Jeremiah 31:8

8 "Behold, I am ¹bringing them from the north country, And I will ²gather them from the remote parts of the earth, Among them the ³blind and the ⁴lame, The woman with child and she who is in labor with child, together; A great company, they will return here.

Jeremiah 31:8 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 31:8

Behold, I will bring them from the north country
As from Babylon, at the end of the seventy years' captivity, which lay north of Judea; so, in the latter day, from those northern countries, as ours, where they now are in great numbers: and gather them from the coasts of the earth;
or "sides" of it; from all the parts of the world where they are: [and] with them the blind and the lame, the woman with child and her
that travaileth with child together;
signifying that no difficulties whatsoever should hinder them in their return to their own land; provision should be made for persons under these circumstances, so unfit to travel. All this may be understood, in a figurative sense, of those who are spiritually "blind"; who are made to see their lost estate, and need of Christ; and are brought to him, and to his church, in a way they had not known, and in paths they knew not before: and of the lame and impotent, unable to do any good thing in a spiritual sense, and will not come to Christ, unless drawn; these are made to leap as a hart, and to flee to Christ for refuge, and run the ways of his commandments: and of such who are laden and burdened, as "women with child"; and who are encouraged and enabled as such to come to Christ, and cast their burdens on him, and find rest for their souls: and of such who are in pain and distress, as one "that travaileth with child": in the pangs of the new birth, under a sense of wrath, and as ready to perish; who also are enabled to come and venture their souls on Christ, receive his Gospel, and submit to his ordinances, where they find peace and comfort: a great company shall return thither;
three thousand were converted under one sermon, in the first times of the Gospel; and, in the latter day, the nation of the Jews shall be born again at once; the number of the children of Israel shall then be as the sand of the sea, and great shall be the day of Jezreel, ( Isaiah 66:8 ) ( Hosea 1:10 Hosea 1:11 ) .

Jeremiah 31:8 In-Context

6 "For there will be a day when watchmen On the hills of Ephraim call out, 'Arise, and let us go up to Zion, To the LORD our God.' "

7 For thus says the LORD , "Sing aloud with gladness for Jacob, And shout among the chief of the nations; Proclaim, give praise and say, 'O LORD , save Your people, The remnant of Israel.'

8 "Behold, I am bringing them from the north country, And I will gather them from the remote parts of the earth, Among them the blind and the lame, The woman with child and she who is in labor with child, together; A great company, they will return here.

9 "With weeping they will come, And by supplication I will lead them; I will make them walk by streams of waters, On a straight path in which they will not stumble; For I am a father to Israel, And Ephraim is My firstborn."

10 Hear the word of the LORD , O nations, And declare in the coastlands afar off, And say, "He who scattered Israel will gather him And keep him as a shepherd keeps his flock."

Cross References

• 1. Jeremiah 3:18; Jeremiah 23:8
• 2. Deuteronomy 30:4; Isaiah 43:6; Ezekiel 34:13
• 3. Isaiah 42:16
• 4. Isaiah 40:11; Ezekiel 34:16; Micah 4:6

Footnotes

• [a] Or "assembly"