Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible
Jeremiah 31:7-14
YHWH Will Lead The Remnant Of Israel Back From Exile As A Father Does His Children And On The Height Of Zion They Will Rejoice In The Resulting Glorious Provision Of YHWH (Jeremiah 31:7).
In striking contrast to the present state of the exiles we now have a glorious picture of restoration, but one that is then immediately and deliberately set in contrast to a flashback to the weeping figure of Rachel weeping over the condition of her children (Jeremiah 31:15). This is a reminder of the pattern found in Jeremiah 30:5 and Jeremiah 30:12. Deliverance may be coming, but it is to be remembered that it is out of the deserved misery of the present. Nor must the fact be overlooked that they must return with responsive weeping because they are repentant over their sins (Jeremiah 31:9), and this even though it will later be followed by a call to ‘weep no more' (Jeremiah 31:16 ff.). Deliverance was not to be on easy terms. It was clearly considered important that it be recognised that their deliverance would arise from despair and weeping, and must be accompanied by repentance and weeping. They are not being rewarded for good behaviour, but are being, as it were, lifted out of the pit which they have deliberately dug for themselves and into which they have fallen. They must therefore respond accordingly. When God delivers and ‘brings salvation' it always results in repentant hearts and changed lives. His righteousness is both imputed and imparted (Isaiah 61:10). On the other hand that must not take away from the glory of that deliverance which is the result of God's sovereign love (Jeremiah 31:3).
‘For thus says YHWH,'
Once again YHWH has spoken and it will therefore come about.
“Sing with gladness for Jacob,
And shout for the chief (head) of the nations,
Publish you, praise you, and say, ‘O YHWH,
Save your people, the remnant of Israel'.”
This call may be seen as addressed to those who had said, ‘Zion for whom no one cares' (Jeremiah 30:17). Or simply as addressed to the nations more generally (compare Jeremiah 31:10). Or as addressed to the ‘remnant of Israel'. Whichever way it is they are called on to sing with gladness for Jacob (Judah/Israel), and to shout with triumph on behalf of ‘the chief of the nations', a title applied to Israel in Amos 6:1, but equally applicable to Judah. The idea was based on such verses as Exodus 19:5; Leviticus 20:24; Leviticus 20:26; Deuteronomy 7:6; Deuteronomy 26:19. Note the acknowledgement that once again Israel and Zion are the chosen of YHWH. Thus these ‘singers and callers' are to publish abroad their desire for YHWH to save His people, and are to praise YHWH concerning it. Their cry is to be, ‘O YHWH, save your people, the remnant of Israel'. It underlines the fact that now someone does care about Zion. If we see it as spoken to the Gentile nations (for which there is a good argument on the basis that it does counter the fact of ‘Zion for whom no one cares', and because it explains the reference to Israel as ‘the chief (head) of the nations'), then there is also here an indication that they are hoping for some of the blessing also to fall on them once Israel is restored (Genesis 12:3; and often).
It is noteworthy that, as always, it is ‘the remnant' of Israel who are to be saved (compare Isaiah 6:13), the repentant ones who respond to YHWH's call. There is never any suggestion that Israel as a whole will be saved. Many indeed would have been absorbed into the nations among whom they dwelt, while other would have lapsed into unbelief and despair, or been killed. But from among them would come those who believed. It was they who would be saved.
“Behold, I will bring them from the north country,
And gather them from the uttermost parts of the earth,
With them the blind and the lame,
The woman with child and her who travails with child together,
A great company will they return here.”
Israelites are to be gathered from the north country to which the Assyrians had taken them, and from the uttermost parts of the earth (see Isaiah 11:11), and it will include the weak and helpless, the blind, the lame, the pregnant woman and the woman in labour. The road will be made so easy for them that such conditions will not matter. They will return as ‘a great company', (in other words a good quantity will return), but clearly in equally great weakness. While we have no record of their return in the Scriptures, there is no reason to doubt that many northern exiles did actually join in the return to the land once the news reached them of the new settlement of Israel by returning Babylonian exiles and the rebuilding of the Temple, and they would help each other along. Weakness was to be no bar to travel for YHWH would be with them. It was the time for which many of them had been waiting (compare how they were depicted as watching what was going on in the land in Jeremiah 8:19) and now it was here, and they were not going to miss it. Those who came would be those who were the most zealous for YHWH, establishing the nation in readiness for the arrival of the coming Shoot of David.
“They will come with weeping,
And with supplications will I lead them,
I will cause them to walk by rivers of waters,
In a straight way in which they will not stumble,
For I am a father to Israel,
And Ephraim is my first-born.
But when they returned it was to be in repentance, weeping as they came. There could be no restoration without repentance. That the primary reference is to repentance comes out in the combination with ‘supplications'. Compare also Jeremiah 31:16 where they are to cease weeping because of their deliverance. It was thus not seen as weeping for joy. They are rather seen as seeking the face of YHWH in tears. Of course, we need not necessarily wholly exclude the idea of their also weeping for joy (see Ezra 3:12), for repentance and joy in the end go together. Joy follows repentance. But it is clear that we cannot exclude the idea of repentance. That is the first requirement for their return as has been made apparent earlier (e.g. Jeremiah 29:12). Compare Jeremiah 31:18.
