The Meaning of Jeremiah 31:3 Explained

Jeremiah 31:3

KJV: The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.

YLT: From afar Jehovah hath appeared to me, With love age-during I have loved thee, Therefore I have drawn thee with kindness.

Darby: Jehovah hath appeared from afar unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love; therefore with loving-kindness have I drawn thee.

ASV: Jehovah appeared of old unto me,'saying , Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

The LORD  hath appeared  of old  unto me, [saying], Yea, I have loved  thee with an everlasting  love:  therefore with lovingkindness  have I drawn  thee. 

What does Jeremiah 31:3 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Assurance of future salvation rests on Yahweh"s eternal commitment and His loving election of Israel (cf. Exodus 19:5-6; Deuteronomy 7:9). He had loved it "from afar" in the wilderness following the Exodus , and He would love it "from afar" in the Exile. "Love" and "faithfulness" are both strong covenant terms.
"It is the LORD"s constant commitment to Israel that bridges the generations and makes restoration possible." [1]

Context Summary

Jeremiah 31:1-9 - 15-34, An Everlasting Love
It is all-inclusive: all the families of Israel. It is patient under provocation: during forty years it bore with Israel. It has a drawing-power which overcomes our obduracy. It longs to restore the old joyous confidence and freedom: thou shalt go forth in the dances of them that make ready. It will never rest till it has broken down misunderstandings and alienation, so that even Ephraim shall propose to worship at Mount Zion. It meets the heart: they shall come with weeping. It sets the blind by rivers of waters, and the blind and the lame in a straight way. The effect of such love is still further described in Jeremiah 31:18-19 we bemoan our sins with profound remorse. These words, which were so sweet to the prophet, Jeremiah 31:26, are yet to be fulfilled; but in the meantime the covenant is for us all and each one may claim the fulfillment of the I wills of Jeremiah 31:33-34. See Matthew 26:28; Hebrews 8:8.
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 31:3 mean?

of old Yahweh has appeared to me and with love an everlasting [saying] Yes I have loved you upon thus I have drawn you with lovingkindness
מֵרָח֕וֹק יְהוָ֖ה נִרְאָ֣ה לִ֑י וְאַהֲבַ֤ת עוֹלָם֙ אֲהַבְתִּ֔יךְ עַל־ כֵּ֖ן מְשַׁכְתִּ֥יךְ חָֽסֶד

מֵרָח֕וֹק  of  old 
Parse: Preposition-m, Adjective, masculine singular
Root: רָחֹוק  
Sense: remote, far, distant, distant lands, distant ones.
יְהוָ֖ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
נִרְאָ֣ה  has  appeared 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
לִ֑י  to  me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
וְאַהֲבַ֤ת  and  with  love 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: אַהֲבָה 
Sense: love.
עוֹלָם֙  an  everlasting 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: עֹולָם  
Sense: long duration, antiquity, futurity, for ever, ever, everlasting, evermore, perpetual, old, ancient, world.
אֲהַבְתִּ֔יךְ  [saying]  Yes  I  have  loved  you 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular, second person feminine singular
Root: אָהַב  
Sense: to love.
עַל־  upon 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
כֵּ֖ן  thus 
Parse: Adverb
Root: כֵּן 
Sense: so, therefore, thus.
מְשַׁכְתִּ֥יךְ  I  have  drawn  you 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular, second person feminine singular
Root: מָשַׁךְ  
Sense: to draw, drag, seize.
חָֽסֶד  with  lovingkindness 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: חֶסֶד 
Sense: goodness, kindness, faithfulness.