Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that the city shall be built to the LORD from the tower of Hananeel unto the gate of the corner.

JEREMIAH 31:38KJV
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Jeremiah 31:38 (KJV)

What does Jeremiah 31:38 mean?

Jeremiah 31:38 promises that a time is coming when Jerusalem (“the city”) will be rebuilt for the LORD, stretching from the tower of Hananeel to the Corner Gate. This verse is a declaration of hope, showing that God intends to restore and renew the city after its destruction.

In this verse, the prophet Jeremiah is speaking God’s words to the people of Judah, who are facing exile and the loss of their homeland. The mention of specific landmarks—the tower of Hananeel and the Corner Gate—gives a concrete picture of the city’s boundaries, reassuring the people that Jerusalem will once again be a real, thriving place dedicated to the LORD.

The Hebrew behind Jeremiah 31:38

  • “City” (עִיר, ʿir) here refers specifically to Jerusalem, not just any city, making the promise personal and direct to the people who had lost their capital.
  • “Built” (בָּנָה, banah) means more than just constructing buildings; it often carries the sense of restoration and renewal, suggesting the city will be made whole again, not just physically but in its purpose for the LORD.
  • “Tower” (מִגְדָּל, migdal) and “gate” (שַׁעַר, shaʿar) are real, known features of Jerusalem’s walls, grounding the promise in actual geography and history rather than vague symbolism.

Why Jeremiah 31:38 matters

  • This verse clears up the idea that God’s promises are only spiritual or symbolic; it shows He cares about real places and real restoration.
  • The specific landmarks emphasize that the restoration is not just general but involves the actual city the people knew, which would have been deeply comforting to exiles.
  • Jeremiah 31:38 is part of a larger section promising a new covenant and future hope, tying the physical rebuilding of Jerusalem to God’s bigger plan for His people.

Where else these words appear

“Hananeel” Hebrew H2606 · used in 4 verses

  • Nehemiah 3:1 Then Eliashib the high priest rose up with his brethren the priests, and they builded the sheep gate; they sanctified it, and set up the doors of it; even unto the tower of Meah they sanctified it, unto the tower of Hananeel.
  • Nehemiah 12:39 And from above the gate of Ephraim, and above the old gate, and above the fish gate, and the tower of Hananeel, and the tower of Meah, even unto the sheep gate: and they stood still in the prison gate.
  • Zechariah 14:10 All the land shall be turned as a plain from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem: and it shall be lifted up, and inhabited in her place, from Benjamin's gate unto the place of the first gate, unto the corner gate, and from the tower of Hananeel unto the king's winepresses.

“corner” Hebrew H6438 · used in 28 verses

  • Exodus 27:2 And thou shalt make the horns of it upon the four corners thereof: his horns shall be of the same: and thou shalt overlay it with brass.
  • Nehemiah 3:24 After him repaired Binnui the son of Henadad another piece, from the house of Azariah unto the turning of the wall, even unto the corner.
  • Isaiah 19:13 The princes of Zoan are become fools, the princes of Noph are deceived; they have also seduced Egypt, even they that are the stay of the tribes thereof.

“tower” Hebrew H4026 · used in 45 verses

  • Genesis 11:4 And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.
  • 2 Chronicles 14:7 Therefore he said unto Judah, Let us build these cities, and make about them walls, and towers, gates, and bars, while the land is yet before us; because we have sought the LORD our God, we have sought him, and he hath given us rest on every side. So they built and prospered.
  • Psalms 61:3 For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy.