Jeremiah 16:15
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This verse highlights a significant shift in how God's faithfulness will be remembered. While the Exodus from Egypt was a monumental act, the future deliverance from the "land of the north" (Babylon and other places of exile) will be so remarkable and so desperately needed that it will overshadow the earlier redemption in the people's minds.
but ‘As the LORD lives who brought up the people of Israel out of the north country and out of all the countries where he had driven them.’ For I will bring them back to their own land that I gave to their fathers.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jeremiah has just declared a severe judgment upon Judah, emphasizing that their sins are so great that even their past deliverance from Egypt will be overshadowed by the coming exile. Now, the prophet shifts to a promise of future restoration, declaring that God will gather His people from the "land of the north" (Babylon and other regions) and bring them back to the land He originally gave to their ancestors. This future return will be an even greater demonstration of God's power than the Exodus from Egypt.
Jeremiah announces a future deliverance, but it's so significant it will overshadow the famous Exodus from Egypt. How can a future event make us forget such a monumental rescue?
God's people will eventually be exiled to the 'land of the north' (Babylon). While this captivity is grievous, the prophet declares that their return from it will be so remarkable that it will eclipse the memory of the original Exodus from Egypt.
A Greater Grief, A Greater God
Think about it: God delivered Israel from slavery in Egypt, a foundational event for their entire history. Yet, Jeremiah says a future deliverance will be spoken of even more. Why?
The promise of return is rooted in God's ancient covenant. What does it mean for us today that God's promises are tied to 'their fathers'?
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The prophecy isn't just about a geographical relocation; it's about the restoration of God's people to a land He gave to their ancestors. This 'land I gave to their fathers' is a crucial phrase.
Rooted in Covenant
Jeremiah's prophecy highlights that the upcoming exile to Babylon will be an even more devastating experience than the earlier scattering of the northern tribes or the original enslavement in Egypt. Yet, the promise of return emphasizes God's enduring faithfulness, a hope that would resonate deeply with those facing the stark reality of destruction and dispersion.
c. 722 BC
Fall of the Northern Kingdom (Israel)
The Assyrian Empire conquers the northern Kingdom of Israel, scattering its population across their empire. This event serves as a historical precedent for exile.
605 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonian Empire conquer Judah, initiating the first wave of exiles to Babylon. This includes notable figures like Daniel.
597 BC
Second Deportation to Babylon
Following further rebellion, Jerusalem is besieged and conquered again. King Jehoiachin and many prominent citizens are exiled to Babylon.
586 BC— this verse
Destruction of Jerusalem and Temple
The Babylonians utterly destroy Jerusalem, its walls, and the Temple. A final, massive deportation of the remaining population occurs, leaving the land largely desolate.
c. 539 BC
Cyrus the Great Conquers Babylon
The Persian Empire, under Cyrus, overthrows the Babylonian Empire. This shift in power eventually leads to the decree allowing the Jewish exiles to return home.
538 BC
Decree of Return
Cyrus issues a decree permitting the Jewish exiles to return to Judah and rebuild their Temple. This marks the beginning of the return from Babylonian exile.
This verse echoes Jeremiah's language, highlighting the foundational exodus from Egypt as a defining act of God's power. Jeremiah contrasts this past deliverance with a future one that will be even more astounding.
Isaiah 11:11-12Isaiah prophesies a future ingathering of scattered Israel from all directions, directly paralleling Jeremiah's promise of bringing them back 'from all the lands whither he had driven them.'
Ezekiel 36:24This passage speaks of God gathering the exiles from the nations and bringing them back to their own land, a clear fulfillment of the hope found in Jeremiah's prophecy.
Psalm 126:1The psalm vividly describes the joy of returning from exile as being like a dream, a sentiment that resonates deeply with the miraculous nature of the restoration promised by Jeremiah.
clarkeJeremiah 16:15: "But, The LORD liveth, that brought up the children of Israel from the land of the north, and from all the lands whither he had driven them: and I will bring them again into their land that I gave unto their fathers."
The land of the north - Chaldea: and their deliverance thence will be as remarkable as the deliverance of their fathers from the land of Egypt.
calvinJeremiah 16:14-15: "Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that it shall no more be said, The LORD liveth, that brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt;"
But, The LORD liveth, that brought up the children of Israel from the land of the north, and from all the lands whither he had driven them: and I will bring them again into their land that I gave unto their fathers.
Quin potius, vivit Jehova, qui ascendere fecit filios Israel e terra Aquilonis, et ex omni…
This verse highlights a significant shift in how God's faithfulness will be remembered. While the Exodus from Egypt was a monumental act, the future deliverance from the "land of the north" (Babylon and other places of exile) will be so remarkable and so desperately needed that it will overshadow the earlier redemption in the people's minds.
Jeremiah has just declared a severe judgment upon Judah, emphasizing that their sins are so great that even their past deliverance from Egypt will be overshadowed by the coming exile. Now, the prophet shifts to a promise of future restoration, declaring that God will gather His people from the "land of the north" (Babylon and other regions) and bring them back to the land He originally gave to their ancestors. This future return will be an even greater demonstration of God's power than the Exodus from Egypt.
Jeremiah has just declared a severe judgment upon Judah, emphasizing that their sins are so great that even their past deliverance from Egypt will be overshadowed by the coming exile. Now, the prophet shifts to a promise of future restoration, declaring that God will gather His people from the "land of the north" (Babylon and other regions) and bring them back to the land He originally gave to their ancestors. This future return will be an even greater demonstration of God's power than the Exodus from Egypt.
"but ‘As the LORD lives who brought up the people of Israel out of the north country and out of all the countries where he had driven them.’ For I will bring them back to their own land that I gave to their fathers." — This verse highlights a significant shift in how God's faithfulness will be remembered. While the Exodus from Egypt was a monumental act, the future deliverance from the "land of the north" (Babylon…
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Last reviewed October 2026
