
Text -- Jeremiah 31:22 (NET)




Names, People and Places, Dictionary Themes and Topics



collapse allCommentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per phrase)
Wesley: Jer 31:22 - -- Running after idols; or seeking help from foreign nations, instead of applying to God.
Running after idols; or seeking help from foreign nations, instead of applying to God.

Wesley: Jer 31:22 - -- This seems to be a promise of the Jewish church in its time, and of the gospel - church, prevailing over all its enemies; though, considering the fewn...
This seems to be a promise of the Jewish church in its time, and of the gospel - church, prevailing over all its enemies; though, considering the fewness of the church's members, with the multitude of its enemies, and their power, it seemed as strange a thing, as for a woman to prevail against a strong and mighty man.
JFB -> Jer 31:22
JFB: Jer 31:22 - -- Namely, after human helps (Jer 2:18, Jer 2:23, Jer 2:36). Why not return immediately to me? MAURER translates, as in Son 5:6, "How long wilt thou with...
Namely, after human helps (Jer 2:18, Jer 2:23, Jer 2:36). Why not return immediately to me? MAURER translates, as in Son 5:6, "How long wilt thou withdraw thyself?" Let thy past backslidings suffice thee now that a new era approaches. What God finds fault with in them is, that they looked hither and thither, leaning on contingencies, instead of at once trusting the word of God, which promised their restoration. To assure them of this, God promises to create a new thing in their land, A woman shall compass a man. CALVIN explains this: Israel, who is feeble as a woman, shall be superior to the warlike Chaldeans; the captives shall reduce their captors to captivity. HENGSTENBERG makes the "woman" the Jewish Church, and the "man" Jehovah, her husband, whose love she will again seek (Hos 2:6-7). MAURER, A woman shall protect (Deu 32:10, Margin; Psa 32:10) a man, that is, You need fear no foes in returning, for all things shall be so peaceful that a woman would be able to take man's part, and act as his protector. But the Christian fathers (Augustine, &c.) almost unanimously interpreted it of the Virgin Mary compassing Christ in her womb. This view is favored:--(1) By the connection; it gives a reason why the exiles should desire a return to their country, namely, because Christ was conceived there. (2) The word "created" implies a divine power put forth in the creation of a body in the Virgin's womb by the Holy Ghost for the second Adam, such as was exerted in creating the first Adam (Luk 1:35; Heb 10:5). (3) The phrase, "a new thing," something unprecedented; a man whose like had never existed before, at once God and man; a mother out of the ordinary course of nature, at once mother and virgin. An extraordinary mode of generation; one conceived by the Holy Ghost without man. (4) The specification "in the land" (not "earth," as English Version), namely, of Judah, where probably Christ was conceived, in Hebron (compare Luk 1:39, Luk 1:42, Luk 1:44, with Jos 21:11) or else in Nazareth, "in the territory" of Israel, to whom Jer 31:5-6, Jer 31:15, Jer 31:18, Jer 31:21 refer; His birth was at Beth-lehem (Mic 5:2; Mat 2:5-6). As the place of His nativity, and of His being reared (Mat 2:23), and of His preaching (Hag 2:7; Mal 3:1), are specified, so it is likely the Holy Spirit designated the place of His being conceived. (5) The Hebrew for "woman" implies an individual, as the Virgin Mary, rather than a collection of persons. (6) The restoration of Israel is grounded on God's covenant in Christ, to whom, therefore, allusion is naturally made as the foundation of Israel's hope (compare Isa 7:14). The Virgin Mary's conception of Messiah in the womb answers to the "Virgin of Israel" (therefore so called, Jer 31:21), that is, Israel and her sons at their final restoration, receiving Jesus as Messiah (Zec 12:10). (7) The reference to the conception of the child Messiah accords with the mention of the massacre of "children" referred to in Jer 31:15 (compare Mat 2:17). (8) The Hebrew for "man" is properly "mighty man," a term applied to God (Deu 10:17); and to Christ (Zec 13:7; compare Psa 45:3; Isa 9:6) [CALOVIUS].
Clarke -> Jer 31:22
Clarke: Jer 31:22 - -- A woman shall compass a man - נקבה תסובב גבר nekebah tesobeb gaber , "A weak woman shall compass or circumvent a strong man."This place...
A woman shall compass a man -
Calvin -> Jer 31:22
Calvin: Jer 31:22 - -- As the Prophet had promised a return to the people, he now reproves especially the Israelites, who looked here and there, and never could acquiesce i...
