The Meaning of Jeremiah 31:37 Explained

Jeremiah 31:37

KJV: Thus saith the LORD; If heaven above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth searched out beneath, I will also cast off all the seed of Israel for all that they have done, saith the LORD.

YLT: Thus said Jehovah: If the heavens above be measured, And the foundations of earth below searched, Even I kick against all the seed of Israel, For all that they have done, An affirmation of Jehovah.

Darby: Thus saith Jehovah: If the heavens above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth searched out beneath, I will also cast off the whole seed of Israel, for all that they have done, saith Jehovah.

ASV: Thus saith Jehovah: If heaven above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth searched out beneath, then will I also cast off all the seed of Israel for all that they have done, saith Jehovah.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Thus saith  the LORD;  If heaven  above  can be measured,  and the foundations  of the earth  searched out  beneath,  I will also cast off  all the seed  of Israel  for all that they have done,  saith  the LORD. 

What does Jeremiah 31:37 Mean?

Verse Meaning

If people could thoroughly explore the heavens above or the earth beneath, then the Lord would cast off future Israel because of her sins.
"Looking beyond national Israel for the fulfillment of this prophecy in the church, as a spiritual Israel, fails to grapple with the certainty of the statements in Jeremiah 31:36-37." [1]

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 31:37 mean?

Thus says Yahweh if can be measured heaven above and searched out the foundations of the earth beneath also I will cast off all the seed of Israel for all that they have done says Yahweh -
כֹּ֣ה ׀ אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֗ה אִם־ יִמַּ֤דּוּ שָׁמַ֙יִם֙ מִלְמַ֔עְלָה וְיֵחָקְר֥וּ מֽוֹסְדֵי־ אֶ֖רֶץ לְמָ֑טָּה גַּם־ אֲנִ֞י אֶמְאַ֨ס בְּכָל־ זֶ֧רַע יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל עַֽל־ כָּל־ אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשׂ֖וּ נְאֻם־ יְהוָֽה ס

כֹּ֣ה ׀  Thus 
Parse: Adverb
Root: כֹּה  
Sense: thus, here, in this manner.
אָמַ֣ר  says 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
יְהוָ֗ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
יִמַּ֤דּוּ  can  be  measured 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: מָדַד  
Sense: to measure, stretch.
שָׁמַ֙יִם֙  heaven 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: שָׁמַיִם  
Sense: heaven, heavens, sky.
מִלְמַ֔עְלָה  above 
Parse: Preposition-m, Preposition-l, Adverb, third person feminine singular
Root: מַעַל 
Sense: higher part, upper part adv.
וְיֵחָקְר֥וּ  and  searched  out 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Nifal, Conjunctive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: חָקַר  
Sense: to search, search for, search out, examine, investigate.
מֽוֹסְדֵי־  the  foundations 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: מֹוסָדָה  
Sense: foundation.
אֶ֖רֶץ  of  the  earth 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
לְמָ֑טָּה  beneath 
Parse: Preposition-l, Adverb
Root: מַטָּה  
Sense: downwards, below.
גַּם־  also 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: גַּם  
Sense: also, even, indeed, moreover, yea.
אֶמְאַ֨ס  will  cast  off 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, first person common singular
Root: מָאַס 
Sense: to reject, despise, refuse.
זֶ֧רַע  the  seed 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: זֶרַע  
Sense: seed, sowing, offspring.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל  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.
אֲשֶׁ֥ר  that 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
עָשׂ֖וּ  they  have  done 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
נְאֻם־  says 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: נְאֻם  
Sense: (Qal) utterance, declaration (of prophet).
יְהוָֽה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
ס  - 
Parse: Punctuation