TRV
Translation
King James Version
Then will I cast away the seed of Jacob, and David my servant, so that I will not take any of his seed to be rulers over the seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob: for I will cause their captivity to return, and have mercy on them.
KJV (with Strong's)
Then H1571 will I cast away H3988 the seed H2233 of Jacob H3290, and David H1732 my servant H5650, so that I will not take H3947 any of his seed H2233 to be rulers H4910 over the seed H2233 of Abraham H85, Isaac H3446, and Jacob H3290: for I will cause their captivity H7622 to return H7725 H7725, and have mercy H7355 on them.
Complete Jewish Bible
then I will also reject the descendants of Ya'akov and of my servant David, not choosing from his descendants people to rule over the descendants of Avraham, Yis'chak and Ya'akov. For I will cause their captives to come back, and I will show them compassion.'"
Berean Standard Bible
then I would also reject the descendants of Jacob and of My servant David, so as not to take from his descendants rulers over the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. For I will restore them from captivity and will have compassion on them.”
American Standard Version
then will I also cast away the seed of Jacob, and of David my servant, so that I will not take of his seed to be rulers over the seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob: for I will cause their captivity to return, and will have mercy on them.
World English Bible Messianic
then I will also cast away the seed of Jacob, and of David my servant, so that I will not take of his seed to be rulers over the seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob: for I will cause their captivity to return, and will have mercy on them.
Geneva Bible (1599)
Then will I cast away the seede of Iaakob and Dauid my seruant, and not take of his seede to be rulers ouer the seede of Abraham, Izhak, and Iaakob: for I wil cause their captiuitie to returne, and haue compassion on them.
Young's Literal Translation
Also the seed of Jacob, and David My servant, I reject, Against taking from his seed rulers For the seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, For I turn back to their captivity, and have pitied them.'
See on the biblical-era map
In the KJVVerse 19,802 of 31,102
Study This Verse
Commentary on Jeremiah 33 verses 17–26
17 ¶ For thus saith the LORD; David shall never want a man to sit upon the throne of the house of Israel;
18 Neither shall the priests the Levites want a man before me to offer burnt offerings, and to kindle meat offerings, and to do sacrifice continually.
19 And the word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah, saying,
20 Thus saith the LORD; If ye can break my covenant of the day, and my covenant of the night, and that there should not be day and night in their season;
21 Then may also my covenant be broken with David my servant, that he should not have a son to reign upon his throne; and with the Levites the priests, my ministers.
22 As the host of heaven cannot be numbered, neither the sand of the sea measured: so will I multiply the seed of David my servant, and the Levites that minister unto me.
23 Moreover the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah, saying,
24 Considerest thou not what this people have spoken, saying, The two families which the LORD hath chosen, he hath even cast them off? thus they have despised my people, that they should be no more a nation before them.
25 Thus saith the LORD; If my covenant be not with day and night, and if I have not appointed the ordinances of heaven and earth;
26 Then will I cast away the seed of Jacob, and David my servant, so that I will not take any of his seed to be rulers over the seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob: for I will cause their captivity to return, and have mercy on them.
Three of God's covenants, that of royalty with David and his seed, that of the priesthood with Aaron and his seed, and that of Peculiarity with Abraham and his seed, seemed to be all broken and lost while the captivity lasted; but it is here promised that, notwithstanding that interruption and discontinuance for a time, they shall all three take place again, and the true intents and meaning of them all shall be abundantly answered in the New Testament blessings, typified by those conferred on the Jews after their return out of captivity.
