Jeremiah 16:14

KJV

¶ Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that it shall no more be said, The LORD liveth, that brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt;

KJV (with Strong's)

Therefore, behold, the days {H3117} come {H935}, saith {H5002} the LORD {H3068}, that it shall no more be said {H559}, The LORD {H3068} liveth {H2416}, that brought up {H5927} the children {H1121} of Israel {H3478} out of the land {H776} of Egypt {H4714};

Complete Jewish Bible

"'Therefore,' says ADONAI, 'the day will come when people will no longer swear, "As ADONAI lives, who brought the people of Isra'el out of the land of Egypt,"

Berean Standard Bible

Yet behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when they will no longer say, ‘As surely as the LORD lives, who brought the Israelites up out of the land of Egypt.’

American Standard Version

Therefore, behold, the days come, saith Jehovah, that it shall no more be said, As Jehovah liveth, that brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt;

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Jeremiah 16:14 serves as a prophetic declaration, abruptly shifting from pronouncements of judgment to a profound promise of future restoration for Israel. It foretells a time when a new, even more remarkable act of divine deliverance will overshadow the foundational memory of the Exodus from Egypt, becoming the preeminent testament to God's living presence and saving power. This future event, the return from exile, will redefine the benchmark of God's faithfulness and might for His people.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** This verse appears within a section of Jeremiah (chapters 15-17) that is heavily laden with pronouncements of severe judgment against Judah for their deep-seated idolatry, covenant unfaithfulness, and moral corruption. Chapter 16, in particular, details the impending desolation, the cessation of normal life, and the certainty of exile as divine punishment. The prophet is commanded to remain unmarried and childless as a sign of the coming catastrophe, emphasizing the dire nature of the times. However, in a characteristic Jeremian pattern, amidst the declarations of impending doom, a glimmer of hope and future restoration often emerges. Verses 14-15 represent such an abrupt, yet significant, shift, introducing a promise of regathering that stands in stark contrast to the preceding warnings of dispersion and destruction, underscoring God's ultimate faithfulness to His covenant people, even through judgment.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The prophecy of Jeremiah 16:14-15 is delivered during a turbulent period in Judah's history, leading up to and including the Babylonian exile (late 7th to early 6th century BCE). The people of Judah had largely abandoned the covenant with Yahweh, engaging in widespread idolatry, social injustice, and false worship, despite repeated warnings from prophets like Jeremiah. For centuries, the Exodus from Egypt was the defining historical event for Israel, serving as the bedrock of their national identity, their understanding of God's power, and the basis for their covenant relationship with Him. Oaths were commonly sworn by "the LORD who brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt," a powerful affirmation of God's active presence and His greatest saving act. This verse challenges that deeply ingrained cultural and religious memory by prophesying an even more profound future deliverance.
* **Key Themes:** The central theme of Jeremiah 16:14 is the **Supremacy of Future Deliverance**. It posits that God's future act of salvation, specifically the return from Babylonian exile, will be so monumental that it will eclipse the historical memory of the [Exodus from Egypt](/exodus/12 "The Deliverance from Egypt") as the primary evidence of God's living presence and power. This highlights God's **Faithfulness Beyond Judgment**, demonstrating that even after severe discipline and dispersion, His covenant promises of restoration will prevail. It emphasizes **God's Ongoing Redemptive Work**, showing that His mighty acts are not confined to the past but continue to unfold throughout history, culminating in new and perhaps even greater demonstrations of His power to save and regather His people from "the land of the north, and from all the lands whither he had driven them" as stated in [Jeremiah 16:15](/jeremiah/16-15 "God's Promise to Gather Israel"). This theme provides a profound message of hope amidst despair, ensuring that God's ultimate plan for His people is one of restoration and renewal.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **days (Hebrew, _yôwm'_):** (H3117) This word signifies a period of time, not necessarily limited to a literal 24-hour day. In this context, "the days come" refers to a future epoch, a significant period in God's redemptive timeline when the prophesied events will unfold. It emphasizes the certainty and appointed nature of this coming era.
* **LORD (Hebrew, _Yᵉhôvâh'_):** (H3068) This is the sacred, covenantal name of God, often rendered as Yahweh, signifying "the self-Existent or Eternal One." Its use here underscores that the prophecy is a divine decree, a solemn promise from the unchanging God who is the source of all life and faithfulness. The oath "The LORD liveth" is an affirmation of His active, living presence.
* **liveth (Hebrew, _chay'_):** (H2416) Derived from a root meaning "to live," this word describes God as actively alive, present, and powerful. The phrase "The LORD liveth" is a common oath or affirmation in Israel, testifying to God's enduring vitality and His capacity to intervene in history. The prophecy suggests that a future intervention will provide an even more compelling demonstration of this living reality than the Exodus itself.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD,"**: This opening clause signals a solemn, divinely ordained declaration. "Therefore" connects this new promise to the preceding pronouncements of judgment, implying that even in the midst of punishment, God's ultimate plan includes restoration. "Behold" draws the listener's attention to a significant, imminent truth. The phrase "the days come" points to a definite future time, emphasizing the certainty of the prophecy, while "saith the LORD" authenticates the message as a direct word from Yahweh Himself.
* **"that it shall no more be said,"**: This phrase introduces the radical shift in Israel's defining narrative. It indicates a cessation of the primary, long-standing declaration that has defined their identity and understanding of God's power. The implication is not that the Exodus will be forgotten, but that its preeminence as the *singular* and *ultimate* demonstration of God's saving power will be superseded by a new, more recent, and perhaps more profound, act of deliverance.
* **"The LORD liveth, that brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt;"**: This is the traditional oath and affirmation that has been the cornerstone of Israelite faith and identity for centuries. It celebrates God's foundational act of salvation, freeing His people from slavery in Egypt. The prophecy declares that this particular form of affirmation, while historically true, will no longer be the *foremost* or *most compelling* testimony to God's living presence and power. A future act of God will provide an even greater reason to declare "The LORD liveth."

