Yēlìmǐshū 31

1 Yēhéhuá shuō , nàshí , wǒ bì zuò Yǐsèliè gĕ jiā de shén . tāmen bì zuò wǒde zǐmín .

2 Yēhéhuá rúcǐ shuō , tuōlí dāo jiàn de jiù shì Yǐsèliè rén . wǒ shǐ tā xiǎng ānxī de shíhou , tā céng zaì kuàngyĕ méng ēn .

3 Gǔ shí ( huò zuò cóng yuǎnfāng ) Yēhéhuá xiàng Yǐsèliè ( yuánwén zuò wǒ ) xiǎnxiàn , shuō , wǒ yǐ yǒngyuǎn de aì aì nǐ , yīncǐ wǒ yǐ cíaì xīyǐn nǐ .

4 Yǐsèliè de mín ( yuánwén zuò chǔnǚ ) nǎ , wǒ yào zaì jiànlì nǐ , nǐ jiù beì jiànlì . nǐ bì zaì yǐ jī gǔ wèi mĕi , yǔ huānlè de rén yītóng tiàowǔ ér chū .

5 Yòu bì zaì sǎ Mǎlìyà de shān shang zāizhòng pútaóyuán , zāizhòng de rén yào xiǎng yòng suǒ jié de guǒzi .

6 Rìzi bì dào , Yǐfǎlián shān shang shǒu wàng de rén bì hūjiào shuō , qǐlai ba . wǒmen kĕyǐ shang Xī \'ān , dào Yēhéhuá wǒmen de shén nàli qù .

7 Yēhéhuá rúcǐ shuō , nǐmen dāng wèi Yǎgè huānlè gē chàng , yīn wàn guó zhōng wèi shǒu de huānhū . dāng chuányáng sòngzàn shuō , Yēhéhuá a , qiú nǐ zhĕngjiù nǐde bǎixìng Yǐsèliè suǒ shèngxia de rén .

8 Wǒ bìjiāng tāmen cóng bĕi fāng lǐng lái , cōng dìjí zhāo jù . tóng zhe tāmen lái de yǒu xiāzi , quèzi , yùn fù , chǎn fù . tāmen bì chéngwéi dà bāng huí dào zhèlǐ lái .

9 Tāmen yào kūqì ér lái . wǒ yào zhào tāmen kĕnqiú de yǐndǎo tāmen , shǐ tāmen zaì hé shuǐ páng zǒu zhèngzhí de lù , zaì qí shang bù zhì bàn diē . yīnwei wǒ shì Yǐsèliè de fù , Yǐfǎlián shì wǒde zhǎngzǐ .

10 Liè guó a , yào tīng Yēhéhuá de huà , chuányáng zaì yuǎn chù de hǎidǎo shuō , gǎnsàn Yǐsèliè de bì zhāo jù tā , yòu kānshǒu tā , hǎoxiàng mùrén kānshǒu yáng qún .

11 Yīn Yēhéhuá jiùshú le Yǎgè , jiùshú tā tuōlí bǐ tā gēng jiàng zhī rén de shǒu .

12 Tāmen yào lái dào Xī \'ān de gāo chù gē chàng , yòu liú guī Yēhéhuá shī ēn zhī dì , jiù shì yǒu wǔgǔ , xīn jiǔ , hé yóu , bìng yánggāo , niúdú zhī dì . tāmende xīn bì xiàng jiāo guàn de yuánzi . tāmen yĕ bú zaì yǒu yídiǎn chóu fán .

13 Nàshí , chǔnǚ bì huānlè tiàowǔ . nián shǎo de , nián lǎo de , yĕ bì yītóng huānlè . yīnwei wǒ yào shǐ tāmende bēiāi biàn wèi huānxǐ , bìng yào ānwèi tāmen , shǐ tāmende chóu fán zhuǎn wèi kuaìlè .

14 Wǒ bì yǐ féi yóu shǐ jìsī de xīn mǎnzū . wǒde bǎixìng yĕ yào yīn wǒde ēnhuì zhīzú . zhè shì Yēhéhuá shuō de .

15 Yēhéhuá rúcǐ shuō , zaì Lāmǎ tīngjian haó tòngkū de shēngyīn , shì Lājié kū tā érnǚ , bù kĕn shòu ānwèi , yīnwei tāmen dōu bù zaì le .