I. The covenant of royalty shall be secured and the promises of it shall have their full accomplishment in the kingdom of Christ, the Son of David, Jer 33:17. The throne of Israel was overturned in the captivity; the crown had fallen from their head; there was not a man to sit on the throne of Israel; Jeconiah was written childless. After their return the house of David made a figure again; but it in the Messiah that this promise is performed that David shall never want a man to sit on the throne of Israel, and that David shall have always a son to reign upon his throne. For as long as the man Christ Jesus sits on the right hand of the throne of God, rules the world, and rules it for the good of the church, to which he is a quickening head, and glorified head over all things, as long as he is King upon the holy hill of Zion, David does not want a successor, nor is the covenant with him broken. When the first-begotten was brought into the world it was declared concerning him, The Lord God shall give him the throne of his father David and he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever, Luk 1:32, Luk 1:33. For the confirmation of this it is promised, 1. That the covenant with David shall be as firm as the ordinances of heaven, to the stability of which that of God's promise is compared, Jer 31:35, Jer 31:36. There is a covenant of nature, by which the common course of providence is settled and on which it is founded, here called a covenant of the day and the night (Jer 33:20, Jer 33:25), because this is one of the articles of it, That there shall be day and night in their season, according to the distinction put between them in the creation, when God divided between the light and the darkness, and established their mutual succession, and a government to each, that the sun should rule by day and the moon and stars by night (Gen 1:4, Gen 1:5, Gen 1:16), which establishment was renewed after the flood (Gen 8:22), and has continued ever since, Psa 19:2. The morning and the evening have both of them their regular outgoings (Psa 65:8); the day-spring knows its place, knows its time, and keeps both, so do the shadows of the evening; and, while the world stands, this course shall not be altered, this covenant shall not be broken. The ordinances of heaven and earth (of this communication between heaven and earth, the dominion of these ordinances of heaven upon the earth), which God has appointed (Jer 33:25; compare Job 38:33), shall never be disappointed. Thus firm shall the covenant of redemption be with the Redeemer - God's servant, but David our King, Jer 33:21. This intimates that Christ shall have a church on earth to the world's end; he shall see a seed in which he shall prolong his days till time and day shall be no more. Christ's kingdom is an everlasting kingdom; and when the end cometh, and not till then, it shall be delivered up to God, even the Father. But it intimates that the condition of it in this world shall be intermixed and counterchanged, prosperity and adversity succeeding each other, as light and darkness, day and night. But this is plainly taught us, that, as sure as we may be that, though the sun will set tonight, it will rise again tomorrow morning, whether we live to see it or no, so sure we may be that, though the kingdom of the Redeemer in the world may for a time be clouded and eclipsed by corruptions and persecutions, yet it will shine forth again, and recover its lustre, in the time appointed. 2. That the seed of David shall be as numerous as the host of heaven, that is, the spiritual seed of the Messiah, that shall be born to him by the efficacy of his gospel and his Spirit working with it. From the womb of the morning he shall have the dew of their youth, to be his willing people, Psa 110:3. Christ's seed are not, as David's were, his successors, but his subjects; yet the day is coming when they also shall reign with him (Jer 33:22): As the host of heaven cannot be numbered, so will I multiply the seed of David, so that there shall be no danger of the kingdom's being extinct, or extirpated, for want of heirs. The children are numerous; and, if children, then heirs.
II. The covenant of priesthood shall be secured, and the promises of that also shall have their full accomplishment. This seemed likewise to be forgotten during the captivity, when there was no altar, no temple service, for the priests to attend upon; but this also shall revive. It did so; immediately upon their coming back to Jerusalem there were priests and Levites ready to offer burnt-offerings and to do sacrifice continually (Ezr 3:2, Ezr 3:3), as is here promised, Jer 33:18. But that priesthood soon grew corrupt; the covenant of Levi was profaned (as appears Mal 2:8), and in the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans it came to a final period. We must therefore look elsewhere for the performance of this word, that the covenant with the Levites, the priests, God's ministers, shall be as firm, and last as long, as the covenant with the day and the night. And we find it abundantly performed, 1. In the priesthood of Christ, which supersedes that of Aaron, and is the substance of that shadow. While that great high priest of our profession is always appearing in the presence of God for us, presenting the virtue of his blood by which he made atonement in the incense of his intercession, it may truly be said that the Levites do not want a man before God to offer continually, Heb 7:3, Heb 7:17. He is a priest for ever. The covenant of the priesthood is called a covenant of peace (Num 25:12), of life and peace, Mal 2:5. Now we are sure that this covenant is not broken, nor in the least weakened, while Jesus Christ is himself our life and our peace. This covenant of priesthood is here again and again joined with that of royalty, for Christ is a priest upon his throne, as Melchizedek. 2. In a settled gospel ministry. While there are faithful ministers to preside in religious assemblies, and to offer up the spiritual sacrifices of prayer and praise, the priests, the Levites, do not want successors, and such as have obtained a more excellent ministry. The apostle makes those that preach the gospel to come in the room of those that served at the altar, Co1 9:13, Co1 9:14. 3. In all true believers, who are a holy priesthood, a royal priesthood (Pe1 2:5, Pe1 2:9), who are made to our God kings and priests (Rev 1:6); they offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God, and themselves, in the first place, living sacrifices. Of these Levites this promise must be understood (Jer 33:22), that they shall be as numerous as the sand of the sea, the same that is promised concerning Israel in general (Gen 22:17); for all God's spiritual Israel are spiritual priests, Rev 5:9, Rev 5:10; Rev 7:9, Rev 7:15.
