Jeremías 31

1 En aquel tiempodeclara el SEÑORyo seré el Dios de todas las familias de Israel, y ellos serán mi pueblo.

2 Así dice el SEÑOR: Ha hallado gracia en el desierto el pueblo que escapó de la espada, Israel, cuando iba en busca de su reposo.

3 Desde lejos el SEÑOR se le apareció, diciendo: Con amor eterno te he amado, por eso te he atraído con misericordia.

4 De nuevo te edificaré, y serás reedificada, virgen de Israel; de nuevo tomarás tus panderos, y saldrás a las danzas con los que se divierten.

5 De nuevo plantarás viñas en los montes de Samaria; los plantadores las plantarán y las disfrutarán.

6 Porque habrá un día en que clamarán los guardas en la región montañosa de Efraín: "Levantaos y subamos a Sion, al SEÑOR nuestro Dios."

7 Porque así dice el SEÑOR: Gritad con alegría por Jacob, y dad voces por la primera de las naciones; proclamad, dad alabanza, y decid: "Oh SEÑOR, salva a tu pueblo, al remanente de Israel."

8 He aquí, yo los traigo del país del norte, y los reuniré de los confines de la tierra, entre ellos los ciegos y los cojos, la mujer encinta y también la que está dando a luz; una gran compañía volverá acá.

9 Con llanto vendrán, y entre súplicas los guiaré; los haré andar junto a arroyos de aguas, por camino derecho en el cual no tropezarán; porque soy un padre para Israel, y Efraín es mi primogénito.

10 Oíd, naciones, la palabra del SEÑOR, anunciad en las costas lejanas, y decid: El que dispersó a Israel lo reunirá, y lo guardará como un pastor a su rebaño.

11 Porque el SEÑOR ha rescatado a Jacob, y lo ha redimido de manos más fuertes que él.

12 Vendrán y gritarán de júbilo en lo alto de Sion, y radiarán de gozo por la bondad del SEÑOR: por el grano, por el vino y por el aceite, y por las crías de las ovejas y de las vacas. Su alma será como huerto regado, y nunca más languidecerán.

13 Entonces la virgen se alegrará en la danza, y los jóvenes y los ancianos a una; cambiaré su duelo en gozo, los consolaré y los alegraré de su tristeza.

14 Y llenaré con abundancia el alma de los sacerdotes, y mi pueblo se saciará de mi bondaddeclara el SEÑOR.

15 Así dice el SEÑOR: Se oye una voz en Ramá, lamento y llanto amargo. Raquel llora por sus hijos; rehúsa ser consolada, por sus hijos que ya no existen.

16 Así dice el SEÑOR: Reprime tu voz del llanto, y tus ojos de las lágrimas; hay pago para tu trabajodeclara el SEÑOR, pues volverán de la tierra del enemigo.

17 Y hay esperanza para tu porvenirdeclara el SEÑOR, los hijos volverán a su territorio.

18 Ciertamente he oído a Efraín lamentarse: "Me has castigado, y castigado fui como becerro indómito. Hazme volver para que sea restaurado, pues tú, SEÑOR, eres mi Dios.

19 "Porque después que me aparté, me arrepentí, y después que comprendí, me di golpes en el muslo; me avergoncé y también me humillé, porque llevaba el oprobio de mi juventud."

20 ¿No es Efraín mi hijo amado? ¿No es un niño encantador? Pues siempre que hablo contra él, lo recuerdo aún más; por eso mis entrañas se conmueven por él, ciertamente tendré de él misericordiadeclara el SEÑOR.

21 Levanta para ti señales, coloca para ti majanos; presta atención a la calzada, al camino que anduviste. Vuelve, virgen de Israel, vuelve a estas tus ciudades.

22 ¿Hasta cuándo andarás errante, hija infiel? Porque el SEÑOR ha creado algo nuevo en la tierra: la mujer rodeará al hombre.

23 Así dice el SEÑOR de los ejércitos, el Dios de Israel: Otra vez hablarán esta palabra en la tierra de Judá y en sus ciudades, cuando yo restaure su bienestar: "El SEÑOR te bendiga, morada de justicia, monte santo."

24 Y morarán juntamente en ella Judá y todas sus ciudades, los labradores y los que van con los rebaños.

25 Porque yo he de satisfacer al alma cansada y he de saciar a toda alma atribulada.

26 En esto me desperté y miré, y mi sueño me resultó agradable.

27 He aquí, vienen díasdeclara el SEÑORen que sembraré la casa de Israel y la casa de Judá de simiente de hombre y de simiente de animal.

28 Y como velé sobre ellos para arrancar y para derribar, para derrocar, para destruir y para traer calamidad, así velaré sobre ellos para edificar y para plantardeclara el SEÑOR.

29 En aquellos días no dirán más: "Los padres comieron uvas agrias, y los dientes de los hijos tienen dentera",

30 sino que cada cual por su propia iniquidad morirá; los dientes de todo hombre que coma uvas agrias tendrán dentera.

31 He aquí, vienen díasdeclara el SEÑORen que haré con la casa de Israel y con la casa de Judá un nuevo pacto,

32 no como el pacto que hice con sus padres el día que los tomé de la mano para sacarlos de la tierra de Egipto, mi pacto que ellos rompieron, aunque fui un esposo para ellosdeclara el SEÑOR;

33 porque este es el pacto que haré con la casa de Israel después de aquellos díasdeclara el SEÑOR. Pondré mi ley dentro de ellos, y sobre sus corazones la escribiré; y yo seré su Dios y ellos serán mi pueblo.

34 Y no tendrán que enseñar más cada uno a su prójimo y cada cual a su hermano, diciendo: "Conoce al SEÑOR", porque todos me conocerán, desde el más pequeño de ellos hasta el más grandedeclara el SEÑORpues perdonaré su maldad, y no recordaré más su pecado.

35 Así dice el SEÑOR, el que da el sol para luz del día, y las leyes de la luna y de las estrellas para luz de la noche, el que agita el mar para que bramen sus olas; el SEÑOR de los ejércitos es su nombre:

36 Si se apartan estas leyes de mi presenciadeclara el SEÑOR también la descendencia de Israel dejará de ser nación en mi presencia para siempre.

37 Así dice el SEÑOR: Si los cielos arriba pueden medirse, y explorarse abajo los cimientos de la tierra, también yo desecharé toda la descendencia de Israel por todo lo que hicierondeclara el SEÑOR.

38 He aquí, vienen díasdeclara el SEÑORen que la ciudad será reedificada para el SEÑOR, desde la torre de Hananeel hasta la puerta del Angulo.

39 Y el cordel de medir saldrá más allá, directamente hasta la colina de Gareb, y girará hasta Goa.

40 Y todo el valle de los cadáveres y de las cenizas, y todos los campos hasta el arroyo Cedrón, hasta la esquina de la puerta de los Caballos hacia el oriente, serán santos al SEÑOR. La ciudad no será arrancada ni derribada nunca jamás.

Jeremías 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.