New International Version
Jeremiah 31:9
9They 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.
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.
- English Standard Version (ESV)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.
- 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
7This is what the Lord says: “Sing with joy for Jacob; shout for the foremost of the nations. Make your praises heard, and say, ‘Lord, save your people, the remnant of Israel.’ 8See, I will bring them from the land of the north and gather them from the ends of the earth. Among them will be the blind and the lame, expectant mothers and women in labor; a great throng will return. 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. 10“Hear the word of the Lord, you nations; proclaim it in distant coastlands: ‘He who scattered Israel will gather them and will watch over his flock like a shepherd.’ 11For the Lord will deliver Jacob and redeem them from the hand of those stronger than they.
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 called to me: ‘My Father, my friend from my youth,
- Jeremiah 50:4“In those days, at that time,” declares the Lord, “the people of Israel and the people of Judah together will go in tears to seek the Lord their God.
- Psalms 126:5Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy.
- Hosea 12:4He struggled with the angel and overcame him; he wept and begged for his favor. He found him at Bethel and talked with him there—
- Zechariah 12:10“And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son.
- Daniel 9:17“Now, our God, hear the prayers and petitions of your servant. For your sake, Lord, look with favor on your desolate sanctuary.
- Matthew 5:4Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
- Luke 6:21Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.
- Romans 8:26In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.
- 2 Corinthians 7:9yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you became sorrowful as God intended and so were not harmed in any way by us.
- Hebrews 5:7During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission.
- Psalms 23:2He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters,
- Isaiah 35:6Then will the lame leap like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy. Water will gush forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert.
- Isaiah 41:17“The poor and needy search for water, but there is none; their tongues are parched with thirst. But I the Lord will answer them; I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them.
- Isaiah 43:16This is what the Lord says— he who made a way through the sea, a path through the mighty waters,
- Isaiah 49:9to say to the captives, ‘Come out,’ and to those in darkness, ‘Be free!’ “They will feed beside the roads and find pasture on every barren hill.
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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