English Standard Version
Jeremiah 31:9
9With weeping they shall come, and with pleas for mercy I will lead them back, I will make them walk by brooks of water, in a straight path in which they shall not stumble, for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn.
Jeremiah 31:9 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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.
- New International Version (NIV)They will come with weeping; they will pray as I bring them back. I will lead them beside streams of water on a level path where they will not stumble, because I am Israel’s father, and Ephraim is my firstborn son.
- New King James Version (NKJV)They shall come with weeping, And with supplications I will lead them. I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters, In a straight way in which they shall not stumble; For I am a Father to Israel, And Ephraim is My firstborn.
- New Living Translation (NLT)Tears of joy will stream down their faces, and I will lead them home with great care. They will walk beside quiet streams and on smooth paths where they will not stumble. For I am Israel’s father, and Ephraim is my oldest child.
Context of Jeremiah 31:9
7For 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.' 8Behold, I will bring them from the north country and gather them from the farthest parts of the earth, among them the blind and the lame, the pregnant woman and she who is in labor, together; a great company, they shall return here. With weeping they shall come, and with pleas for mercy I will lead them back, I will make them walk by brooks of water, in a straight path in which they shall not stumble, for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn. 10"Hear the word of the Lord, O nations, and declare it in the coastlands far away; say, 'He who scattered Israel will gather him, and will keep him as a shepherd keeps his flock.' 11For the Lord has ransomed Jacob and has redeemed him from hands too strong for him.
Read all of Jeremiah 31Jeremiah 31:9 word by word
בִּבְכִ֣י יָבֹ֗אוּ וּֽבְתַחֲנוּנִים֮ אֽוֹבִילֵם֒ אֽוֹלִיכֵם֙ אֶל־נַ֣חֲלֵי מַ֔יִם בְּדֶ֣רֶךְ יָשָׁ֔ר לֹ֥א יִכָּשְׁל֖וּ בָּ֑הּ כִּֽי־הָיִ֤יתִי לְיִשְׂרָאֵל֙ לְאָ֔ב וְאֶפְרַ֖יִם בְּכֹ֥רִי הֽוּא׃ סRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- They shall comeבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
- with weepingבְּכִיbekîy · weepingH1065
- and with supplicationsתַּחֲנוּןtachănûn tachănûnâh · supplicationH8469
- will I leadיָבַלyâbal · to conductH2986
- them: I will cause them to walkיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
- by the riversנַ֫חַלnachal nachlâh nachălâh · torrent: riverH5158
- of watersמַיmayim · waterH4325
- in a straightיָשָׁרyâshâr · uprightH3477
- wayדֶּ֫רֶךְderek · way: roadH1870
- wherein they shall not stumbleכָּשַׁלkâshal · to stumbleH3782
- for I am a fatherאָב'âb · fatherH1
- to Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- and Ephraimאֶפְרַ֫יִם'ephrayim · EphraimH669
- my firstbornבְּכוֹרbekôr · firstbornH1060
Cross-references for Jeremiah 31:9
- Jeremiah 3:4Have you not just now called to me, 'My father, you are the friend of my youth—
- Jeremiah 50:4"In those days and in that time, declares the Lord, the people of Israel and the people of Judah shall come together, weeping as they come, and they shall seek the Lord their God.
- Psalms 126:5Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy!
- Hosea 12:4He strove with the angel and prevailed; he wept and sought his favor. He met God at Bethel, and there God spoke with us—
- Zechariah 12:10"And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy, so that, when they look on me, on him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a firstborn.
- Daniel 9:17Now therefore, O our God, listen to the prayer of your servant and to his pleas for mercy, and for your own sake, O Lord, make your face to shine upon your sanctuary, which is desolate.
- Matthew 5:4"Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
- Luke 6:21"Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you shall be satisfied. "Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh.
- Romans 8:26Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.
- 2 Corinthians 7:9As it is, I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting. For you felt a godly grief, so that you suffered no loss through us.
- Hebrews 5:7In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence.
- Psalms 23:2He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters.
- Isaiah 35:6then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute sing for joy. For waters break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert;
- Isaiah 41:17When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue is parched with thirst, I the Lord will answer them; I the God of Israel will not forsake them.
- Isaiah 43:16Thus says the Lord, who makes a way in the sea, a path in the mighty waters,
- Isaiah 49:9saying to the prisoners, 'Come out,' to those who are in darkness, 'Appear.' They shall feed along the ways; on all bare heights shall be their pasture;
Commentaries on Jeremiah 31:9
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 9They 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 travelers in the eastern deserts. Ephraim is my first-born - Ephraim, being the…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 9Weeping - 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.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 9Those returning to their homeland would cry with joy, knowing the Lord is their shepherd (Psalm 23:1–3) and feeling secure (see Isaiah 35:10) with God as their father.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 99. weeping--for their past sins which caused their exile (Psa 126:5, 6). Although they come with weeping, they shall return with joy (Jr 50:4, 5). supplications--(Compare Jr 31:18, 19; Jr 3:21-25; Zec 12:10). Margin translates "favors," as in Jos 11:20; Ezr 9:8; thus God's favors or compassions are put in opposition to the people's weeping; their tears shall be turned into joy. But English Version suits the parellelism best. I will cause ... to walk by…Read the comment
Topics related to Jeremiah 31:9
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
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