Jeremiah 31:9

They shall come with weeping, and with supplications will I lead them: I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters in a straight way, wherein they shall not stumble: for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn. THEY SHALL COME WITH WEEPING - for their past sins, which caused their exile (Psalms 124:5). Although they come with weeping, they shall return with joy (Jeremiah 50:4). WITH SUPPLICATIONS - (cf. Jeremiah 31:18; Jeremiah 3:21; ) [uwbªtachªnuwniym], margin...

The Prophet still pursues the same subject; but he adds, that though they went with weeping into exile, yet that would be no impediment, that God should not restore them again to their own country: for I take the beginning of this verse, _in weeping shall they come, _in an adversative sense. Some explain weeping as the effect of joy; for joy as well as grief sometimes brings tears. Some then think the meaning of the Prophet to be, that so great would be the joy on their return, that tears would flow from their eyes. But I, on the contrary, think, that the Prophet means what was afterwards repeated in one of the Psalms, “Going forth they went forth and wept; but coming they shall come with exultation, carrying their sheaves.” (Psalms 126:6) For the Prophet compares the exile of the people to sowing; for except the seed cast on the earth dies, it remains dry and barren, and does not germi...

1-9 God assures his people that he will again take them into covenant relation to himself. When brought very low, and difficulties appear, it is good to remember that it has been so with the church formerly. But it is hard under present frowns to take comfort from former smiles; yet it is the happiness of those who, through grace, are interested in the love of God, that it is an everlasting love, from everlasting in the counsels, to everlasting in the continuance. Those whom God loves with this love, he will draw to himself, by the influences of his Spirit upon their souls. When praising God for what he has done, we must call upon him for the favours his church needs and expects. When the Lord calls, we must not plead that we cannot come; for he that calls us, will help us, will strengthen us. The goodness of God shall lead them to repentance. And they shall weep for sin with more bitte...

Verse Jeremiah 31:9. _THEY SHALL COME WITH WEEPING_] Duly penetrated with a sense of their sins, they shall deeply deplore them; and, while weeping for them, earnestly _supplicate_ God to have mercy upon them. _BY THE RIVERS OF WATERS_] I will so guide and provide for them in the arid deserts, that they shall find streams of water whenever necessary. Every one knows of how much consequence water is to travellers in the eastern deserts. _EPHRAIM_ IS _MY FIRST-BORN._] Ephraim, being the most considerable, is often put for the whole of the _ten tribes_....

WEEPING - For joy, not for sorrow. SUPPLICATIONS - The conviction that God is guiding them, encourages them to pray. EPHRAIM IS MY FIRSTBORN - The house of Joseph is thus to be restored to its old preeminence....

EXPOSITION JEREMIAH 31:1 The promise of Jeremiah 30:22 is expressly declared to apply to both sections of the nation. Jehovah thus solemnly declares his purpose of mercy, and dwells with special Madness on the happy future of Ephraim. JEREMIAH 31:2 THE PEOPLE which were LEFT OF THE SWORD, etc.; literally, _the people of those left of the sword. _The expression clearly implies that the Jews at the time spoken of had escaped, or were about to escape, in some great battle or some other kind of slaughter. Hence the finding grace in the wilderness cannot refer to the sequel of the passage through the Red Sea, an

THEY SHALL COME WITH WEEPING,.... For joy, as Kimchi and Ben Melech observe; of which there are instances, Genesis 29:11; so the Jews will come to Christ, and to the Gospel church, as well as into their own land, with joy that they have found the Messiah, and are brought under his government, and into the enjoyment of the privileges of the Gospel, and the possession of their own land; or with tears of repentance for all their sins, original and actual, especially for their sin of unbelief, and rejection of the Messiah; they shall look upon him whom they have pierced, and mourn, when a spirit of grace and supplication is poured out upon them, Zechariah 12:10; with which agrees what follows: AND WITH SUPPLICATIONS WILL I LEAD THEM; to Christ, and his church; and being drawn by the F

Jeremiah 31:1. _At the same time, saith the LORD, will I be the God of all the families of Israel, and they shall be my people._ During the Israelites' banishment to Babylon, God's covenant with them had been as it were in abeyance, but in this promise of their restoration he brings it to the front again, and he gives a peculiarly gracious turn to it: «I will be the God of all the families of Israel.» What a mercy it is to have a family God, and to have our whole family in Christ! Brethren, you have a family Bible, and you have, I hope, a family altar; may your whole family belong to God! Jeremiah 31:2. _Thus saith the LORD, the people which were left of the sword found grace in the wilderness; even Israel, when I went to cause him to rest._ Pharaoh tried to kill

CHAPTER 31 _ 1. The home-going of the nation (Jeremiah 31:1) _ 2. The joy of salvation (Jeremiah 31:10) 3. The preceding tribulation, sorrow and repentance (Jeremiah 31:15) 4. Assurance (Jeremiah 31:22) 5. The new covenant (Jeremiah 31:27) 6. The everlasting nation (Jeremiah 31:35) Jeremiah 31

JEREMIAH 31:7 (suggestive of Deutero-Isaiah). Let there be joy that Yahweh hath saved His people, for He will gather all to Palestine (hither, Jeremiah 31:8), and they will come penitently to the Divine provision made for their need (Jeremiah 31:9 _mg.; cf._ Isaiah 49:10), made as for Yahweh's firstborn (1 Chronicles 5:1 f.). Let the nations make it known that Yahweh is the rescuing shepherd (Isaiah 40:11) of Israel, which is now gathered to the good th