Jeremiah 31:14 Meaning Explained

Jeremiah 31:14

I will feast the soul of the priests with abundance, and my people shall be satisfied with my goodness, declares the LORD.”

English Standard Version (ESV)

This verse highlights a beautiful connection between God's provision for His ministers and His people. The "fatness" the priests receive isn't just about physical food from sacrifices; it represents a rich spiritual abundance, a foretaste of the "goodness" that will fully satisfy everyone.

What Jeremiah 31:14 means

This promise of abundant satisfaction, directly following God's assurance of gathering and restoring His people, paints a picture of a future filled with spiritual nourishment and blessing. It speaks to a time after exile and sorrow, where the restored community, including their spiritual leaders, will experience God's generous provision and joy. This renewed covenant relationship ensures that both priests and people will be deeply satisfied with God's goodness, contrasting sharply with their past suffering and lack.

Priests Fed by Sacrifice

Imagine the temple after a great festival – overflowing with the best of offerings. What does this say about God's provision for His servants?

A Generous Portion for God's Servants

This verse paints a vivid picture of God's abundant provision, starting with those who served Him directly: the priests.

Feast of Fatness

The "fatness" mentioned refers to the rich, fatty portions of the sacrifices offered to God. Under the Law, these portions were set aside for the priests as their rightful share (Leviticus 7:31-34). When Jeremiah speaks of the priests being "satiated with fatness," it signifies a time of immense prosperity and blessing, where the sacrifices were so numerous that the priests had more than enough.

This wasn't just about filling their stomachs; it was a tangible sign of God's favor and a restored relationship with Him, especially after periods of exile and hardship where such practices were disrupted.

Spiritual Nourishment

While rooted in the Old Testament sacrificial system, this imagery also points to a deeper spiritual reality. For the priests, and later for all believers who are also considered priests in God's kingdom, true satisfaction comes from God Himself. This "fatness" can be understood metaphorically as the rich spiritual nourishment found in communion with God and in understanding His goodness.

God's Goodness Satisfies the People

Beyond the priests, God promises satisfaction for His entire people. What does it mean to be truly 'satisfied' by God's goodness?

The Wellspring of True Contentment

The promise doesn't stop with the priests; it extends to all of God's people.

Abundant Goodness

"My people shall be satisfied with my goodness." This goodness isn't just a fleeting feeling; it's the very essence of God's character and His abundant blessings. It speaks to a deep, soul-level contentment that only He can provide.

Understand the original words

Original language

priestsכֹּהֵן

kohen · Hebrew Noun

Those consecrated to serve in God's presence, perform sacrifices, and act as mediators between God and the people.

Historical context

Written: Late 7th to early 6th century BC
Author: The prophet Jeremiah, traditionally understood, though some scholars suggest possible additions or redactions by scribes.
Location: Written from Jerusalem during the final decades of the Kingdom of Judah, likely before the Babylonian exile.
Genre: Prophetic literature, characterized by vivid imagery and oracles of judgment and restoration.

Historical background

This prophecy of abundance for priests and people is deeply rooted in the experience of exile and return, painting a picture of restored worship and God's generous provision after a time of profound loss and deprivation.

c. 587-586 BC
Destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple
The Babylonians conquer Jerusalem, destroy Solomon's Temple, and deport much of the population, leading to a loss of temple worship and the priests' livelihood.
c. 539 BC
Cyrus the Great's Conquest of Babylon
The Persian Empire under Cyrus conquers Babylon, opening the door for the Jewish exiles to return to their homeland.
538 BC
Edict of Cyrus Allows Return
Cyrus issues a decree permitting the exiled Jews to return to Jerusalem and rebuild their Temple, marking the beginning of the Second Temple period.
516 BC
Completion of the Second Temple
The rebuilding of the Temple is completed and rededicated, allowing for the restoration of sacrificial worship and the priests' roles.
c. 515 BC

Key themes

01Divine provision and satisfaction
02Priestly and people's joy
03God's enduring goodness

Cross-references

Leviticus 7:34

This passage explains the priest's portion of sacrifices, specifically the breast and shoulder, which relates directly to the 'fatness' mentioned in Jeremiah 31:14 as a source of priestly provision.

Isaiah 66:22

This verse speaks of a new heaven and new earth, where God's people will be satisfied with goodness, echoing the promise of abundant satisfaction found in Jeremiah 31:14.

Matthew 2:16-18

While a fulfillment of a different part of Jeremiah's prophecy concerning Rachel weeping, this passage highlights the sorrow that can surround God's people, providing a contrast to the joy and satisfaction promised in Jeremiah 31:14.

1 Corinthians 9:13-14

This New Testament passage draws a parallel between Old Testament temple workers and those who preach the gospel, stating that those who proclaim the gospel should live from the gospel, reflecting the principle of provision for spiritual leaders seen in Jeremiah 31:14.

Psalm 36:8

This psalm speaks of being 'abundantly satisfied with the goodness of God's house and drinking from the river of His delights, which directly parallels the theme of people being satisfied with God's goodness as promised in Jeremiah 31:14.

Scholarly commentary

Jeremiah 31:14: "And I will satiate the soul of the priests with fatness, and my people shall be satisfied with my goodness, saith the LORD."

And I will satiate the soul of the priests - The worship of God being restored, they shall have their proper share of the victims brought to the temple.
clarke

Jeremiah 31:14: "And I will satiate the soul of the priests with fatness, and my people shall be satisfied with my goodness, saith the LORD."

By priests some understand the ministers of the gospel, whom God here promiseth liberally to provide for; or rather, by giving a success to their ministry, and letting them see the fruit of their labours, make to rejoice: in which metaphorical sense I should rather interpret it, applying it first to the priests of the Jews after the captivity, of whom it…
poole

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What Jeremiah 31:14 means

Historical context

Written: Late 7th to early 6th century BC
Author: The prophet Jeremiah, traditionally understood, though some scholars suggest possible additions or redactions by scribes.
Location: Written from Jerusalem during the final decades of the Kingdom of Judah, likely before the Babylonian exile.
Genre: Prophetic literature, characterized by vivid imagery and oracles of judgment and restoration.

Historical background

c. 587-586 BC

Destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple

The Babylonians conquer Jerusalem, destroy Solomon's Temple, and deport much of the population, leading to a loss of temple worship and the priests' livelihood.

c. 539 BC

Cyrus the Great's Conquest of Babylon

The Persian Empire under Cyrus conquers Babylon, opening the door for the Jewish exiles to return to their homeland.

538 BC

Edict of Cyrus Allows Return

Cyrus issues a decree permitting the exiled Jews to return to Jerusalem and rebuild their Temple, marking the beginning of the Second Temple period.

516 BC

Completion of the Second Temple

The rebuilding of the Temple is completed and rededicated, allowing for the restoration of sacrificial worship and the priests' roles.

c. 515 BC