Jeremiah 31 37

Jeremiah 31:37 kjv

Thus saith the LORD; If heaven above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth searched out beneath, I will also cast off all the seed of Israel for all that they have done, saith the LORD.

Jeremiah 31:37 nkjv

Thus says the LORD: "If heaven above can be measured, And the foundations of the earth searched out beneath, I will also cast off all the seed of Israel For all that they have done, says the LORD.

Jeremiah 31:37 niv

This is what the LORD says: "Only if the heavens above can be measured and the foundations of the earth below be searched out will I reject all the descendants of Israel because of all they have done," declares the LORD.

Jeremiah 31:37 esv

Thus says the LORD: "If the heavens above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth below can be explored, then I will cast off all the offspring of Israel for all that they have done, declares the LORD."

Jeremiah 31:37 nlt

This is what the LORD says:
"Just as the heavens cannot be measured
and the foundations of the earth cannot be explored,
so I will not consider casting them away
for the evil they have done.
I, the LORD, have spoken!

Jeremiah 31 verses

Jeremiah 31 37 meaning

Jeremiah 31:37 is a profound affirmation of God's absolute faithfulness to His covenant people, Israel. It states that just as it is impossible for humans to measure the vastness of the heavens above or to search out the hidden depths of the earth's foundations, so too is it utterly impossible for God to reject or cast off all the descendants of Israel, despite their accumulated sins. The verse acts as a hyperbolic statement emphasizing the unbreakable and eternal nature of God's promises to His chosen nation, standing as a bulwark against any doubt concerning Israel's future.

Jeremiah 31 37 Context

Jeremiah 31:37 stands within Jeremiah's "Book of Consolation" (chapters 30-33), which offers future hope and restoration for Judah and Israel. Specifically, this verse immediately follows the announcement of the New Covenant (Jer 31:31-34), which promises internal spiritual transformation and direct knowledge of God for His people. Jeremiah 31:35-36 reinforces this promise by drawing a parallel between the steadfastness of the cosmic order (sun, moon, stars, sea) and God's unwavering commitment to Israel. Verse 37 takes this a step further, presenting a hypothetical condition so profoundly impossible (measuring heavens, searching earth's foundations) that its associated consequence—God rejecting Israel—is equally an absolute impossibility. It addresses the despondency of the exiled people, assuring them that despite their grave transgressions and the judgment they faced, God's foundational covenant love for them remains steadfast and eternal. The verse thus solidifies the unconditional nature of God's ongoing relationship and future plans for Israel, ensuring their survival and eventual restoration as a distinct people.

Jeremiah 31 37 Word analysis

• Thus says the LORD (כֹּה אָמַר יְהוָה - koh amar Adonai): A standard prophetic formula indicating a direct, authoritative divine declaration, ensuring the truth and certainty of what follows.
• If (אִם - im): Introduces a condition, but in this context, it functions rhetorically to present a hypothetical, utterly impossible scenario.
• the heavens (הַשָּׁמַיִם - ha-shamayim): Refers to the sky, the firmament; in Hebrew thought, it represents immeasurable vastness and height.
• above (מִמַּעַל - mim-ma'al): Emphasizes the lofty, inaccessible nature of the heavens.
• can be measured (יִמָּדּוּ - yimmaddu): A Niphal (passive) verb meaning 'to be measured, quantified'. Implies human capacity; the impossibility highlights the limitations of human endeavor in comparison to divine decree.
• and the foundations (וּמוֹסְדֵי - u-mosey): Refers to the underlying structures or bases; figuratively, the deep, hidden, inaccessible parts of the earth.
• of the earth (אֶרֶץ - eretz): The terrestrial world, contrasted with the heavens.
• below (מִלְּמַטָּה - mil-l'mattah): Emphasizes the deep, hidden, and unsearchable nature of the earth's depths.
• can be searched out (יֵחָקְרוּ - yeḥaqru): A Niphal (passive) verb meaning 'to be searched, investigated, fathomed'. It points to intellectual inquiry and discovery, suggesting that these hidden depths are beyond human comprehension or access.
• then (וְגַם - v'gam): Connects the impossible condition to the equally impossible consequence.
• I will also (אֲנִי אֶמְאַס - ani em'as): Emphatic 'I' (God) indicating divine action; em'as (מָאַס) means 'to reject, despise, spurn, cast off'. This is the severe action Israel might fear God taking.
• cast off (אֶמְאַס - em'as): Signifies definitive rejection and abandonment. The thought here is one of total disinheritance.
• all (כָּל - kol): An emphatic quantifier, stressing that not a single part or person would be rejected.
• the offspring (זֶרַע - zera'): Literally 'seed', figuratively 'descendants, posterity'. It refers to all future generations of Israel.
• of Israel (יִשְׂרָאֵל - Yisrael): God's covenant people, chosen through Abraham.
• for all that they have done (עַל כָּל־אֲשֶׁר עָשׂוּ - al kol asher asu): Acknowledges Israel's sinfulness and misdeeds as the reason for potential rejection (from a human perspective of justice), yet God's covenant loyalty overrides it.
• declares the LORD (נְאֻם־יְהוָה - ne'um-Adonai): Another prophetic formula, often concluding a divine oracle, affirming its certainty and finality.

Words-group analysis

• "If the heavens above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth below can be searched out": This is a powerful literary hyperbole (known as an "argument from the impossible"). It establishes an utterly unattainable human task, thereby setting an equally impossible benchmark for the condition under which God would abandon Israel. It stresses the incomprehensibility of creation to underscore the absolute reliability of the Creator's covenant.
• "then I will also cast off all the offspring of Israel for all that they have done": This segment is the consequence of the impossible condition. By paralleling the impossible human tasks with the rejection of Israel, God declares that His covenant is as unshakeable and eternal as the cosmic order He Himself established. It highlights divine sovereignty over both creation and covenant.

Jeremiah 31 37 Bonus section

The rhetorical "if...then" structure found here is a classic Hebrew literary device often employed to express an absolute negation or affirmation. By setting up an impossible hypothetical premise (measuring the cosmos), the conclusion that follows becomes equally impossible. This intensifies the certainty of God's promise. This passage also reinforces the concept that God's covenant with Israel is not solely based on a human performance-based agreement, but an unconditional aspect founded upon God's sovereign choice and character. The depth of the "foundations of the earth" often implies hidden, primordial structures that speak to an ancient cosmological understanding, emphasizing something utterly beyond human grasp or manipulation, thereby equating the security of God's covenant with the unassailable design of creation itself.

Jeremiah 31 37 Commentary

Jeremiah 31:37 is a quintessential expression of God's covenant faithfulness and immutability towards Israel. Coming after the promise of the New Covenant and within the context of Israel's exile, it serves as an ironclad guarantee of their future. The rhetorical structure, pitting humanity's inability to comprehend the vastness and depth of creation against God's purported abandonment of His people, effectively elevates the certainty of God's commitment to an absolute impossibility of failure. It is not just a promise but an oath-like statement underscoring that despite Israel's historical and ongoing sinfulness—which the verse frankly acknowledges ("for all that they have done")—God's ultimate design for them cannot be thwarted by their failures. This verse is crucial for understanding God's distinct and enduring purposes for the nation of Israel, assuring their perpetual existence and future redemption based not on their merit but solely on God's unchanging character and irrevocable promises. It is a powerful message of unwavering hope against seemingly insurmountable odds.