As They Were Of Old Delivered From Egypt, So Israel Are Now Again To Be Redeemed And Delivered, So That They Might Find Rest Because Of YHWH's Love For Them (Jeremiah 31:2-6).
The reference back to the old deliverance from Egypt confirms that we are to see in what follows a reference to the whole of Israel. While at certain points Jeremiah will especially be emphasising the people of the northern kingdom, that is because he wishes to emphasise that they are included in YHWH's saving activity. It might otherwise have been thought that they were excluded. But as with Isaiah Jeremiah sees the two nations as one. Both are seen as returning (Jeremiah 31:1; Jeremiah 31:27). Indeed, Israel will so much be one with Judah that they will once more seek to Zion (Jeremiah 31:12).
‘Thus says YHWH,'
As usual this phrase opens up a new passage. YHWH speaks, and what He says comes about.
“The people who were left from the sword,
Found favour in the wilderness,
Even Israel,
When I went to cause him to rest.”
As in Jeremiah 2:1-6 current Israel are paralleled with the Israel that came out of Egypt. Those who were left from the sword (i.e. had escaped from the swords of Pharaoh's advancing troops) had found favour in the wilderness' ‘Found favour' is a typical Exodus phrase relating to YHWH being with His people (see Exodus 33:16), and the tenses of the verbs employed also support the idea. In Jeremiah 31:2-3 perfects are used, whilst in Jeremiah 31:4 we have the imperfect, ‘again I will build you'. The use of the phrase ‘in the wilderness' (compare Jeremiah 2:2; Hosea 13:4-5) further supports a reference to the Exodus.
The reference to ‘escaping from the sword' was deliberately in order to make the parallel with the Babylonian and Assyrian exiles. These exiles were truly those who had escaped from the sword which had devoured their fellow-countrymen. And these exiles too are often portrayed as returning through the wilderness (e.g. Isaiah 43:19-21; Isaiah 48:21). The aim in both cases was to ‘give them rest' or ‘cause them to settle'. This is the opposite of Deuteronomy 28:65 where they would ‘find no rest', and indicates a reversing of the curse. So they too will be delivered as Israel had been of old. It is probable therefore that at this stage ‘Israel' is intended to include all the tribes as it did in the wilderness.
YHWH appeared to me of old (or ‘from afar'),
saying, Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love,
Therefore with covenant love have I drawn you.”
The ‘me' here is Israel. YHWH had appeared to them at Sinai and declared His covenant love, a love which is now revealed as an ‘everlasting love', a never failing love. But it is apparent immediately that it is not a love which overlooks sin (His chastening would still go ahead). It is a love which perseveres and expects them to truly repent and respond to Him as He draws them to Himself in accordance with that covenant (something to be exemplified in Jeremiah 31:31 ff.). For in the end that love will finally be revealed in those who truly believe.
Alternately we may translate ‘from afar', with the idea that He has heard from Heaven and has arrived in His covenant love in order to act on Israel's behalf.
“Again will I build you, and you will be built,
O virgin of Israel,
Again you will be adorned with your tabrets,
And will go forth in the dances of those who make merry.”
As a result of His redeeming and saving work they will again (as they were of old) be ‘built up' (a constant Jeremaic theme, Jeremiah 12:16; Jeremiah 18:9; Jeremiah 24:6; and often later. The repetition emphasises the soundness of the work). And they will again (as they used to do in better days) wear their musical instruments, and will go forth dancing as those who ‘make merry' (compare Jeremiah 30:19; Jeremiah 31:13). This light-hearted joy would be a feature of the deliverance. The ‘tabret' was an ancient kind of tambourine made up of a metal ring containing bells.
Note the reference to Israel/Judah as the ‘virgin of Israel' (compare Jeremiah 2:32; Jeremiah 14:17; Jeremiah 18:13; Jeremiah 31:21). The idea is of her restoration to her original purity, no longer a spiritual adulterer but a seeker after YHWH.
“Again you will plant vineyards,
On the mountains of Samaria,
The planters will plant,
And will enjoy (what is produced).
That the deliverance of the exiles from the northern kingdom is very much in mind (although not to the exclusion of Judah) comes out here in the reference to Samaria. They will ‘again' plant vineyards on the mountains of Samaria (those once ruled from Samaria), they will plant and subsequently enjoy their fruit because they will be under YHWH's protection once again. This enjoyment of fruit is more significant than at first appears for the fruit of the vineyard could not be eaten until the fifth year (Leviticus 19:23-24). Thus it is an indication of permanence. ‘The mountains of Samaria' are once again, therefore, to be a part of Israel/Judah.
“For there will be a day,
On which the watchmen on the hills of Ephraim will cry,
‘Arise you, and let us go up to Zion,
To YHWH our God'.”
But this new Israel will be one which is again united with Judah, for the cry of the watchmen on the hills of Ephraim (probably a parallel phrase to ‘the mountains of Samaria) will be, ‘Arise you, and let us go up to Zion, to YHWH our God'.” They will again join in the regular religious feasts at the Temple at one with Judah. The schism would have been healed. (Thus Judah will also be back there and the Temple will have been rebuilt). Their hearts will all be set on YHWH.
There is a reference here to the special watchmen in Israel who observed the phases of the moon so that they might know the timing of the feasts of YHWH, both the day of the new moon (which commenced the ‘month' - the moon period) and the day of the full moon which commenced the seven day feasts. It also determined the date of the Passover. It was thus ‘the watchmen' who called the people to the feasts.