As the Prophet had promised a return to the people, he now reproves especially the Israelites, who looked here and there, and never could acquiesce in the word of God alone: for it is a common thing with almost all the unbelieving, that they torment themselves, and, as it were, designedly contrive for themselves many inquietudes. Since then the Israelites were looking forward to what might happen, and could not entertain any hope as to their return, except when some appearance of hope was presented to them, the Prophet now on this account reproves them.
He first calls the people disobedient or rebellions, for they had often been terrified by threatenings, and God had also offered them the hope of pardon. As they had been perverse whenever God spared them, and as they had also rejected all his promises, the Prophet does not without reason call them disobedient or rebellious. And by circuits or wanderings, he means those vain speculations with which the unbelieving are wont to weary themselves; for the word means properly to go around. We may indeed take it in the sense of wandering, and it is the same thing: but as I have said, the Prophet most fitly gives the name of circuits to those crooked and tortuous speculations in which the unbelieving indulged. And there seems to be understood a contrast between the straight way set before theIn by God, and those circuitous courses in which miserable men entangle themselves, when they do not follow God, but are led astray by their own vain devices. Isaiah also makes use of the same similitude, for he says, that the people were carried away by their own inventions, so that they fruitlessly wearied themselves, because they did not proceed in the straight way. (Isa 57:10) 43
We may hence deduce a useful doctrine, — that we are always within the boundary of safety, when we obey God and walk in the way set before us in his word; but that as soon as we turn aside from the right way, we are only drawn here and there through windings and strayings, so that our labor is at last useless and even ruinous.
We now then understand the meaning of the Prophet: as the unbelief of the people was, as it were, a sealed door, so that they did not receive God’s promises as to their liberation and return, his purpose here was to correct this evil, and to reprove the Israelites for wandering and being disobedient.
He afterwards adds, For behold Jehovah will create — literally, has created; but the past tense is here to be taken for the future; and it serves to shew the certainty of a thing when he uses the past tense, as though he was speaking of a thing already done: Jehovah then has created a new thing He intimates that the Israelites acted foolishly in estimating the promise of deliverance according to their own judgment of things, and the state of things as it appeared to them; for he says that the favor promised them would be wonderful, for this is what he means by a new thing, as though he had said, “Ye indeed judge, according to your usual manner, of what God promises to you, as to your return, but it will be a miracle; act not then perversely, by regarding the favor of God as the common order of nature, for God will surpass everything that is usual among men.”
It ought also to be observed, that what Jeremiah said of the redemption of the people is to be extended to the eternal salvation of the Church; for God in a wonderful manner raises the dead, defends and preserves his Church, and succors her in her troubles. Whenever then the Scripture speaks of the state of the Church, we ought to ascend above the world, and above our own conceptions, and to realize the miracle which is hid from us.
Now follows the miracle, A woman shall surround a ‘man Christians, almost with one consent, explain this of the virgin Mary; and the “new thing,” leads them to this opinion, and probably, also, they were anxious to lay hold on whatever might seem to refer to the mystery of our salvation. They, therefore, say that the new thing of which the Prophet speaks is the virgin carrying the infant Christ in her womb, and that he is called man, because he was full of divine power, though he increased according to the flesh in stature, wisdom, and strength. All this is deservedly laughed at by the Jews; yet they themselves, as I think, do not rightly understand the meaning of the Prophet. They apply it to the people of Israel, because they were like a woman divorced from her husband. They then say, “A woman shall embrace a man after having been alienated from him, and prostituted herself to many adulterers.” The Jews seem to think that they give the meaning of the Prophet; but I think otherwise, for there is here a comparison made between a woman and a man, which they do not consider. For the Prophet does not speak here simply of a man, but of a strong man; for the word
The word
Defender -> Jer 31:22
Defender: Jer 31:22 - -- This "new thing" can be nothing less than the coming miraculous conception and virgin birth of the promised Savior. The word for "compass" means "encl...
This "new thing" can be nothing less than the coming miraculous conception and virgin birth of the promised Savior. The word for "compass" means "enclose," and no other interpretation of this promise would involve a "new thing." Note the reference also to a "virgin of Israel" in the preceding verse. The following verses lead to the great promise of the "new covenant" in Jer 31:31 and following."
