Jeremiah 33:1-13

Promise of Restoration

1 While Jeremiah was still confined in the courtyard of the guard, the word of the LORD came to him a second time:

2 “This is what the LORD says, he who made the earth, the LORD who formed it and established it—the LORD is his name:

3 ‘Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.’

4 For this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says about the houses in this city and the royal palaces of Judah that have been torn down to be used against the siege ramps and the sword

5 in the fight with the Babylonians^[a] : ‘They will be filled with the dead bodies of the people I will slay in my anger and wrath. I will hide my face from this city because of all its wickedness.

6 “ ‘Nevertheless, I will bring health and healing to it; I will heal my people and will let them enjoy abundant peace and security.

7 I will bring Judah and Israel back from captivity^[b] and will rebuild them as they were before.

8 I will cleanse them from all the sin they have committed against me and will forgive all their sins of rebellion against me.

9 Then this city will bring me renown, joy, praise and honor before all nations on earth that hear of all the good things I do for it; and they will be in awe and will tremble at the abundant prosperity and peace I provide for it.’

10 “This is what the LORD says: ‘You say about this place, “It is a desolate waste, without people or animals.” Yet in the towns of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem that are deserted, inhabited by neither people nor animals, there will be heard once more

11 the sounds of joy and gladness, the voices of bride and bridegroom, and the voices of those who bring thank offerings to the house of the LORD, saying, “Give thanks to the LORD Almighty, for the LORD is good; his love endures forever.” For I will restore the fortunes of the land as they were before,’ says the LORD.

12 “This is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘In this place, desolate and without people or animals—in all its towns there will again be pastures for shepherds to rest their flocks.

13 In the towns of the hill country, of the western foothills and of the Negev, in the territory of Benjamin, in the villages around Jerusalem and in the towns of Judah, flocks will again pass under the hand of the one who counts them,’ says the LORD.

Jeremiah 33:1-13 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JEREMIAH 33

This chapter is a continuation of prophecies of spiritual blessings on the church of Christ in Gospel times, of which the return of the Jews from captivity, and the benefits following on that, were types. The place where Jeremiah had this prophecy communicated to him, the prison, Jer 33:1; the author of it, Jehovah, who describes himself, Jer 33:2; encourages the prophet to pray unto him, promising an answer, and a discovery of great and hidden things, Jer 33:3; not so much concerning the destruction of the city, and the rebuilding it, Jer 33:4,5; as spiritual blessings to the church, signified by it; such as a healthful state and condition through Christ, the sun of righteousness, arising with healing in his wings, and a revelation of abundance of peace and truth by him, Jer 33:6; a release of captives, and a rebuilding of the church, Jer 33:7; free and full forgiveness of all sins, Jer 33:8; the church a praise in the whole earth; much joy in it, and glory to God by it, Jer 33:9-11; spiritual pastors or shepherds feeding their flocks, and taking very diligent care of them, Jer 33:12,13; a promise of the Messiah as a righteous Branch; as the Saviour and safeguard of his people; and as the Lord their righteousness, Jer 33:14-16; an assurance of the continuance of the kingly and priestly offices in him, whereby the covenant of God with David and the Levites would be for ever secured, Jer 33:17-22; and the chapter is concluded with a promise of the perseverance of the saints and people of God; which is represented as certain as the covenant with day and night, and as the ordinances of heaven and earth, in opposition to a suggestion to the contrary, Jer 33:23-26.

Cross References

• 1. S Psalms 88:8
• 2. Jeremiah 32:2-3; Jeremiah 37:21; Jeremiah 38:28
• 3. Jeremiah 13:3
• 4. S Psalms 136:6; S Jeremiah 10:16
• 5. S Exodus 3:15; Exodus 15:3
• 6. S Isaiah 55:6; Jeremiah 29:12
• 7. S Job 28:11
• 8. S 2 Kings 25:1; Ezekiel 4:2
• 9. Jeremiah 32:24; Ezekiel 26:8; Habakkuk 1:10
• 10. Jeremiah 21:4-7
• 11. S Deuteronomy 31:17; S Isaiah 8:17
• 12. S Deuteronomy 32:39; S Isaiah 30:26
• 13. S Isaiah 9:6
• 14. Jeremiah 32:44
• 15. Jeremiah 30:3; Ezekiel 39:25; Amos 9:14
• 16. S Jeremiah 24:6
• 17. S Isaiah 1:26
• 18. S Leviticus 16:30; Hebrews 9:13-14
• 19. S 2 Samuel 24:14; S Jeremiah 31:34; Micah 7:18; Zechariah 13:1
• 20. S Isaiah 55:13
• 21. S Isaiah 60:18; Jeremiah 13:11
• 22. Isaiah 62:7; S Jeremiah 3:17
• 23. S Isaiah 64:2
• 24. Jeremiah 32:43
• 25. S Leviticus 26:32; S Jeremiah 9:11
• 26. S Psalms 51:8; S Isaiah 24:8; S Isaiah 51:3
• 27. S Leviticus 7:12
• 28. 1 Chronicles 16:8; S 2 Chronicles 7:3; Psalms 25:8; S Psalms 136:1; Nahum 1:7
• 29. S 1 Chronicles 16:34; 2 Chronicles 5:13; Psalms 100:4-5
• 30. Psalms 14:7
• 31. S Isaiah 1:26
• 32. Jeremiah 32:43
• 33. ver 10
• 34. S Isaiah 65:10; Ezekiel 34:11-15
• 35. S Jeremiah 31:5
• 36. S Jeremiah 17:26; Obadiah 1:20
• 37. S Leviticus 27:32

Footnotes

• [a]. Or "Chaldeans"
• [b]. Or "will restore the fortunes of Judah and Israel"