Jeremiah 31:37
in Jeremiah 31This is what the LORD says: “Only if the heavens above could be measured and the foundations of the earth below searched out would I reject all of Israel’s descendants because of all they have done,” declares the LORD.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
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
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.
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This verse in Jeremiah 31
Commentary
7 notes on this verse(Verse 37) Thus says the Lord: If the heavens above can be measured and the foundations of the earth below can be explored, then I will reject all the offspring of Israel for all that they have done, says the Lord. LXX: Thus says the Lord: If the heavens are raised high above and the floor of the earth is humbled below, then I will not reject the nation of Israel, says the Lord, for all that they have done. The Hebrew text in this passage differs greatly from the Vulgate edition.
This site's exposition
Thus says the LORD, who gives
on Jeremiah 31:35-37
The LORD who “gives the sun for light by day” ties Israel to the fixed order. Israel’s descendants cease to be “a nation before Me” only if “this fixed order departed from My presence.” The text attaches this guarantee to the named people, after the terms of the new covenant.
This site's exposition
if the heavens above could be measured
No one can measure the heavens, so Israel stands. Jerome notes that the Greek text turns the verse into a different image of heaven and earth, and he follows the Hebrew. Jamieson, Fausset and Brown add that the LORD looks to His own covenant promise over all Israel has done.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Thus saith the Lord, if heaven above can be measured,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
(Compare Jer 33:22). for all that they have done--namely, all the sins. God will regard His own covenant promise, rather than their merits.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
All the seed - Unworthy members of Israel may be cast away, but the race shall never entirely cease to exist.
Modern Voices1 voice
Remember God's reputation is on the line if Jewish people become extinct. He promised in Jer. 31:35-37, as long as there will be a sun, moon, stars, and waves, the Jewish people will survive as a distinct people.
The words behind it
23 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| כֹּ֣ה׀ | koh | thus | H3541 → | 577 times |
| אָמַ֣ר | ʾamar | he says | H559 → | 5305 times |
| יְהוָ֗ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| אִם־ | ʾim- | if | H518 → | 1069 times |
| יִמַּ֤דּוּ | yimadu | they will be measured | H4058 → | |
| שָׁמַ֙יִם֙ | shamayim | [the] heavens | H8064 → | 421 times |
| מִלְמַ֔עְלָה | milma'lah | from to above <towards> | H4605 → | 140 times |
| וְיֵחָקְר֥וּ | veyechakeru | so they may be explored | H2713 → | 27 times |
| מֽוֹסְדֵי־ | mosdei- | [the] foundations of | H4144 → | |
| אֶ֖רֶץ | ʾeretz | [the] earth | H776 → | 2504 times |
| לְמָ֑טָּה | lematah | <to> downwards | H4295 → | |
| גַּם־ | gam- | also | H1571 → | 769 times |
| אֲנִ֞י | ʾani | I | H589 → | 874 times |
| אֶמְאַ֨ס | ʾemas | I will reject | H3988 → | 76 times |
| בְּכָל־ | bekhol | <in> all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| זֶ֧רַע | zera' | [the] offspring of | H2233 → | 229 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| עַֽל־ | ʾal- | on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| כָּל־ | kol- | all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֥ר | ʾasher | that | H834 → | 5497 times |
| עָשׂ֖וּ | ʾasu | they have done | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| נְאֻם־ | neum- | [the] utterance of | H5002 → | 376 times |
| יְהוָֽה׃ ס | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
כֹּ֣ה׀thus
kohH3541 →577 times
אָמַ֣רhe says
ʾamarH559 →5305 times
יְהוָ֗הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
אִם־if
ʾim-H518 →1069 times
יִמַּ֤דּוּthey will be measured
yimaduH4058 →
שָׁמַ֙יִם֙[the] heavens
shamayimH8064 →421 times
מִלְמַ֔עְלָהfrom to above <towards>
milma'lahH4605 →140 times
וְיֵחָקְר֥וּso they may be explored
veyechakeruH2713 →27 times
מֽוֹסְדֵי־[the] foundations of
mosdei-H4144 →
אֶ֖רֶץ[the] earth
ʾeretzH776 →2504 times
לְמָ֑טָּה<to> downwards
lematahH4295 →
גַּם־also
gam-H1571 →769 times
אֲנִ֞יI
ʾaniH589 →874 times
אֶמְאַ֨סI will reject
ʾemasH3988 →76 times
בְּכָל־<in> all
bekholH3605 →5413 times
זֶ֧רַע[the] offspring of
zera'H2233 →229 times
יִשְׂרָאֵ֛לIsrael
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
עַֽל־on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
כָּל־all
kol-H3605 →5413 times
אֲשֶׁ֥רthat
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
עָשׂ֖וּthey have done
ʾasuH6213 →2628 times
נְאֻם־[the] utterance of
neum-H5002 →376 times
יְהוָֽה׃ סYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Isaiah 40:12Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, or marked off the heavens with the span of his hand? Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket, or…
it leads to
- Proverbs 30:4
Who has ascended to heaven and come down? Who has gathered the wind in His hands? Who has bound up the waters in His cloak? Who has established all the ends of the earth?…
- Hebrews 1:10–12
And: “In the beginning, O Lord, You laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of Your hands.
- Job 38:4–11
Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding.
- Psalms 102:25–26
In the beginning You laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of Your hands.
- Isaiah 48:13
Surely My own hand founded the earth, and My right hand spread out the heavens; when I summon them, they stand up together.
- Proverbs 30:4
Through
Jeremiah 33:22As the hosts of heaven cannot be counted and as the sand on the seashore cannot be measured, so too will I multiply the descendants of My servant David and the Levites who minister…
it leads to
- Genesis 22:17
I will surely bless you, and I will multiply your descendants like the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will possess the gates of their enemies.
- Genesis 15:5
And the LORD took him outside and said, “Now look to the heavens and count the stars, if you are able.” Then He told him, “So shall your offspring be.”
- Hebrews 11:12
And so from one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore.
- Genesis 22:17
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies27
On this verse
About Jeremiah
This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Carl Friedrich Keil, The Prophecies of Jeremiah; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Commentary on Jeremiah; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Sid Roth, Messianic Vision Newsletter, February 2026.