Jeremiah 31 32

Jeremiah 31:32 kjv

Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD:

Jeremiah 31:32 nkjv

not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, though I was a husband to them, says the LORD.

Jeremiah 31:32 niv

It will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to them," declares the LORD.

Jeremiah 31:32 esv

not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the LORD.

Jeremiah 31:32 nlt

This covenant will not be like the one I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand and brought them out of the land of Egypt. They broke that covenant, though I loved them as a husband loves his wife," says the LORD.

Jeremiah 31 verses

Jeremiah 31 32 Meaning

This verse describes a future covenant God will establish with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, characterized by His laws being put within them and written on their hearts, not like the previous covenant made with their fathers when God brought them out of Egypt. It signifies a profound internal transformation and a personal relationship with God.

Jeremiah 31 32 Context

Jeremiah 31 prophesies a future restoration for Israel and Judah after their exile. Chapter 31 specifically shifts from judgment to promises of hope and renewal. This verse, Jeremiah 31:32, is a cornerstone of this new hope, detailing the nature of a new covenant God will make. It contrasts the instability and eventual breaking of the Mosaic covenant with a promise of divine implantation of His law into the very being of His people. This promise points beyond the immediate historical context of Jeremiah to a spiritual reality fulfilled in the messianic age.

Jeremiah 31 32 Word Analysis

• Not according to the covenant:

  • v'lo k'mo (וְלֹא כְּמֹ) - "And not according to." This highlights a distinctiveness and a departure from the previous covenant.

• that I made with their fathers:

  • 'et-abotam (אֶת-אֲבוֹתָם) - "with their fathers." Refers to the covenant made with Israel at Mount Sinai through Moses. The fathers represent a generation.

• in the day:

  • b'yom (בְּיוֹם) - "on the day." Pinpoints the specific time of the old covenant's institution.

• when I took them:

  • haqechoti (הֶחְזַקְתִּי) - "I took hold of them" or "I took them firmly." Emphasizes God's strong, salvific action in delivering them from Egypt.

• by the hand:

  • byad (בְּיָד) - "with/by hand." A common idiom in Scripture representing direct, personal intervention and guidance.

• to bring them out of the land of Egypt:

  • lehotzi'am mi'eretz-mitzrayim (לְהוֹצִיאָם מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם) - "to bring them out from the land of Egypt." Recalls the Exodus, the foundational event of God's deliverance and covenant relationship with Israel.

• because they broke:

  • ki-hem phe'ru (כִּי-הֵמָּה הֵפֵרוּ) - "because they broke." Attributes the failure of the previous covenant to the people's disobedience and breach of their obligations.
  • phrru (הֵפֵרוּ) - Derived from pěr (פֶּר), meaning to break, transgress, violate.

• my covenant:

  • et-briti (אֶת-בְּרִיתִי) - "my covenant." Refers to God's covenant promises and statutes given at Sinai.

• and I:

  • va'anoci (וַאֲנִי) - "And I." Emphasizes God's ongoing active role and commitment, even when the people failed.

• although I was:

  • ve'anoci (וְאָנֹכִי) - "and I was" or "although I was." Contrasts God's faithfulness with the people's faithlessness.

• a husband to them:

  • ba'al (בַּעַל) - Literally "husband," "master," or "lord." In the Old Testament, often used metaphorically for God's relationship with Israel, signifying possession, protection, and covenantal bond.

• says the LORD:

  • ne'um-yhwh (נְאֻם-יְהוָה) - "The utterance/oracle of Yahweh." A formal prophetic declaration indicating the divine source of the message.

• Words/Phrase Group Analysis:

  • "Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers... because they broke my covenant": This highlights the conditional nature and human failure associated with the Mosaic Covenant, where obedience was the basis of blessing.
  • "in the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt": This powerfully evokes the Exodus and the intimate, guiding role God played at the covenant's inception, making the people's breaking of it even more grievous.
  • "although I was a husband to them": This uses the marital metaphor to emphasize God's faithful commitment and desire for a close, exclusive relationship, underscoring Israel's betrayal.

Jeremiah 31 32 Bonus Section

The contrast between the old and new covenants in Jeremiah 31:32 echoes themes found throughout Scripture. The "husband" metaphor (ba'al) is rich; God as husband signifies His ownership of Israel, His protective care, and His exclusive claim upon their devotion, much like a wife's covenantal commitment. Israel's failure to reciprocate this devotion was a spiritual adultery. The new covenant's internalization of God's law is a manifestation of His indwelling Spirit, empowering believers to live out God's will from the heart, not by external compulsion. This promise anticipates the New Covenant's fulfillment where the Holy Spirit indwells believers, producing righteousness from within, as clearly taught in the New Testament, particularly in passages referencing this prophecy.

Jeremiah 31 32 Commentary

The verse delineates a crucial shift in God's salvific plan. The Mosaic covenant, while divine in origin and significant for establishing Israel's national identity and religious system, was ultimately insufficient due to inherent human frailty and sin. The failure of the people to keep this covenant led to national disaster (exile). However, God, in His unwavering faithfulness, promises a new covenant. This new covenant is not a set of external laws etched on stone tablets but an internal transformation where God's law will be deeply ingrained within His people, written on their hearts. This internal aspect signifies a new spiritual reality, a personal and intimate relationship with God, powered by the indwelling presence of the Spirit, enabling obedience from a transformed inner nature rather than coercion or external obligation. This prophetic word is a foundational promise of the grace and power found in the New Covenant established by Jesus Christ.