TRV
Translation
King James Version
And these are the words that the LORD spake concerning Israel and concerning Judah.
American Standard Version
And these are the words that Jehovah spake concerning Israel and concerning Judah.
World English Bible Messianic
These are the words that the LORD spoke concerning Israel and concerning Judah.
Geneva Bible (1599)
Againe, these are the wordes that the Lord spake concerning Israel, and concerning Iudah.
Young's Literal Translation
And these are the words that Jehovah hath spoken concerning Israel and concerning Judah:
In the KJVVerse 19,672 of 31,102
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Commentary on Jeremiah 30 verses 1–9
1 ¶ The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying,
2 Thus speaketh the LORD God of Israel, saying, Write thee all the words that I have spoken unto thee in a book.
3 For, lo, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will bring again the captivity of my people Israel and Judah, saith the LORD: and I will cause them to return to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall possess it.
4 And these are the words that the LORD spake concerning Israel and concerning Judah.
5 For thus saith the LORD; We have heard a voice of trembling, of fear, and not of peace.
6 Ask ye now, and see whether a man doth travail with child? wherefore do I see every man with his hands on his loins, as a woman in travail, and all faces are turned into paleness?
7 Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob's trouble; but he shall be saved out of it.
8 For it shall come to pass in that day, saith the LORD of hosts, that I will break his yoke from off thy neck, and will burst thy bonds, and strangers shall no more serve themselves of him:
9 But they shall serve the LORD their God, and David their king, whom I will raise up unto them.
Here, I. Jeremiah is directed to write what God had spoken to him, which perhaps refers to all the foregoing prophecies. He must write them and publish them, in hopes that those who had not profited by what he said upon once hearing it might take more notice of it when in reading it they had leisure for a more considerate review. Or, rather, it refers to the promises of their enlargement, which had been often mixed with his other discourses. He must collect them and put them together, and God will now add unto them many like words. He must write them for the generations to come, who should see them accomplished, and thereby have their faith in the prophecy confirmed. He must write them not in a letter, as that in the chapter before to the captives, but in a book, to be carefully preserved in the archives, or among the public rolls or registers of the state. Daniel understood by these books when the captivity was about coming to an end, Dan 9:2. He must write them in a book, not in loose papers: "For the days come, and are yet at a great distance, when I will bring again the captivity of Israel and Judah, great numbers of the ten tribes, with those of the two," Jer 30:3. And this prophecy must be written, that it may be read then also, that so it may appear how exactly the accomplishment answers the prediction, which is one end of the writing of prophecies. It is intimated that they shall be beloved for their fathers' sake (Rom 11:28); for therefore God will bring them again to Canaan, because it was the land that he gave to their fathers, which therefore they shall possess.
II. He is directed what to write. The very words are such as the Holy Ghost teaches, Jer 30:4. These are the words which God ordered to be written; and those promises which are written by his order are as truly his word as the ten commandments which were written with his finger. 1. He must write a description of the fright and consternation which the people were now in, and were likely to be still in upon every attack that the Chaldeans made upon them, which will much magnify both the wonder and the welcomeness of their deliverance (Jer 30:5): We have heard a voice of trembling - the shrieks of terror echoing to the alarms of danger. The false prophets told them that they should have peace, but there is fear and not peace, so the margin reads it. No marvel that when without are fightings within are fears. The men, even the men of war, shall be quite overwhelmed with the calamities of their nation, shall sink under them, and yield to them, and shall look like women in labour, whose pains come upon them in great extremity and they know that they cannot escape them, Jer 30:6. You never heard of a man travailing with child, and yet here you find not here and there a timorous man, but every man with his hands on his loins, in the utmost anguish and agony, as women in travail, when they see their cities burnt and their countries laid waste. But this pain is compared to that of a woman in travail, not to that of a death-bed, because it shall end in joy at last, and the pain, like that of a travailing woman, shall be forgotten. All faces shall be turned into paleness. The word signifies not only such paleness as arises from a sudden fright, but that which is the effect of a bad habit of body, the jaundice, or the green sickness. The prophet laments the calamity upon the foresight of it (Jer 30:7): Alas! for that day is great, a day of judgment, which is called the great day, the great and terrible day of the Lord (Joe 2:31, Jde 1:6), great, so that there has been none like it. The last destruction of Jerusalem is thus spoken of by our Saviour as unparalleled, Mat 24:21. It is even the time of Jacob's trouble, a sad time, when God's professing people shall be in distress above other people. The whole time of the captivity was a time of Jacob's trouble; and such times ought to be greatly lamented by all that are concerned for the welfare of Jacob and the honour of the God of Jacob. 