Jeremiah 31:30

But every one shall die for his own iniquity: every man that eateth the sour grape, his teeth shall be set on edge.

But every one {H376} shall die {H4191} for his own iniquity {H5771}: every man {H120} that eateth {H398} the sour grape {H1155}, his teeth {H8127} shall be set on edge {H6949}.

Rather, each will die for his own sin; every one who eats sour grapes, his own teeth will be set on edge.

Instead, each will die for his own iniquity. If anyone eats the sour grapes, his own teeth will be set on edge.

But every one shall die for his own iniquity: every man that eateth the sour grapes, his teeth shall be set on edge.

Commentary

Jeremiah 31:30 is a pivotal verse within Jeremiah's "Book of Comfort" (chapters 30-33), which looks forward to the restoration of Israel and Judah and the establishment of a new covenant. This verse directly addresses and refutes a common proverb prevalent among the exiles in Babylon: "The fathers have eaten a sour grape, and the children's teeth are set on edge." This proverb, also mentioned in Jeremiah 31:29 and Ezekiel 18:2, implied that the current generation was suffering due to the sins of their ancestors.

Context

The people in exile felt they were unjustly punished for the sins of previous generations. Jeremiah 31:30 stands as a divine correction to this misconception. God declares that, in the coming new era, the principle of collective guilt will give way to a clear emphasis on individual accountability. This shift in understanding is crucial for the establishment of the New Covenant described immediately after this in Jeremiah 31:31-34, where God's law would be written on individual hearts, and personal knowledge of God would be paramount.

Key Themes

  • Individual Responsibility: The central message is that each person will be held accountable for their own actions and sins. This directly counters the idea of inherited guilt in the way the proverb implied.
  • Divine Justice: God's justice is precise and personal. While corporate sin had led to national judgment (like the exile), God's ultimate dealings with humanity would focus on the individual's moral standing. This echoes principles found in the Law (e.g., Deuteronomy 24:16).
  • Consequences of Sin: The vivid imagery of "eating the sour grape" and having "teeth set on edge" illustrates that personal sin leads to personal, unpleasant consequences. It’s a direct, sensory metaphor for suffering the painful results of one's own choices.
  • Foreshadowing the New Covenant: This declaration of individual accountability lays foundational groundwork for the new covenant, which emphasizes a personal relationship with God and personal obedience, rather than a system based solely on national or generational standing.

Linguistic Insights

The phrase "eateth the sour grape, his teeth shall be set on edge" is a powerful Hebrew idiom. It graphically portrays a direct, unpleasant, and immediate consequence. Just as eating something intensely sour causes a physical reaction, so too does engaging in personal iniquity lead to personal suffering or judgment. The emphasis is on the direct cause-and-effect relationship between an individual's sin and their experience of its results.

Practical Application

Jeremiah 31:30 holds enduring relevance. It challenges us to embrace personal accountability for our choices and actions, rather than blaming circumstances, upbringing, or past generations. It offers comfort by assuring us that God's justice is fair and that we are not perpetually bound by the sins of others. Under the new covenant, accessible through faith, individuals can experience forgiveness and a renewed relationship with God, predicated on their personal response to His grace (John 3:16). This verse encourages us to examine our own lives and take responsibility, knowing that God deals with each person individually.

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Cross-References

  • Ezekiel 18:20 (6 votes)

    The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.

  • Isaiah 3:11 (5 votes)

    Woe unto the wicked! [it shall be] ill [with him]: for the reward of his hands shall be given him.

  • Ezekiel 18:4 (4 votes)

    Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.

  • Deuteronomy 24:16 (4 votes)

    The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, neither shall the children be put to death for the fathers: every man shall be put to death for his own sin.

  • Galatians 6:5 (4 votes)

    For every man shall bear his own burden.

  • Ezekiel 3:18 (3 votes)

    When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked [man] shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.

  • Ezekiel 3:19 (3 votes)

    Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul.