Jeremiah 31 20

Jeremiah 31:20 kjv

Is Ephraim my dear son? is he a pleasant child? for since I spake against him, I do earnestly remember him still: therefore my bowels are troubled for him; I will surely have mercy upon him, saith the LORD.

Jeremiah 31:20 nkjv

Is Ephraim My dear son? Is he a pleasant child? For though I spoke against him, I earnestly remember him still; Therefore My heart yearns for him; I will surely have mercy on him, says the LORD.

Jeremiah 31:20 niv

Is not Ephraim my dear son, the child in whom I delight? Though I often speak against him, I still remember him. Therefore my heart yearns for him; I have great compassion for him," declares the LORD.

Jeremiah 31:20 esv

Is Ephraim my dear son? Is he my darling child? For as often as I speak against him, I do remember him still. Therefore my heart yearns for him; I will surely have mercy on him, declares the LORD.

Jeremiah 31:20 nlt

"Is not Israel still my son,
my darling child?" says the LORD.
"I often have to punish him,
but I still love him.
That's why I long for him
and surely will have mercy on him.

Jeremiah 31 verses

Jeremiah 31 20 meaning

This verse expresses God's profound, parental affection for Ephraim, representing the Northern Kingdom of Israel, despite their history of apostasy and the judgment pronounced against them. God, using intense emotional language, reveals that even as He has declared discipline, His love compels an unwavering remembrance of His beloved child. His heart yearns with overwhelming tenderness and compassion, guaranteeing an active demonstration of mercy and future restoration.

Jeremiah 31 20 Context

Jeremiah 31:20 is found within the "Book of Consolation" (Jer 30-33), a pivotal section of Jeremiah's prophecies delivering hope and future restoration to a people facing or enduring exile. While Jeremiah predominantly declared judgment, this chapter presents a profound shift, offering divine promises of a future covenant. Historically, the Northern Kingdom of Israel (Ephraim) had been conquered and scattered by Assyria centuries earlier, while Judah faced imminent destruction by Babylon. The reference to "Ephraim" signifies God's intention to restore not just Judah, but all twelve tribes, including those long dispersed and seemingly forgotten. This verse emotionally grounds the entire prophecy of return and the promise of the New Covenant by asserting God's enduring love for His wayward people.

Jeremiah 31 20 Word analysis

• Is not Ephraim (הַבֵּן יַקִּיר לִי אֶפְרַיִם, Ha-ben yaqqir li 'Ephrayim):

  • Ephraim (אֶפְרָיִם, 'Ephrayim): Son of Joseph, progenitor of a prominent Israelite tribe. In prophetic literature, Ephraim often symbolizes the entire rebellious Northern Kingdom of Israel. Its inclusion here, long after its collapse and dispersal, underscores God's persistent memory and love for all His scattered people, regardless of their past.
  • My dear son (בֵּן יַקִּיר לִי, ben yaqqir li): Yaqqir means 'precious,' 'honored,' or 'costly.' It portrays God's intimate, personal relationship, emphasizing high value and deep, treasured affection, affirming the covenantal bond despite apparent estrangement.

• Is he not a darling child? (אִם־יֶלֶד שַׁעֲשֻׁעִים, 'im yeled sha'ashu'im):

  • Darling child (יֶלֶד שַׁעֲשֻׁעִים, yeled sha‘ashu'im): Sha‘ashu'im signifies 'delight' or 'pleasure.' A 'child of delights' means one in whom a parent finds profound joy and pleasure, like a cherished source of happiness. It highlights the tender, joyful aspect of God's original and persistent love for Ephraim.

• For as often as I speak against him (כִּדֵי־דַבְּרִי בּוֹ, kidey dabrri bo):

  • This phrase refers to God's repeated prophetic declarations of judgment, warning, and discipline against Ephraim's idolatry and covenant breaking. It represents the necessary chastening administered by a loving parent, intended to correct, not annihilate.

• I do remember him still (זָכֹר אֶזְכְּרֶנּוּ עוֹד, zakhor ezkerennu 'od):

  • I do remember (זָכֹר אֶזְכְּרֶנּוּ, zakhor ezkerennu): The doubling of the verb zakhar ('to remember') in an infinitive absolute form emphasizes the certainty, intensity, and active nature of God's remembrance. It signifies more than recollection; it's a covenantal act of commitment.
  • Still (עוֹד, 'od): This word reinforces the enduring, ongoing nature of God's remembrance, even amidst and despite His pronouncements of judgment.