16 Yēhéhuá rúcǐ shuō , nǐ jìnzhǐ shēngyīn búyào āikū , jìnzhǐ yǎnmù búyào liú leì , yīn nǐ suǒ zuò zhī gōng bì yǒu shǎngcì . tāmen bì cóng dí guó guī huí . zhè shì Yēhéhuá shuō de .

17 Yēhéhuá shuō , nǐ mòhòu bì yǒu zhǐwang . nǐde érnǚ bì huí dào zìjǐ de jìngjiè .

18 Wǒ tīngjian Yǐfǎlián wèi zìjǐ bēitàn shuō , nǐ zé fá wǒ , wǒ biàn shòu zé fá , xiàng bù guàn fù è de niúdú yíyàng . qiú nǐ shǐ wǒ huízhuǎn , wǒ biàn huízhuǎn , yīnwei nǐ shì Yēhéhuá wǒde shén .

19 Wǒ huízhuǎn yǐhòu jiù zhēn zhēng àohuǐ . shòu jiāo yǐhòu jiù pāi tuǐ tànxī . wǒ yīn dāndāng yòunián de língrǔ jiù bào kuì méng xiū .

20 Yēhéhuá shuō , Yǐfǎlián shì wǒde aì zǐ ma . shì kĕ xǐyuè de háizi ma . wǒ mĕi fùng zébeì tā , réng shēn gùniàn tā . suǒyǐ wǒde xīncháng liànmù tā . wǒ bìyào liánmǐn tā .

21 Yǐsèliè mín ( yuánwén zuò chǔnǚ ) nǎ , nǐ dāng wèi zìjǐ shèlì zhǐ lù bēi , shù qǐ yǐn lù zhù . nǐ yào liú xīn xiàng dà lù , jiù shì nǐ suǒ qù de yuán lù . nǐ dāng huízhuǎn , huízhuǎn dào nǐ zhèxie chéngyì .

22 Bēi dào de mín ( yuánwén zuò nǚzi ) nǎ , nǐ fǎn lái fù qù yào dào jǐshí ne . Yēhéhuá zaì dì shang zào le yī jiàn xīn shì , jiù shì nǚzi hùwèi nánzǐ .

23 Wàn jūn zhī Yēhéhuá Yǐsèliè de shén rúcǐ shuō , wǒ shǐ beìlǔ zhī rén guī huí de shíhou , tāmen zaì Yóudà dì hé qízhōng de chéngyì bì zaì zhèyàng shuō , gōngyì de jū suǒ a , shèng shān nǎ , yuàn Yēhéhuá cì fú gĕi nǐ .

24 Yóudà hé shǔ Yóudà chéngyì de rén , nóngfū hé fàng yáng de rén , yào yītóng zhù zaì qízhōng .

25 Pí fá de rén , wǒ shǐ tā bǎo yù . chóu fán de rén , wǒ shǐ tā zhīzú .

26 Xiānzhī shuō , wǒ xǐng le , jué zhe shuì dé xiāng tián .

27 Yēhéhuá shuō , rìzi jiāng dào , wǒ yào bǎ rén de zhǒng hé shēngchù de zhǒng bō zhǒng zaì Yǐsèliè jiā hé Yóudà jiā .

28 Wǒ xiānqián zĕnyàng liúyì jiāng tāmen bá chū , chāihuǐ , huǐhuaì , qīngfù , kǔhaì , yĕ bì zhàoyàng liúyì jiāng tāmen jiànlì , zāi zhí . zhè shì Yēhéhuá shuō de .

29 Dāng nàxiē rìzi , rén bú zaì shuō , fùqin chī le suān pútào , érzi de yá suān dào le .

30 Dàn gèrén bì yīn zìjǐ de zuì sǐwáng . fán chī suān pútào de , zìjǐ de yá bì suān dào .

31 Yēhéhuá shuō , rìzi jiāng dào , wǒ yào yǔ Yǐsèliè jiā hé Yóudà jiā Lìng lì xīnyuē ,

32 Bú xiàng wǒ lā zhe tāmen zǔzong de shǒu , lǐng tāmen chū Āijí dì de shíhou , yǔ tāmen suǒ lì de yuē . wǒ suī zuò tāmende zhàngfu , tāmen què bēi le wǒde yuē . zhè shì Yēhéhuá shuō de .

33 Yēhéhuá shuō , nàxiē rìzi yǐhòu , wǒ yǔ Yǐsèliè jiā suǒ lì de yuē nǎi shì zhèyàng , wǒ yào jiāng wǒde lǜfǎ fàng zaì tāmen lǐmiàn , xiĕ zaì tāmen xīn shang . wǒ yào zuò tāmende shén , tāmen yào zuò wǒde zǐmín .

