The Meaning of Jeremiah 31:36 Explained

Jeremiah 31:36

KJV: If those ordinances depart from before me, saith the LORD, then the seed of Israel also shall cease from being a nation before me for ever.

YLT: If these statutes depart from before Me, An affirmation of Jehovah, Even the seed of Israel doth cease From being a nation before Me all the days.

Darby: If those ordinances depart from before me, saith Jehovah, the seed of Israel also shall cease from being a nation before me for ever.

ASV: If these ordinances depart from before me, saith Jehovah, then the seed of Israel also shall cease from being a nation before me for ever.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

If those ordinances  depart  from before  me, saith  the LORD,  [then] the seed  of Israel  also shall cease  from being a nation  before  me for ever. 

What does Jeremiah 31:36 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Future Israel would no more cease from being a special nation in God"s sight than the fixed order of nature would cease. This is strong testimony that the church has not replaced Israel in God"s plans.

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 31:36 mean?

if depart ordinances these from before Me says Yahweh [Then] also the seed of Israel shall cease from being a nation before Me all forever -
אִם־ יָמֻ֜שׁוּ הַחֻקִּ֥ים הָאֵ֛לֶּה מִלְּפָנַ֖י נְאֻם־ יְהוָ֑ה גַּם֩ זֶ֨רַע יִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל יִשְׁבְּת֗וּ מִֽהְי֥וֹת גּ֛וֹי לְפָנַ֖י כָּל־ הַיָּמִֽים ס

יָמֻ֜שׁוּ  depart 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: מוּשׁ  
Sense: to depart, remove.
הַחֻקִּ֥ים  ordinances 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: חֹק  
Sense: statute, ordinance, limit, something prescribed, due.
הָאֵ֛לֶּה  these 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, common plural
Root: אֵהֶל 
Sense: these.
מִלְּפָנַ֖י  from  before  Me 
Parse: Preposition-m, Preposition-l, Noun, masculine plural construct, first person common singular
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
נְאֻם־  says 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: נְאֻם  
Sense: (Qal) utterance, declaration (of prophet).
יְהוָ֑ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
גַּם֩  [Then]  also 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: גַּם  
Sense: also, even, indeed, moreover, yea.
זֶ֨רַע  the  seed 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: זֶרַע  
Sense: seed, sowing, offspring.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל  of  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
יִשְׁבְּת֗וּ  shall  cease 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: שָׁבַת 
Sense: to cease, desist, rest.
מִֽהְי֥וֹת  from  being 
Parse: Preposition-m, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
גּ֛וֹי  a  nation 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: גֹּוי 
Sense: nation, people.
לְפָנַ֖י  before  Me 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine plural construct, first person common singular
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
הַיָּמִֽים  forever 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
ס  - 
Parse: Punctuation