2. He must write the assurances which God had given that a happy end should at length be put to these calamities. (1.) Jacob's troubles shall cease: He shall be saved out of them. Though the afflictions of the church may last long, they shall not last always. Salvation belongs to the Lord, and shall be wrought for his church. (2.) Jacob's troublers shall be disabled from doing him any further mischief, and shall be reckoned with for the mischief they have done him, Jer 30:8. The Lord of hosts, who has all power in his hand, undertakes to do it: "I will break his yoke from off thy neck, which has long lain so heavy, and has so sorely galled thee. I will burst thy bonds and restore thee to liberty and ease, and thou shalt no more be at the beck and command of strangers, shalt no more serve them, nor shall they any more serve themselves of thee; they shall no more enrich themselves either by thy possessions or by thy labours." And, (3.) That which crowns and completes the mercy is that they shall be restored to the free exercise of their religion again, Jer 30:9. They shall be delivered from serving their enemies, not that they may live at large and do what they please, but that they may serve the Lord their God and David their king, that they may come again into order, under the established government both in church and state. Therefore they were brought into trouble and made to serve their enemies because they had not served the Lord their God as they ought to have done, with joyfulness and gladness of heart, Deu 28:47. But, when the time shall come that they should be saved out of their trouble, God will prepare and qualify them for it by giving them a heart to serve him, and will make it doubly comfortable by giving them opportunity to serve him. Therefore we are delivered out of the hands of our enemies, that we may serve God, Luk 1:74, Luk 1:75. And then deliverances out of temporal calamities are mercies indeed to us when by them we find ourselves engaged to and enlarged in the service of God. They shall serve their own God, and neither be inclined, as they had been of old in the day of their apostasy, nor compelled, as they had been of late in the day of their captivity, to serve other gods. They shall serve David their king, such governors as God should from time to time set over them, of the line of David (as Zerubbabel), or at least sitting on the thrones of judgment, the thrones of the house of David, as Nehemiah. But certainly this has a further meaning. The Chaldee paraphrase reads it, They shall obey (or hearken to) the Messiah (or Christ), the Son of David, their king. To him the Jewish interpreters apply it. That dispensation which commenced at their return out of captivity brought them to the Messiah. He is called David their King because he was the Son of David (Mat 22:42) and he answered to the name, Mat 20:31, Mat 20:32. David was an illustrious type of him both in his humiliation and in his exaltation. The covenant of royalty made with David had principal reference to him, and in him the promises of that covenant had their full accomplishment. God gave him the throne of his father David; he raised him up unto them, set him upon the holy hill of Zion. God is often in the New Testament said to have raised up Jesus, raised him up as a King, Act 3:26; Act 13:23, Act 13:33. Observe, [1.] Those that serve the Lord as their God must also serve David their King, must give up themselves to Jesus Christ, to be ruled by him. For all men must honour the Son as they honour the Father, and come into the service and worship of God by him as Mediator. [2.] Those that are delivered out of spiritual bondage must make it appear that they are so by giving up themselves to the service of Christ. Those to whom he gives rest must take his yoke upon them.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 1–9. Public domain.
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JeromeAD 420
Commentary on Jeremiah
(Verse 4 and following) And these are the words that the Lord spoke to Israel and Judah, for this is what the Lord says: We have heard the voice of terror (or fear), and there is no peace. Inquire and see if a male gives birth. Why then do I see every man with his hand on his loins like a woman in labor, and all faces have turned pale? First, sadness is announced, so that after the magnitude of evils, joy may follow. Indeed, good health is more pleasant when illness has been driven away; and the magnitude of pain is turned into the magnitude of joys. But what he says is this, that such will be the fear and such the terror, that with peace driven away, everything will be filled with wars and blood, and even men (whose proper role is to fight against enemies) will be overcome by feminine fear: and their hands will not be directed to weapons, but to holding onto their kidneys, as if a woman in labor were holding onto her loins. And so the appearance of all will be turned into rust, the terror of the heart, the paleness of the countenance testifying. Some interpret this place according to tropology, so that they think that testimony: From fear of you, O Lord, we have conceived, and brought forth, and brought forth: we have made the spirit of your salvation upon the earth (Isaiah 26:17-18), and that Apostolic one in which it says: My little children, of whom I am in labor again, until Christ be formed in you (Galatians 4:19), is compared to this example: which is manifestly not to be pertained to terror, but to joy, since the present Scripture denotes the devastation of Israel, and the time of ruin.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
