Jeremiah 30

I Will Restore Health unto Thee

Written in a book for exiles who will read it later, the Lord's word turns from the wound He allowed to the healing He promises, and from the day of Jacob's trouble to a David who will be their king.

Not dated in the chapter. The Bible Dictionary places chapters 30–33 among the prophecies under Zedekiah (597–586 B.C.) Read with footnotes in Gospel Library

Background

This is where the book turns. Chapters 1–29 are mostly warning: a city that will not repent, warnings against false prophets, and the prophet's letter to the exiles in Babylon (Jer. 29).

This is where the book turns. Chapters 1–29 are mostly warning: a city that will not repent, warnings against false prophets, and the prophet's letter to the exiles in Babylon (Jer. 29). Chapters 30–33 are “prophecies of the latter-day restoration of Israel and the gospel covenant,” the Lord's “assurance to the children of Israel who were scattered and in captivity that He had not forsaken them or His covenants.”

The chapter gives no date. Jeremiah was “in jail at the time” these chapters came, and the book's later chapters do place him in confinement late in Zedekiah's reign (see Jer. 32:1–2); that connection is an inference, and nothing in this chapter depends on it. What the chapter does say is that the words are to be written down (verse 2), and that they are addressed to “Israel and … Judah” together, the northern kingdom having been taken by Assyria over 120 years before.

The chapter heading in the Church's edition sums it up: “In the last days, Judah and Israel will be gathered to their own lands—David, their king (the Messiah), will reign over them.” The same promises return in Jer. 31 and Jer. 33.

The thread through the chapter

Jeremiah 30 moves in one direction, from wound to healing, and it is honest about both.

Jeremiah 30 moves in one direction, from wound to healing, and it is honest about both. The Lord does not pretend the wound is small. The people are crushed, their lovers have abandoned them, and He says plainly that He did it, “because thy sins were increased” (verses 14–15). But the same speaker says the bruise is “not incurable” (the Joseph Smith Translation of verses 12–13), that He will correct “in measure” but “not make a full end” (verse 11), and that He will “restore health” (verse 17).

The movement has three steps. First comes the terror (verses 5–7) and its answer, the breaking of the yoke under a king who is “David” (verses 8–11). Then comes a long middle in which the cause of the wound and its cure are set side by side (verses 12–17). The last third (verses 18–22) rebuilds: a city on its ruins, a people multiplied, a ruler from among them who may “draw near” to the Lord, and the covenant sentence “Ye shall be my people, and I will be your God.” The last two verses return to anger, and then to a promise about understanding: “in the latter days ye shall consider it.” The opening promise (verse 3) has several fulfillments: the return from Babylon, the gathering of the Jews in the last days, and the return of the lost tribes.

Tap any highlighted phrase to open a note beneath its versein the margin.

Verses 1–4

Write it in a book

In plain words

The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: “Write all the words I have spoken to you in a book. The days are coming when I will bring my people Israel and Judah back from captivity, and they will possess the land I gave their fathers.” These are the words He spoke about Israel and Judah.

1 The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying,

2 Thus speaketh the LORD God of Israel, saying, .

3 For, lo, the days come, saith the LORD, that , saith the LORD: and I will cause them to return to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall possess it.

4 And these are the words that the LORD spake concerning Israel and concerning Judah.

Verses 5–11

Terror, and then deliverance

In plain words

“We have heard a cry of terror, fear, and no peace. Ask, and see whether a man gives birth. Why then does every man have his hands on his loins like a woman in labor, and every face turned pale? That day is great; there is none like it. It is a time of trouble for Jacob, but he will be saved out of it. In that day I will break the yoke from his neck and burst his bonds, and strangers will no longer make him a slave. They will serve the Lord their God and David their king, whom I will raise up for them. Do not be afraid, my servant Jacob, I will save you from far away, and your descendants from the land of their captivity. Jacob will return and have rest and quiet, and no one will make him afraid. I am with you to save you. I will make a full end of all the nations where I scattered you, but I will not make a full end of you. I will correct you in measure, and I will not let you go entirely unpunished.”

5 For thus saith the LORD; We have heard a voice of trembling, of fear, and not of peace.

6 Ask ye now, and see ? wherefore do I see every man with his hands on his loins, as a woman in travail, and all faces are turned into paleness?

7 Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: ; but he shall be saved out of it.