TSK -> Jer 31:22
TSK: Jer 31:22 - -- How : Jer 2:18, Jer 2:23, Jer 2:36, Jer 4:14, Jer 13:27; Hos 8:5
backsliding : Jer 3:6, Jer 3:8, Jer 3:11, Jer 3:12, Jer 3:14, Jer 3:22, Jer 7:24, Jer...
How : Jer 2:18, Jer 2:23, Jer 2:36, Jer 4:14, Jer 13:27; Hos 8:5
backsliding : Jer 3:6, Jer 3:8, Jer 3:11, Jer 3:12, Jer 3:14, Jer 3:22, Jer 7:24, Jer 8:4-6, Jer 14:7, Jer 49:4; Hos 4:16, Hos 11:7, Hos 14:4; Zec 7:11
created : Num 16:30
A woman :

collapse allCommentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per Verse)
Barnes -> Jer 31:15-22
Barnes: Jer 31:15-22 - -- The religious character of the restoration of the ten tribes. Chastisement brought repentance, and with it forgiveness; therefore God decrees their ...
The religious character of the restoration of the ten tribes. Chastisement brought repentance, and with it forgiveness; therefore God decrees their restoration.
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) as a type. In Jeremiah it is a poetical figure representing in a dramatic form the miserable condition of the kingdom of Ephraim devastated by the sword of the Assyrians.
Rachel’ s work had been that of bearing and bringing up children, and by their death she was deprived of the joy for which she had labored: but by their being restored to her she will receive her wages.
In thine end - i. e., for thy time to come (see the Jer 29:11 note).
As a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke - literally, like an untaught calf. Compare the Hos 10:11 note. Ephraim, like an untrained steer, had resisted Yahweh’ s will.
After that I was turned - i. e., after I had turned away from Thee. In Jer 31:18 it has the sense of turning to God.
Instructed - Brought to my senses by suffering. The smiting upon the thigh is a sign of sorrow. Compare Eze 21:17.
The reproach of my youth - i. e., the shame brought upon me by sins of my youth.
Moved to compassion by Ephraim’ s lamentation, Yahweh shows Himself as tender and ready to forgive as parents are their spoiled (rather, darling) child.
For ... him - Or, "that so often as I speak concerning him,"i. e., his punishment.
My bowels are troubled - The metaphor expresses the most tender internal emotion.
Waymarks - See 2Ki 23:17 note.
High heaps - Or, signposts, pillars to point out the way.
Set thine heart - Not set thy affection, but turn thy thoughts and attention (in Hebrew the heart is the seat of the intellect) to the highway, even the way by which thou wentest.
Israel instead of setting itself to return hesitates, and goes here and there in a restless mood. To encourage it God gives the sign following.
A woman shall compass a man - i. e., the female shall protect the strong man; the weaker nature that needs help will surround the stronger with loving and fostering care. This expresses a new relation of Israel to the Lord, a new covenant, which the Lord will make with His people (Jer 31:31 following). The fathers saw in these words a prophecy of the miraculous conception of our Lord by the Virgin.
Poole -> Jer 31:22
Poole: Jer 31:22 - -- That the Jews are here meant by the
backsliding daughter is out of question; but what going about is here intended is not so plain. Some interpr...
That the Jews are here meant by the
backsliding daughter is out of question; but what going about is here intended is not so plain. Some interpret it of their running after idols; some, of their seeking help from foreign nations, instead of applying themselves unto God; others, of their wandering up and down in captivity. But the greater difficulty is about this
new thing which the Lord saith he will
create in the new earth, a woman compassing a man some by women understanding feeble persons that should prevail against strong men. But the two interpretations of this difficult passage, which seem most reasonably to contend for preference, are,
1. The interpretation of those who think it contains a promise both of the Jewish church in its time, and of the gospel church after the Jewish church’ s period, prevailing, over all its enemies, whether temporal or spiritual; though, considering the paucity of the church’ s members, with the multitude of its enemies, and their power, it seemed as strange a thing as for a woman to prevail against a strong and mighty man. This the learned author of the English Annotations judgeth the true and genuine sense of these words.
2. Others interpret this woman to be the Virgin Mary, who was to enclose in her womb the Lord Jesus Christ, to whom the converted Jews were to adhere; which sense neither Mr. Calvin nor our learned English Annotator approve of. But it being the received sense of very many interpreters, it is fit we should hear their reasons, which are,
1. They urge the particle
2. They urge the term created, the body of Christ being not begotten by man, but created by God, though of the flesh of the Virgin.
