Logos Bible Study

Jeremiah 31:1–6

The NET BibleOther versions

English

Arabic

Czech

French

German

Hebrew

Hungarian

Italian

Korean

Latin

Portuguese

Russian

Simplified Chinese

Spanish

Traditional Chinese

31:1At that time I will be the God of all the clans of Israel1

and they will be my people.

I, the Lord, affirm it!”2

Israel Will Be Restored and Join Judah in Worship

31:2The Lord says,

“The people of Israel who survived

death at the hands of the enemy3

will find favor in the wilderness

as they journey to find rest for themselves.

31:3In a far-off land the Lord will manifest himself to them.

He will say to them, ‘I have loved you with an everlasting love.

That is why I have continued to be faithful to you.4

31:4I will rebuild you, my dear children Israel,5

so that you will once again be built up.

Once again you will take up the tambourine

and join in the happy throng of dancers.6

31:5Once again you will plant vineyards

on the hills of Samaria.7

Those who plant them

will once again enjoy their fruit.8

31:6Yes, a time is coming

when watchmen9 will call out on the mountains of Ephraim,

“Come! Let us go to Zion

to worship the Lord our God!” ’ ”10

Read in Logos
Jeremiah 31:3: … the LORD appeared to him from far away. I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you.

Footnotes

  1. 1 This verse repeats v. 22 but with specific reference to all the clans of Israel, i.e., to all Israel and Judah. It functions here as a transition to the next section which will deal with the restoration of Israel (31:3–20) and Judah (31:21–25) and their reunification in the land (31:27–29) under a new covenant relation with God (31:31–37). See also the study note on for further reference to this reunification in Jeremiah and the other prophets.
  2. 2 Heb “Oracle of the Lord.”
  3. 3 Heb “who survived the sword.” This refers to the remnant of northern Israel who had not been killed when Assyria conquered Israel in 722 b.c. or who had not died in exile. References to Samaria in v. 5 and to Ephraim in vv. 6, 9 make clear that northern Israel is in view here.
  4. 4 Or “The people of Israel who survived the onslaughts of Egypt and Amalek found favor in the wilderness as they journeyed to find rest. At that time long ago the Lord manifested himself to them. He said, ‘I have … That is why I have drawn you to myself through my unfailing kindness.’ ” For the basis for each of these translations see the translator’s note. There is debate whether the reference here is to God’s preservation of Israel during their wandering in the Sinai desert or his promise to protect and preserve them on their return through the Arabian desert on the way back from Assyria and Babylon (see e.g., Isa 42:14–16; 43:16–21; Jer 16:14–15; 23:7–8). The only finite verbs in vv. 2–3a before the introduction of the quote are perfects which can denote either a past act or a future act viewed as certain of fulfillment (the prophetic perfect; see §106.n and see examples in Jer 11:16; 13:17; 25:14; 28:4). The phrase at the beginning of v. 3 can either refer to temporal (cf. 935 רָחוֹק 2.b and Isa 22:11) or spatial distance (cf. 935 רָחוֹק 2.a[2] and Isa 5:29; 59:14). The verb in the final clause in v. 3 can refer to either the continuance of God’s love as in Ps 36:10 (cf. 604 מָשַׁךְ Qal.5) or drawing someone to him in electing, caring love as in Hos 11:4 (cf. 604 מָשַׁךְ Qal.1). The translation has opted for the prophetic reference to future deliverance because of the preceding context, the use of מֵרָחוֹק (merakhoq) to refer to the far off land of exile in Jer 30:10; 46:27; 51:50, and the reference to survivors from the sword being called on to remember the Lord in that far off land in 51:50.
  5. 5 Heb “Virgin Israel.” For the significance of this metaphor see the note on . Here the emphasis appears on his special love and care for his people and the hint (further developed in vv. 21–22) that, though guilty of sin, he considers them like an innocent young virgin.
  6. 6 Contrast Jer 7:34 and 25:10.
  7. 7 For location see ; ; ; ; .
  8. 8 The terms used here refer to the enjoyment of a period of peace and stability and the reversal of the curse (contrast, e.g., Deut 28:30). The Hebrew word translated “enjoy its fruit” is a technical one that refers to the owner of a vineyard getting to enjoy its fruit in the fifth year after it was planted, the crops of the first three years lying fallow, and that of the fourth being given to the Lord (cf. Lev 19:23–25).
  9. 9 Watchmen were stationed at vantage points to pass on warning of coming attack (Jer 6:17; Ezek 33:2, 6) or to spread the news of victory (Isa 52:8). Here reference is made to the watchmen who signaled the special times of the year such as the new moon and festival times when Israel was to go to Jerusalem to worship. Reference is not made to these in the Hebrew Bible but there is a good deal of instruction regarding them in the later Babylonian Talmud.
  10. 10 Not only will Israel and Judah be reunited under one ruler (cf. 23:5–6), but they will share a unified place and practice of worship once again in contrast to Israel using the illicit places of worship, illicit priesthood, and illicit feasts instituted by Jeroboam (1 Kgs 12:26–31) and continued until the downfall of Samaria in 722 b.c.

