The Meaning of Jeremiah 31:13 Explained

Jeremiah 31:13

KJV: Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance, both young men and old together: for I will turn their mourning into joy, and will comfort them, and make them rejoice from their sorrow.

YLT: Then rejoice doth a virgin in a chorus, Both young men and old men -- together, And I have turned their mourning to joy, And have comforted them, And gladdened them above their sorrow,

Darby: Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance, and the young men and old together; for I will turn their mourning into gladness, and will comfort them, and make them rejoice after their sorrow.

ASV: Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance, and the young men and the old together; for I will turn their mourning into joy, and will comfort them, and make them rejoice from their sorrow.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Then shall the virgin  rejoice  in the dance,  both young men  and old  together:  for I will turn  their mourning  into joy,  and will comfort  them, and make them rejoice  from their sorrow. 

What does Jeremiah 31:13 Mean?

Context Summary

Jeremiah 31:1-40 - Shepherds That Mislead God's Flock
It is God's purpose to care for His people through shepherds (pastors) who are responsible to Him. Jesus our Lord is the Branch into which we may be grafted. He is our King who saves us and clothes us with His own spotless righteousness. God finds us in Him, Philippians 3:9. Because He reigns, we are saved and dwell in safety. When we are brought into contact with false shepherds, whether the failure be in doctrine or example, let us ask for the broken heart of Jeremiah 23:9.
God is everywhere present; as the latter paragraph indicates, He is near at hand to overhear the blasphemy of those who deride religion, and to be a very present help in time of trouble. If He fills heaven and earth, can He not fill thy heart? If His Word is like fire, let it cleanse thee! If it is as a hammer, let it pulverize thy pride! Let those of us who essay to teach and preach, not steal our words from our neighbors, or utter our own, but receive them from the source of all truth. [source]

Chapter Summary: Jeremiah 31

1  The restoration of Israel
10  The publication thereof
15  Rahel mourning is comforted
18  Ephraim repenting is brought home again
22  Christ is promised
27  His care over the church
31  His new covenant
35  The stability,
38  and amplitude of the church

What do the individual words in Jeremiah 31:13 mean?

Then shall rejoice the virgin in the dance and the young men and the old together for I will turn their mourning to joy and will comfort them and make them rejoice rather than sorrow
אָ֣ז תִּשְׂמַ֤ח בְּתוּלָה֙ בְּמָח֔וֹל וּבַחֻרִ֥ים וּזְקֵנִ֖ים יַחְדָּ֑ו וְהָפַכְתִּ֨י אֶבְלָ֤ם לְשָׂשׂוֹן֙ וְנִ֣חַמְתִּ֔ים וְשִׂמַּחְתִּ֖ים מִיגוֹנָֽם

תִּשְׂמַ֤ח  shall  rejoice 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: שָׂמַח  
Sense: to rejoice, be glad.
בְּתוּלָה֙  the  virgin 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: בְּתוּלָה  
Sense: virgin.
בְּמָח֔וֹל  in  the  dance 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מָחֹול  
Sense: dance, dancing.
וּבַחֻרִ֥ים  and  the  young  men 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine plural
Root: בָּחוּר 
Sense: youth, young man.
וּזְקֵנִ֖ים  and  the  old 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adjective, masculine plural
Root: זָקֵן  
Sense: old.
יַחְדָּ֑ו  together 
Parse: Adverb
Root: יַחַד 
Sense: union, unitedness adv.
וְהָפַכְתִּ֨י  for  I  will  turn 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, first person common singular
Root: הָפַךְ  
Sense: to turn, overthrow, overturn.
אֶבְלָ֤ם  their  mourning 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: אֵבֶל  
Sense: mourning.
לְשָׂשׂוֹן֙  to  joy 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular
Root: שָׂשֹׂון  
Sense: gladness, joy, exultation, rejoicing.
וְנִ֣חַמְתִּ֔ים  and  will  comfort  them 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Conjunctive perfect, first person common singular, third person masculine plural
Root: נָחַם  
Sense: to be sorry, console oneself, repent, regret, comfort, be comforted.
וְשִׂמַּחְתִּ֖ים  and  make  them  rejoice 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Conjunctive perfect, first person common singular, third person masculine plural
Root: שָׂמַח  
Sense: to rejoice, be glad.
מִיגוֹנָֽם  rather  than  sorrow 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: יָגֹון  
Sense: grief, sorrow, anguish.