Jeremiah 31:15-22

Jeremiah hears Rachel (the mother of Joseph and Benjamin, Genesis 30:24; Genesis 35:16 ff.) weeping at (her grave near) Ramah, for her children, the northern exiles. He bids her refrain, in the certainty of their restoration. Their penitence is described (Jeremiah 31:18 f.). Yahweh expresses wonder (Jeremiah 31:20) at His own enduring love for this very precious son, this child of delight; He is moved to deep emotion, and, in spite of all, cannot abandon him. Let Israel indicate and note the way of return (Jeremiah 31:21), and persist in it (Jeremiah 31:22), for Yahweh will now bring the virgin Israel to cling around Him, offer herself to Him in true marital affection (Hosea 2:16; Isaiah 54:5 f.), as never before.

Jeremiah 31:15. Ramah: 5 m. N. of Jerusalem; cf. 1 Samuel 10:2; Matthew 21:7 f. follows the different tradition as to the site of the grave (vicinity of Bethlehem) given in Genesis 35:19 *, Genesis 48:7.

Jeremiah 31:16. Shall be: emphatic.

Jeremiah 31:17. is: emphatic.

Jeremiah 31:18. turn thou me: better, bring me back.

Jeremiah 31:19. turned: i.e. from thee; for the gesture of grief, see Ezekiel 21:12; the reproach is that springing from earlier sins.

Jeremiah 31:20. dear. pleasant: not strong enough for the Heb. The bowels, in Heb. psychology, are the seat of deep emotion (Jeremiah 4:19).

Jeremiah 31:21. set thine heart: denoting attention, not desire or affection.

Jeremiah 31:22 is difficult and dubious; some commentators emend, after Ewald and Duhm, into A woman shall be turned into a man, i.e. the weak shall be made strong; the interpretation already given follows Driver.