III. The covenant of peculiarity likewise shall be secured and the promises of that covenant shall have their full accomplishment in the gospel Israel. Observe, 1. How this covenant was looked upon as broken during the captivity, Jer 33:24. God asks the prophet, "Hast though not heard, and dost thou not consider, what this people have spoken?" either the enemies of Israel, who triumphed in the extirpation of a people that had made such a noise in the world, or the unbelieving Israelites themselves, "this people among whom thou dwellest;" they have broken covenant with God, and then quarrel with him as if he had not dealt faithfully with them. The two families which the Lord hath chosen, Israel and Judah, whereas they were but one when he chose them, he hath even cast them off. "Thus have they despised my people, that is, despised the privilege of being my people as if it were a privilege of no value at all." The neighbouring nations despised them as now no more a nation, but the ruins of a nation, and looked upon all their honour as laid in the dust; but, 2. See how firm the covenant stands notwithstanding, as firm as that with day and night; sooner will God suffer day and night to cease then he will cast away the seed of Jacob. This cannot refer to the seed of Jacob according to the flesh, for they are cast away, but to the Christian church, in which all these promises were to be lodged, as appears by the apostle's discourse, Rom 11:1, etc. Christ is that seed of David that is to be perpetual dictator to the seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; and, as this people shall never want such a king, so this king shall never want such a people. Christianity shall continue in the dominion of Christ, and the subjection of Christians to him, till day and night come to an end. And, as a pledge of this, that promise is again repeated, I will cause their captivity to return; and, having brought them back, I will have mercy on them. To whom this promise refers appears Gal 6:16, where all that walk according to the gospel rule are made to be the Israel of God, on whom peace and mercy shall be.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 17–26. Public domain.
Copy as
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.
Copy as
Continue studying Jeremiah 33:26 across the web’s major study libraries — every link below opens this exact verse, chapter, or book on the destination site.
Read & Compare
BibleGatewayThis verse in more than 200 translations and 70 languages.
Bible.comThe YouVersion reader — hundreds of translations, reading plans, and highlights.
ESV.orgCrossway's official English Standard Version reader.
NET BibleThe NET translation with 60,000+ translators' notes on every rendering decision.
STEP BibleTyndale House's free study tool — original text, vocabulary, and scholarly resources.
BibliaLogos Bible Software's free web reader.
USCCBThe New American Bible (Revised Edition) with the U.S. bishops' study notes.
Commentaries
BibleHub CommentariesDozens of classic commentaries on this verse, gathered on one page.
StudyLightMore than 100 commentary sets — the largest collection on the web.
BibleRefPlain-English commentary on what this verse means, verse by verse.
Enduring WordDavid Guzik's free commentary on this chapter, widely used by Bible teachers.
Bible Study ToolsVerse commentary alongside Greek and Hebrew study aids.
Original Language & Research
- BibleHub InterlinearThe verse word by word — original language, transliteration, and English.
- BibleHub LexiconEvery word's original-language definition and Strong's entry.
Blue Letter BibleDeep-study tools — Strong's numbers, concordance, and word studies.
SefariaThe Hebrew text with Rashi and centuries of Jewish commentary.
Sermons, Hymns & Audio
TrulyRandomVerse is not affiliated with these sites and doesn’t control their content. They’re linked because they’re genuinely useful.
SUMMARY
Jeremiah 33:26 stands as an unshakeable declaration of God's unwavering faithfulness and the immutability of His covenant promises, even amidst Israel's profound unfaithfulness and the impending judgment of exile. This verse emphatically asserts that God will neither abandon the descendants of Jacob and David nor annul His commitment to their perpetual lineage and rule. Instead, it powerfully underscores His divine intention to reverse their captivity and extend His boundless mercy, thereby ensuring the ultimate fulfillment of His redemptive purposes for His chosen people.
