TRV
Translation
King James Version
In those days shall Judah be saved, and Jerusalem shall dwell safely: and this is the name wherewith she shall be called, The LORD our righteousness.
Complete Jewish Bible
When those days come, Y'hudah will be saved, Yerushalayim will live in safety, and the name given to her will be ADONAI Tzidkenu [ADONAI our Righteousness]."
Berean Standard Bible
In those days Judah will be saved, and Jerusalem will dwell securely, and this is the name by which it will be called: The LORD Our Righteousness.
American Standard Version
In those days shall Judah be saved, and Jerusalem shall dwell safely; and this is the name whereby she shall be called: Jehovah our righteousness.
World English Bible Messianic
In those days shall Judah be saved, and Jerusalem shall dwell safely; and this is the name by which she shall be called: the LORD our righteousness.
Geneva Bible (1599)
In those dayes shall Iudah be saued, and Ierusalem shall dwell safely, and hee that shall call her, is the Lord our righteousnesse.
Young's Literal Translation
In those days is Judah saved, And Jerusalem doth dwell confidently, And this is he whom Jehovah proclaimeth to her: `Our Righteousness.'
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Commentary on Jeremiah 33 verses 10–16
10 ¶ Thus saith the LORD; Again there shall be heard in this place, which ye say shall be desolate without man and without beast, even in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, that are desolate, without man, and without inhabitant, and without beast,
11 The voice of joy, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride, the voice of them that shall say, Praise the LORD of hosts: for the LORD is good; for his mercy endureth for ever: and of them that shall bring the sacrifice of praise into the house of the LORD. For I will cause to return the captivity of the land, as at the first, saith the LORD.
12 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Again in this place, which is desolate without man and without beast, and in all the cities thereof, shall be an habitation of shepherds causing their flocks to lie down.
13 In the cities of the mountains, in the cities of the vale, and in the cities of the south, and in the land of Benjamin, and in the places about Jerusalem, and in the cities of Judah, shall the flocks pass again under the hands of him that telleth them, saith the LORD.
14 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will perform that good thing which I have promised unto the house of Israel and to the house of Judah.
15 In those days, and at that time, will I cause the Branch of righteousness to grow up unto David; and he shall execute judgment and righteousness in the land.
16 In those days shall Judah be saved, and Jerusalem shall dwell safely: and this is the name wherewith she shall be called, The LORD our righteousness.
Here is a further prediction of the happy state of Judah and Jerusalem after their glorious return out of captivity, issuing gloriously at length in the kingdom of the Messiah.
I. It is promised that the people who were long in sorrow shall again be filled with joy. Every one concluded now that the country would lie for ever desolate, that no beasts would be found in the land of Judah, no inhabitant in the streets of Jerusalem, and consequently there would be nothing but universal and perpetual melancholy (Jer 33:10); but, though weeping may endure for a time, joy will return. It was threatened (Jer 7:34 and Jer 16:9) that the voice of joy and gladness should cease there; but here it is promised that they shall revive again, that the voice of joy and gladness shall be heard there, because the captivity shall be returned; for then was their mouth filled with laughter, Psa 126:1, Psa 126:2. 1. There shall be common joy there, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride; marriages shall again be celebrated, as formerly, with songs, which in Babylon they had laid aside, for their harps were hung on the willow-trees. 2. There shall be religious joy there; temple-songs shall be revived, the Lord's songs, which they could not sing in a strange land. There shall be heard in their private houses, and in the cities of Judah, as well as in the temple, the voice of those that shall say, Praise the Lord of hosts. Note, Nothing is more the praise and honour of a people than to have God the glory of it, the glory both of the power and of the goodness by which it is effected; they shall prise him both as the Lord of hosts and as the God who is good and whose mercy endures for ever. This, though a song of old, yet, being sung upon this fresh occasion, will be a new song. We find this literally fulfilled at their return out of Babylon, Ezr 3:11. They sang together in praising the Lord, because he is good, for his mercy endures for ever. The public worship of God shall be diligently and constantly attended upon: They shall bring the sacrifice of praise to the house of the Lord. All the sacrifices were intended for the praise of God, but this seems to be meant of the spiritual sacrifices of humble adorations and joyful thanksgivings, the calves of our lips (Hos 14:2), which shall please the Lord better than an ox of bullock. The Jews say that in the days of the Messiah all sacrifices shall cease but the sacrifice of praise, and to those days this promise has a further reference.
