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Commentary on Jeremiah 31 verses 10–17
This paragraph is much to the same purport with the last, publishing to the world, as well as to the church, the purposes of God's love concerning his people. This is a word of the Lord which the nations must hear, for it is a prophecy of a work of the Lord which the nations cannot but take notice of. Let them hear the prophecy, that they may the better understand and improve the performance; and let those that hear it themselves declare it to others, declare it in the isles afar off. It will be a piece of news that will spread all the world over. it will look very great in history; let us see how it looks in prophecy.
It is foretold, 1. That those who are dispersed shall be brought together again from their dispersions: He that scattereth Israel will gather him; for he knows whither he scattered them and therefore where to find them, Jer 31:10. Una eademque manus vulnus opemque tulit - The hand that inflicted the wound shall heal it. And when he has gathered him into one body, one fold, he will keep him, as a shepherd does his flock, from being scattered again. 2. That those who are sold and alienated shall be redeemed and brought back, Jer 31:11. Though the enemy that had got possession of him was stronger than he, yet the Lord, who is stronger than all. has redeemed and ransomed him, not by price, but by power, as of old out of the Egyptians' hands. 3. That with their liberty they shall have plenty and joy, and God shall be honoured and served with it, Jer 31:12, Jer 31:13. When they shall have returned to their own land they shall come and sing in the high place of Zion; on the top of that holy mountain they shall sing to the praise and glory of God. We read that they did so when the foundation of the temple was laid there; they sang together, praising and giving thanks to the Lord, Ezr 3:11. They shall flow together to the goodness of the Lord; that is, they shall flock in great numbers and with great forwardness and cheerfulness, as streams of water, to the goodness of the Lord, to the temple where he causes his goodness to pass before his people. They shall come together in solemn assemblies, to praise him for his goodness, and to pray for the fruits of it and the continuance of it; they shall come to bless him for his goodness, in giving them wheat, and wine, and oil, and the young of the flock and of the herd, which, now that they have obtained their freedom, they have an uncontested property in and the quiet and peaceable enjoyment of, and which therefore they honour God with the first-fruits of and out of which they bring offerings to his altar. Note, It is comfortable to observe the goodness of the Lord in the gifts of common providence, and even in them to taste covenant-love. Having plenty (plenty out of want and scarcity) they shall greatly rejoice, their soul shall be as a watered garden, flourishing and fruitful (Isa 58:11), pleasant and fragrant, and abounding in all good things. Note, Our souls are never valuable as gardens but when they are watered with the dews of God's Spirit and grace. It is a precious promise which follows, and which will not have its full accomplishment any where on this side the height of the heavenly Zion, that they shall not sorrow any more at all; for it is only in that new Jerusalem that all tears shall be wiped away, Rev 21:4. However, so far it was fulfilled to the returned captives that they had not any more those causes for sorrow which they had formerly had; and therefore (Jer 31:13) young men and old shall rejoice together; so grave shall the young men be in their joys as to keep company with the old men, and so transported shall the old men be as to associate with the young. Salva res est, saltat senex - The state prospers, and the aged dance. God will turn their mourning into joy, their fasts into solemn feasts, Zac 8:19. It was in the return out of Babylon that those who sowed in tears were made to reap in joy, Psa 126:5, Psa 126:6. Those are comforted indeed whom God comforts, and may forget their troubles when he makes them to rejoice from their sorrow, not only rejoice after it, but rejoice from it their joy shall borrow lustre from their sorrow, which shall serve as a foil to it; and the more they think of their troubles the more they rejoice in their deliverance. 