Jeremiah 31 · Verse 3

Jeremiah 31:3

The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.
Jeremiah 31:3, King James Version

Jeremiah 31:3 in other translations

BSBThe LORD appeared to us in the past, saying: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have drawn you with loving devotion.
WEBThe LORD appeared of old to me, saying, “Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love. Therefore I have drawn you with loving kindness.
ASVJehovah appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.
YLTFrom afar Jehovah hath appeared to me, With love age-during I have loved thee, Therefore I have drawn thee with kindness.
DARBYJehovah hath appeared from afar unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love; therefore with loving-kindness have I drawn thee.
BBEFrom far away he saw the Lord: my love for you is an eternal love: so with mercy I have made you come with me.
WebsterThe LORD appeared of old to me, saying, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with loving-kindness have I drawn thee.

What does Jeremiah 31:3 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
3. Israel gratefully acknowledges in reply God's past grace; but at the same time tacitly implies by the expression "of old," that God does not appear to her now. "God appeared to me of old, but now I am forsaken!" God replies, Nay, I love thee with the same love now as of old. My love was not a momentary impulse, but from "everlasting" in My counsels, and to "everlasting" in its continuance; hence originated the covenant whereby I gratuitously adopted thee (Mal 1:2; Ro 11:28, 29). Margin translates, "from afar," which does not answer so well as "of old," to "in the wilderness" (Jr 31:2), which refers to the olden times of Israel's history. with loving kindness ... drawn--(Ho 11:4). Rather, "I have drawn out continually My loving kindness toward thee." So Psa 36:10, "Continue (Margin, 'Draw out at length') Thy loving kindness." By virtue of My everlasting love I will still extend My loving kindness to thee. So Is 44:21, "O Israel, thou shalt not be forgotten of Me."

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 3 I have loved thee with an everlasting love - ואהבת עולם אהבתיך veahabath olam ahabtich, "and with the old love I have loved thee." "Also, with a love of long standing have I loved thee." - Blayney. "But I love thee always." - Dahler. I still bear to the Jewish people that love which I showed to their fathers in Egypt, in the wilderness, and in the promised land. Can it be supposed, by any person seriously considering the context, that these words are spoken of God's decree of election in behalf of the Jews? Those who make it such, act most injudiciously on their own principle; for, how few of the Jews have ever given evidence that they were the children of God, from their restoration from Babylon to the present day! The words refer simply to their state as a people, most wondrously preserved by the providence and mercy of God, as a standing proof of the Divine authority of the Scriptures, and as an evidence of God's displeasure against sin. Therefore with loving-kindness have I drawn thee - "Therefore have I lengthened out mercy to thee." - Blayney, C'est pourquoi je t'ai conserve ma grace. Dahler. "Therefore I have preserved my grace to thee." The exiles, who had not for a long time received any proofs of the Divine protection, are represented as deploring their state; but God answers, that though this may seem to be the case, he has always loved them; and this continued love he will show by bringing them out of their captivity. However creeds may fare, this is the sense of the passage; all the context proves this.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Jeremiah 31:1-9

The restoration of Israel. (Jr 31:1-9) Promises of guidance and happiness; Rachel lamenting. (Jr 31:10-17) Ephraim laments his errors. (Jr 31:18-20) The promised Saviour. (Jr 31:21-26) God's care over the church. (Jr 31:27-34) Peace and prosperity in gospel time. (Jr 31:35-40) Verses 1-9 God assures his people that he will again take them into covenant relation to himself. When brought very low, and difficulties…

Read the full comment on Jeremiah 31:1-9 →

Jeremiah 31:3 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

מֵרָח֕וֹקme.ra.Chokfrom a distanceH7350
יְהוָ֖הYah.wehYahwehH3068
נִרְאָ֣הnir.'Ahhe appearedH7200
לִ֑יLito <the> me
וְאַהֲבַ֤תve.'a.ha.Vatand a love ofH160
עוֹלָם֙o.LamperpetuityH5769
אֲהַבְתִּ֔יךְ'a.hav.TikhI have loved youH157
עַל\־'al-there-H5921
כֵּ֖ןken-foreH3651
מְשַׁכְתִּ֥יךְme.shakh.TikhI have prolonged to youH4900
חָֽסֶד\׃Cha.sedcovenant loyaltyH2617

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Jeremiah 31:3

  • Psalms 103:17

    But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children’s children;

  • Isaiah 54:8-9

    In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the Lord thy Redeemer. For this is as the waters of Noah unto me: for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth; so have I sworn that I would not be wroth with thee, nor rebuke thee.

  • Hosea 11:4

    I drew them with cords of a man, with bands of love: and I was to them as they that take off the yoke on their jaws, and I laid meat unto them.

  • Ephesians 2:4-5

    But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)

  • Deuteronomy 33:3

    Yea, he loved the people; all his saints are in thy hand: and they sat down at thy feet; every one shall receive of thy words.

  • 1 John 4:19

    We love him, because he first loved us.

  • Deuteronomy 7:7-9

    The Lord did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people: But because the Lord loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath the Lord brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. Know therefore that the Lord thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations;

  • 2 Timothy 1:9

    Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,

  • Romans 8:30

    Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

  • Ephesians 1:3-5

    Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,

  • Isaiah 45:17

    But Israel shall be saved in the Lord with an everlasting salvation: ye shall not be ashamed nor confounded world without end.

  • Titus 3:3-6

    For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
of old. Heb. from afar. I have.
De 7:7-9; 10:15; 33:3,26; Ho 11:1; Mal 1:2; Ro 9:13; 1Jo 4:19
an.
Ps 103:17; Isa 45:17; 54:8,9; Ro 11:28,29; 2Th 2:13-16; 2Ti 1:9
with loving-kindness have I drawn. or, have I extendedloving-kindness unto.
So 1:4; Ho 11:4; Joh 6:44,45; Ro 8:30; Eph 1:3-5; 2:4,5; Tit 3:3-6
Jas 1:18; 1Pe 1:3

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Jeremiah 31:2

    Thus saith the Lord, The people which were left of the sword found grace in the wilderness; even Israel, when I went to cause him to rest.

  • Jeremiah 31:3

    The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.

  • Jeremiah 31:4

    Again I will build thee, and thou shalt be built, O virgin of Israel: thou shalt again be adorned with thy tabrets, and shalt go forth in the dances of them that make merry.

Read all of Jeremiah 31

Jeremiah 31:3 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Jehová se manifestó á mí ya mucho tiempo há, diciendo: Con amor eterno te he amado; por tanto te soporté con misericordia.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
L’ Éternel m’est apparu de loin: Je t’ai aimée d’un amour éternel; c’est pourquoi je t’attire avec bonté.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Jehova ist mir von ferne erschienen: Ja, mit ewiger Liebe habe ich dich geliebt; darum habe ich dir fortdauern lassen meine Güte.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Longe Dominus apparuit mihi. Et in caritate perpetua dilexi te: ideo attraxi te, miserans.