Jeremiah 31 - Introduction

Hitherto the general tone of Jeremiah's prophecies has been gloomy. Any gleams of brightness that have from time to time appeared (e.g. Jeremiah 3:14; Jeremiah 16:14 f., Jeremiah 23:3), even if we may assume them to have come from the prophet's own mouth, have borne but a very small proportion to the long stretches of melancholy foreboding and stern declaration of coming punishment, which have formed the gist of his prophecies. In chs. 30 33 we have a marked change in this respect, and the whole tone here is that of hope. As regards the component parts and dates of the chs. see notes below. We may divide the whole prophecy into three parts. (i) "The triumphal hymn of Israel's salvation" (Hengst.), 30, 31. (ii) The purchase by Jeremiah of a field in Anathoth with an explanation of the significance of this act, 32. (iii) Promise of restoration of the nation with renewed glory conferred on the house of David and the Levitical priesthood, 33.

Chs. Jeremiah 30:1 to Jeremiah 31:40. Promises of national restoration

These chs. form an interruption to the mainly biographical portion of the Book, which otherwise runs on, with short breaks, from ch. 26 to ch. 44 inclusive, while here we have prophetic utterances only. The two chs. form a closely connected whole, and deal with the future of Israel and Judah. Moreover, their subject-matter in its order of thought is evidently arranged with care. Graf, developing hints given by Ewald, and pointing to the prophetic custom illustrated in Hosea, Joel, Amos, and Micah, of closing with a brighter picture and with Messianic hopes, holds these chs. to be the corresponding conclusion of Jeremiah's Roll as published in its second edition (Jeremiah 36:32). He finds a close link in turns of expression with ch. 3 and other earlier parts of the Book, and so dates these chs. in Jehoiakim's reign. To this Co. objects that the chs. are composed from a later standpoint, and that they assume the destruction of Jerusalem and the commencement of the exile to have taken place already. He is supported by Du. and Gi. in holding that we have here certain genuine utterances of Jeremiah (e.g. all three agree in accepting Jeremiah 31:2-5; Jeremiah 31:15-20) with much amplification by later hands. Thus Gi. calls the section a "mosaic," made up, as much of it is, from various passages of Jeremiah and other prophets. The main disagreement among these three commentators is in the case of the very important and striking passage, Jeremiah 31:31-34, which is given up, though very reluctantly, by Du., but retained by the others (see further in notes on that passage). Movers, de Wette, and Hitzig led the way in breaking up the chs. into their component parts. Further, however, they were for attributing the post-Jeremianic parts to the authorship of the second Isaiah, a view which Graf energetically and successfully combated. Stade and Smend went further, maintaining that the whole is post-exilic.

Accepting the view that the date of composition was subsequent to the final overthrow of Jerusalem, and that we have here genuine prophecies of Jeremiah, more or less overlaid with additional matter, we may still enquire why these two chs. of encouragement and hope were interposed in the course of the narrative portion (chs. 26 44) at this point. The answer seems to be (so Co.) that the insertion here was suggested to the compiler as suitable not only by the words in Jeremiah 29:32 ("the good that I will do unto my people"), but by the whole tenor of that ch., as forecasting a future rich in comfort and in the favour of God. A further reason may be that ch. 29 formed a fitting transition, as being itself a combination of prophecy and narrative.

Two points emerge from the discussion as fairly established; (i) that ch. 31, but not ch. 30, contains a large amount of authentic matter, and (ii) that "the compiler felt that the prominence of Northern Israel [ch. 31] threw Judah into the background, and this largely accounts for the additions [ch. 30] which he made." Pe.

We may summarize the whole section as follows. (i) ch. 30 Jeremiah 30:1. Jeremiah is bidden to write all the Lord's words in a book, for Israel and Judah shall be brought back from captivity. (ii) Jeremiah 30:5. Terrors are coming on the world, but Jacob shall be delivered. Israel, though not left unpunished, need not fear the destruction that is coming on the nations. Bitter indeed are her pains by reason of her sins, but, as her despoilers have done to her, so shall it be done to them, while, with city rebuilt and under a ruler rejoicing in Jehovah's favour, the people shall dwell in prosperity and peace. (iii) Jeremiah 30:23. Jehovah shall be fully avenged on the wicked. This will be evident to His people in the end. (iv) ch. 31 Jeremiah 31:1. The Northern tribes shall again find favour and Samaria shall be re-inhabited: there follows a vivid picture of the return journey. (v) Jeremiah 31:10. Announcement of this restoration to the nations. (vi) Jeremiah 31:15. Rachel, lamenting from her grave near Ramah her banished children, is addressed in words of comfort: Ephraim's penitential mood is welcomed with affection by the Lord; the virgin of Israel is summoned to address herself to the journey. (vii) Jeremiah 31:23. Judah also shall be brought back and shall inhabit Zion. (viii) Jeremiah 31:27. Jehovah will renew the youth of Israel and Judah; the sons shall no longer suffer for the sins of their progenitors. (ix) Jeremiah 31:31. The great prophecy of the New Covenant, whose principle shall be no code of outward ordinances, but an inly operating law, filling all with the knowledge of God. (x) Jeremiah 31:35. Israel shall be established in security as Jehovah's people, and Jerusalem, extended beyond her former limits, shall be holy to the Lord for ever.