34 Tāmen gèrén bú zaì jiàodǎo zìjǐ de línshè hé zìjǐ de dìxiōng shuō , nǐ gāi rènshi Yēhéhuá , yīnwei tāmen cóng zuì xiǎo de dào zhì dà de dōu bì rènshi wǒ . wǒ yào shèmiǎn tāmende zuìniè , bú zaì jìniàn tāmende zuìè . zhè shì Yēhéhuá shuō de .

35 Nà shǐ taìyáng bái rì fāguāng , shǐ xīng yuè yǒu dénglì , hēi yè fā liàng , yòu jiǎ dòng dà hǎi , shǐ hǎi zhōng bō làng hōng de , wàn jūn zhī Yēhéhuá shì tāde míng . tā rúcǐ shuō ,

36 Zhèxie dénglì ruò néng zaì wǒ miànqián feìdiào , Yǐsèliè de hòuyì yĕ jiù zaì wǒ miànqián duàn jué , yǒngyuǎn bú zaì chéng guó . zhè shì Yēhéhuá shuō de .

37 Yēhéhuá rúcǐ shuō , ruò néngliàng dù shàngtiān , xún chá xià dì de gēnjī , wǒ jiù yīn Yǐsèliè hòuyì yīqiè suǒ xíng de qìjué tāmen . zhè shì Yēhéhuá shuō de .

38 Yēhéhuá shuō , rìzi jiāng dào , zhè chéng bì wèi Yēhéhuá jiànzào , cóng Hānányè lóu zhídào jiǎo mén .

39 Zhún shéng yào wǎng waì liáng chū , zhídào jiā lì shān , yòu zhuǎn dào gē yà .

40 Pāo shī de quán gǔ hé dǎo huī zhī chù , bìng yīqiè tiándì , zhídào Jílúnxī , yòu zhídào dōngfāng mǎ mén de guǎijiǎo , dōu yào guī Yēhéhuá wèi shèng , bú zaì bá chū , bú zaì qīngfù , zhídào yǒngyuǎn .

Yēlìmǐshū 31 Commentary

Chapter 31

The restoration of Israel. (1-9) Promises of guidance and happiness; Rachel lamenting. (10-17) Ephraim laments his errors. (18-20) The promised Saviour. (21-26) God's care over the church. (27-34) Peace and prosperity in gospel time. (35-40)

Verses 1-9 God assures his people that he will again take them into covenant relation to himself. When brought very low, and difficulties appear, it is good to remember that it has been so with the church formerly. But it is hard under present frowns to take comfort from former smiles; yet it is the happiness of those who, through grace, are interested in the love of God, that it is an everlasting love, from everlasting in the counsels, to everlasting in the continuance. Those whom God loves with this love, he will draw to himself, by the influences of his Spirit upon their souls. When praising God for what he has done, we must call upon him for the favours his church needs and expects. When the Lord calls, we must not plead that we cannot come; for he that calls us, will help us, will strengthen us. The goodness of God shall lead them to repentance. And they shall weep for sin with more bitterness, and more tenderness, when delivered out of their captivity, than when groaning under it. If we take God for our Father, and join the church of the first-born, we shall want nothing that is good for us. These predictions doubtless refer also to a future gathering of the Israelites from all quarters of the globe. And they figuratively describe the conversion of sinners to Christ, and the plain and safe way in which they are led.

Verses 10-17 He that scattered Israel, knows where to find them. It is comfortable to observe the goodness of the Lord in the gifts of providence. But our souls are never valuable as gardens, unless watered with the dews of God's Spirit and grace. A precious promise follows, which will not have full accomplishment except in the heavenly Zion. Let them be satisfied of God's loving-kindness, and they will be satisfied with it, and desire no more to make them happy. Rachel is represented as rising from her grave, and refusing to be comforted, supposing her offspring rooted out. The murder of the children at Bethlehem, by Herod, ( Matthew 2:16-18 ) , in some degree fulfilled this prediction, but could not be its full meaning. If we have hope in the end, concerning an eternal inheritance, for ourselves and those belonging to us, all temporal afflictions may be borne, and will be for our good.

