The Meaning of Jeremiah 33:22 Explained

Jeremiah 33:22

KJV: As the host of heaven cannot be numbered, neither the sand of the sea measured: so will I multiply the seed of David my servant, and the Levites that minister unto me.

YLT: As the host of the heavens is not numbered, Nor the sand of the sea measured, So I multiply the seed of David My servant, And the Levites My ministers.'

Darby: As the host of the heavens cannot be numbered, nor the sand of the sea measured, so will I multiply the seed of David my servant, and the Levites that minister unto me.

ASV: As the host of heaven cannot be numbered, neither the sand of the sea measured; so will I multiply the seed of David my servant, and the Levites that minister unto me.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

As the host  of heaven  cannot be numbered,  neither the sand  of the sea  measured:  so will I multiply  the seed  of David  my servant,  and the Levites  that minister  unto me. 

What does Jeremiah 33:22 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Yahweh promised to multiply the descendants of David and the Levites as the stars of the heavens and as the sand grains of the sea (cf. Genesis 13:16; Genesis 15:5; Genesis 22:17).
"Just as the covenant with Noah (cf. Genesis 8:22) is kept, so the covenant with David (cf2Samuel7) and that with Levi ( Numbers 17) will also be kept." [1]

Chapter Summary: Jeremiah 33

1  God promises to the captivity a gracious return;
9  a joyful state;
12  a settled government;
15  Christ the branch of righteousness;
17  a continuance of kingdom and priesthood;
19  and a stability of a blessed seed

What do the individual words in Jeremiah 33:22 mean?

As cannot be numbered host of the heaven nor measured the sand of the sea so will I multiply - the descendants of David My servant and the Levites who minister to Me -
אֲשֶׁ֤ר לֹֽא־ יִסָּפֵר֙ צְבָ֣א הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וְלֹ֥א יִמַּ֖ד ח֣וֹל הַיָּ֑ם כֵּ֣ן אַרְבֶּ֗ה אֶת־ זֶ֙רַע֙ דָּוִ֣ד עַבְדִּ֔י וְאֶת־ הַלְוִיִּ֖ם מְשָׁרְתֵ֥י אֹתִֽי ס

לֹֽא־  cannot 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
יִסָּפֵר֙  be  numbered 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: סָפַר 
Sense: to count, recount, relate.
צְבָ֣א  host 
Parse: Noun, common singular construct
Root: צָבָא 
Sense: that which goes forth, army, war, warfare, host.
הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם  of  the  heaven 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: שָׁמַיִם  
Sense: heaven, heavens, sky.
וְלֹ֥א  nor 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
יִמַּ֖ד  measured 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: מָדַד  
Sense: to measure, stretch.
ח֣וֹל  the  sand 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: חֹול 
Sense: sand.
הַיָּ֑ם  of  the  sea 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: יָם  
Sense: sea.
כֵּ֣ן  so 
Parse: Adverb
Root: כֵּן 
Sense: so, therefore, thus.
אַרְבֶּ֗ה  will  I  multiply 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, first person common singular
Root: הַרְבָּה 
Sense: be or become great, be or become many, be or become much, be or become numerous.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
זֶ֙רַע֙  the  descendants 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: זֶרַע  
Sense: seed, sowing, offspring.
דָּוִ֣ד  of  David 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּוִד  
Sense: youngest son of Jesse and second king of Israel.
עַבְדִּ֔י  My  servant 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: עֶבֶד  
Sense: slave, servant.
הַלְוִיִּ֖ם  the  Levites 
Parse: Article, Proper Noun, masculine plural
Root: לֵוִי  
Sense: the descendants of Levi, the 3rd son of Jacob by Leah.
מְשָׁרְתֵ֥י  who  minister 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Participle, masculine plural construct
Root: שָׁרַת  
Sense: (Piel) to minister, serve, minister to.
אֹתִֽי  to  Me 
Parse: Direct object marker, first person common singular
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
ס  - 
Parse: Punctuation