Jer 31 | TNotes | STEP | 31:1 In that day: This phrase refers to the return from exile that began in 538 BC . • all the families of Israel: The coming restoration included all twelve tribes of Israel.

31:1 ^a In that day: This phrase refers to the return from exile that began in 538 BC.

• all the families of Israel: The coming restoration included all twelve tribes of Israel.
31:2 ^b The Lord directed his message to those who would survive the coming destruction at the fall of Jerusalem in 586 BC.
31:3 ^c Long ago, the Lord had revealed himself during the Exodus (see Exod 15:13 ^d; 20:6 ^e; 34:6-7 ^f; Num 14:18-19 ^g; Deut 5:10 ^h; 7:7 ⁱ, 10 ^j, 12-13 ^k; 10:15 ^l, 18 ^m).
31:4 ⁿ In their homeland, the Israelites had been guilty of “adultery” with false gods. The restored community would be like a virgin, as though the people had never forsaken the Lord. The happiness and joy of their celebrations would manifest this transformation.
31:5 ^o Samaria was located in north-central Israel.
31:6 ^p In the fully restored nation, the kingdom would no longer be divided (1 Kgs 12:16-29 ^q; Ezek 37:16-22 ^r).
31:7 ^s The remnant refers to those who were living in exile.
31:8 ^t The Lord promised to gather the surviving exiles from wherever they were scattered without overlooking the weak and helpless.

• The great company of exiles who returned in 538–536 BC numbered 49,697 (Ezra 2:64 ^u).
31:9 ^v Those returning to their homeland would cry for joy, knowing the Lord as their shepherd (Ps 23:1-3 ^w) and feeling secure (see Isa 35:10 ^x) with God as their father.
31:10 ^y The Lord promised to gather his people from the nations of the world and be their shepherd in place of the wicked shepherds who had led Israel and Judah astray.
31:11 ^z The Lord alone could accomplish the people’s release from exile.
31:12 ^aa The restored community would enjoy the Lord’s good gifts. The people could expect abundant crops to spring forth in the fields with no appeal to Baal. The sorrows of their exile would be cast off, and the returnees could expect to be fruitful, like a watered garden.
31:13 ^ab The Lord would replace mourning, a daily experience in exile, with his comfort and a continual outpouring of rejoicing (see Isa 40:1-3 ^ac; 61:3 ^ad).
31:14 ^ae The priests and the people would enjoy abundance because the people would pay their tithes rather than robbing God (Mal 3:8-12 ^af).
Summary for Jer 31:15-40: 31:15-40 ^ag The Lord expanded on his future project of rebuilding a new nation out of a people who had suffered greatly during their lengthy captivity. 31:15 ^ah Rachel, Jacob’s favorite wife, was the mother of Joseph (father of the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh in the northern kingdom) and Benjamin (whose descendants were in the southern kingdom). She represented the mothers in all Israel whose children were taken into exile.

• Matthew 2:18 ^ai quotes this verse in relation to the slaughter of the young boys in Bethlehem.
Summary for Jer 31:16-17: 31:16-17 ^aj Rachel should not weep, because the Lord promised to bring her exiled children out of captivity and back to their own land.
Summary for Jer 31:18-19: 31:18-19 ^ak Israel was now repenting of its sins and humbly asking for restoration; the people realized that they had no power to redeem themselves. They were turning away from idols and affirming that God alone is the Lord.
31:19 ^al When the exiles realized the stupidity of their sins, they were ashamed.
31:20 ^am The exiled people had been in the Lord’s memory all along. God responded to his people’s repentance with a father’s love for his wayward children (cp. Luke 15:11-24 ^an).
31:21 ^ao road signs ... guideposts: The Lord guided his people physically back to the land of Israel and spiritually back to their covenant relationship with him.
31:26 ^ap Evidently, either Jeremiah or his scribe had fallen asleep and was awakened with a start. His sleep was very sweet, like the rest and joy promised by the Lord (31:25 ^aq).
31:27 ^ar A clear indication of the Lord’s care for Israel and Judah would be their population growth and the number of animals grazing in their pastures.
31:28 ^as The future refers to the return of the exiled people to the Promised Land, whom the Lord had promised to plant and build (see 1:10 ^at).
Summary for Jer 31:29-30: 31:29-30 ^au Some seemed to think that this proverb (apparently a misinterpretation of Exod 20:5 ^av; 34:7 ^aw; Num 14:18 ^ax) meant that innocent children were dying because of their parents’ sins. The Lord made it clear that each individual is punished for his or her own sins (see Lam 5:7 ^ay; Ezek 18:2-32 ^az; 33:10-20 ^ba).
31:31 ^bb The day of the new covenant was realized when Jesus Christ accomplished his redemptive mission on earth (see Heb 8:8-12 ^bc).
Summary for Jer 31:32-34: 31:32-34 ^bd The key difference between the new covenant and the one God made with their ancestors is that the Lord would write his instructions deep within his people’s hearts (see Heb 10:16 ^be). The old covenant was external and legal, whereas the new covenant would be a vital, person-to-person relationship. The new covenant would emphasize the redeeming, transforming change of an individual’s spiritual nature.
31:34 ^bf The old covenant had to be taught (see Deut 6:4-9 ^bg), but the heart of the new covenant would be an inner, personal relationship with the Lord.

• I will forgive: Each repentant believer would experience God’s forgiveness.

• I will never again remember: When sins are forgiven, they can never bring divine judgment (see Heb 10:17 ^bh).

• Jesus’ death inaugurated the new covenant (see Matt 26:28 ^bi; Mark 14:24 ^bj; Luke 22:20 ^bk; 1 Cor 11:25 ^bl; 2 Cor 3:6 ^bm; Heb 8 ^bn; 9:15 ^bo; 12:22-24 ^bp).
Summary for Jer 31:35-37: 31:35-37 ^bq The Lord compared his promise of the new covenant to his faithfulness in maintaining the laws of nature.
31:38 ^br The Lord revealed his plan for Jerusalem to be rebuilt. The Tower of Hananel stood at the northeast corner of the old city, while the Corner Gate had been at the northwest corner (2 Kgs 14:13 ^bs; 2 Chr 26:9 ^bt).
31:39 ^bu Gareb and Goah do not appear elsewhere in Scripture, but they were probably on the west side of the city.
31:40 ^bv Jerusalem will be an eternal holy ... city, present in the heavenly realm and on the new earth (Rev 21–22 ^bw).

• The graveyard and ash dump were in the valley of Ben-Hinnom (see study note on Jer 7:30-34) on the south side of the city, and the Kidron Valley was on the east (2 Kgs 23:4-6 ^bx).

• The exact location of the Horse Gate on the eastern wall is unknown.