Section Eight

Imagery and Reality in

Jeremiah 31

An interesting parallel between the use of children as an image and a real-life situation about children is used in Jeremiah 31. In verse 1, God promises restoration for Israel. In the promised return of the people in exile, a list is given in verse 8 that includes ‘expectant mothers’ and ‘women in labour’. Verse 9 then uses a father / son image to reinforce the promise (also a shepherding image is used in verse 10). God will change the current disheartening situation and replace the sadness with gladness. To highlight the sadness of the people in exile, verse 15 talks of the sadness of Rachel. It is taken that this is here because the two peoples (Ephraim and Benjamites) talked about here, those taken into exile, were descended from Rachel. Verse 17 shows that God gives hope to these descendants and will restore them to the land. God is a father to Ephraim who is a ‘dear son’ and a delighted-in child (verse 20).