Upon this I awaked, and beheld; and my sleep was sweet unto me.

JEREMIAH 31:26KJV
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Jeremiah 31:26 (KJV)

What does Jeremiah 31:26 mean?

Jeremiah 31:26 describes the prophet Jeremiah waking up from a vision or message from God and realizing that his sleep had been peaceful and pleasant. The verse captures a moment of relief and comfort after receiving hopeful words from God.

In this verse, Jeremiah himself is speaking. He has just received a series of encouraging promises from God about Israel’s future restoration. The verse marks the end of a prophetic experience, where Jeremiah notes his own reaction—he wakes up and finds that the message has brought him a sense of sweetness and rest, contrasting with the turmoil and sorrow often found in his earlier prophecies.

The Hebrew behind Jeremiah 31:26

  • "awaked" (קִיצוֹתִי, qītsōtī): This word means to wake up or arise from sleep. Here, it signals Jeremiah coming out of a prophetic dream or vision, highlighting that what came before was experienced as a revelation while he slept.
  • "beheld" (וָאֶרְאֶה, va’er’eh): This word means to see or look upon. Jeremiah is describing his awareness upon waking, emphasizing that he is now observing his surroundings with clarity after the vision.
  • "sleep" (שֵׁנָה, shenah): This word simply means sleep. Its use here underlines that Jeremiah’s prophetic experience happened during a period of literal rest, not just a metaphorical one.
  • "sweet" (עָרְבָה, ‘arvah): This word means pleasant or delightful. Jeremiah’s use of it shows that the message he received brought him genuine comfort, a notable shift from the distress he often felt.

Why Jeremiah 31:26 matters

  • Jeremiah 31:26 shows that even prophets who often delivered hard messages could find comfort and peace in God’s promises, highlighting the personal impact of God’s words.
  • The verse marks a turning point in Jeremiah’s experience, as he moves from sorrowful warnings to hopeful visions of restoration, which is a key theme in this chapter.
  • This verse helps readers see that God’s messages were not just abstract ideas but deeply affected those who received them, offering real emotional relief and encouragement.

Where else these words appear

“sweet” Hebrew H6149 · used in 8 verses

  • Psalms 104:34 My meditation of him shall be sweet: I will be glad in the LORD.
  • Proverbs 13:19 The desire accomplished is sweet to the soul: but it is abomination to fools to depart from evil.
  • Ezekiel 16:37 Behold, therefore I will gather all thy lovers, with whom thou hast taken pleasure, and all them that thou hast loved, with all them that thou hast hated; I will even gather them round about against thee, and will discover thy nakedness unto them, that they may see all thy nakedness.

“awaked” Hebrew H6974 · used in 21 verses

  • 1 Samuel 26:12 So David took the spear and the cruse of water from Saul's bolster; and they gat them away, and no man saw it, nor knew it, neither awaked: for they were all asleep; because a deep sleep from the LORD was fallen upon them.
  • Psalms 44:23 Awake, why sleepest thou, O Lord? arise, cast us not off for ever.
  • Isaiah 29:8 It shall even be as when an hungry man dreameth, and, behold, he eateth; but he awaketh, and his soul is empty: or as when a thirsty man dreameth, and, behold, he drinketh; but he awaketh, and, behold, he is faint, and his soul hath appetite: so shall the multitude of all the nations be, that fight against mount Zion.

“sleep” Hebrew H8142 · used in 23 verses

  • Genesis 28:16 And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the LORD is in this place; and I knew it not.
  • Psalms 90:5 Thou carriest them away as with a flood; they are as a sleep: in the morning they are like grass which groweth up.
  • Proverbs 20:13 Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open thine eyes, and thou shalt be satisfied with bread.