CONTEXT
Literary Context: Jeremiah 33:26 is strategically placed within the "Book of Consolation" (Jeremiah 30-33), a pivotal section of Jeremiah's prophecy that dramatically shifts from pronouncements of severe judgment to glorious promises of restoration and hope for both Judah and Israel. Specifically, chapter 33 serves to reiterate and expand upon the absolute certainty of God's covenants, particularly the Davidic covenant and the covenant with the Levitical priesthood. The immediate preceding verses, Jeremiah 33:20-21, establish a profound analogy: just as God's covenant with day and night—the fixed, unbreakable order of creation—is immutable, so too are His covenants with David and the Levites. The rhetorical question posed in verse 26 ("Then will I cast away...?") functions as a forceful negative assertion, designed to utterly dispel the people's deep-seated doubts about God's faithfulness, doubts that arose from their dire circumstances and the apparent failure of His promises. It assures them that His commitment to His chosen people is as steadfast and reliable as the cosmic order itself.
Historical & Cultural Context: The prophecies recorded in Jeremiah were delivered during an exceptionally tumultuous period leading up to and encompassing the Babylonian exile (605-586 BC). Judah was experiencing a catastrophic national decline, marked by pervasive spiritual apostasy and the imminent threat of foreign domination, which tragically culminated in the destruction of Jerusalem and its sacred Temple. The people, especially those already in captivity or facing it, would have felt utterly abandoned by their God, questioning the very validity and permanence of the ancient covenants made with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and David. Their kingship was failing, their land was being desolated, and their national identity faced existential threat. In this profound context of despair, apparent covenant failure, and national catastrophe, Jeremiah's message of restoration was profoundly counter-cultural and counter-intuitive, offering a radical hope that defied all human logic and expectation. The explicit reference to "seed" and "rulers" directly addresses the people's most pressing concerns about the continuity of the Davidic line and the Abrahamic promise of a numerous posterity and secure land.
Key Themes: This verse powerfully contributes to several overarching and foundational themes found not only in Jeremiah but throughout the broader biblical narrative. Firstly, it highlights God's Unbreakable Covenants, specifically reaffirming the Abrahamic Covenant (concerning the "seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob") and the Davidic Covenant (concerning "David my servant" and his "seed [to be] rulers"). God's rhetorical question unequivocally underscores that His promises are not contingent on human performance or faithfulness but are rooted in His own immutable character, as firm as the very laws governing creation. Secondly, it profoundly emphasizes Divine Faithfulness, asserting that despite Israel's profound unfaithfulness and the severe judgment of exile, God remains absolutely true to His word. His promises are inherently rooted in His divine nature, not in human merit or obedience, thereby demonstrating His enduring love and unwavering commitment to His chosen people. Lastly, the verse explicitly promises Restoration and Mercy, stating, "for I will cause their captivity to return, and have mercy on them." This is a direct and compassionate declaration of God's intention to reverse the exile and bring His people back to their land and into His favor, echoing similar promises of restoration found elsewhere, such as in Jeremiah 29:10.
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Jeremiah 33:26 masterfully employs several potent literary devices to convey its message of unwavering divine commitment and hope. The most prominent is the Rhetorical Question ("Then will I cast away...?"), which is not intended to elicit an answer but rather to emphatically assert the opposite. By framing the statement as a question, God directly challenges the people's profound doubts and underscores the absolute certainty and irrevocability of His faithfulness, making the implied "No, I will absolutely not!" resonate with far greater force and conviction. The verse also skillfully utilizes Covenant Language, repeatedly referencing "the seed of Jacob," "David my servant," and "the seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob." This deliberate invocation of the foundational promises made to Israel's patriarchs and its most revered king powerfully reinforces the idea of God's enduring commitment to His historical and sacred promises. Furthermore, the passage demonstrates clear Parallelism by intimately linking the non-rejection of Jacob's and David's seed with the explicit promise of returning their captivity and showing mercy. This structural arrangement creates a profound cause-and-effect relationship, where God's steadfast faithfulness to His covenant (His refusal to cast them away) is directly and tangibly manifested in His compassionate acts of restoration and divine favor.