And they would make continual supplications to YHWH as He led them in the way, just as they had in the wilderness after leaving Egypt. It would be a new Exodus. But they would not thirst because He would lead them by rivers of water, and they would not stumble because the way would be made straight. For He would be like a Father to them, and they would be His first-born.
They can be pictured as like the prodigal son as he wended his way home to his father, and indeed that is what they were. He too came with weeping and supplication (Luke 15:12)
This is probably describing what would be true spiritually rather than physically, although it clearly also included the thought of provision on the way. He would be with them as they struggled towards their homeland, encouraging them in the way. ‘Ephraim is my first-born' indicates that the stress is at present very much inclusive of the return of the northern tribes, but not exclusively, for as His first-born it must include Judah (Exodus 4:22). Ephraim was the one chosen by YHWH over Manasseh (Genesis 48:19), and was a name later applied to the northern kingdom, and then as here to all Israel. It can thus signify ‘My chosen one'. The phrase is reminiscent of ‘Israel is My son, My firstborn' in Exodus 4:22. Judah will be emphasised in Jeremiah 31:23. But all will return (Jeremiah 30:3; Jeremiah 30:17; Jeremiah 31:1; Jeremiah 31:27; Jeremiah 31:31). To prophets like Isaiah and Jeremiah Israel and Judah were still really one nation under any title.
“Hear the word of YHWH, O you nations,
And declare it in the isles afar off, and say,
He who scattered Israel will gather him,
And keep him, as a shepherd does his flock.
“For YHWH has ransomed Jacob,
And redeemed him from the hand of him who was stronger than he.”
The call again goes out to the nations, as in Jeremiah 31:7, and to the isles across the sea, (Cyprus, Crete and the Aegean coastlands), declaring what YHWH is doing for His people. YHWH is now like a shepherd to His people. He Who had (by means of the wolf and the lion - Jeremiah 2:15; Jeremiah 4:7; Jeremiah 5:6) scattered them, would now gather them and lead them forward, safely kept under His protecting hand. For YHWH has proved His might. He has ransomed ‘Jacob' (Judah/Israel) and redeemed him from the hands of those who were stronger than he (compare Psalms 35:10). Assyria and Babylon may have seemed stronger, but they would perish. Israel would, however, go on in God's purposes.
The idea behind ransom and redemption was of a kinsman redeemer who himself would sacrifice of his own in order to assist the setting free of a kinsman. For YHWH too there would be a price to pay.
“And they will come and sing in the height of Zion,
And will flow to the goodness of YHWH,
To the grain, and to the new wine, and to the oil,
And to the young of the flock and of the herd,
And their soul will be as a watered garden,
And they will not sorrow any more at all.”
An idyllic picture is drawn of the future. They will return to Zion, and there they will sing on its ‘height', its holy mount. And they will flow like a river into YHWH's goodness (i.e. into YHWH as He is in His goodness). Compare the similar picture of all nations flowing to YHWH in Isaiah 2:2. The grain, new wine and olive oil will flourish as they flow into it as part of the goodness of YHWH, and the flock and the herd will abundantly produce their young. Their own inner lives will be like a watered garden full of life and vitality, and they will sorrow no more. The watered garden was the ideal of luxury and fruitfulness, never running dry because its owner could always afford water.
To a certain extent this was fulfilled as far as they were concerned when they returned to their land and things appeared to prosper as they lived semi-independently under their Persian rulers. And even more so when they found independence from the later (Greek) Seleucids through Jonathan and Simon Maccabaeus. Even under Rome they would be more allies than subjects, with Herod being seen as the friend of Rome, at least until towards the end. But its greater fulfilment awaits the eternal kingdom, the new Heaven and the new earth as described in Revelation 21:3; Revelation 22:1. Interestingly it is reminiscent of the idyllic life depicted in Ecclesiastes.
“Then will the virgin rejoice in the dance,
And the young men and the old together,
For I will turn their mourning into joy,
And will comfort them, and make them rejoice from their sorrow.”
All sorrow will be over. All will join in the dancing. The virgin, the young man and the old together will rejoice in the dance. There is no reason for excluding the males from the dance. It would be remembered that David danced before YHWH when the Ark was brought safely into Jerusalem. Perhaps that is in mind here. Their mourning will be turned into joy, and YHWH will comfort them and make them rejoice from their sorrows. In the end, however, this is not something that can finally be accomplished in this life. It requires the perfecting of men's hearts at the resurrection, and will come to fulfilment in the eternal kingdom.
We can compare here Isaiah 35:10, ‘the ransomed of YHWH will return, and come to Zion with singing, everlasting joy will be on their heads, they will obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing will flee away'. Everlasting joy is only obtainable in the everlasting kingdom.
“And I will satiate the soul of the priests with fatness,
And my people will be satisfied with my goodness,
The word of YHWH.”
Both priests and people will be satisfied in YHWH. To be satisfied ‘with fat' is to have the best of provision. The fat was the best of the sacrifice, and was sacred to YHWH. It was not partaken of by the priests. It therefore here means receiving the very best, and is not a direct reference to sacrifices. The provision of YHWH will thus be abundant, and His goodness overflowing. And this is on the assured word of YHWH.