• Therefore My heart yearns for him (עַל־כֵּן הָמוּ מֵעַי לוֹ, 'al-ken hamu me'ay lo):

  • My heart yearns (הָמוּ מֵעַי לוֹ, hamu me'ay lo): Hamu (from hamah) means 'to be in commotion,' 'to stir,' or 'to moan.' Me'ay (bowels/entrails) are portrayed as the seat of the deepest, most visceral human emotions – compassion, longing, or intense grief. This vivid anthropomorphism conveys God's profound internal agony and overwhelming tenderness, like a mother's wrenching pangs for her child, a love so deep it causes emotional 'churning.'

• I will surely have compassion on him (רַחֵם אֲרַחֲמֶנּוּ, rakhem arahǎmennu):

  • I will surely have compassion (רַחֵם אֲרַחֲמֶנּוּ, rakhem arahǎmennu): Another infinitive absolute construction, stressing the certainty and abundance of racham (compassion/mercy). The root rechem means 'womb,' highlighting a motherly, nurturing, deep-seated, protective, and unconditional form of pity and mercy that springs naturally from love, signifying an active outpouring of grace.

• Declares the LORD (נְאֻם יְהוָה, neum YHWH):

  • This authoritative divine declaration acts as an imprimatur, affirming the truth, certainty, and power of this deeply emotional promise directly from God Himself, the self-existent, covenant-making God.

• Rhetorical Questions: "Is not Ephraim My dear son? Is he not a darling child?": These questions are not queries for information but powerful rhetorical assertions. They affirm God's undeniable, undiminished affection and challenge any human doubt that God has abandoned Ephraim, firmly declaring His continued ownership and love despite past disobedience.

• Paradox of Discipline and Remembrance: "For as often as I speak against him, I do remember him still": This phrase captures a profound paradox in God's character. His justice compels Him to speak against sin, leading to consequences (discipline), yet His underlying covenantal love and commitment (remembrance) endure through and beyond that discipline. It reveals that judgment, for God's beloved, is never His final word, but a means toward ultimate reconciliation.

• Visceral Compassion and Divine Action: "Therefore My heart yearns for him; I will surely have compassion on him": The connection ("Therefore") links God's enduring remembrance to His powerful emotional response. The deep, internal 'churning' is not merely a feeling but the driving force behind His will to act in mercy. It highlights the direct link between God's inner being and His redemptive plan for His people.

Jeremiah 31 20 Bonus section

This passage is a prime example of anthropopathism, where God expresses His emotions in intensely human terms (e.g., 'heart yearns,' 'bowels stir'). This rhetorical device helps humanity grasp the otherwise ineffable depth of divine emotion and compassion, portraying a personal and deeply relational God. The paradox presented – God's stern pronouncements of judgment coexisting with fervent love and memory – is central to understanding His complex character: His justice never overrides His hesed (covenantal loving-kindness) for His chosen people, ultimately pointing to a future of reconciliation over permanent rejection. The focus on Ephraim, historically the most wayward segment of Israel, magnifies the radical nature of God's grace, affirming that no level of past unfaithfulness can permanently sever God's covenantal love and purpose for His people.

Jeremiah 31 20 Commentary

Jeremiah 31:20 is a powerful expression of God's unconditional, parental love, epitomizing the profound grace often veiled within divine judgment. Even when Ephraim, representing wayward Israel, warrants severe discipline, God's affection is so deeply rooted and visceral that His very being compels overwhelming compassion. This verse dramatically reshapes the perception of God from a harsh, unyielding judge into a pained but perpetually loving Father whose ultimate desire is the restoration of His beloved children. It serves as the emotional and theological bedrock for the subsequent New Covenant promises, assuring that despite profound human failure, divine fidelity guarantees eventual healing, reunification, and reconciliation. It's a testament that God's discipline flows from love, aimed at returning His children to His embrace. For instance, just as a human parent corrects a beloved child out of deep love and longing for their welfare, God’s 'speaking against' Ephraim was always coupled with a heart full of remembrance and yearning for their return, not their ultimate destruction.