Jeremiah 31:23 kjv
Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; As yet they shall use this speech in the land of Judah and in the cities thereof, when I shall bring again their captivity; The LORD bless thee, O habitation of justice, and mountain of holiness.
Jeremiah 31:23 nkjv
Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: "They shall again use this speech in the land of Judah and in its cities, when I bring back their captivity: 'The LORD bless you, O home of justice, and mountain of holiness!'
Jeremiah 31:23 niv
This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: "When I bring them back from captivity, the people in the land of Judah and in its towns will once again use these words: 'The LORD bless you, you prosperous city, you sacred mountain.'
Jeremiah 31:23 esv
Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: "Once more they shall use these words in the land of Judah and in its cities, when I restore their fortunes: "'The LORD bless you, O habitation of righteousness, O holy hill!'
Jeremiah 31:23 nlt
This is what the LORD of Heaven's Armies, the God of Israel, says: "When I bring them back from captivity, the people of Judah and its towns will again say, 'The LORD bless you, O righteous home, O holy mountain!'
Jeremiah 31 23 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Jeremiah 31:23 | "Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: ‘Once more they will use this phrase in the land of Judah and in its cities, when I restore their fortunes: “‘May the Lord bless you, O habitation of justice, and mountain of holiness!’" | Promise of future restoration |
| Isaiah 60:13 | "The glory of Lebanon shall come to you, the cypress, the plane, and the pine, to beautify my holy place, and to make the stand of my feet glorious." | Future glory and beauty for Zion |
| Isaiah 61:3 | "and to grant to those who mourn in Zion— to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified." | Comfort and beauty for those who mourn |
| Ezekiel 36:35 | "And they will say, ‘This land that was desolate has become like the garden of Eden; and the ruined cities that were desolate and overgrown with thorns are now fortified and inhabited.’" | Land restored to Eden-like fertility |
| Zechariah 8:12 | "For there will be a sowing of peace. The vine will give its fruit, and the ground will give its produce, and the heavens will give their dew, and I will cause the remnant of this people to inherit all these things." | Peace and prosperity following restoration |
| Matthew 13:8 | "Other seeds fell into good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty." | God's fruitfulness upon receptive soil |
| Romans 11:12 | "Now if their stumbling has meant riches for the world, and their failure has meant riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their full inclusion mean!" | Gentile inclusion and Jewish restoration |
| 2 Corinthians 3:6 | "who made us sufficient to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life." | The new covenant's life-giving power |
| Galatians 3:28 | "There is neither Jew nor Greek; there is neither slave nor free; you are all one in Christ Jesus." | Unity in Christ, transcending divisions |
| Revelation 21:1-4 | "Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God... And he will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away." | Ultimate restoration and renewal |
| Hosea 2:23 | "And I will sow her for myself in the land. And I will have mercy on Lo-ammi; and I will say to Lo-ruhamah, ‘You are my people’; and he shall say, ‘My God.’" | God reclaiming His people and land |
| Isaiah 35:7 | "The burning sand shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water; in the abode of jackals, a resting place for each one, shall become springs of water." | Transformation of desert into water sources |
| Psalms 85:12 | "Yes, the Lord will give what is good, and our land will yield its increase." | God's blessing on the land |
| Deuteronomy 28:3-14 | Blessings for obedience, including agricultural fertility. | Conditions for land's blessing |
| Leviticus 26:4-5 | "I will give you rain in due season, and the land shall yield its produce, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit. Your threshing shall last until the time of vintage, and the vintage shall last until the time of sowing, and you shall eat your bread to the full and dwell in your land securely." | Promises of agricultural blessing |
| Jeremiah 30:18-22 | God's promise to restore Jacob's dwellings and have compassion on his people. | Broader context of national restoration |
| Isaiah 14:1 | "For the Lord will favor Jacob and again choose Israel, and he will give them rest upon their own soil. Sojourners shall join them and cling to the house of Jacob." | God's renewed favor on Jacob |
| Acts 3:21 | "whom heaven must receive until the time for the full restoration of all things about which God has spoken by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old." | Fulfillment of prophetic promises |
| Hebrews 10:17 | "Then he says, ‘I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.’" | Forgiveness as prelude to restoration |
| Joel 2:21-22 | "Do not fear, O soil; rejoice and be glad, for the Lord has done great things! Do not fear, you animals of the field, for the pastures of the wilderness are green; the tree bears its fruit, the fig tree and the vine yield their strength." | Exhortation to the land to rejoice in God's deeds |
Jeremiah 31 verses
Jeremiah 31 23 Meaning
This verse declares that God will bless the land of Israel once more, causing it to prosper abundantly after its desolation. It signifies a restoration of fertility and a reversal of the curse brought by sin and judgment. The promise is a message of hope and renewed life for the covenant people and their land, foreshadowing a future time of blessing.
Jeremiah 31 23 Context
Jeremiah 31 is a chapter of immense hope and comfort, presented in the latter part of Jeremiah's prophecy, a time when Judah faced imminent destruction due to its sin. The surrounding verses speak of God's covenant faithfulness, the promise of a new covenant (Jer 31:31-34), and the future return of the exiles from Babylon. This specific verse, Jeremiah 31:23, fits within the broader theme of national restoration and blessing that God will bring after a period of judgment. It follows the sorrow and destruction described in previous chapters, offering a powerful counterpoint of future revival for the land of Judah. Historically, this verse points towards the post-exilic period and ultimately, the messianic era, where the land's fertility and the people's righteousness are fully restored. It is a response to the desolate state of the land brought on by sin, promising its reversal.
