And there is hope in thine end, saith the LORD, that thy children shall come again to their own border.

JEREMIAH 31:17KJV
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Jeremiah 31:17 (KJV)

What does Jeremiah 31:17 mean?

Jeremiah 31:17 promises that there is hope for the future, declaring that the children of Israel will return to their own land. God is assuring the people, through Jeremiah, that their exile will not be the end and that restoration is coming.

In this verse, God is speaking through the prophet Jeremiah to the people of Israel, who are facing exile and loss. The situation is bleak, but God interrupts their despair with a message of hope: their descendants will come back to their homeland. This assurance is part of a larger section where God promises to renew His relationship with Israel and bring them back from captivity.

The Hebrew behind Jeremiah 31:17

  • "hope" (תִּקְוָה, tiqvah): This word means expectation or confident waiting. Here, it is not just wishful thinking but a sure promise from God that things will change for the better.
  • "end" (אַחֲרִית, acharit): This word can mean "future" or "last part." In this context, it points to what will happen after the current suffering, emphasizing that the story is not over.
  • "again" (שׁוּב, shuv): This word means "to return" or "to come back." It highlights the idea of restoration, not just physically coming back to the land, but also returning to a former state of blessing.
  • "border" (גְּבוּל, gevul): This word means "boundary" or "territory." It stresses that the return is to their own specific land, not just any place, but the place God gave them.

Why Jeremiah 31:17 matters

  • Jeremiah 31:17 clears up the idea that exile or hardship is permanent; it emphasizes that God’s plans include restoration and a future beyond present troubles.
  • The verse highlights God’s commitment to His promises, showing that even when things seem hopeless, God’s word stands and He intends to bring His people back.
  • This promise connects to the wider chapter, where God speaks of a new covenant and the eventual renewal of Israel, offering comfort and reassurance to a suffering people.

Where else these words appear

“hope” Hebrew H8615 · used in 33 verses

  • Joshua 2:18 Behold, when we come into the land, thou shalt bind this line of scarlet thread in the window which thou didst let us down by: and thou shalt bring thy father, and thy mother, and thy brethren, and all thy father's household, home unto thee.
  • Job 14:7 For there is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will not cease.
  • Proverbs 19:18 Chasten thy son while there is hope, and let not thy soul spare for his crying.

“end” Hebrew H319 · used in 60 verses

  • Genesis 49:1 And Jacob called unto his sons, and said, Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which shall befall you in the last days.
  • Proverbs 14:12 There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.
  • Jeremiah 23:20 The anger of the LORD shall not return, until he have executed, and till he have performed the thoughts of his heart: in the latter days ye shall consider it perfectly.

“is” Hebrew H3426 · used in 129 verses

  • Genesis 18:24 Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein?
  • 1 Samuel 21:8 And David said unto Ahimelech, And is there not here under thine hand spear or sword? for I have neither brought my sword nor my weapons with me, because the king's business required haste.
  • Psalms 73:11 And they say, How doth God know? and is there knowledge in the most High?