Jeremiah 30-31. The Future of Israel and Judah. These two Chapter s of prophecy, dealing with the future restoration of Israel and Judah, appear to be a later editorial insertion in the narrative scheme of Jeremiah 26-45, placed here perhaps because Jeremiah 32 and Jeremiah 33 contain narratives and prophecies dealing with the same subject (cf. also Jeremiah 29:10 ff.). In Jeremiah 30 and Jeremiah 31, there are numerous points of contact with Deutero-Isaiah, a fact which, with other features, has suggested to many scholars an exilic or post-exilic date for much that these Chapter s contain. The contrast with the general pessimism of earlier Chapter s is very noticeable. On the other hand, the internal evidence for Jeremiah 31:2-6; Jeremiah 31:15-22; Jeremiah 31:31-34 entitles us to regard these sections as Jeremianic.
Jeremiah 30:1-4. The prophet is commanded to write down his prophecies (i.e. those of Jeremiah 30, 31, in view of Jeremiah 30:4), because of their approaching fulfilment. Note the difference of this (editorial) introduction from the account of the circumstances leading to the writing of the roll in 604 (Jeremiah 36:2 ff.).