II. It is promised that the country, which had lain long depopulated, shall be replenished and stocked again. It was now desolate, without man and without beast; but, after their return, the pastures shall again be clothed with flocks, Psa 65:13. In all the cities of Judah and Benjamin there shall be a habitation of shepherds, Jer 33:12, Jer 33:13. This intimates, 1. The wealth of the country, after their return. It shall not be a habitation of beggars, who have nothing, but of shepherds and husbandmen, men of substance, with good stocks upon the ground they have returned to. 2. The peace of the country. It shall not be a habitation of soldiers, not shall there be tents and barracks set up to lodge them, but there shall be shepherds; tents; for they shall hear no more the alarms of war, nor shall there be any to make even the shepherds afraid. See Psa 144:13, Psa 144:14. 3. The industry of the country, and their return to their original plainness and simplicity, from which, in the corrupt ages, they had sadly degenerated. The seed of Jacob, in their beginning, gloried in this, that they were shepherds (Gen 47:3), and so they shall now be again, giving themselves wholly to that innocent employment, causing their flocks to lie down (Jer 33:12) and to pass under the hands of him that telleth them (Jer 33:13); for, though their flocks are numerous, they are not numberless, nor shall they omit to number them, that they may know if any be missing and may seek after it. Note, It is the prudence of those who have ever so much of the world to keep an account of what they have. Some think that they pass under the hand of him that telleth them that they may be tithed, Lev 27:32. Then we may take the comfort of what we have when God has had his dues out of it. Now because it seemed incredible that a people, reduced as now they were, should ever recover such a degree of peace and plenty as this, here is subjoined a general ratification of these promises (Jer 33:14): I will perform that good thing which I have promised. Though the promise may sometimes work slowly towards an accomplishment, it works surely. The days will come, though they are long in coming.
III. To crown all these blessings which God has in store for them, here is a promise of the Messiah, and of that everlasting righteousness which he should bring in (Jer 33:15, Jer 33:16), and probably this is that good thing, that great good thing, which in the latter days, days that were yet to come, God would perform, as he had promised to Judah and Israel, and to which their return out of captivity and their settlement again in their own land was preparatory. From the captivity to Christ is one of the famous periods, Mat 1:17. This promise of the Messiah we had before (Jer 23:5, Jer 23:6), and there it came in as a confirmation of the promise of the shepherds whom God would set over them, which would make one think that the promise here concerning the shepherds and their flocks, which introduces it, is to be understood figuratively. Christ is here prophesied of, 1. As a rightful King. He is a branch of righteousness, not a usurper, for he grows up unto David, descends from his loins, with whom the covenant of royalty was made, and is that seed with whom that covenant should be established, so that his title is unexceptionable. 2. As a righteous king, righteous in enacting laws, waging wars, and giving judgment, righteous in vindicating those that suffer wrong and punishing those that do wrong: He shall execute judgment and righteousness in the land. This may point at Zerubbabel, in the type, who governed with equity, not as Jehoiakim had done (Jer 22:17); but it has a further reference to him to whom all judgment is committed and who shall judge the world in righteousness. 3. As a king that shall protect his subjects from all injury. By him Judah shall be saved from wrath and the curse, and, being so saved, Jerusalem shall dwell safely, quiet from the fear of evil, and enjoying a holy security and serenity of mind, in a dependence upon the conduct of this prince of peace, this prince of their peace. 4. As a king that shall be praised by his subjects: "This is the name whereby they shall call him" (so the Chaldee reads it, the Syriac, and vulgar Latin); "this name of his they shall celebrate and triumph in, and by this name they shall call upon him." It may be read, more agreeably to the original, This is he who shall call her, The Lord our righteousness. As Moses's altar is called Jehovah-nissi (Exo 17:15), and Jerusalem Jehovah-shammah (Eze 48:35), intimating that they glory in Jehovah as present with them and their banner, so here the city is called The Lord our righteousness, because they glory in Jehovah as their righteousness. That which was before said to be the name of Christ (says Mr. Gataker) is here made the name of Jerusalem, the city of the Messiah, the church of Christ. He it is that imparts righteousness to her, for he is made of God to us righteousness, and she, by bearing that name, professes to have her whole righteousness, not from herself, but from him. In the Lord have I righteousness and strength, Isa 45:24. And we are made the righteousness of God in him. The inhabitants of Jerusalem shall have this name of the Messiah so much in their mouths that they shall themselves be called by it.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 10–16. Public domain.
