Jeremiah 31:5-15

5 Yet thou shalt plant vines in the hills of Samaria; men planting shall plant, and till the time come, they shall not gather grapes (and when the time come, they shall gather the grapes).

6 For why a day shall be, wherein keepers shall cry in the hill of Samaria, and in the hill of Ephraim, Rise ye, and ascend we into Zion, to our Lord God. (For a day shall be, when watchmen shall cry on the hills of Ephraim, Rise ye, and go we up to Zion, to the Lord our God.)

7 For the Lord saith these things, Jacob, make ye full out joy in gladness, and neigh ye against the head of heathen men; sound ye, sing ye, and say ye, Lord, save thy people, the residues of Israel. (For the Lord saith these things, Rejoice with happiness for Jacob's sake, and shout ye among the chieftains of the heathen; sound ye, sing ye, and say ye, Lord, save thy people, the remnant of Israel.)

8 Lo! I shall bring them from the land of the north, and I shall gather them from the farthest parts of [the] earth; among which shall be a blind man, and (a) crooked (man), and a woman with child, and (a woman) travailing of child together (and a woman with child, and a woman in labour together), (yea,) a great company of them that shall turn again hither.

9 They shall come in weeping, and I shall bring them again in mercy (They shall come with weeping, but I shall comfort them as I lead them here); and I shall bring them by the strands of waters in a rightful way, (so that) they shall not spurn therein; for I am made a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my engendered son.

10 Ye heathen men, hear the word of the Lord, and tell ye in isles that be [a]far (off), and say, He that scattered Israel, shall gather it, and shall keep it, as a shepherd keepeth his flock. (Ye heathen, hear the word of the Lord, and tell ye in the islands that be far away, and say, He who scattered Israel, shall gather it, and shall watch over it, like a shepherd watcheth over his flock.)

11 For the Lord again-bought Jacob, and delivered him from the hand of the mightier. (For the Lord rescued, or ransomed, Jacob, and saved him from the hand of the one mightier than himself.)

12 And they shall come, and praise in the hill of Zion; and they shall flow together to the goods of the Lord, on wheat, wine, and oil, and on the fruit of sheep, and of neat; and the soul of them shall be as a watery garden, and they shall no more hunger. (And they shall come, and give praise on Mount Zion; and they shall altogether flow with the good things of the Lord, with wheat, and wine, and oil, and with the fruit of sheep, and with cattle; and their souls shall be like a watered garden, and they shall no longer have hunger.)

13 Then a virgin shall be glad in a company, young men and eld together (Then a virgin, or a maiden, shall dance, and be glad, and men young and old shall rejoice together); and I shall turn the mourning of them into joy, and I shall comfort them, and I shall make them glad (from out) of their sorrow.

14 And I shall greatly fill the soul of [the] priests with fatness, and my people shall be [ful]filled with my goods, saith the Lord.

15 The Lord saith these things, A voice of wailing, and of weeping, and of mourning, was heard on high (was heard in Ramah); the voice of Rachel beweeping her sons, and not willing to be comforted on them, for they be not.

Jeremiah 31:5-15 Meaning and Commentary

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.