New English Translation
Jeremiah 31:15
15The Lord says, “A sound is heard in Ramah, a sound of crying in bitter grief. It is the sound of Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because her children are gone.”
Jeremiah 31:15 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Thus saith the Lord; A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, and bitter weeping; Rahel weeping for her children refused to be comforted for her children, because they were not.
- New International Version (NIV)This is what the Lord says: “A voice is heard in Ramah, mourning and great weeping, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)Thus says the Lord: "A voice is heard in Ramah, lamentation and bitter weeping. Rachel is weeping for her children; she refuses to be comforted for her children, because they are no more."
- New King James Version (NKJV)Thus says the Lord: “A voice was heard in Ramah, Lamentation and bitter weeping, Rachel weeping for her children, Refusing to be comforted for her children, Because they are no more.”
Context of Jeremiah 31:15
13The Lord says, “At that time young women will dance and be glad. Young men and old men will rejoice. I will turn their grief into gladness. I will give them comfort and joy in place of their sorrow. 14I will provide the priests with abundant provisions. My people will be filled to the full with the good things I provide.” The Lord says, “A sound is heard in Ramah, a sound of crying in bitter grief. It is the sound of Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because her children are gone.” 16The Lord says to her, “Stop crying! Do not shed any more tears! For your heartfelt repentance will be rewarded. Your children will return from the land of the enemy. I, the Lord, affirm it! 17Indeed, there is hope for your posterity. Your children will return to their own territory. I, the Lord, affirm it!
Read all of Jeremiah 31Jeremiah 31:15 word by word
כֹּ֣ה׀ אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֗ה ק֣וֹל בְּרָמָ֤ה נִשְׁמָע֙ נְהִי֙ בְּכִ֣י תַמְרוּרִ֔ים רָחֵ֖ל מְבַכָּ֣ה עַל־בָּנֶ֑יהָ מֵאֲנָ֛ה לְהִנָּחֵ֥ם עַל־בָּנֶ֖יהָ כִּ֥י אֵינֶֽנּוּ׃ סRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Thus saithאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- A voiceקוֹלqôl qôl · voiceH6963
- was heardשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: hearH8085
- in Ramahרָמָהrâmâh · RamahH7414
- lamentationנְהִיnehîy · wailingH5092
- bitterתַּמְרוּרtamrûr · bitternessH8563
- weepingבְּכִיbekîy · weepingH1065
- Rahelרָחֵלrâchêl · RachelH7354
- weepingבָּכָהbâkâh · to weepH1058
- for her childrenבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
- refusedמָאֵןmâ'ên · to refuseH3985
- to be comfortedנָחַםnâcham · to be sorry: comfortH5162
Cross-references for Jeremiah 31:15
- Ezekiel 2:10He unrolled it before me, and it had writing on the front and back; written on it were laments, mourning, and woe.
- Matthew 2:16When Herod saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, he became enraged. He sent men to kill all the children in Bethlehem and throughout the surrounding region from the age of two and under, according to the time he had learned from the wise men.
- Jeremiah 40:1The Lord spoke to Jeremiah after Nebuzaradan the captain of the royal guard had set him free at Ramah. He had taken him there in chains along with all the people from Jerusalem and Judah who were being carried off to exile to Babylon.
- Joshua 18:25Gibeon, Ramah, Beeroth,
- 1 Samuel 7:17Then he would return to Ramah, because his home was there. He also judged Israel there and built an altar to the Lord there.
- Matthew 2:18“A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and loud wailing, Rachel weeping for her children, and she did not want to be comforted, because they were gone.”
- Genesis 37:35All his sons and daughters stood by him to console him, but he refused to be consoled. “No,” he said, “I will go to the grave mourning my son.” So Joseph’s father wept for him.
- Psalms 77:2In my time of trouble I sought the Lord. I kept my hand raised in prayer throughout the night. I refused to be comforted.
- Isaiah 22:4So I say: “Don’t look at me! I am weeping bitterly. Don’t try to console me concerning the destruction of my defenseless people.”
- Genesis 42:13They replied, “Your servants are from a family of twelve brothers. We are the sons of one man in the land of Canaan. The youngest is with our father at this time, and one is no longer alive.”
- Job 7:21And why do you not pardon my transgression, and take away my iniquity? For now I will lie down in the dust, and you will seek me diligently, but I will be gone.”
- Psalms 37:36But then one passes by, and suddenly they have disappeared! I looked for them, but they could not be found.
- Lamentations 5:7Our forefathers sinned and are dead, but we suffer their punishment.
Commentaries on Jeremiah 31:15
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 15A voice was heard in Ramah - The Ramah mentioned here, (for there were several towns of this name), was situated in the tribe of Benjamin, about six or seven miles from Jerusalem. Near this place Rachel was buried; who is here, in a beautiful figure of poetry, represented as coming out of her grave, and lamenting bitterly for the loss of her children, none of whom presented themselves to her view, all being slain or gone into exile. St. Matthew, who is…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. 15Rachel, Jacob’s favorite wife, was the mother of Joseph and Benjamin. Joseph was the father of the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh in the northern kingdom. Benjamin's descendants were in the southern kingdom. She symbolized all Israeli mothers whose children were taken into exile. Matthew 2:18 refers to this verse regarding the killing of young boys in Bethlehem.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1515. Ramah--In Benjamin, east of the great northern road, two hours' journey from Jerusalem. Rachel, who all her life had pined for children (Ge 30:1), and who died with "sorrow" in giving birth to Benjamin (Ge 35:18, 19, Margin; 1Sa 10:2), and was buried at Ramah, near Beth-lehem, is represented as raising her head from the tomb, and as breaking forth into "weeping" at seeing the whole land depopulated of her sons, the Ephraimites. Ramah was the place…Read the comment
Topics related to Jeremiah 31:15
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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