3. They say this indeed was a new thing. It was a new thing for a virgin to become a mother, still remaining a virgin, and to be the mother of him who was God blessed for ever, though not the mother of the Divine nature; for so Christ answered the type of Melchisedec, without father as man, without mother as God.
4. All other encompassings of a man they say were as well out of Judea as in it, this was in Judea only.
5. The word translated woman in Scripture they say always signifies a particular individual woman, which could be no other than the Virgin.
6. They say the whole context refers to benefits coming by Christ, therefore he must certainly be the man here intended.
7. They urge that this prophecy follows Jer 31:15 , which, Mat 2:8 , is applied by the evangelist to Herod’ s murder of the infants upon the birth of Christ. But on the other side it is objected,
1. That the verb
2. That the word translated a man , signifying a strong man, doth not properly agree to an infant in the mother’ s belly. But it is again replied,
1. That this is not the only word in Scripture that is but once read in the same sense.
2. That the Word signifieth any encompassing, and may be properly applied to the Virgin’ s womb encompassing an infant. And for the word translated man, they say it is applied to a new-born infant, Job 3:3 Isa 9:6 ; that it is applied to God, Deu 10:17 , and to Christ, Zec 13:7 , compared with Mat 26:31 . In a matter wherein so many learned men are divided, it is enough for me to give their opinions and reasons, leaving my reader to his own judgment, in a matter wherein neither his faith nor holiness are much concerned; for the question is not concerning the thing, whether Christ was encompassed in the womb of a woman, which is plain enough from other scriptures, but only whether that be the sense of the phrase here.
PBC -> Jer 31:22
PBC: Jer 31:22 - -- This was an absolutely new Thing, the like was never before, nor ever will be. Behold a new Thing do I create, a woman shall compass a Man, i.e. a mal...
This was an absolutely new Thing, the like was never before, nor ever will be. Behold a new Thing do I create, a woman shall compass a Man, i.e. a male Child by Conception, through the Agency of the divine Spirit. To us a Child is born, to us a Son is given. This was plainly a new Creation. The human Nature of our Lord being produced by the Exertion of the Power of the Spirit of God, no moral Taint or Impunity could attend it. For, the holy Spirit could not give Subsistence unto an unholy Nature.
John Brine
Haydock -> Jer 31:22
Haydock: Jer 31:22 - -- Daughter. Bury thy dead, and delay thy return no longer. The Israelites did not soon make use of the leave granted by Cyrus. (Calmet) ---
Man. ...
Daughter. Bury thy dead, and delay thy return no longer. The Israelites did not soon make use of the leave granted by Cyrus. (Calmet) ---
Man. Hebrew, "a hero." (Tirinus) ---
The fathers generally explain this of the incarnation. (Calmet) ---
Christ had the perfect use of reason in the virgin's womb. (Haydock) ---
He was the brightness of his Father's glory, Hebrew i. 3. Even some ancient Jews apply this to the Messias. (Galatin. vii. 14.) But the moderns understand that women would offer themselves in marriage; the times would be so happy. This was not so unusual in countries where polygamy prevailed, Ruth iii. 9., Isaias iv. 1., and Canticle of Canticles viii. 1. (Calmet) ---
Hence this is hardly the meaning; for God promises something new. (Haydock) ---
"The Lord hat created a new thing in a woman." (Aquila) ---
Symmachus agrees nearly with the Septuagint, "because the Lord has created thee by salvation a new plantation. Men shall go about in thy salvation." This "might be explained, if it were not sacrilegious to argue respecting God's word by human sense," says St. Jerome; though this censure of "the Vulgate" (Septuagint) seems rather harsh. He complains here of his copy. Theodoret explains it of the apostles going through the world to spread the gospel. (Haydock) ---
Behold whence thy happiness must come, (Menochius) O thou who hast so long proved faithless, going astray after many lovers. (Haydock) ---
Christ, in his mother's womb, was in stature small, but a perfect man (Worthington) in the use of reason, &c. (Haydock)
Gill -> Jer 31:22
Gill: Jer 31:22 - -- How long wilt thou go about, O thou backsliding daughter?.... From place to, place, from country to country, from one kingdom to another, as the Jews ...
