 31:31 to introduce the New Covenant fulfilled in Christ.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Quotes the promise of the law written on the heart under the New Covenant.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Contrast: The curse of planting vines and not eating them is reversed here as common food.
Supported by JFB
Direct parallel regarding the proverb of children's teeth set on edge by fathers eating sour grapes.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Quotes verse 32 contrasting the New Covenant with the broken Sinai covenant.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Quotes verse 34, declaring that all shall know the Lord without needing external teaching.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Quotes the vital New Covenant guarantee that God will remember their sins no more.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Repeats the foundational covenant formula: 'ye shall be my people, and I will be your God.'
Supported by John Calvin
The Lord drawing Israel with bands of love and cords of a man.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Miriam and the virgins going forth with tabrets/timbrels and dances celebrating redemption.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
The law of planting trees; in the fifth year fruit is eaten as a common thing.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Thematic link to the 'new thing' of a virgin conceiving, related to the incarnation.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Reverses the commission given to Jeremiah to pluck up, throw down, build, and plant.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Applies the salvation and covenant of Israel to the ultimate eschatological gathering.
Supported by JFB
Parallels the unbreakable covenant with day and night to establish Israel's permanent preservation.
Supported by Matthew Henry
God promising His presence will go before Israel to cause him to rest in wilderness.
Supported by JFB
The ark going before them in the wilderness to search out a resting place.
Supported by JFB
Chaldea/exile is metaphorically described as a desert or wilderness where God prepares a way.
Supported by John Calvin, JFB
Virgins coming out with tabrets and joy to celebrate victories of Israel's king.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
The sounding/troubling of God's bowels and mercies toward His rebellious but beloved children.
Supported by JFB
God's heart turning within Him, refusing to execute fierce anger against Ephraim.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Reflects God drawing His backsliding people with cords of love and mercy.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Explains the law of eating fruit of newly planted vines as common things.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Parallels putting the Spirit within believers to enable walking in God's statutes.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Demonstrates that God has not permanently cast off His people Israel.
Supported by JFB
Parallels the ultimate consecration where even common places become holy to the Lord.
Supported by Matthew Henry
The ultimate fulfillment of the covenant formula under the New Covenant in Christ.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Remembering the days of old and God's former wonders to sustain hope in current distress.
Supported by John Calvin
God declares His sovereign, electing love to Jacob: 'I have loved you, saith the Lord.'
Supported by JFB
Jephthah's daughter coming out to meet him with timbrels and with dances.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Christ's invitation to the weary and heavy laden to find rest echoes verse 25.
Supported by Matthew Henry
The Mosaic law establishing that fathers shall not be put to death for children.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Reinforces personal accountability; the soul who sins is the one who will die.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Echoes the symbolic action of the measuring line being stretched out over Jerusalem.
Supported by JFB
Mentions the actual rebuilding of the Tower of Hananeel during the restoration.
Supported by Matthew Poole