#### Literary Devices
Jeremiah 16:14 employs several powerful literary devices. The most prominent is **Hyperbole**, where the prophet uses an exaggerated statement ("no more be said") to emphasize the *magnitude* and *impact* of the future deliverance rather than a literal erasure of the Exodus memory. This hyperbole serves to highlight the extraordinary nature of the coming restoration from exile, suggesting it will be so profound that it will necessitate a new, defining testimony to God's power. There is also a strong element of **Contrast**, pitting the historical Exodus against a future, greater act of salvation. This contrast underscores God's dynamic and ongoing redemptive work, demonstrating that His faithfulness is not limited to past interventions. Finally, the verse is a direct **Prophecy**, a divine foretelling of future events, delivered with the authoritative phrase "saith the LORD," which lends immense weight and certainty to the declaration.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Jeremiah 16:14 is a profound theological statement about the nature of God's redemptive work. It teaches that God is not confined to His past acts, however magnificent, but is continuously active in history, capable of performing new and even greater works of salvation. For Israel, the Exodus was the ultimate demonstration of God's power and faithfulness, establishing their identity as His chosen people. This verse, however, points to a future deliverance—the return from Babylonian exile—that will be so comprehensive and miraculous that it will rival, and in some sense surpass, the Exodus in its theological significance as a testament to God's living presence. It underscores God's unwavering commitment to His covenant promises, even when His people have been unfaithful, demonstrating that His grace extends beyond judgment to ultimate restoration. This principle of God's ever-unfolding salvation finds echoes throughout scripture, reminding us that God's greatest works may still lie ahead.

* [Isaiah 43:18-19](/isaiah/43-18-19 "God's New Work of Salvation")
* [Jeremiah 23:7-8](/jeremiah/23-7-8 "The Greater Deliverance from Exile")
* [Ezekiel 36:24-28](/ezekiel/36-24-28 "The Promise of Israel's Restoration")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
This powerful prophecy from Jeremiah offers a profound message of hope and renewed perspective for believers today. It challenges us to consider that God's capacity for salvation and deliverance is not exhausted by His past interventions, no matter how miraculous they were. Just as the return from exile would become a new benchmark for God's power for Israel, so too can God perform new, perhaps even more astounding, acts of grace and restoration in our own lives and in the world. When we face seemingly insurmountable difficulties, the consequences of our own sin, or periods of spiritual dryness, this verse reminds us that God's future grace and power can be even more astounding than His past interventions. It encourages us to look forward with expectant faith, trusting that God's greatest works, both personally and globally, may still be ahead. It calls us to recognize His ongoing sovereignty and His desire to bring about redemption in ways that continually reveal His living presence.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **What "Exodus" moments have defined your understanding of God's power and faithfulness in your own life?**
* **In what areas are you currently waiting for God to do a "new thing" that might surpass your past experiences of His intervention?**
* **How does the promise of a greater future deliverance encourage you when you face seemingly impossible circumstances?**
* **What does this verse teach us about God's unchanging character amidst changing historical circumstances?**

