Jeremiah 31:20
Is Ephraim my dear son? Is he my darling child? For as often as I speak against him, I do remember him still. Therefore my heart yearns for him; I will surely have mercy on him, declares the LORD.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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This verse isn't just God asking a rhetorical question; it's him sounding his own heart, wondering if this wayward child, Ephraim, could truly still be his "dear son" and "pleasant child." The surprising answer lies in the phrase "for as often as I speak against him, I do remember him still"—meaning that even in the midst of his pronouncements of judgment, God's affection was so deep that he couldn't stop remembering Ephraim with love.
God, speaking directly through the prophet, addresses the northern kingdom of Israel, referred to here as Ephraim. Despite their repeated sin and the punishments God has sent, He expresses a deep, parental affection that yearns for their return. This verse is part of a larger section where God laments over Israel's waywardness but ultimately promises restoration and a new covenant, making this tender confession of love the turning point.
Does God really see Ephraim as 'dear' and 'pleasant' after all his rebellion? The way Jeremiah phrases these questions shifts our perspective entirely.
The questions "Is Ephraim my dear son? Is he my darling child?" might sound like God is questioning Ephraim's status. But the context and the language here suggest the opposite.
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God speaks harsh words of judgment against Ephraim, yet His heart is not turned away. How can this be?
The phrase 'for as often as I speak against him, I do remember him still' reveals a profound truth about God's discipline.
When God's people finally turn back, His internal response is immediate and overwhelming. What does this visceral reaction tell us?
The verse culminates in God's profound emotional response: 'Therefore my heart yearns for him; I will surely have mercy on him.'
Understand the original words
hamah · Hebrew Verb
The deep, intense, emotional longing or compassion of God for His people, often described with the imagery of bowels or inward parts being stirred with love.
racham · Hebrew Verb
God’s unmerited favor and compassionate response to the misery or plight of His people, where He chooses to withhold the judgment they deserve and instead show them grace.
This verse emerges from the backdrop of the Northern Kingdom's (Ephraim) exile and the Southern Kingdom's (Judah) own experience of Babylonian captivity. God's words here reveal His unwavering paternal love that persists even through His people's sin and His own necessary judgment, ultimately pointing to His compassionate restoration of a repentant people.
c. 734–721 BC
Assyrian Conquest of Israel
The Neo-Assyrian Empire, under rulers like Tiglath-Pileser III and Shalmaneser V, progressively conquered the Northern Kingdom of Israel (often referred to as Ephraim). This led to multiple deportations of the population.
c. 721 BC
Fall of Samaria
The capital city of Samaria fell to the Assyrians, marking the end of the independent Northern Kingdom of Israel. The remaining population was deported, and foreign peoples were resettled in the land.
c. 597 BC
First Babylonian Deportation
King Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon deported a significant portion of Judah's elite, including King Jehoiachin, to Babylon. This event set the stage for the eventual destruction of Jerusalem.
c. 586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem and Second Deportation
Jerusalem was destroyed by the Babylonians, and the Temple was razed. The majority of the remaining Judean population was exiled to Babylon, ending the Davidic monarchy.
c. 538 BC
Cyrus's Edict and Return from Exile
Cyrus the Great of Persia conquered Babylon and issued a decree allowing the Judean exiles to return to their homeland and rebuild the Temple.
c. 458 BC
Ezra's Reforms
Ezra, a priest and scribe, led another group of exiles back to Jerusalem. He implemented significant religious and social reforms aimed at restoring the Law and covenant faithfulness.
c. 445 BC
Nehemiah's Reconstruction of Jerusalem
Nehemiah, a Jewish official in the Persian court, led the effort to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, facing considerable opposition and social challenges within the returned community.
This parable of the Prodigal Son powerfully echoes Jeremiah's depiction of God's fatherly yearning and compassion for a wayward child who returns, mirroring the deep affection and readiness to forgive described in Jeremiah 31:20.
Hosea 11:8-9Similar to Jeremiah 31:20, this passage reveals God's internal conflict between judgment and mercy, emphasizing His deep-seated love and reluctance to completely destroy Ephraim despite their sin.
Romans 8:28-39This passage assures believers that nothing can separate them from God's love, a profound truth that resonates with the unwavering affection God expresses for Ephraim, even after speaking against him.
Isaiah 49:14-16Here, Zion asks if God has forgotten her, and God responds with images of a mother's unforgetting love, paralleling Jeremiah 31:20's theme of God's enduring, internal affection that yearns for His people.
clarkeJeremiah 31:20: "Is Ephraim my dear son? is he a pleasant child? for since I spake against him, I do earnestly remember him still: therefore my bowels are troubled for him; I will surely have mercy upon him, saith the LORD."
Is Ephraim my dear son? - It is impossible to conceive any thing more tenderly affectionate than this. Let us consider the whole account. The ten tribes, called here Ephraim, for the reason before alleged, are represented as acknowledging their sins. I have heard Ephraim be…
calvinJeremiah 31:20: "Is Ephraim my dear son? is he a pleasant child? for since I spake against him, I do earnestly remember him still: therefore my bowels are troubled for him; I will surely have mercy upon him, saith the LORD."
- An filius pretiosus mihi Ephraim? an filius oblectationum? tamen ex quo tempore loquutus sum de eo, recordando recordabor filius ('zkrnv, vel, quia a termpore loquutus sum cum eo, reeordando recordabor illius; dicemus postea de sensu) propterea sonuerunt viscera mea ill…
This verse isn't just God asking a rhetorical question; it's him sounding his own heart, wondering if this wayward child, Ephraim, could truly still be his "dear son" and "pleasant child." The surprising answer lies in the phrase "for as often as I speak against him, I do remember him still"—meaning that even in the midst of his pronouncements of judgment, God's affection was so deep that he couldn't stop remembering Ephraim with love.
God, speaking directly through the prophet, addresses the northern kingdom of Israel, referred to here as Ephraim. Despite their repeated sin and the punishments God has sent, He expresses a deep, parental affection that yearns for their return. This verse is part of a larger section where God laments over Israel's waywardness but ultimately promises restoration and a new covenant, making this tender confession of love the turning point.
God, speaking directly through the prophet, addresses the northern kingdom of Israel, referred to here as Ephraim. Despite their repeated sin and the punishments God has sent, He expresses a deep, parental affection that yearns for their return. This verse is part of a larger section where God laments over Israel's waywardness but ultimately promises restoration and a new covenant, making this tender confession of love the turning point.
"Is Ephraim my dear son? Is he my darling child? For as often as I speak against him, I do remember him still. Therefore my heart yearns for him; I will surely have mercy on him,…" — This verse isn't just God asking a rhetorical question; it's him sounding his own heart, wondering if this wayward child, Ephraim, could truly still be his "dear son" and "pleasant child." The surp…
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