Jeremiah 30:4 serves as a pivotal introductory statement to the "Book of Consolation" (Jeremiah 30-33), clearly establishing the divine origin and authoritative nature of the prophecies that follow. This verse signals a profound shift in Jeremiah's message from pronouncements of judgment to assurances of future hope, restoration, and covenant renewal for both the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah, underscoring God's unwavering faithfulness to His covenant people despite their widespread apostasy and impending or ongoing exile.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Jeremiah 30:4 employs several literary devices to enhance its impact and convey its profound message. It functions as a Framing Device or Inclusio, introducing the "Book of Consolation" (chapters 30-33) and setting its authoritative tone for the subsequent messages of hope. The phrase "these are the words that the LORD spake" is a common prophetic formula, serving as a Divine Oracle Formula that immediately establishes the divine origin and absolute authority of the message, distinguishing it from human pronouncements and imbuing it with irrefutable truth. This formula also subtly introduces a Paradox, as words of profound hope and restoration are given in a context of severe national judgment and despair, highlighting God's ability to bring life out of death. Furthermore, the explicit mention of "Israel and concerning Judah" uses Synecdoche, where the two parts (the northern and southern kingdoms) represent the whole covenant people, emphasizing God's comprehensive and inclusive plan for all His scattered children, ensuring none are forgotten.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Jeremiah 30:4 is a foundational verse for understanding God's enduring covenant faithfulness and His sovereign control over history, even amidst human failure and divine judgment. It reveals that God's ultimate purposes for His people are redemptive, always moving towards restoration and renewal, even when severe discipline is necessary to bring about repentance and purification. This verse highlights the unchanging nature of God's word and promises, demonstrating that His character is defined by both unwavering justice and boundless mercy. It assures us that God's plans are comprehensive, encompassing all His scattered people, and that His prophetic word is reliable, guaranteeing the fulfillment of His long-term intentions for His covenant community, regardless of how bleak present circumstances may appear.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Jeremiah 30:4 offers profound encouragement and a powerful reminder of God's unwavering faithfulness. In a world often marked by chaos, uncertainty, and the painful consequences of sin, this verse anchors our hope in the divine word. It teaches us that even when we face the painful consequences of our choices, or when circumstances seem bleak and without remedy, God's ultimate plan for His people is one of restoration and renewal. Just as God remembered His covenant with Israel and Judah, He remembers His covenant with us. This should inspire us to trust in His sovereign hand, knowing that His promises are true and His purposes are good, even when the path is difficult and requires enduring hardship. It calls us to listen intently to His authoritative word, finding in it not only conviction for our sins but also the unwavering assurance of ultimate hope and redemption, which transcends all present trials.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What is the significance of God addressing both "Israel" and "Judah" in this verse?
Answer: The mention of both "Israel" and "Judah" is highly significant because it demonstrates the comprehensive scope of God's redemptive plan for His entire covenant people. The northern kingdom of Israel had fallen to Assyria centuries earlier (722 BCE), and its people were dispersed. The southern kingdom of Judah was either facing or already enduring the Babylonian exile (beginning 605 BCE, with major deportations in 597 and 586 BCE). By addressing both, God signals His enduring covenant faithfulness to all twelve tribes, not just the remnant in Judah. It foreshadows a future reunification and restoration of His entire people, emphasizing that His promises extend beyond immediate historical circumstances to encompass His whole scattered community, ultimately fulfilled in the new covenant. This theme of reunification is powerfully echoed in prophecies like Ezekiel 37:15-28.
Why is Jeremiah 30:4 considered an introduction to the "Book of Consolation"?
Answer: Jeremiah 30:4 serves as the explicit introduction to chapters 30-33, a section distinct in tone and content from much of Jeremiah's earlier prophecies. While previous chapters primarily delivered stern warnings of judgment and calls to repentance due to Judah's idolatry and disobedience, this verse pivots to a message of future hope and restoration. The phrase "And these are the words that the LORD spake" acts as a formal divine pronouncement, signaling the beginning of a new, hopeful segment of prophecy. This "Book of Consolation" details God's promises of returning His people from exile, national renewal, and the establishment of a new, eternal covenant, offering a profound message of grace and future blessing after the period of divine discipline. It encapsulates God's unwavering commitment to His covenant people, even in their darkest hour, as seen in the promise of a new covenant in Jeremiah 31:31.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Jeremiah 30:4, by introducing the "Book of Consolation" and its promises of restoration, new covenant, and the reunification of Israel and Judah, finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in Jesus Christ. The "words that the LORD spake" concerning future hope are not merely historical predictions but divine blueprints for a salvation that transcends national boundaries and temporal exiles. Christ is the very embodiment of God's promised restoration, gathering all of God's people—both Jew and Gentile—into one new humanity, effectively bringing together the spiritual "Israel" and "Judah" under His headship (Ephesians 2:14-16). The "new covenant" promised in Jeremiah 31:31 is inaugurated through Christ's atoning sacrifice on the cross, His blood establishing the terms of this eternal covenant (Luke 22:20). He is the true Shepherd who gathers His scattered sheep from every nation (John 10:16), fulfilling the prophetic vision of a unified people. Thus, the hope initiated in Jeremiah 30:4 culminates in the person and work of Christ, who brings about not just a return to a physical land, but a spiritual restoration and eternal fellowship with God, making all believers heirs of the promises given to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob through faith in Him (Galatians 3:29).