### FAQ
**What does it mean that the Exodus "shall no more be said" as the primary act of God's deliverance?**

Answer: This phrase does not mean the Exodus will be forgotten or deemed insignificant. Rather, it is a prophetic hyperbole emphasizing that a future act of God's salvation—specifically, the return of Israel from exile in Babylon and other lands (as clarified in [Jeremiah 16:15](/jeremiah/16-15 "Jeremiah 16:15 - The Return from Exile"))—will be so profound and comprehensive that it will become the new, preeminent benchmark for God's power and faithfulness. For centuries, the Exodus was the defining historical event for Israel, the ultimate proof of God's living presence. Jeremiah is declaring that the regathering from a global dispersion will be an even more compelling testimony to God's ability to save and restore.

**Why would the return from exile be considered a greater deliverance than the Exodus?**

Answer: While the Exodus involved a dramatic parting of the Red Sea and miraculous provisions, the return from exile would demonstrate God's power to regather His people from a much wider dispersion, "from all the lands whither he had driven them" ([Jeremiah 16:15](/jeremiah/16-15 "Jeremiah 16:15 - The Return from Exile")). It would signify God's faithfulness to His covenant despite Israel's profound unfaithfulness and His willingness to restore them after severe judgment. The sheer scale of the dispersion and the seemingly impossible nature of gathering scattered individuals from many nations would highlight God's sovereign control over all nations and His unwavering commitment to His promises, making it an equally, if not more, astounding act of divine intervention.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Jeremiah 16:14, while immediately pointing to the return from Babylonian exile, finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. The "greater salvation" prophesied here is ultimately realized not merely in a physical return to a land, but in the spiritual deliverance from sin and death accomplished through Christ. The Exodus delivered Israel from physical slavery; Christ's atoning sacrifice delivers humanity from the spiritual slavery of sin, a bondage far more pervasive and destructive. The declaration "The LORD liveth" is given its fullest meaning in the resurrection of Jesus, who is the [Lord of life](/john/11-25 "John 11:25 - Jesus, the Resurrection and the Life") and the ultimate demonstration of God's power over death itself. The New Covenant, inaugurated by Christ's blood, promises a spiritual gathering of believers from "every tribe and language and people and nation" ([Revelation 5:9](/revelation/5-9 "Revelation 5:9 - Redeemed from Every Nation")), a dispersion far greater than Israel's physical exile. This spiritual Exodus, leading to reconciliation with God and eternal life, truly eclipses all previous acts of deliverance, becoming the definitive proof that [God is truly alive and at work](/acts/2-24 "Acts 2:24 - God Raised Jesus from the Dead"). In Christ, we see the ultimate fulfillment of God's promise to do a "new thing," providing a salvation so complete that it becomes the eternal benchmark for His power and grace, making it truly "no more be said" that any other act is the greatest, for [He has made all things new](/revelation/21-5 "Revelation 21:5 - Behold, I Am Making All Things New").

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Jeremiah 23:7

Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that they shall no more say, The LORD liveth, which brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt;

Jeremiah 23:8

But, The LORD liveth, which brought up and which led the seed of the house of Israel out of the north country, and from all countries whither I had driven them; and they shall dwell in their own land.

Exodus 20:2

I [am] the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

Deuteronomy 15:15

And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt, and the LORD thy God redeemed thee: therefore I command thee this thing to day.

Hosea 3:4

For the children of Israel shall abide many days without a king, and without a prince, and without a sacrifice, and without an image, and without an ephod, and [without] teraphim:

Hosea 3:5

Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the LORD their God, and David their king; and shall fear the LORD and his goodness in the latter days.

Micah 6:4

For I brought thee up out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed thee out of the house of servants; and I sent before thee Moses, Aaron, and Miriam.