The NET Bible First Edition, Copyright 1996-2005 by Biblical Studies Press

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

“At that time, declares the Lord, I will be the God of all the clans of Israel, and they shall be my people.”

Thus says the Lord:

“The people who survived the sword

found grace in the wilderness;

when Israel sought for rest,

the Lord appeared to him from far away.

I have loved you with an everlasting love;

therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you.

Again 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.

Again you shall plant vineyards

on the mountains of Samaria;

the planters shall plant

and shall enjoy the fruit.

For 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.’ ”

Copyright 2001 Crossway Bibles

NIVNew International Version (2011)

“At that time,” declares the Lord, “I will be the God of all the families of Israel, and they will be my people.”

This is what the Lord says:

“The people who survive the sword

will find favor in the wilderness;

I will come to give rest to Israel.”

The Lord appeared to us in the past, saying:

“I have loved you with an everlasting love;

I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.

I will build you up again,

and you, Virgin Israel, will be rebuilt.

Again you will take up your timbrels

and go out to dance with the joyful.

Again you will plant vineyards

on the hills of Samaria;

the farmers will plant them

and enjoy their fruit.

There will be a day when watchmen cry out

on the hills of Ephraim,

‘Come, let us go up to Zion,

to the Lord our God.’ ”

Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 Biblica, Inc.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

“At that time”—this is the Lord’s declaration—“I will be the God of all the families of Israel, and they will be my people.”

This is what the Lord says:

The people who survived the sword

found favor in the wilderness.

When Israel went to find rest,

the Lord appeared to him from far away.

I have loved you with an everlasting love;

therefore, I have continued to extend faithful love to you.

Again I will build you so that you will be rebuilt,

Virgin Israel.

You will take up your tambourines again

and go out in joyful dancing.

You will plant vineyards again

on the mountains of Samaria;

the planters will plant and will enjoy the fruit.

For there will be a day when watchmen will call out

in the hill country of Ephraim,

“Come, let’s go up to Zion,

to the Lord our God!”

Copyright 2017 Holman Bible Publishers

NLTNew Living Translation

“In that day,” says the Lord, “I will be the God of all the families of Israel, and they will be my people. This is what the Lord says:

“Those who survive the coming destruction

will find blessings even in the barren land,

for I will give rest to the people of Israel.”

Long ago the Lord said to Israel:

“I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love.

With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself.

I will rebuild you, my virgin Israel.

You will again be happy

and dance merrily with your tambourines.

Again you will plant your vineyards on the mountains of Samaria

and eat from your own gardens there.

The day will come when watchmen will shout

from the hill country of Ephraim,

‘Come, let us go up to Jerusalem

to worship the Lord our God.’ ”

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers. All rights reserved.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

“At that time,” declares Yahweh,

“I will be the God of all the clans of Israel,

and they will be to me a people.”

Thus says Yahweh:

“The people of the survivors of the sword found grace in the desert;

Israel going to find their rest.”

From afar Yahweh appeared to me, saying,

“I have loved you with an everlasting love.

Therefore I have drawn you with loyal love.

I will again build you,

and you will be built, O virgin Israel.

You will again adorn yourself with your tambourines,

and you will go forth in the dancing in a ring of the merrymakers.

You will again plant vineyards on the mountains of Samaria.

The planters will plant, and they will enjoy it.

For there will be a day when watchmen will call in the hill country of Ephraim,

‘Stand up, and let us go up to Zion, to Yahweh our God.’ ”

Copyright 2012 Lexham Press

KJV 1900King James Version

At the same time, saith the Lord,

Will I be the God of all the families of Israel,

And they shall be my people.

Thus saith the Lord,

The people which were left of the sword found grace in the wilderness;

Even Israel, when I went to cause him to rest.

The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying,

Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love:

Therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.

Again I will build thee, and thou shalt be built, O virgin of Israel:

Thou shalt again be adorned with thy tabrets,

And shalt go forth in the dances of them that make merry.

Thou shalt yet plant vines upon the mountains of Samaria:

The planters shall plant, and shall eat them as common things.

For there shall be a day,

That the watchmen upon the mount Ephraim shall cry,

Arise ye, and let us go up to Zion unto the Lord our God.

Public Domain