The Meaning of Jeremiah 31:16 Explained

Jeremiah 31:16

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.

YLT: Thus said Jehovah: Withhold thy voice from weeping, and thine eyes from tears, For there is a reward for thy work, An affirmation of Jehovah, And they have turned back from the land of the enemy.

Darby: Thus saith Jehovah: Refrain thy voice from weeping, and thine eyes from tears; for there is a reward for thy work, saith Jehovah; and they shall come again from the land of the enemy.

ASV: Thus saith Jehovah: Refrain thy voice from weeping, and thine eyes from tears; for thy work shall be rewarded, saith Jehovah; and they shall come again from the land of the enemy.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Jeremiah 31:16 Mean?

Context Summary

Jeremiah 31:1-40 - Shepherds That Mislead God's Flock
It is God's purpose to care for His people through shepherds (pastors) who are responsible to Him. Jesus our Lord is the Branch into which we may be grafted. He is our King who saves us and clothes us with His own spotless righteousness. God finds us in Him, Philippians 3:9. Because He reigns, we are saved and dwell in safety. When we are brought into contact with false shepherds, whether the failure be in doctrine or example, let us ask for the broken heart of Jeremiah 23:9.
God is everywhere present; as the latter paragraph indicates, He is near at hand to overhear the blasphemy of those who deride religion, and to be a very present help in time of trouble. If He fills heaven and earth, can He not fill thy heart? If His Word is like fire, let it cleanse thee! If it is as a hammer, let it pulverize thy pride! Let those of us who essay to teach and preach, not steal our words from our neighbors, or utter our own, but receive them from the source of all truth. [source]

Chapter Summary: Jeremiah 31

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
27  His care over the church
31  His new covenant
35  The stability,
38  and amplitude of the church

What do the individual words in Jeremiah 31:16 mean?

Thus says Yahweh Refrain your voice from weeping and your eyes from tears for shall be rewarded your work says Yahweh and they shall come back from the land of the enemy
כֹּ֣ה ׀ אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֗ה מִנְעִ֤י קוֹלֵךְ֙ מִבֶּ֔כִי וְעֵינַ֖יִךְ מִדִּמְעָ֑ה כִּי֩ יֵ֨שׁ שָׂכָ֤ר לִפְעֻלָּתֵךְ֙ נְאֻם־ יְהוָ֔ה וְשָׁ֖בוּ מֵאֶ֥רֶץ אוֹיֵֽב

כֹּ֣ה ׀  Thus 
Parse: Adverb
Root: כֹּה  
Sense: thus, here, in this manner.
אָמַ֣ר  says 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
יְהוָ֗ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
מִנְעִ֤י  Refrain 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, feminine singular
Root: מָנַע  
Sense: to withhold, hold back, keep back, refrain, deny, keep restrain, hinder.
קוֹלֵךְ֙  your  voice 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person feminine singular
Root: קֹול 
Sense: voice, sound, noise.
מִבֶּ֔כִי  from  weeping 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular
Root: בְּכִי  
Sense: a weeping, weeping.
וְעֵינַ֖יִךְ  and  your  eyes 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, cdc, second person feminine singular
Root: עֹונָה 
Sense: eye.
מִדִּמְעָ֑ה  from  tears 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, feminine singular
Root: דִּמְעָה  
Sense: tears.
יֵ֨שׁ  shall  be 
Parse: Adverb
Root: יֵשׁ  
Sense: being, existence, substance, there is or are.
שָׂכָ֤ר  rewarded 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: שָׂכָר  
Sense: hire, wages.
לִפְעֻלָּתֵךְ֙  your  work 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, feminine singular construct, second person feminine singular
Root: פְּעֻלָּה  
Sense: work, recompense, reward.
נְאֻם־  says 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: נְאֻם  
Sense: (Qal) utterance, declaration (of prophet).
יְהוָ֔ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
וְשָׁ֖בוּ  and  they  shall  come  back 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person common plural
Root: שׁוּב  
Sense: to return, turn back.
מֵאֶ֥רֶץ  from  the  land 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
אוֹיֵֽב  of  the  enemy 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: אֹיֵב  
Sense: (Qal) enemy.