4. That both the ministers and those they minister to shall have abundant satisfaction in what God gives them (Jer 31:14): I will satiate the soul of the priests with fatness; there shall be such a plenty of sacrifices brought to the altar that those who live upon the altar shall live very comfortably, they and their families shall be satiated with fatness, they shall have enough, and that of the best; and my people shall be satisfied with my goodness, and shall think there is enough in that to make them happy; and so there is. God's people have an abundant satisfaction in God's goodness, though they have but little of this world. Let them be satisfied of God's lovingkindness, and they will be satisfied with it and desire no more to make them happy. All this is applicable to the spiritual blessings which the redeemed of the Lord enjoy by Jesus Christ, infinitely more valuable than corn, and wine, and oil, and the satisfaction of soul which they have in the enjoyment of them. 5. That those particularly who had been in sorrow for the loss of their children who were carried into captivity should have that sorrow turned into joy upon their return, Jer 31:15-17. Here we have, (1.) The sad lamentation which the mothers made for the loss of their children (Jer 31:15): In Ramah was there a voice heard, at the time when the general captivity was, nothing but lamentation, and bitter weeping, more there than in other places, because there Nebuzaradan had the general rendezvous of his captives, as appears, Jer 40:1, where we find him sending Jeremiah back from Ramah. Rachel is here said to weep for her children. The sepulchre of Rachel was between Ramah and Bethlehem. Benjamin, one of the two tribes, and Ephraim, head of the ten tribes, were both descendants from Rachel. She had but two sons, the elder of whom was one for whom his father grieved andrefused to be comforted (Gen 37:35); the other she herself called Benoni - the son of my sorrow. Now the inhabitants of Ramah did in like manner grieve for their sons and their daughters that were carried away (as Sa1 30:6), and such a voice of lamentation was there as, to speak poetically, might even have raised Rachel out of her grave to mourn with them. The tender parents even refused to be comforted for their children, because they were not, were not with them, but were in the hands of their enemies; they were never likely to see them any more. This is applied by the evangelists to the great mourning that was at Bethlehem for the murder of the infants there by Herod (Mat 2:17-18), and this scripture is said to be then fulfilled. They wept for them, and would not be comforted, supposing the case would not admit any ground of comfort, because they were not. Note, Sorrow for the loss of children cannot but be great sorrow, especially if we so far mistake as to think they are not. (2.) Seasonable comfort administered to them in reference hereunto, Jer 31:16, Jer 31:17. They are advised to moderate that sorrow, and to set bounds to it: Refrain thy voice from weeping and thy eyes from tears. We are not forbidden to mourn in such a case; allowances are made for natural affection. But we must not suffer our sorrow to run into an extreme, to hinder our joy in God, or take us off from our duty to him. Though we mourn, we must not murmur, nor must we resolve, as Jacob did, to go to the grave mourning. In order to repress inordinate grief, we must consider that there is hope in our end, hope that there will be an end (the trouble will not last always), that it will be a happy and - the end will be peace. Note, It ought to support us under our troubles that we have reason to hope they will end well. The righteous has hope in his death; that will be the blessed period of his grief and the blessed passage to his joys. "There is hope for thy posterity" (so some read it); "though thou mayest not live to see these glorious days thyself, there is hope that thy posterity shall. Though one generation falls in the wilderness, the next shall enter Canaan. Two things thou mayest comfort thyself with the hope of:" - [1.] "The reward of thy work: - Thy suffering work shall be rewarded. The comforts of the deliverance shall be sufficient to balance all the grievances of thy captivity." God makes his people glad according to the days wherein he has afflicted them, and so there is a proportion between the joys and the sorrows, as between the reward and the work. The glory to be revealed, which the saints hope for in the end, will abundantly countervail the sufferings of this present time, Rom 8:18. [2.] "The restoration of thy children: They shall come again from the land of the enemy (Jer 31:16); they shall come again to their own border," Jer 31:17. There is hope that children at a distance may be brought home. Jacob had a comfortable meeting with Joseph after he had despaired of ever seeing him. There is hope concerning children removed by death that they shall return to their own border, to the happy lot assigned them in the resurrection, a lot in the heavenly Canaan, that border of his sanctuary. We shall see reason to repress our grief for the death of our children that are taken into covenant with God when we consider the hopes we have of their resurrection to eternal life. They are not lost, but gone before.
