Jeremiah 31

King James Version

Full text for Jeremiah Chapter 31

1¶ At the same time, saith the LORD, will I be the God of all the families of Israel, and they shall be my people.

2Thus 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.

3The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, [saying], Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.

4Again 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.

5Thou shalt yet plant vines upon the mountains of Samaria: the planters shall plant, and shall eat [them] as common things.

6For 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.

7For thus saith the LORD; Sing with gladness for Jacob, and shout among the chief of the nations: publish ye, praise ye, and say, O LORD, save thy people, the remnant of Israel.

8Behold, I will bring them from the north country, and gather them from the coasts of the earth, [and] with them the blind and the lame, the woman with child and her that travaileth with child together: a great company shall return thither.

9They shall come with weeping, and with supplications will I lead them: I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters in a straight way, wherein they shall not stumble: for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim [is] my firstborn.

10¶ Hear the word of the LORD, O ye nations, and declare [it] in the isles afar off, and say, He that scattered Israel will gather him, and keep him, as a shepherd [doth] his flock.

11For the LORD hath redeemed Jacob, and ransomed him from the hand of [him that was] stronger than he.

12Therefore they shall come and sing in the height of Zion, and shall flow together to the goodness of the LORD, for wheat, and for wine, and for oil, and for the young of the flock and of the herd: and their soul shall be as a watered garden; and they shall not sorrow any more at all.

13Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance, both young men and old together: for I will turn their mourning into joy, and will comfort them, and make them rejoice from their sorrow.

14And I will satiate the soul of the priests with fatness, and my people shall be satisfied with my goodness, saith the LORD.

15Thus saith the LORD; A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, [and] bitter weeping; Rahel weeping for her children refused to be comforted for her children, because they [were] not.

16Thus saith the LORD; Refrain thy voice from weeping, and thine eyes from tears: for thy work shall be rewarded, saith the LORD; and they shall come again from the land of the enemy.

17And there is hope in thine end, saith the LORD, that thy children shall come again to their own border.

18¶ I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself [thus]; Thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised, as a bullock unaccustomed [to the yoke]: turn thou me, and I shall be turned; for thou [art] the LORD my God.

19Surely after that I was turned, I repented; and after that I was instructed, I smote upon [my] thigh: I was ashamed, yea, even confounded, because I did bear the reproach of my youth.

20[Is] Ephraim my dear son? [is he] a pleasant child? for since I spake against him, I do earnestly remember him still: therefore my bowels are troubled for him; I will surely have mercy upon him, saith the LORD.

21Set thee up waymarks, make thee high heaps: set thine heart toward the highway, [even] the way [which] thou wentest: turn again, O virgin of Israel, turn again to these thy cities.

22How long wilt thou go about, O thou backsliding daughter? for the LORD hath created a new thing in the earth, A woman shall compass a man.

23Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; As yet they shall use this speech in the land of Judah and in the cities thereof, when I shall bring again their captivity; The LORD bless thee, O habitation of justice, [and] mountain of holiness.

24And there shall dwell in Judah itself, and in all the cities thereof together, husbandmen, and they [that] go forth with flocks.

25For I have satiated the weary soul, and I have replenished every sorrowful soul.

26Upon this I awaked, and beheld; and my sleep was sweet unto me.

27¶ Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah with the seed of man, and with the seed of beast.

28And it shall come to pass, [that] like as I have watched over them, to pluck up, and to break down, and to throw down, and to destroy, and to afflict; so will I watch over them, to build, and to plant, saith the LORD.

29In those days they shall say no more, The fathers have eaten a sour grape, and the children's teeth are set on edge.

30But every one shall die for his own iniquity: every man that eateth the sour grape, his teeth shall be set on edge.

31Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:

32Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day [that] I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD:

33But this [shall be] the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.

34And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.

35¶ Thus saith the LORD, which giveth the sun for a light by day, [and] the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night, which divideth the sea when the waves thereof roar; The LORD of hosts [is] his name:

36If those ordinances depart from before me, saith the LORD, [then] the seed of Israel also shall cease from being a nation before me for ever.

37Thus saith the LORD; If heaven above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth searched out beneath, I will also cast off all the seed of Israel for all that they have done, saith the LORD.

38Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that the city shall be built to the LORD from the tower of Hananeel unto the gate of the corner.

