Jeremiah 31:27-28
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The word "sow" isn't just about planting crops; here, it vividly paints a picture of God actively multiplying both people and livestock so abundantly that it feels like they're springing from the earth itself. This imagery highlights that God's restoration of Israel and Judah will be a dynamic, almost miraculous, renewal, not just a return to a former state.
“Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah with the seed of man and the seed of beast. And it shall come to pass that as I have watched over them to pluck up and break down, to overthrow, destroy, and bring harm, so I will watch over them to build and to plant, declares the LORD.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This prophecy comes after Jeremiah has described the devastation and exile that the people of Israel and Judah will face due to their sin. He then pivots to a promise of future restoration, assuring them that God will not only bring them back but will also cause them to flourish and multiply abundantly, reversing the barrenness and destruction they have endured. This vision of plentiful people and livestock directly contrasts the emptiness of exile, setting the stage for the even greater covenant of renewal to come.
After years of devastation, exile, and emptiness, the land was left barren. But God's faithfulness paints a different picture of the future.
Jeremiah’s message comes after a long stretch of God’s judgment on Israel and Judah. Their lands were ravaged, people scattered, and livestock decimated.
But in Jeremiah 31:27, God uses a powerful agricultural metaphor to promise restoration. He declares, 'I will sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah with the seed of man and the seed of beast.'
This isn't just about people returning. It's a promise of exceeding multiplication – so much so that it would seem like men and animals were springing directly from the earth, like seeds planted! It’s a divine reset, turning barrenness into abundant life and prosperity for both the people and their resources.
Historically, Israel and Judah were often rivals, suspicious of each other. Yet, God's promise of renewal brings them together.
It's significant that God explicitly mentions both the house of Israel and the house of Judah in this prophecy.
For centuries, these two kingdoms had been divided, often viewing each other with distrust. But God’s future plan, as revealed through Jeremiah, sees them reunited and flourishing together.
This imagery of 'sowing' them implies a shared future and a common prosperity. Their restoration is not just about individual recovery but a corporate renewal that bridges past divisions.
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God’s judgment was severe, but His heart for His people never truly turned away. This promise is a testament to His unwavering commitment.
The contrast between the desolation and the promised 'sowing' emphasizes God's active involvement. He doesn't just passively watch; He acts.
Commentaries note that God likens His future actions to His past judgments: 'As I have watched over them to pluck up and to break down, to overthrow, to destroy, and to bring evil, so I will watch over them to build and to plant' (Jeremiah 1:10).
This promise is a profound declaration of God’s covenant faithfulness. Even after scattering His people, He promises to watch over them with the same diligence to rebuild and replant them, ensuring their growth and well-being.
Understand the original words
YHWH · Hebrew Proper Noun
The covenant name of the one true God of Israel, revealing His eternal self-existence, faithfulness, and personal relationship with His people.
Yisrael · Hebrew Proper Noun
Refers to the covenant community of God's people descended from Jacob, representing the northern kingdom and later encompassing all of God's redeemed people.
Yehudah · Hebrew Proper Noun
The southern kingdom of Israel; in a broader biblical sense, it represents the tribe of Judah from which the Messiah descends, signifying faithfulness to the Davidic covenant.
zara · Hebrew Verb
A metaphorical action denoting the establishment, increase, and restoration of life or blessings in a land or people, often reflecting God's divine provision and activity.
This prophecy speaks of a future restoration after the devastating exile to Babylon. When Jeremiah wrote this, the land was largely empty and laid waste, making the promise of it being 'sown' with people and animals a radical vision of abundant life returning.
c. 722 BC
Fall of Samaria and Fall of Northern Kingdom
The Assyrian Empire conquers the Northern Kingdom of Israel, leading to the deportation of many Israelites and the scattering of the population.
597 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon conquers Jerusalem, exiling King Jehoiachin and a significant portion of the Judean elite and skilled workers to Babylon.
586 BC— this verse
Fall of Jerusalem and Destruction of Temple
The Babylonians destroy Jerusalem and its Temple, leading to a mass exile of Judeans, leaving the land desolate and sparsely populated.
c. 538 BC
Cyrus's Edict and Return from Exile
Following the Babylonian Empire's fall to Persia, Cyrus the Great issues a decree allowing exiled Judeans to return to their homeland and rebuild their Temple.
c. 445 BC
Nehemiah's Reforms
Nehemiah returns to Jerusalem to rebuild the city walls and implement religious and social reforms, further establishing the post-exilic community.
This passage uses the same imagery of sowing and multiplying the land with people and livestock, directly echoing Jeremiah's prophecy of restoration.
Hosea 2:23Hosea prophesies a similar future abundance, referring to 'sowing' the land with 'seed' and receiving mercy, which parallels Jeremiah's promise of a replenished land and people.
Zechariah 10:9Zechariah also describes God's people being 'sown' in nations and multiplying, presenting a future fulfillment of the very restoration Jeremiah foretells.
Genesis 1:28This foundational command for humanity to 'be fruitful and multiply' is being powerfully re-established here, showing God’s faithfulness to His initial creative blessing even after judgment.
Isaiah 26:18While Isaiah speaks of a perceived failure to bring forth inhabitants, Jeremiah's prophecy here directly answers that lack, promising a future where the land *will* be filled with people and beasts, fulfilling God's redemptive plan.
clarkeJeremiah 31:27: "Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah with the seed of man, and with the seed of beast."
I will sow - with the seed of man and with the seed of beast - I will multiply both men and cattle.
pooleJeremiah 31:27: "Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah with the seed of man, and with the seed of beast."
That is, I will exceedingly multiply them, both with men and with cattle: they are now laid waste, their men are destroyed, or gone into other lands, their profitable beasts are destroyed, and killed up; but it shall not be so always, I will again plant them, and there shall be as great plenty of either as if they were sown. The mu…
The word "sow" isn't just about planting crops; here, it vividly paints a picture of God actively multiplying both people and livestock so abundantly that it feels like they're springing from the earth itself. This imagery highlights that God's restoration of Israel and Judah will be a dynamic, almost miraculous, renewal, not just a return to a former state.
This prophecy comes after Jeremiah has described the devastation and exile that the people of Israel and Judah will face due to their sin. He then pivots to a promise of future restoration, assuring them that God will not only bring them back but will also cause them to flourish and multiply abundantly, reversing the barrenness and destruction they have endured. This vision of plentiful people and livestock directly contrasts the emptiness of exile, setting the stage for the even greater covenant of renewal to come.
This prophecy comes after Jeremiah has described the devastation and exile that the people of Israel and Judah will face due to their sin. He then pivots to a promise of future restoration, assuring them that God will not only bring them back but will also cause them to flourish and multiply abundantly, reversing the barrenness and destruction they have endured. This vision of plentiful people and livestock directly contrasts the emptiness of exile, setting the stage for the even greater covenant of renewal to come.
"“Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah with the seed of man and the seed of beast. And it shall come to pass that as I have watched over them to pluck up and break down,…" — The word "sow" isn't just about planting crops; here, it vividly paints a picture of God actively multiplying both people and livestock so abundantly that it feels like they're springing from the ear…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026