(Verse 10 and following) Hear the word of the Lord, O nations, and proclaim it in distant islands, and say: He who scattered Israel will gather him and will watch over him as a shepherd does his flock. For the Lord has redeemed Jacob and delivered him from the hand of the stronger (or the hand of the more powerful). And they will come and praise on Mount Zion, and they will gather to the good things of the Lord, abundant with grain, wine, oil, and the offspring of cattle and sheep. And their soul shall be like a well-watered garden (or like a fruitful tree), and they shall never hunger again. Then the virgin shall rejoice in the dance (or the virgins) and the young men and the old men together, and I will turn their mourning into joy, and I will comfort them and make them rejoice from their sorrow. And I will make the souls of the priests drunk with fatness (or the sons of Levi), and my people shall be satisfied with my goodness, says the Lord. Clearly the calling of the nations is shown, with the Scripture saying: Hear the word of the Lord, O nations, and declare it on the islands far away, and say. What do the islands that are far away announce? It is the Lord, who dispersed Israel, who will gather them together. Therefore, it was not by the power of their enemies that they were scattered, but by the will of the Lord. And He will guard them as a shepherd guards his flock. For a good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep (John 10). Because the Lord has redeemed Jacob with the price of His own blood and has liberated him from the hand of the more powerful or stronger one. By these things are shown the stronger opposing powers of the nature of human frailty. And as far as strength is concerned, they are stronger by nature, but we are stronger by faith, if indeed we deserve to be freed from him who can bind the strong and plunder his house. And they will come, he says, without a doubt, that when freed from the hand of the powerful, they will praise their liberator on Mount Zion, that is, in the Church, and they will gather to the good things of the Lord, the abundance of all things, which is felt not in the fruits and food of this flesh, but in the variety of virtues. He said, 'With wheat, and wine, and oil, from which the bread of the Lord is made, and the type of His blood is filled, and the blessing of sanctification is shown, as the Scripture says: 'God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness above your companions' (Psalm 45:8). And with the offspring of livestock, which are simple in the Church, and with cattle, which are horned, they drive away adversaries. But so that we may know that these blessings pertain not to the body, but to the soul, it follows: 'Their soul will be like a well-watered garden, or like a fruitful tree, which is planted by the flowing waters, and the Lord's paradise in delights' (Psalm 1). And furthermore, he says, you shall not hunger. In no way will you be hungry, of which it is written: Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness (Matthew 5:6); but that which is changed by satiety, and excludes the scarcity of all things. Then the virgin will rejoice in the choir, of whom the Apostle writes: For I have betrothed you to one husband to present a chaste virgin to Christ (2 Corinthians 11:2). And to the young men, to whom John speaks: I write to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one; and to the elders, to whom he testifies in mystical language: I write to you, fathers, because you have known him who is from the beginning (1 John 2:14). And, he says, I will turn their mourning into joy, so that the cross that had terrified them may bring joy through the resurrection. And I will console them and make them glad from their sorrow, according to what the Lord says: Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. And I will gladden the souls of the Priests, who have knowledge of God, from whose mouths they seek the law of the Lord, those who believe in Him, of whom the Prophet sings: You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek (Psalm 110:4). But what follows according to the Septuagint: Of the sons of Levi, it is not found in Hebrew. And it is clear that it is not said of those priests who are sons of Levi, but of those in whose type Melchizedek preceded. And the drunkenness of the priests is also proven in the Apostles, when they were fervent in faith and were said to be full of must (Acts 2). Hence, the place in which the Lord was apprehended is called Gethsemane (Matthew 26:36), which in our language means the valley of fatness. And when the priests, who are rich with the teachings of the Lord, have been intoxicated at the feast, they will say to Joseph: How splendid is your intoxicating cup (Gen. 43 and 44)! Then this promise of the Lord will also be fulfilled: And my people will be filled with my blessings (Ps. 22:5). All these things are now given in part, but then they will be given in full, when we see face to face, and our humble bodies will be transformed into the glory of resurrection.
