And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.
JEREMIAH 31:34KJVWhat does Jeremiah 31:34 mean?
Jeremiah 31:34 describes a future time when everyone, regardless of status or age, will have a direct and personal knowledge of the LORD, so there will be no need for people to teach each other about God. This is possible because God promises to forgive their wrongdoing and to no longer remember their sins.
In this verse, God is speaking through the prophet Jeremiah to the people of Israel, describing a new kind of relationship He will have with them. The setting is a message of hope during a time of national trouble, promising a future where knowing God is not limited to a select few but is open to all. The verse highlights both the depth of God’s forgiveness and the closeness He intends to have with His people.
The Hebrew behind Jeremiah 31:34
- "Know" (יָדַע, yada‘): This word means more than just intellectual knowledge; it often refers to a deep, personal, and relational understanding. Here, it emphasizes that everyone will have a real, firsthand relationship with God, not just secondhand information.
- "Forgive" (סָלַח, salach): This word is used for God’s act of pardoning wrongdoing. Its use here shows that the new relationship with God is built on His willingness to wipe away guilt, not on human effort.
- "Remember" (זָכַר, zakar): In Hebrew thought, to "remember" is often to act on something. When God says He will "remember their sin no more," it means He will not act against them because of their past sins.
Why Jeremiah 31:34 matters
- Jeremiah 31:34 clarifies that knowing God will not be limited by social status, education, or age; everyone will have equal access to Him.
- The verse highlights that forgiveness is central to the new relationship God promises, making it clear that this closeness is possible only because God chooses not to hold past sins against His people.
- This verse connects to the wider promise in Jeremiah 31 of a "new covenant," showing a shift from external religious teaching to an internal, personal relationship with God for all people.