How long wilt thou go about, O thou backsliding daughter?.... From place to, place, from country to country, from one kingdom to another, as the Jews do to this day; and not return unto the Lord, and David their king, and to their own country? Or, "how long wilt thou be foolish" a? in backsliding from the Lord; in slighting the written word; neglecting the promises and prophecies, the exhortations, cautions, and instructions therein given; in adhering to and extolling the traditions of the elders, even above the Scriptures; in pertinaciously rejecting the Messiah, next prophesied of; all which folly the Jews are still guilty of, and continue in. So the word signifies in the Arabic language b;
for the Lord hath created a new thing in the earth, a woman shall compass a man; a mighty one, a mighty man, the man Jehovah's fellow; conceived, contained, and encompassed, in the womb of the virgin, the woman, whose seed he was to be of, and of whom he was: this was a "new", unheard of, extraordinary thing, a "creation", a work of almighty power! the human nature of Christ was formed and prepared by the power of the Holy Ghost, without the help of man; and this now is mentioned as an argument and an encouragement to the Jews to return to their own land, since the Messiah is born there of a virgin, as it was foretold he should. This seems to be the true and genuine sense of the words, and other senses weak and impertinent; as when they are made to refer to the heroic spirit in some women superior to men; to the unusual practice of women suing to men for marriage; and to the people of Israel returning to the Lord from their apostasy. So the Targum,
"for, behold, the Lord hath created a new thing in the earth and the people of the house of Israel have given themselves up to the law.''
And very foreign are the senses which some Christian interpreters give of this passage; as when they interpret it of the Jews conquering and oppressing their enemies; or of the Jewish church seeking after God, her husband, when separated from him; or of the Christian church, though weak, resisting her mighty persecutors by her confession of faith, and overcoming them; or of the church under the New Testament embracing Christ; which indeed is preferable to the other, and especially to that Popish one of the eucharist containing the body of Christ c; but the true sense is what is before given: and even some of the Jewish doctors themselves have acknowledged, that the Messiah is here intended. In an ancient d book of theirs, on mention of these words, it is added,
"this shall be in the time of the Messiah, which will be on the sixth day;''
that is, the sixth millennium And elsewhere e "a woman shall compass a man"; says R. Hona, in the name of R. Ame, this is the King Messiah. So says R. Joshua ben Levi f,
"he, that is, God, heals with the same he wounds; so will you find in Israel, they sinned by a virgin, and were punished in virgins, Eze 23:1; so he comforts them by a virgin, according to Jer 31:21; "turn again, O virgin of Israel", &c. "a woman shall compass a man". R Huna, in the name of R. Idi and R. Joshua, said, that this man is the King Messiah, of whom it is said, Psa 2:7, "this day have I begotten thee" g.''

expand allCommentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes
NET Notes: Jer 31:22 The meaning of this last line is uncertain. The translation has taken it as proverbial for something new and unique. For a fairly complete discussion ...
Geneva Bible -> Jer 31:22
Geneva Bible: Jer 31:22 How long wilt thou wander about, O thou backsliding daughter? for the LORD hath created ( d ) a new thing in the earth, A woman shall encompass a man....

expand allCommentary -- Verse Range Notes
TSK Synopsis -> Jer 31:1-40
TSK Synopsis: Jer 31:1-40 - --1 The restoration of Israel.10 The publication thereof.15 Rahel mourning is comforted.18 Ephraim repenting is brought home again.22 Christ is promised...
MHCC -> Jer 31:21-26
MHCC: Jer 31:21-26 - --The way from the bondage of sin to the liberty of God's children, is a high-way. It is plain, it is safe; yet none are likely to walk in it, unless th...
Matthew Henry -> Jer 31:18-26
Matthew Henry: Jer 31:18-26 - -- We have here, I. Ephraim's repentance, and return to God. Not only Judah, but Ephraim the ten tribes, shall be restored, and therefore shall thus be...
Keil-Delitzsch -> Jer 31:15-22
Keil-Delitzsch: Jer 31:15-22 - --
Changing of sorrow into joy, because Ephraim will turn to the Lord, and the Lord will lead him back. - Jer 31:15. "Thus saith Jahveh: A voice is h...
Constable: Jer 2:1--45:5 - --II. Prophecies about Judah chs. 2--45
The first series of prophetic announcements, reflections, and incidents th...

Constable: Jer 30:1--33:26 - --C. The Book of Consolation chs. 30-33
This section of the Book of Jeremiah is a collection of prophecies...

Constable: Jer 30:1--31:40 - --1. The restoration of all Israel chs. 30-31
Two things mark these first two chapters of the Book...