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Jeremiah 33:26 stands as a profound and enduring declaration of God's covenant fidelity, revealing that His promises are not ultimately conditional on human performance or faithfulness but are rooted solely in His own unchanging character and sovereign will. This verse underscores the divine irrevocability of God's election of Israel and His unwavering commitment to His grand redemptive plan for them, even through periods of severe judgment and apparent abandonment. It highlights a crucial theological truth: divine judgment is never God's final word but rather a purifying and disciplinary means to an ultimate end of restoration, driven by God's boundless mercy and steadfast love. The continuity of the "seed" of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and especially the "seed" of David, powerfully points forward to the ultimate and glorious fulfillment of these promises in the messianic age, where God's eternal rule and perfect blessing would be fully realized. This passage provides an unshakeable assurance to believers across all generations that God's word is utterly reliable, providing an anchor of hope in times of despair and a foundational understanding of His enduring, covenantal relationship with His people.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Jeremiah 33:26 offers profound comfort and a robust, unshakeable foundation for faith in a world perpetually marked by uncertainty, broken promises, and fleeting allegiances. It serves as a powerful reminder that God's faithfulness is never dependent on our perfection, our unwavering obedience, or the stability of our earthly circumstances, but solely on His unchanging, immutable character and His unbreakable, eternal covenants. When we inevitably face personal failures, experience societal chaos, or confront seemingly insurmountable challenges that threaten to extinguish our hope, this verse assures us with divine certainty that God remains absolutely true to His word. It profoundly encourages us to trust deeply in His sovereign power to restore what is broken, to redeem what is lost, and to extend His boundless mercy even when we feel least deserving or most abandoned. This passage is a powerful affirmation of enduring hope, reminding us that God's ultimate plans for His people, encompassing both physical Israel and the spiritual Church, will prevail, and His promises will always find their perfect and glorious fulfillment, demonstrating His enduring love and unswerving redemptive purpose through all generations.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why does God use a rhetorical question in Jeremiah 33:26?
Answer: God uses a rhetorical question ("Then will I cast away...?") to emphatically assert the absolute opposite of what is asked. In this specific context, it serves to powerfully dispel the deep-seated doubts and despair of the people of Judah, who felt utterly abandoned and believed God might have broken His sacred covenants due to their devastating exile. By framing it as a question, God directly challenges their unbelief and underscores the absolute certainty and immutability of His promises, making it unequivocally clear that His commitment to His people and His covenants is as steadfast and unchangeable as the cosmic order He established (as referenced in Jeremiah 33:20-21). It is a divine declaration of "No, absolutely not! I will never cast them away!"
How does the "seed" mentioned in this verse relate to the broader biblical narrative?
Answer: The "seed" (Hebrew: zeraʻ) in Jeremiah 33:26 refers to the descendants or posterity of Jacob (representing the nation of Israel), David, and the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. This concept is foundational to God's covenant promises throughout the entire Bible. The promise to Abraham was that his "seed" would be numerous and a blessing to all nations (Genesis 12:2-3). The promise to David was that his "seed" would establish an everlasting kingdom and throne (2 Samuel 7:12-16). Jeremiah 33:26 powerfully reaffirms that God will not abandon these foundational promises, thereby ensuring the continuity of Israel and the Davidic line. Ultimately, the New Testament profoundly reveals that these promises find their ultimate and perfect fulfillment in Jesus Christ, who is the singular "seed" of Abraham through whom all nations are blessed (Galatians 3:16) and the promised "seed" of David who reigns eternally on His throne (Luke 1:32-33).
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Jeremiah 33:26, with its emphatic declaration of God's unwavering covenant faithfulness to the "seed of Jacob" and "David my servant," finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. The promise that God would not cast away David's "seed" and would ensure "rulers over the seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob" points directly and inexorably to the Messiah. Jesus, as the Son of David according to the flesh (Romans 1:3), is the true and eternal King who perfectly embodies and fulfills the Davidic covenant. His kingdom, though not of this world, is an everlasting dominion over all the spiritual "seed" of Abraham—those who believe by faith (Galatians 3:7-9). Furthermore, the promise to "cause their captivity to return, and have mercy on them" is gloriously fulfilled in Christ's redemptive work. He delivers humanity from the spiritual captivity of sin and death (Colossians 1:13-14) and extends God's ultimate mercy through His atoning sacrifice on the cross (Ephesians 2:4-5). Thus, in Jesus, God's ancient and seemingly threatened promises to Israel are not annulled or discarded but are brought to their glorious, universal culmination, establishing a new and better covenant that ensures eternal mercy, spiritual restoration, and an unbreakable spiritual dominion for all who are united with Him by faith (Hebrews 8:6-13).