Jeremiah 31:14

Commentary on Jeremiah 31:14 (KJV)

Jeremiah 31:14 is a profound promise from God to His people, nestled within the "Book of Consolation" (Jeremiah 30-33), which looks beyond the impending judgment and exile to a future of restoration and blessing for Israel and Judah. This verse highlights God's abundant provision and the deep satisfaction found in His goodness.

Context

This verse is part of a larger prophetic declaration concerning the Lord's future dealings with His scattered people. After describing their return from captivity (e.g., Jeremiah 31:8), God promises to make them fruitful and to rebuild them. The preceding verses speak of comfort, joy, and provision for all, including the young and old. This promise of satiety for the priests and satisfaction for the people underscores the comprehensive nature of God's restorative work, emphasizing both spiritual leadership and the general populace.

Key Themes

• Divine Provision and Restoration: The Lord pledges to abundantly supply the needs of His people. "Satiate... with fatness" and "satisfied with my goodness" speak to an overflow of blessings, ensuring that there will be no lack, especially after a period of hardship and scarcity. This reflects God's unwavering commitment to His covenant.
• Spiritual and Material Abundance: "Fatness" often symbolizes prosperity, richness, and abundance, both in a physical sense (fertile land, good harvests) and a spiritual sense (spiritual vitality, abundant grace). The priests, who were dependent on the offerings of the people, would be especially blessed, signifying a healthy spiritual state for the nation as a whole.
• Deep Satisfaction in God's Goodness: The core message is that true contentment and fulfillment come directly from the Lord's character and benevolent actions. Unlike worldly pleasures that leave one wanting, God's goodness provides lasting satisfaction, a theme echoed elsewhere in scripture, such as when He satisfies the longing soul and fills the hungry soul with goodness.
• God's Faithfulness: Despite Israel's past unfaithfulness, God promises future blessing, demonstrating His enduring love and faithfulness to His promises, a cornerstone of the New Covenant introduced later in this chapter.

Linguistic Insights

• The Hebrew word for "satiate" (שָׁקָה - shaqah) means to give drink, to water, or to irrigate thoroughly, suggesting a deep, refreshing fulfillment, not just a superficial one.
• "Fatness" (דָּשֶׁן - dashen) implies richness, abundance, and prosperity. It is often associated with the richest parts of sacrifices or the fertility of the land, symbolizing the best and most ample provision.
• "Satisfied" (רָוָה - ravah) carries a similar nuance to shaqah, meaning to be thoroughly watered, saturated, or to drink one's fill. This emphasizes complete contentment and removal of all spiritual or physical thirst.
• "Goodness" (טוּב - tov) refers to God's inherent benevolent nature and the blessings that flow from it. It encompasses all that is good, pleasant, and beneficial.

Practical Application

For believers today, Jeremiah 31:14 serves as a powerful reminder of God's desire to provide abundantly for His people, both spiritually and materially. It speaks to:

• Trust in God's Provision: We can have confidence that God cares for our needs, just as He promised to care for His priests and people of old. This extends to spiritual leaders, who are called to serve and depend on God's sustaining grace.
• Finding True Contentment: This verse points to the source of genuine satisfaction. Worldly pursuits often leave us feeling empty, but only God's "goodness"—His presence, His love, His truth—can truly "satiate" our souls and bring lasting fulfillment. As Jesus offered living water that satisfies forever, so God's goodness provides ultimate contentment.
• Hope for Restoration: Even in times of spiritual or physical barrenness, this promise offers hope that God can and will bring about restoration and abundance, turning sorrow into joy and scarcity into plenty.

Ultimately, Jeremiah 31:14 encourages us to look to the Lord for our every need, knowing that He delights in satisfying His people with His boundless goodness.