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SERMON 28:3
But the majesty of the Son of God, in which he is equal with the Father in its garb of a slave’s humility, feared no diminution, required no augmentation. And the very effect of his mercy, which he expended on the restitution of humanity, he was able to bring about solely by the power of his Godhead, thus rescuing the creature that was made in the image of God from the yoke of his cruel oppressor. But because the devil had not shown himself so violent in his attack on the first man as to bring him over to his side without the consent of his free will, the voluntary sin and hostile desires of humanity had to be destroyed in such a way that the standard of justice should not stand in the way of the gift of grace. And therefore in the general ruin of the entire human race there was but one remedy in the secret of the divine plan which could help the fallen, and that was that one of the sons of Adam should be born free and innocent of original transgression, to prevail for the rest both by his example and his merits. Still further, because this was not permitted by natural generation, and because there could be no offspring from our faulty stock without seed, of which the Scripture says, “Who can make a clean thing conceived of an unclean seed? Is it not you who are alone?” David’s Lord was made David’s Son, and sprang from the fruit of the promised branch—One without fault, the twofold nature coming together into one Person, that by one and the same conception and birth might spring our Lord Jesus Christ, in whom was present both true Godhead for the performance of mighty works and true humanity for the endurance of sufferings.
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 33:16 delivers a powerful prophetic promise of future restoration and security for Judah and Jerusalem, spoken during a period of intense national crisis and impending exile. It foretells a time when God's people will experience comprehensive salvation and dwell in profound safety, culminating in a new, divinely bestowed identity for Jerusalem: "The LORD our righteousness." This profound renaming signifies that the very essence of their peace, security, and renewed identity is rooted entirely in God's character and His sovereign provision of perfect righteousness, ultimately foreshadowing the redemptive work of the Messiah.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Jeremiah 33:16 employs several powerful literary devices to convey its profound message. Personification is evident in the naming of Jerusalem, as the city itself is given a name that reflects a divine attribute, "The LORD our righteousness," as if it were a living entity embodying this truth. This leads to profound Symbolism, where Jerusalem transcends its physical boundaries to become a symbol of the redeemed people of God, whose identity, security, and very existence are rooted entirely in God's justice and righteousness. The phrase "The LORD our righteousness" itself is a prime example of Theophoric Naming, a name that incorporates the divine name (YHWH) and attributes, signifying God's active presence and character as foundational to the entity being named. This particular naming also functions as a powerful Prophetic Foreshadowing, pointing beyond the immediate, physical restoration of Judah to the ultimate spiritual reality found in the Messiah, who perfectly embodies and provides this divine righteousness.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Jeremiah 33:16 stands as a cornerstone prophecy, revealing God's ultimate and sovereign solution for humanity's greatest spiritual need: righteousness. It profoundly teaches that true, lasting salvation and peace are not achieved through human effort, adherence to law, or personal merit, but are an unmerited divine gift, flowing directly from God's own character and His gracious provision. The renaming of Jerusalem to "The LORD our righteousness" underscores the profound theological truth that God Himself is the sole source of the perfect righteousness by which His people are saved, justified, and made eternally secure. This concept is absolutely central to the entire biblical narrative of redemption, moving from the Old Covenant's emphasis on a divinely imputed righteousness through faith to its full and glorious revelation in the New Covenant through the person and work of Jesus Christ. The verse highlights God's unwavering faithfulness to His covenant promises, even in the face of human failure, rebellion, and judgment, assuring His people of a future where His perfect justice and abounding grace will reign supreme.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Jeremiah 33:16 offers profound comfort and a robust, unshakeable foundation for faith in a world often characterized by instability, injustice, and pervasive unrighteousness. For believers today, this verse serves as a powerful and timely reminder that our deepest security, our true identity, and our lasting peace are not to be found in human achievements, fleeting societal structures, or transient material possessions, but solely and completely in the perfect righteousness of God, which He graciously and freely provides. When we navigate personal crises, societal turmoil, or intense spiritual struggles, we can anchor our souls in the immutable truth that "The LORD our righteousness" is our ultimate refuge, our impregnable fortress, and our inexhaustible source of peace. This profound truth calls us to a posture of deep humility and absolute dependence upon God, recognizing that our salvation, our standing before Him, and our very ability to live righteously are entirely a work of divine grace. Furthermore, it inspires us to live out this imputed righteousness in our daily lives, reflecting the character of the One who has called us out of darkness into His marvelous light, knowing that true transformation and a life of peace begin with His perfect provision.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What is the significance of Jerusalem being called "The LORD our righteousness"?