Jeremiah 31 23 Word Analysis
- "Thus": (
koh) - This is an adverb indicating manner or cause, introducing God's declaration or pronouncement. It signifies that what follows is the divine will and decree. - "says": (
amar) - The Hebrew verb for "to say" or "to speak," used here to convey God's authoritative communication. - "the Lord of hosts": (
Yehovah tsva'ot) - A frequent and significant title for God, emphasizing His omnipotence and supreme command over all heavenly armies and all creation. This title underscores the authority behind the promise. - "the God of Israel": (
Elohei Yisra'el) - A title that refers to God's special covenant relationship with His chosen people, Israel. It signifies His particular care and faithfulness toward them. - "Once more": (
od pa'am) - Literally "again time," or "again an occasion." This phrase indicates a repeated action or a return to a previous state of blessing, reversing the current state of desolation. - "they will use": (
yomerufor men; can also imply "to be spoken" or "to be said" generally). The Septuagint implies active speech from people. It suggests that a specific blessing formula will be spoken again in the land. - "this phrase": (
et hadavar hazeh) - This refers to the specific declaration that follows, a formula of blessing. The phrase itself signifies a significant prophetic utterance that will be uttered by the people. - "in the land of Judah": (
be'erets Yehudah) - Specifies the geographical location where this blessing will be heard, referring to the territory of the Southern Kingdom of Judah. - "and in its cities": (
uvme'erav) - Expands the scope from the land in general to its inhabited places, the cities within Judah. - "when": (
beorki) - Indicates the condition or the time when this will happen. It marks the future restoration. - "I restore their fortunes": (
shavti eshom shelhem) - This is a key phrase. "Shavti" comes from the root "shuv" meaning "to turn back," "to return," or "to restore." "Eshom" means captivity or ruin. "Shelhem" means "their captivity" or "their fortunes." Together, it signifies God turning their captivity, or turning their state from ruin back to prosperity and favor. This is a powerful declaration of reversal. - "‘May the Lord bless you": (
Yevarekeha Adonai) - A standard Hebrew blessing, invoking God's favor and divine favor upon the recipient. - "O habitation of justice": (
Nveh tzedek) - "Nveh" means dwelling or habitation. "Tzedek" means righteousness or justice. This epithet refers to Zion, Jerusalem, or the land itself when it is characterized by justice and right living according to God's ways. It connects blessing to righteous conduct. - "and mountain of holiness!": (
v'har koddesh!) - "Har" means mountain. "Kodesh" means holiness. This epithet also refers to Zion (Mount Zion) and, by extension, the land which is sanctified by God's presence. Holiness is inseparable from God's blessing.
Word-Group Analysis:
- "restore their fortunes" (
shavti eshom shelhem): This Hebrew idiom has profound meaning. It’s not just returning to a previous state but a radical reversal of negative circumstances, from exile and ruin back to prosperity and favor. This concept is echoed in promises of national restoration after exile (Ps 126:1-4). - "habitation of justice" (
Nveh tzedek) and "mountain of holiness" (v'har koddesh): These are poetic descriptions that personify the land or its central dwelling place (Zion/Jerusalem). They signify a place characterized by God's presence and by righteous living. The blessing is pronounced upon a people and place that embodies God's character, linking blessing to obedience and holiness.
Jeremiah 31 23 Bonus Section
The contrast between the "habitation of justice" and the "mountain of holiness" points to a comprehensive restoration that encompasses both the ethical/social order and the spiritual consecrated state. A just society, living according to God's laws, would be blessed, and a land set apart for God's dwelling and glory would flourish. This dual emphasis highlights that true restoration involves both right living and right relationship with God. The blessing of rain in due season, as described in Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28, is a tangible manifestation of God's favor, linking agricultural abundance to covenant faithfulness, a concept that resonates powerfully in this prophetic declaration. The term "fortunes" (eshom) can also imply that which is stolen or spoiled, thus "restore their spoiled portions" or "their removed ones." This indicates a reclamation of what was lost due to sin and judgment.
Jeremiah 31 23 Commentary
This verse marks a pivotal moment of hope within Jeremiah's prophecy. It's not merely a promise of material prosperity but a declaration of divine restoration that encompasses the people's spiritual condition and the land's fertility. God, the sovereign Lord of hosts, whose power extends over all, makes this promise to His covenant people, Israel. He explicitly states that the devastating period of captivity and desolation will end, and His favor will return.
The spoken phrase, "May the Lord bless you, O habitation of justice, and mountain of holiness!", signifies that righteousness and holiness will once again be hallmarks of the restored land and its people. This isn't a superficial blessing; it is deeply tied to the covenantal relationship. When Judah and Jerusalem were faithful, they experienced blessing and protection; when they strayed, judgment fell, leading to desolation. This verse announces the reversal of that pattern.
This restoration finds its ultimate fulfillment not just in the return from Babylonian exile, but in the new covenant established through Jesus Christ. In Christ, believers are made righteous (justified by faith) and are declared holy by God's Spirit, becoming the spiritual "habitation of justice" and "mountain of holiness." The land and the people will ultimately experience full renewal in the eschatological kingdom, as described in Revelation.