39And the measuring line shall yet go forth over against it upon the hill Gareb, and shall compass about to Goath.

40And the whole valley of the dead bodies, and of the ashes, and all the fields unto the brook of Kidron, unto the corner of the horse gate toward the east, [shall be] holy unto the LORD; it shall not be plucked up, nor thrown down any more for ever.

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

Jeremiah 31 proclaims God's everlasting love for Israel and His promise of future restoration. He declares He will gather His scattered people, rebuild their land, and turn their sorrow into joy. Central to this is the establishment of a new covenant, where God's law will be written upon their hearts, and their sins will be forgiven.

Medium Summary

The LORD reveals His enduring love for Israel, promising to gather the remnant from all nations and bring them back to their land with great joy and abundance. He assures Rachel, weeping for her children, that they shall return from the enemy's land. Ephraim, acknowledging his chastisement, is met with God's tender mercy, who still regards him as a dear son. This restoration includes a new covenant, distinct from the one broken by their fathers, where God will inscribe His law directly upon their hearts, ensuring a deep, personal knowledge of Him and complete forgiveness of sins. The chapter also emphasizes individual responsibility over generational guilt and the certainty of God's promises, which are as steadfast as the natural order.

Long Summary

Jeremiah 31 opens with the LORD's declaration of an everlasting love for Israel, promising to be their God and to rebuild the "virgin of Israel," restoring joy, song, and prosperity to the land, including the mountains of Samaria. He foretells the gathering of His scattered people from all directions, including the vulnerable, leading them back with supplication and comfort, as a father guides his firstborn, Ephraim. Nations are called to witness this redemption, as Israel will return to Zion with singing, enjoying an abundance of blessings and a soul like a watered garden, free from sorrow. The LORD addresses Rachel's bitter lamentation for her lost children, comforting her with the assurance that her children shall return from the land of the enemy to their own border. Ephraim's repentance, acknowledging God's chastisement, evokes God's deep compassion and mercy. The chapter then calls Israel to prepare for their return to their cities, promising a new era of prosperity for Judah, where weary and sorrowful souls will be replenished. A significant prophecy is the establishment of a new covenant with the houses of Israel and Judah, one not like the broken covenant made at the Exodus. Under this new covenant, God will write His law in their inward parts and hearts, ensuring that all, from the least to the greatest, will intimately know Him, and their iniquity will be forgiven and remembered no more. The LORD affirms the unshakeable nature of His covenant with Israel, comparing its permanence to the fixed ordinances of the sun, moon, and stars. Finally, the chapter concludes with a promise of Jerusalem's complete rebuilding and sanctification, extending its boundaries and ensuring it will never again be plucked up or thrown down.

Core Concepts

  • Everlasting LoveGod declares His enduring and eternal affection for Israel, stating, "I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee." This love forms the foundation for all His promises of restoration and renewal.
  • Restoration of IsraelThe chapter extensively details God's promise to gather the scattered remnant of Israel and Judah from all lands, bringing them back to their homeland to be rebuilt, replanted, and filled with joy and prosperity. This includes the vulnerable and those who return with weeping and supplication.
  • The New CovenantA pivotal prophecy, God promises to establish a new covenant with Israel and Judah, distinct from the broken Mosaic covenant. Under this new agreement, God's law will be written internally on their hearts, leading to an intimate knowledge of Him and complete forgiveness of sins.
  • Rachel's Lament and ComfortThe poignant image of Rachel weeping for her children, who "were not," is met with God's divine comfort and the promise that her children will return from the land of the enemy to their own borders, signifying hope after great sorrow.
  • Ephraim's Repentance and God's MercyEphraim, representing the northern kingdom, expresses remorse for his past disobedience and accepts God's chastisement. God responds with profound fatherly affection and mercy, affirming Ephraim as His "dear son" and promising compassion.
  • Individual ResponsibilityThe proverb about fathers eating sour grapes and children's teeth being set on edge is explicitly rejected. Instead, the chapter declares that in the coming days, each person will be accountable for their own iniquity, emphasizing personal responsibility under the new covenant.
  • Eternal Faithfulness of GodGod's commitment to His covenant with Israel is declared to be as immutable as the natural order of the universe, such as the sun, moon, and stars. This underscores the absolute certainty that Israel will remain a nation before Him forever.