Answer: The renaming of Jerusalem to "The LORD our righteousness" (Hebrew: YHWH Tsidkenu) is profoundly significant because it signifies a new, divinely ordained identity for the city and, by extension, for the people of God. It declares that their very being, their security, and their future flourishing are rooted entirely in God's character and His provision. In a historical context where Jerusalem was deeply unrighteous and facing imminent destruction, this prophetic name points to a future restoration where God Himself provides the perfect righteousness necessary for their salvation and secure dwelling. It emphasizes that their peace and well-being are not based on human merit or performance but solely on God's perfect justice and abounding grace. This name also directly links Jerusalem to the promised Messiah, who is also called "The LORD our righteousness" in Jeremiah 23:6, indicating that the city's future glory and the people's ultimate security are intrinsically tied to His righteous reign and redemptive work.
How does this verse relate to the concept of salvation in the Old Testament?
Answer: Jeremiah 33:16 highlights a fundamental aspect of Old Testament salvation: it is ultimately dependent on God's divine intervention and gracious provision, rather than human works or perfect obedience to the Law. While the Mosaic Law provided a framework for righteous living and a system for atonement, it consistently pointed to humanity's inherent inability to perfectly fulfill God's holy standards. This verse, by declaring God Himself as "our righteousness," powerfully foreshadows the New Testament understanding that true righteousness comes as a gift from God, received by faith. The salvation promised to Judah and Jerusalem—being "saved" and dwelling "safely"—is a holistic deliverance that includes both physical restoration from exile and profound spiritual renewal, all of which are grounded in God's unwavering character and covenant faithfulness. It underscores that God's covenant promises are the ultimate basis for His people's security and redemption, thereby preparing the way for the ultimate revelation of righteousness through faith in Christ, as described in passages like Romans 1:17.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Jeremiah 33:16 finds its ultimate and most glorious fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ, who is the promised "Righteous Branch" of David (Jeremiah 23:5). Just as the future Jerusalem would be named "The LORD our righteousness," so too is Christ Himself the perfect embodiment of God's flawless righteousness, which is graciously imputed to all who place their faith in Him. The New Testament profoundly declares that Christ "is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption" (1 Corinthians 1:30). Through His sinless life, His atoning death on the cross, and His victorious resurrection, Jesus perfectly fulfilled all righteousness, becoming the divine means by which sinful humanity can be declared righteous before a holy God. Believers are now "made the righteousness of God in him" (2 Corinthians 5:21), experiencing the profound "salvation" and "safe dwelling" promised to Judah and Jerusalem in a spiritual, eternal, and far more comprehensive sense. The peace, security, and new identity that the physical city longed for are now found in the spiritual Jerusalem, the church, whose very foundation and identity are entirely in Christ, our YHWH Tsidkenu. This prophetic declaration thus beautifully bridges the Old Covenant longing for a righteous king and a secure dwelling with the New Covenant reality of salvation and eternal security found exclusively in Jesus, the Lamb of God who truly takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29).