Jeremiah 31:22

New life and rebirth Doubt

²⁰ Is Ephraim my dear son? is he a pleasant child? for since I spake against him, I do earnestly remember him still: therefore my bowels are troubled for him; I will surely have mercy upon him, saith the LORD.

²¹ Set thee up waymarks, make thee high heaps: set thine heart toward the highway, even the way which thou wentest: turn again, O virgin of Israel, turn again to these thy cities.

How long wilt thou go about, O thou backsliding daughter? for the LORD hath created a new thing in the earth, A woman shall compass a man.

²³ Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; As yet they shall use this speech in the land of Judah and in the cities thereof, when I shall bring again their captivity; The LORD bless thee, O habitation of justice, and mountain of holiness.

²⁴ And there shall dwell in Judah itself, and in all the cities thereof together, husbandmen, and they that go forth with flocks.

This was said to Israel at a particular time, so it is wise to read it together with the surrounding text. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: How long will you wander, O faithless daughter? For the LORD has created a new thing in the land— a woman will shelter a man.”
KJV: How long wilt thou go about, O thou backsliding daughter? for the LORD hath created a new thing in the earth, A woman shall compass a man.
WEB: How long will you go here and there, you backsliding daughter? For the LORD has created a new thing on the earth: a woman will encompass a man.”
ASV: How long wilt thou go hither and thither, O thou backsliding daughter? for Jehovah hath created a new thing in the earth: a woman shall encompass a man.
DARBY: How long wilt thou wander about, thou backsliding daughter? For Jehovah hath created a new thing on the earth, a woman shall encompass a man.
BLB: How long will you waver, O backsliding daughter? For YHWH has created a new [thing] in the earth: A woman will encompass a man.”

ÅB: Hvor lenge vil du vanke omkring, du frafalne datter? For Herren skaper noe nytt i landet: Kvinnen[^2] skal stadig være om mannen[^3].
OTB: "Hvor lenge vil du vandre, troløse datter Israel? For Herren har skapt en ny ting på jorden—en kvinne skal beskytte en mann."
B1930: Hvor lenge vil du vanke omkring, du frafalne datter? For Herren skaper noget nytt i landet: Kvinnen skal stadig være om mannen. / < Israel.> / < Herren.>

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Jeremiah 7:24
But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear, but walked in the counsels and in the imagination of their evil heart, and went backward, and not forward.
Read in context
Jeremiah 49:4
Wherefore gloriest thou in the valleys, thy flowing valley, O backsliding daughter? that trusted in her treasures, saying, Who shall come unto me?
Read in context
Luke 1:34–35
Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?
Read in context
Matthew 1:21
And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.
Read in context
Jeremiah 2:18
And now what hast thou to do in the way of Egypt, to drink the waters of Sihor? or what hast thou to do in the way of Assyria, to drink the waters of the river?
Read in context
Jeremiah 4:14
O Jerusalem, wash thine heart from wickedness, that thou mayest be saved. How long shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee?
Read in context
Jeremiah 3:22
Return, ye backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings. Behold, we come unto thee; for thou art the LORD our God.
Read in context
Hosea 4:16
For Israel slideth back as a backsliding heifer: now the LORD will feed them as a lamb in a large place.
Read in context