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.
2 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.
3 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.
4 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.
5 Thou shalt yet plant vines upon the mountains of Samaria: the planters shall plant, and shall eat them as common things.
6 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.
7 For 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.
8 Behold, 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.
9 They 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.
11 For the LORD hath redeemed Jacob, and ransomed him from the hand of him that was stronger than he.
12 Therefore 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.
13 Then 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.
14 And I will satiate the soul of the priests with fatness, and my people shall be satisfied with my goodness, saith the LORD.
15 Thus 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.
16 Thus 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.
17 And 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.
19 Surely 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.
21 Set 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.
22 How 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.
23 Thus 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.
24 And there shall dwell in Judah itself, and in all the cities thereof together, husbandmen, and they that go forth with flocks.
25 For I have satiated the weary soul, and I have replenished every sorrowful soul.
26 Upon 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.
28 And 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.
29 In those days they shall say no more, The fathers have eaten a sour grape, and the children's teeth are set on edge.
30 But every one shall die for his own iniquity: every man that eateth the sour grape, his teeth shall be set on edge.
31 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:
32 Not 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:
33 But 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.
34 And 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:
36 If 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.
37 Thus 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.
38 Behold, 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.
39 And the measuring line shall yet go forth over against it upon the hill Gareb, and shall compass about to Goath.
40 And 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.
Jeremiah 31, a chapter in the King James Version (KJV) of the Bible, is a significant part of the Book of Jeremiah. It stands out as a beacon of hope and restoration amidst the gloom of impending doom and desolation that characterizes the surrounding chapters. This chapter, often referred to as the "Book of Consolation", is a prophetic vision of a future where God’s chosen people, Israel, are restored and reconciled with their divine Creator. The main themes of this chapter are God's unfailing love, the promise of a new covenant, and the restoration of Israel.
The chapter begins with God's declaration of his enduring love for his people. Despite their repeated disobedience, God, in his mercy, assures them of his steadfast love. He promises to rebuild Israel and bring them back from the lands where they were scattered. This is a message of hope and assurance that despite their current circumstances, God has not abandoned them. His love remains constant, and he will restore them once again.
The theme of God's unfailing love permeates throughout the chapter. In verse 3, God declares, "I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee." This speaks to God's unchanging and infinite love for His people. It is a love that is not based on their obedience or righteousness, but on His character as a loving and merciful God. This theme of God's unfailing love is a reassurance to a desolate and despairing people that their current situation is not a reflection of God's love for them. It is a temporary circumstance that will be remedied by God's intervention and their eventual restoration.
Another prominent theme in Jeremiah 31 is the promise of a new covenant. In verses 31-34, God makes a solemn promise to establish a new covenant with His people, one that will differ from the covenant made when He led them out of Egypt. This new covenant will be characterized by an internalization of God's law. God promises to write His law in their hearts, signifying a transformation of the heart and a renewed relationship with Him. This is a forward-looking prophecy pointing to the New Testament and the covenant established through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This new covenant is characterized by grace and forgiveness, in contrast to the law-based covenant of the Old Testament.
The theme of restoration is also central to Jeremiah 31. God promises to gather His people from the farthest parts of the earth and bring them back to their land. He promises to turn their mourning into joy, their sorrow into gladness. This restoration is not just physical, but also emotional and spiritual. God promises to heal their wounds, comfort them, and give them abundant peace and prosperity. This promise of restoration is not just for the immediate future but is a prophetic vision of the ultimate restoration that will come with the establishment of God's kingdom on earth.
The chapter also includes the poignant image of Rachel weeping for her children, an image of deep sorrow and loss. However, God assures Rachel that there is hope for her descendants and that her children will return from the land of the enemy. This is a message of comfort and hope to a people in despair, assuring them that their current suffering is not in vain and that a time of restoration and joy is coming.
In conclusion, Jeremiah 31 is a chapter of hope and restoration amidst despair and desolation. It is a testament to God's unfailing love and His commitment to His people. Despite their disobedience and the consequences of their actions, God assures them of His enduring love and His promise to restore them. The chapter also looks forward to the establishment of a new covenant, a transformation of the heart, and a renewed relationship with God. It is a chapter that serves as a bridge between the Old Testament and the New Testament, pointing to the fulfillment of God's promises through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
The depth and richness of Jeremiah 31 make it a vital part of the biblical narrative. Its themes of love, covenant, and restoration offer hope and assurance to believers, reminding them of God's enduring love and faithfulness. The message of Jeremiah 31 is as relevant today as it was when it was first written. It is a reminder that no matter how dark our circumstances may seem, God's love for us is unfailing, His promises are sure, and His plans for us are for restoration and hope.
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