8 For it shall come to pass in that day, saith the LORD of hosts, that , and strangers shall no more serve themselves of him:

9 But they shall serve the LORD their God, and .

10 Therefore fear thou not, O my servant Jacob, saith the LORD; neither be dismayed, O Israel: for, lo, I will save thee from afar, and thy seed from the land of their captivity; and Jacob shall return, and shall be in rest, and be quiet, and none shall make him afraid.

11 For I am with thee, saith the LORD, to save thee: though I make a full end of all nations whither I have scattered thee, , and will not leave thee altogether unpunished.

Verses 12–17

The wound and the healing

In plain words

“Your bruise is incurable and your wound is grievous. No one pleads your cause, there is no medicine to bind it up. All your lovers have forgotten you and do not look for you, for I have struck you as an enemy would, with the discipline of a cruel one, because your guilt was great and your sins many. Why do you cry out over your hurt? Your pain is incurable because your guilt was great; I have done these things to you. Therefore all who devour you will be devoured, all your enemies will go into captivity, those who plunder you will be plundered, and those who prey on you I will make prey. I will restore you to health and heal your wounds, says the Lord, because they called you an outcast: ‘Zion, whom no one seeks.’”

12 For thus saith the LORD, .

13 There is none to plead thy cause, that thou mayest be bound up: thou hast no healing medicines.

14 ; they seek thee not; for I have wounded thee with the wound of an enemy, with the chastisement of a cruel one, for the multitude of thine iniquity; because thy sins were increased.

15 Why criest thou for thine affliction? thy sorrow is incurable for the multitude of thine iniquity: because thy sins were increased, .

16 Therefore ; and all thine adversaries, every one of them, shall go into captivity; and they that spoil thee shall be a spoil, and all that prey upon thee will I give for a prey.

17 For I will restore health unto thee, and I will heal thee of thy wounds, saith the LORD; because they called thee an Outcast, saying, This is Zion, whom no man seeketh after.

Verses 18–22

The city rebuilt

In plain words

“I will restore the fortunes of Jacob's tents and have compassion on his dwellings. The city will be rebuilt on its ruins, and the palace will stand where it should. Thanksgiving and the sound of merrymaking will come from them. I will multiply them and they will not be few; I will honor them and they will not be small. Their children will be as before, their assembly will be established before me, and I will punish all who oppress them. Their leader will be one of their own, their ruler will come from among them. I will bring him near and he will approach me, for who would otherwise dare to pledge his heart to approach me? You will be my people, and I will be your God.”

18 Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will bring again the captivity of Jacob’s tents, and have mercy on his dwellingplaces; and , and the palace shall remain after the manner thereof.

19 And out of them shall proceed thanksgiving and the voice of them that make merry: and I will multiply them, and they shall not be few; I will also glorify them, and they shall not be small.

20 Their children also shall be as aforetime, and their congregation shall be established before me, and I will punish all that oppress them.

21 And their nobles shall be of themselves, and their governor shall proceed from the midst of them; and I will cause him to draw near, and he shall approach unto me: saith the LORD.

22 And .

Verses 23–24

The whirlwind and the promise

In plain words

The Lord's storm goes out in fury, a whirlwind that whirls down on the heads of the wicked. The Lord's fierce anger will not turn back until He has carried out and accomplished the purposes of His heart. In the latter days you will understand this.

23 Behold, , a continuing whirlwind: it shall fall with pain upon the head of the wicked.

24 The fierce anger of the LORD shall not return, until he have done it, and until he have performed the intents of his heart: .

Seeing Christ in Jeremiah 30

The chapter has a Savior in both senses: a king and a healer. “It is the Lord Jesus Christ who saves. He is Israel's Savior and Redeemer.” Verse 9 names Him as “David their king, whom I will raise up unto them,” the Messiah and King promised to David's line (Jer. 30:9); the Church edition links it to Jer. 23:5, where He is the righteous Branch. Verse 11 says, “I am with thee, saith the LORD, to save thee,” and verse 17, “I will restore health unto thee, and I will heal thee of thy wounds.” The Lord who says in verse 15 that He caused the wound is the same who heals it, and the JST has Him say the wound is not incurable.

Worth exploring next

  • Jer. 31 continues the promises, with the new covenant at its center.
  • Jer. 23:5–6 and Jer. 33:15–16 speak of the same Branch and “David.”
  • D&C 101:1–9 and D&C 113:7–10, the latter-day revelations linked to verses 8, 11, and 15, on scattered Israel's chastening and return.
  • 2 Ne. 25:8 on the words of the prophets being understood “in that day.”

Sources & further reading