New Living Translation
Jeremiah 31:16
16But now this is what the Lord says: “Do not weep any longer, for I will reward you,” says the Lord. “Your children will come back to you from the distant land of the enemy.
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
14The priests will enjoy abundance, and my people will feast on my good gifts. I, the Lord, have spoken!” 15This is what the Lord says: “A cry is heard in Ramah— deep anguish and bitter weeping. Rachel weeps for her children, refusing to be comforted— for her children are gone.” But now this is what the Lord says: “Do not weep any longer, for I will reward you,” says the Lord. “Your children will come back to you from the distant land of the enemy. 17There is hope for your future,” says the Lord. “Your children will come again to their own land. 18I have heard Israel saying, ‘You disciplined me severely, like a calf that needs training for the yoke. Turn me again to you and restore me, for you alone are the Lord 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 43:31After washing his face, he came back out, keeping himself under control. Then he ordered, “Bring out the food!”
- Genesis 45:1Joseph could stand it no longer. There were many people in the room, and he said to his attendants, “Out, all of you!” So he was alone with his brothers when he told them who he was.
- Psalms 30:5For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime! Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning.
- Mark 5:38When they came to the home of the synagogue leader, Jesus saw much commotion and weeping and wailing.
- John 20:13“Dear woman, why are you crying?” the angels asked her. “Because they have taken away my Lord,” she replied, “and I don’t know where they have put him.”
- 1 Thessalonians 4:14For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him the believers who have died.
- Ruth 2:12May the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge, reward you fully for what you have done.”
- 2 Chronicles 15:7But as for you, be strong and courageous, for your work will be rewarded.”
- Ecclesiastes 9:7So go ahead. Eat your food with joy, and drink your wine with a happy heart, for God approves of this!
- Hebrews 6:10For God is not unjust. He will not forget how hard you have worked for him and how you have shown your love to him by caring for other believers, as you still do.
- Hebrews 11:6And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.
- Jeremiah 31:4I will rebuild you, my virgin Israel. You will again be happy and dance merrily with your tambourines.
- Jeremiah 23:3But I will gather together the remnant of my flock from the countries where I have driven them. I will bring them back to their own sheepfold, and they will be fruitful and increase in number.
- Jeremiah 29:14I will be found by you,” says the Lord. “I will end your captivity and restore your fortunes. I will gather you out of the nations where I sent you and will bring you home again to your own land.”
- Jeremiah 30:3For the time is coming when I will restore the fortunes of my people of Israel and Judah. I will bring them home to this land that I gave to their ancestors, and they will possess it again. I, the Lord, have spoken!”
- Jeremiah 33:7I will restore the fortunes of Judah and Israel and rebuild their towns.
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
New Living Translation — © 1996, 2004, 2015 Tyndale House Foundation
Commentaries