The Meaning of Jeremiah 31:32 Explained

Jeremiah 31:32

KJV: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD:

YLT: Not like the covenant that I made with their fathers, In the day of My laying hold on their hand, To bring them out of the land of Egypt, In that they made void My covenant, And I ruled over them -- an affirmation of Jehovah.

Darby: not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers, in the day of my taking them by the hand, to lead them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they broke, although I was a husband unto them, saith Jehovah.

ASV: not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was a husband unto them, saith Jehovah.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Not according to the covenant  that I made  with their fathers  in the day  [that] I took  them by the hand  to bring them out  of the land  of Egypt;  which my covenant  they brake,  although I was an husband  unto them, saith  the LORD: 

What does Jeremiah 31:32 Mean?

Verse Meaning

This New Covenant would be different from the Mosaic Covenant, which the Israelites consistently and inevitably broke in spite of Yahweh"s faithful commitment to them. They had worshipped Baal (Heb. ba"al) even though Yahweh had been a faithful husband (Heb. ba"al) to them.

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 31:32 mean?

Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day [that] I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt which they broke - My covenant and though I was a husband to them says Yahweh
לֹ֣א כַבְּרִ֗ית אֲשֶׁ֤ר כָּרַ֙תִּי֙ אֶת־ אֲבוֹתָ֔ם בְּיוֹם֙ הֶחֱזִיקִ֣י בְיָדָ֔ם לְהוֹצִיאָ֖ם מֵאֶ֖רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם אֲשֶׁר־ הֵ֜מָּה הֵפֵ֣רוּ אֶת־ בְּרִיתִ֗י וְאָנֹכִ֛י בָּעַ֥לְתִּי בָ֖ם נְאֻם־ יְהוָֽה

כַבְּרִ֗ית  according  to  the  covenant 
Parse: Preposition-k, Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: בְּרִית  
Sense: covenant, alliance, pledge.
אֲשֶׁ֤ר  that 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
כָּרַ֙תִּי֙  I  made 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: כָּרַת  
Sense: to cut, cut off, cut down, cut off a body part, cut out, eliminate, kill, cut a covenant.
אֲבוֹתָ֔ם  their  fathers 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: אָב  
Sense: father of an individual.
בְּיוֹם֙  in  the  day 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
הֶחֱזִיקִ֣י  [that]  I  took  them 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Infinitive construct, first person common singular
Root: חָזַק  
Sense: to strengthen, prevail, harden, be strong, become strong, be courageous, be firm, grow firm, be resolute, be sore.
בְיָדָ֔ם  by  the  hand 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
לְהוֹצִיאָ֖ם  to  lead  them 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Hifil, Infinitive construct, third person masculine plural
Root: יׄוצֵאת 
Sense: to go out, come out, exit, go forth.
מֵאֶ֖רֶץ  out  of  the  land 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
מִצְרָ֑יִם  of  Egypt 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: מִצְרַיִם  
Sense: a country at the northeastern section of Africa, adjacent to Palestine, and through which the Nile flows adj Egyptians = “double straits”.
הֵפֵ֣רוּ  broke 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: פָּרַר 
Sense: to break, frustrate.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
בְּרִיתִ֗י  My  covenant 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: בְּרִית  
Sense: covenant, alliance, pledge.
וְאָנֹכִ֛י  and  though  I 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Pronoun, first person common singular
Root: אָנׄכִי  
Sense: I (first pers.
בָּעַ֥לְתִּי  was  a  husband 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: בְּעוּלָה 
Sense: to marry, rule over, possess, own.
בָ֖ם  to  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
נְאֻם־  says 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: נְאֻם  
Sense: (Qal) utterance, declaration (of prophet).
יְהוָֽה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.