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SUMMARY
Jeremiah 31:13 is a vibrant prophetic promise of future restoration and profound joy for the people of Israel, particularly those returning from exile. It paints a vivid picture of communal celebration, where all generations participate in dancing and gladness, signifying God's compassionate intervention to transform their deep sorrow and mourning into comfort and rejoicing. This verse encapsulates the divine commitment to not only alleviate suffering but to actively infuse His people with overwhelming delight, marking a complete reversal of their fortunes through His faithful love and redemptive power.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Jeremiah 31:13 is rich in Imagery, painting a vivid and dynamic picture of communal celebration with "the virgin," "young men," and "old" dancing in unison. This sensory detail evokes a powerful sense of restored community, vibrant life, and unbridled gladness, contrasting sharply with the prior state of despair. The verse employs striking Contrast, juxtaposing the states of "mourning" and "sorrow" with "joy" and "rejoice." This antithesis highlights the dramatic and complete nature of God's transformative work, emphasizing the radical shift from profound despair and lamentation to abundant delight. The repetition of the concept of "rejoice" (from the root sâmach) and the underlying theme of joy throughout the verse serves as Emphasis, underscoring the central theme of God's active role in bringing pervasive and intense gladness to the restored community. Furthermore, the personification of Israel as "the virgin" is a powerful form of Symbolism, representing the nation in a state of renewed purity, covenant fidelity, and a fresh, unblemished relationship with God after a period of judgment and spiritual defilement.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Jeremiah 31:13 powerfully articulates the biblical theme of divine restoration and God's profoundly compassionate nature. It assures us that God is not only capable of bringing judgment but is also deeply committed to healing, comforting, and transforming the suffering of His people into profound and lasting joy. This promise extends beyond a mere cessation of pain; it speaks to an active, divine infusion of delight, a testament to God's redemptive power and His desire for His creation to flourish in His presence. The communal aspect of the rejoicing underscores that God's restoration is holistic, affecting individuals and the collective body, uniting them in shared gladness and renewed fellowship with Him. It is a testament to God's unwavering faithfulness to His covenant, even when His people have been unfaithful.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Jeremiah 31:13 offers profound spiritual nourishment for contemporary believers, reminding us that our God is one who actively intervenes to transform sorrow into joy. In a world often marked by grief, anxiety, and despair, this verse serves as a powerful anchor of hope, calling us to trust in God's sovereign power to reverse seemingly irreversible situations, whether personal or communal. It encourages us to bring our lamentations and deepest sorrows before Him, confident that He is the ultimate Comforter who delights in making His people rejoice. We are invited to envision a future where all tears are wiped away, and to live with a hopeful expectation of God's restorative work, even amidst present difficulties, knowing that true and lasting joy is a divine gift that He is eager to bestow. This verse challenges us to cultivate a posture of hopeful anticipation, even as we navigate the realities of a fallen world.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What is the significance of "the virgin" in this verse?
Answer: In Jeremiah 31:13, "the virgin" (Hebrew: bᵉthûwlâh') is a symbolic representation of Israel or Judah. Throughout prophetic literature, Israel is often depicted as a virgin or a bride, symbolizing her covenant relationship with God. In this context, after a period of spiritual unfaithfulness and subsequent judgment (exile), the return to a "virgin" state signifies a renewed purity, a fresh start, and a restoration of her unblemished relationship with God. It emphasizes God's redemptive work in cleansing and re-establishing His people in His favor, highlighting the profound spiritual transformation and renewal promised in the broader context of Jeremiah 31.
Does this verse imply that all suffering will immediately cease for believers?
Answer: While Jeremiah 31:13 promises a profound transformation from mourning to joy, it is a prophetic declaration with both immediate and ultimate fulfillments. For the exiles, it promised a literal return and restoration to their land, ending their national mourning. For believers today, it assures us of God's power to comfort and bring joy even within suffering, and it points to an ultimate, complete cessation of sorrow in the eschatological future. The Bible acknowledges that believers will still experience suffering in this fallen world (John 16:33), but it also promises God's unfailing presence, comfort, and the eventual wiping away of every tear in the new heavens and new earth (Revelation 21:4). Therefore, it is a promise of divine comfort and joy that begins now in our spiritual experience and culminates in the perfect, eternal joy of God's presence.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Jeremiah 31:13 finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in Jesus Christ, the Messiah. While initially a promise of restoration for physical Israel, the spiritual realities it describes—the transformation of mourning into joy, comfort from sorrow, and universal rejoicing—are perfectly embodied and actualized in Christ's redemptive work. He is the true Comforter, the one who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29), and through His atoning sacrifice, He inaugurates the new covenant promised in Jeremiah 31:31. Through faith in Him, believers are reconciled to God, experiencing a spiritual return from exile (from sin and death) to a renewed, pure relationship. The "mourning" for sin and the "sorrow" of a broken world are transformed into the "joy" of salvation and the "rejoicing" of the Holy Spirit living within us (Romans 14:17). Ultimately, the promise of a complete and universal joy, where all generations unite in celebration, points forward to the glorious return of Christ and the establishment of His eternal kingdom, where God will dwell with His people, and there will be no more death, mourning, crying, or pain, as promised in Revelation 21:3 and Revelation 21:4.