Jeremiah 31:28
in Jeremiah 31Just as I watched over them to uproot and tear down, to demolish, destroy, and bring disaster, so I will watch over them to build and to plant,” declares the LORD.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And it shall come to pass that, like as I have watched over them to pluck up and to break down and to overthrow and to destroy and to afflict, so will I watch over them to build and to plant, saith Jehovah.
KJV
And it shall come to pass, that like as I have watched over them, to pluck up, and to break down, and to throw down, and to destroy, and to afflict; so will I watch over them, to build, and to plant, saith the Lord.
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This verse in Jeremiah 31
Commentary
7 notes on this verse(Verse 28) And as I have watched over them to uproot, demolish, scatter, and afflict, so I will watch over them to build and plant, says the Lord. And as it is said in the beginning of Jeremiah: Behold, I have set you this day over the nations and over the kingdoms, to pluck up and to break down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant; and I watched over them to do what I threatened, so, he says, I will now watch over them to build and to plant.
This site's exposition
This is what the LORD of
on Jeremiah 31:23-30
The prophet's one comment on the vision is his own: “My sleep had been most pleasant to me.” The watching of 1:12 returns reversed, “so I will watch over them to build and to plant.” The sour-grape proverb is repealed: “each will die for his own iniquity.”
This site's exposition
to build and to plant
The verbs of judgment and of building come from Jeremiah's call in 1:10. Jerome draws the link: the Lord watched to carry out His threats, and He will watch as closely to build. The watching of 1:12 now works for good.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
Mountains are convenient for vineyards, being free from shades and exposed to the sun. Shall plant - God promises them a liberty to plant, and that they should enjoy their plantations, eating them as common things, which they could not do 'till the fifth year. Arise - This was fulfilled under the gospel; for both Galilee and Samaria received the gospel.
God will be as ready to comfort those that repent of their sins, and are humbled for them, as he is to punish those that continue in love with their sins, and are hardened in them. That they shall be reckoned with no further for the sins of their fathers (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
And it shall come to pass, that like as I have watched over them,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
The same God who, as it were (in human language), was on the watch for all means to destroy, shall be as much on the watch for the means of their restoration.
The words behind it
16 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְהָיָ֞ה | vehayah | and it will be | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| כַּאֲשֶׁ֧ר | kaasher | just as | H834 → | 5497 times |
| שָׁקַ֣דְתִּי | shakadti | I kept watch | H8245 → | 12 times |
| עֲלֵיהֶ֗ם | ʾaleihem | over them | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| לִנְת֧וֹשׁ | lintoosh | to pluck up | H5428 → | 21 times |
| וְלִנְת֛וֹץ | velintotz | and to pull down | H5422 → | 42 times |
| וְלַהֲרֹ֖ס | velaharos | and to tear down | H2040 → | 43 times |
| וּלְהַאֲבִ֣יד | ulehaavid | and to destroy | H6 → | 184 times |
| וּלְהָרֵ֑עַ | uleharea' | and to do harm | H7489 → | 107 times |
| כֵּ֣ן | ken | so | H3651 → | 771 times |
| אֶשְׁקֹ֧ד | ʾeshkod | I will keep watch | H8245 → | 12 times |
| עֲלֵיהֶ֛ם | ʾaleihem | over them | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| לִבְנ֥וֹת | livnot | to build | H1129 → | 376 times |
| וְלִנְט֖וֹעַ | velintoa' | and to plant | H5193 → | 58 times |
| נְאֻם־ | neum- | [the] utterance of | H5002 → | 376 times |
| יְהוָֽה׃ | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
וְהָיָ֞הand it will be
vehayahH1961 →3559 times
כַּאֲשֶׁ֧רjust as
kaasherH834 →5497 times
שָׁקַ֣דְתִּיI kept watch
shakadtiH8245 →12 times
עֲלֵיהֶ֗םover them
ʾaleihemH5921 →5755 times
לִנְת֧וֹשׁto pluck up
lintooshH5428 →21 times
וְלִנְת֛וֹץand to pull down
velintotzH5422 →42 times
וְלַהֲרֹ֖סand to tear down
velaharosH2040 →43 times
וּלְהַאֲבִ֣ידand to destroy
ulehaavidH6 →184 times
וּלְהָרֵ֑עַand to do harm
uleharea'H7489 →107 times
כֵּ֣ןso
kenH3651 →771 times
אֶשְׁקֹ֧דI will keep watch
ʾeshkodH8245 →12 times
עֲלֵיהֶ֛םover them
ʾaleihemH5921 →5755 times
לִבְנ֥וֹתto build
livnotH1129 →376 times
וְלִנְט֖וֹעַand to plant
velintoa'H5193 →58 times
נְאֻם־[the] utterance of
neum-H5002 →376 times
יְהוָֽה׃Yahweh
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
Jeremiah 1:10See, I have appointed you today over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and plant.”
it leads to
- 2 Corinthians 10:4–5
The weapons of our warfare are not the weapons of the world. Instead, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.
- Isaiah 44:26–28
who confirms the message of His servant and fulfills the counsel of His messengers, who says of Jerusalem, ‘She will be inhabited,’ and of the cities of Judah, ‘They will be rebuilt, and I…
- Jeremiah 31:4–5
Again I will build you, and you will be rebuilt, O Virgin Israel. Again you will take up your tambourines and go out in joyful dancing.
- Jeremiah 24:6
I will keep My eyes on them for good and will return them to this land. I will build them up and not tear them down; I will plant them and not uproot them.
- Ezekiel 36:36
Then the nations around you that remain will know that I, the LORD, have rebuilt what was destroyed, and I have replanted what was desolate. I, the LORD, have spoken, and I will do…
- 2 Corinthians 10:4–5
Through
Jeremiah 24:6I will keep My eyes on them for good and will return them to this land. I will build them up and not tear them down; I will plant them and not uproot them.
it leads to
- Jeremiah 42:10
‘If you will indeed stay in this land, then I will build you up and not tear you down; I will plant you and not uproot you, for I will relent of the disaster…
- Jeremiah 29:10
For this is what the LORD says: “When Babylon’s seventy years are complete, I will attend to you and confirm My promise to restore you to this place.
- Jeremiah 42:10
Through
Jeremiah 45:4Thus Jeremiah was to say to Baruch: “This is what the LORD says: Throughout the land I will demolish what I have built and uproot what I have planted.
it leads to
- Jeremiah 1:10
See, I have appointed you today over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and plant.”
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Jeremiah 1:10
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies27
On this verse
About Jeremiah
This page draws on Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Commentary on Jeremiah; John Calvin, Commentary on Jeremiah and Lamentations; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.