Verses 18-20 Ephraim (the ten tribes) is weeping for sin. He is angry at himself for his sin, and folly, and frowardness. He finds he cannot, by his own power, keep himself close with God, much less bring himself back when he is revolted. Therefore he prays, Turn thou me, and I shall be turned. His will was bowed to the will of God. When the teaching of God's Spirit went with the corrections of his providence, then the work was done. This is our comfort in affliction, that the Lord thinks upon us. God has mercy in store, rich mercy, sure mercy, suitable mercy, for all who seek him in sincerity.

Verses 21-26 The way from the bondage of sin to the liberty of God's children, is a high-way. It is plain, it is safe; yet none are likely to walk in it, unless they set their hearts towards it. They are encouraged by the promise of a new, unheard-of, extraordinary thing; a creation, a work of Almighty power; the human nature of Christ, formed and prepared by the power of the Holy Ghost: and this is here mentioned as an encouragement to the Jews to return to their own land. And a comfortable prospect is given them of a happy settlement there. Godliness and honesty God has joined: let no man think to put them asunder, or to make the one atone for the want of the other. In the love and favour of God the weary soul shall find rest, and the sorrowful shall find joy. And what can we see with more satisfaction than the good of Jerusalem, and peace upon Israel?

Verses 27-34 The people of God shall become numerous and prosperous. In ( hebrews 8:8 hebrews 8:9 ) , this place is quoted as the sum of the covenant of grace made with believers in Jesus Christ. Not, I will give them a new law; for Christ came not to destroy the law, but to fulfil it; but the law shall be written in their hearts by the finger of the Spirit, as formerly written in the tables of stone. The Lord will, by his grace, make his people willing people in the day of his power. All shall know the Lord; all shall be welcome to the knowledge of God, and shall have the means of that knowledge. There shall be an outpouring of the Holy Spirit, at the time the gospel is published. No man shall finally perish, but for his own sins; none, who is willing to accept of Christ's salvation.

Verses 35-40 As surely as the heavenly bodies will continue their settled course, according to the will of their Creator, to the end of time, and as the raging sea obeys him, so surely will the Jews be continued a separate people. Words can scarcely set forth more strongly the restoration of Israel. The rebuilding of Jerusalem, and its enlargement and establishment, shall be an earnest of the great things God will do for the gospel church. The personal happiness of every true believer, as well as the future restoration of Israel, is secured by promise, covenant, and oath. This Divine love passes knowledge; and to those who take hold upon it, every present mercy is an earnest of salvation.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO JEREMIAH 31

This chapter is connected with the former, respects the same times, and is full of prophecies and promises of spiritual blessings; of the coming of Christ; of the multiplication of his people, and the increase of their joy; of the conversion of the Gentiles; of the covenant of grace; and of the stability of the saints. It begins with the principal promise of the covenant, confirmed by past experience, of divine goodness, and with a fresh declaration of God's everlasting love, Jer 31:1-3; an instance of which would appear, in planting vines or churches in Samaria, the metropolis of Ephraim or the ten tribes, under the ministry of the apostles, the watchmen, on Mount Ephraim; whereby the Israel of God would be built, beautified, and made to rejoice, Jer 31:4-6; yea, it would be matter of joy to all that heard of it; since, notwithstanding distance and other difficulties, a great number should come to Christ, and to his church, drawn by the Father's love to them, and as owing to the relation he stands in to them, Jer 31:7-9; redemption out of the hands of Satan, and every spiritual enemy, must be published among the Gentiles; which would cause great joy, and give great satisfaction to the priests and people of the Lord, expressed by various metaphors, Jer 31:10-14; and though, upon the birth of the Redeemer, there would be an event, which might tend to damp the joy of saints on account of it, the murder of the infants at Bethlehem; yet some things are said to encourage faith, hope, and joy, and to abate sorrow and weeping, Jer 31:15-17; Ephraim's affliction, and behaviour under it, his repentance and reception, are recorded, Jer 31:18-20; backsliding Israel are called upon to return, in consideration of the birth of the Messiah, Jer 31:21,22; the happy and flourishing estate of the people of God is promised; all which were made known to the prophet by a dream in the night, Jer 31:23-26; and fresh promises are made, that the Lord would do them good, and not punish the children for their fathers' sins, but everyone for their own, Jer 31:28-30; and then an account is given of the new covenant of grace, as distinct from the old, and of the articles of it; the inscription of the law in the heart, spiritual knowledge of the Lord, and remission of sin, Jer 31:31-34; then follow assurances of the everlasting continuance of the true Israel and church of God, Jer 31:35-37; and the chapter is concluded with a promise of rebuilding the city of Jerusalem, and of the holiness of it, and of its abiding for ever, Jer 31:38-40.