This part displays some 'pictures of the restored people', opened with 'a variation of the covenant-formula (
verse 1; cf. ) and 'a poetic statement about renewal that lies beyond judgment (), followed by God's expression of the special love he has set for his people (). Israel is portrayed as a
virgin (), in contrast to the previous imagery as "prostitute" (), leading into images that are 'homely and joyful' (verses 5–6) of the people returning from exile (verses 7−
9), followed by an oracle to the nations regarding the blessings of the remnant community as a whole (male and female, young and old, priests and lay people; verses 10–14). Thompson sees
verse 1 as a continuation from . The feminine imagery continues with
Rachel weeping for her children (
verse 15), symbolizing Israel's grief over its losses, which is immediately answered by the future restoration (verses 16–17) as the nation's turning back to God is met by God's turning towards them (verses 18–19) and God's compassion (verse 20). The closing appeal reminds the people of God's continuous call for his people to faithfulness (verses 21–22), and the security from God for the worshipping community (verses 23–25). Verse 26 indicates that the whole vision was given to Jeremiah in a dream.
Verse 1 :
"At the same time," says the Lord, "I will be the God of all the families of Israel, and they shall be My people." Streane notes that this verse is "virtually a repetition of " and therefore argues that it should be treated as part of chapter 30. Thompson regards this verse as performing a "double function": to conclude the materials in and to be a header for the following materials in chapter 31.
Verse 7 :
For thus says the Lord: :
"Sing aloud with gladness for Jacob, :
and raise shouts for the chief of the nations; :
proclaim, give praise, and say, :
‘O Lord, save your people, :''the remnant of Israel.'"'' For "the chief of the nations", an alternative reading offered by
Bernhard Duhm and supported by Streane is "on the top of the mountains", as suggested by the mention of mountains in the preceding verses 5 and 6 (
the mountains of Samaria ... the hill country of Ephraim). Streane suggests that the weeping described here (from the Hebrew version) reflects tears of
contrition marking the
return from exile, but notes that the Septuagint's text has a different tone: :
"They went forth with weeping, but with consolation will I bring them back". “
Rachel”,
Jacob’s wife and the mother of
Joseph and
Benjamin, is described lamenting her descendants (both northern and southern tribes) carried away to exile for their sins and would be extinct (“no more”; cf. ), also figuratively grieved when later the children were “brutally murdered” in the area of
Bethlehem where she died (; ). Rachel's weeping could be heard in "
Ramah", "where the Judean exiles were gathered before the deportation to Babylon" (
Jeremiah 40:1).
R. H. Gundry sees the connection between this verse and
Matthew 2:18 in the context of hope that "in both cases God promises to turn lamentation into rejoicing".
Verse 22 :
"How long will you gad about, :
O you backsliding daughter? :
For the Lord has created a new thing in the earth— :
A woman shall encompass a man." "A woman shall encompass a man": This phrase is said to be the basis of the part of a
Jewish wedding, where the bride
traditionally walks around the groom three or seven times when she arrives at the
Chuppah. ==Preamble to the New Covenant (31:27–30)==