Christian Standard Bible
Jeremiah 31:16
16This is what the Lord says: Keep your voice from weeping and your eyes from tears, for the reward for your work will come — this is the Lord’s declaration — and your children will return from the enemy’s land.
Jeremiah 31:16 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Thus saith the Lord; Refrain thy voice from weeping, and thine eyes from tears: for thy work shall be rewarded, saith the Lord; and they shall come again from the land of the enemy.
- New International Version (NIV)This is what the Lord says: “Restrain your voice from weeping and your eyes from tears, for your work will be rewarded,” declares the Lord. “They will return from the land of the enemy.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Thus says the Lord: "Keep your voice from weeping, and your eyes from tears, for there is a reward for your work, declares the Lord, and they shall come back from the land of the enemy.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Thus says the Lord: “Refrain your voice from weeping, And your eyes from tears; For your work shall be rewarded, says the Lord, And they shall come back from the land of the enemy.
Context of Jeremiah 31:16
14I will refresh the priests with an abundance, and my people will be satisfied with my goodness. This is the Lord’s declaration. 15This is what the Lord says: A voice was heard in Ramah, a lament with bitter weeping — Rachel weeping for her children, refusing to be comforted for her children because they are no more. This is what the Lord says: Keep your voice from weeping and your eyes from tears, for the reward for your work will come — this is the Lord’s declaration — and your children will return from the enemy’s land. 17There is hope for your future — this is the Lord’s declaration — and your children will return to their own territory. 18I have surely heard Ephraim moaning, “You disciplined me, and I have been disciplined like an untrained calf. Take me back, so that I can return, for you, Lord, are my God.
Read all of Jeremiah 31Jeremiah 31:16 word by word
כֹּ֣ה׀ אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֗ה מִנְעִ֤י קוֹלֵךְ֙ מִבֶּ֔כִי וְעֵינַ֖יִךְ מִדִּמְעָ֑ה כִּי֩ יֵ֨שׁ שָׂכָ֤ר לִפְעֻלָּתֵךְ֙ נְאֻם־יְהוָ֔ה וְשָׁ֖בוּ מֵאֶ֥רֶץ אוֹיֵֽב׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Thus saithאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- Refrainמָנַעmâna‛ · to withholdH4513
- thy voiceקוֹלqôl qôl · voiceH6963
- from weepingבְּכִיbekîy · weepingH1065
- and thine eyesעַ֫יִן‛ayin · eyeH5869
- from tearsדִּמְעָהdim‛âh · tearsH1832
- for thy workפְּעֻלָּהpe‛ûllâh · wagesH6468
- shall beיֵשׁyêsh · thereH3426
- rewardedשָׂכָרώâkâr · wagesH7939
- saithנְאֻםne'ûm · utteranceH5002
- and they shall come againשׁוּבshûb · to return: returnH7725
- from the landאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
- of the enemyאֹיֵב'ôyêb 'ôyêb · enemyH341
Cross-references for Jeremiah 31:16
- Genesis 43:31Then he washed his face and came out. Regaining his composure, he said, “Serve the meal.”
- Genesis 45:1Joseph could no longer keep his composure in front of all his attendants, so he called out, “Send everyone away from me!” No one was with him when he revealed his identity to his brothers.
- Psalms 30:5For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor, a lifetime. Weeping may stay overnight, but there is joy in the morning.
- Mark 5:38They came to the leader’s house, and he saw a commotion — people weeping and wailing loudly.
- John 20:13They said to her, “Woman, why are you crying?” “Because they’ve taken away my Lord,” she told them, “and I don’t know where they’ve put him.”
- 1 Thessalonians 4:14For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, in the same way, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep.
- Ruth 2:12May the Lord reward you for what you have done, and may you receive a full reward from the Lord God of Israel, under whose wings you have come for refuge.”
- 2 Chronicles 15:7But as for you, be strong; don’t give up, for your work has a reward.”
- Ecclesiastes 9:7Go, eat your bread with pleasure, and drink your wine with a cheerful heart, for God has already accepted your works.
- Hebrews 6:10For God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you demonstrated for his name by serving the saints — and by continuing to serve them.
- Hebrews 11:6Now without faith it is impossible to please God, since the one who draws near to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
- Jeremiah 31:4Again I will build you so that you will be rebuilt, Virgin Israel. You will take up your tambourines again and go out in joyful dancing.
- Jeremiah 23:3“I will gather the remnant of my flock from all the lands where I have banished them, and I will return them to their grazing land. They will become fruitful and numerous.
- Jeremiah 29:14I will be found by you” — this is the Lord’s declaration — “and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and places where I banished you” — this is the Lord’s declaration. “I will restore you to the place from which I deported you.”
- Jeremiah 30:3for look, the days are coming” — this is the Lord’s declaration — “when I will restore the fortunes of my people Israel and Judah,” says the Lord. “I will restore them to the land I gave to their ancestors and they will possess it.”
- Jeremiah 33:7I will restore the fortunes of Judah and of Israel and will rebuild them as in former times.
Commentaries on Jeremiah 31:16
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16They shall come again from the land of the enemy - This could not be said of the murdered innocents at Bethlehem; they never came again; but the Jews, who had gone into captivity, did come again from the land of their enemy to their own border.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 15-22Verses 15-22 The religious character of the restoration of the ten tribes. Chastisement brought repentance, and with it forgiveness; therefore God decrees their restoration. Jeremiah 31:15 Ramah, mentioned because of its nearness to Jerusalem, from which it was distant about five miles. As the mother of three tribes, Benjamin, Ephraim, and Manasseh, Rachel is regarded as the mother of the whole ten. This passage is quoted by Matthew (marginal reference)…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 10-17Verses 10-17 He that scattered Israel, knows where to find them. It is comfortable to observe the goodness of the Lord in the gifts of providence. But our souls are never valuable as gardens, unless watered with the dews of God's Spirit and grace. A precious promise follows, which will not have full accomplishment except in the heavenly Zion. Let them be satisfied of God's loving-kindness, and they will be satisfied with it, and desire no more to make…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 16-17Rachel should not cry, because the Lord promised to return her exiled children to their land.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1616. thy work--thy parental weeping for thy children [Rosenmuller]. Thine affliction in the loss of thy children, murdered for Christ's sake, shall not be fruitless to thee, as was the case in thy giving birth to the "child of thy sorrow," Benjamin. Primarily, also, thy grief shall not be perpetual: the exiles shall return, and the land be inhabited again [Calvin]. come again--(Ho 1:11).Read the comment
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Jeremiah 31
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
Christian Standard Bible — © 2017 Holman Bible Publishers
Commentaries