Jeremiah 31:34
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The profound promise here isn't that teaching will cease, but that the need for basic instruction will transform. Instead of constantly needing to be told to know the Lord, everyone will possess an internal, direct knowledge of God, rooted in the incredible reality that He will forgive and forget their sins. This shift is from external instruction to internal revelation, a direct impartation of divine knowledge made possible by God's gracious forgetting of our past.
And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse is the climax of Jeremiah's prophecy about a "new covenant," directly following God's promise to forgive iniquity and remember sins no more. It paints a future where God's relationship with His people is so intimate and direct that external teaching of basic knowledge about Him becomes unnecessary. This radical transformation is rooted in the profound reality of God's forgiveness, which makes this direct, internal knowledge possible for everyone.
Ever felt like you're constantly being told what to believe, but not how to truly know God? Jeremiah 31 speaks of a future where that changes.
The prophet Jeremiah here points to a radical shift in how God's people will relate to Him.
Beyond Repetition
The verse says, "no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD.’" This isn't to say teaching will stop altogether, but it highlights a future where the outward, repetitive instruction ('Know the Lord!') will be less necessary.
Direct Experience
Why? Because "they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest." This points to an internal, personal, and direct experience of God. It's a knowledge that isn't just learned from books or sermons, but is directly imparted by God Himself into the hearts of His people. This was a profound promise for a people who had repeatedly failed to 'know' the Lord despite ample instruction.
What’s the secret ingredient that makes this deep, personal knowledge of God possible? It’s simpler than you might think: it’s all about forgiveness.
Jeremiah 31 doesn't just promise a new way of knowing God; it reveals the bedrock upon which this new relationship is built.
Unburdened Hearts
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The verse continues, "For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.” This isn't an afterthought; it's the reason for the direct knowledge. When our sins are fully forgiven and no longer held against us, the barrier between us and God is removed.
Restored Communion
This complete forgiveness means we don't have to approach God with shame or fear of past failures. We can approach Him with confidence, knowing He sees us as righteous because of His grace. This unhindered access allows for the deep, intimate 'knowing' that the prophet describes. It's the freedom from sin’s penalty that opens the door to genuine relationship.
Understand the original words
yādaʿ · Hebrew Verb
To perceive, recognize, or experience through relational intimacy. In a biblical context, it goes beyond intellectual knowledge to signify a deep, experiential, and covenantal connection between God and His people.
ʿāwōn · Hebrew Noun
A moral offense or violation of God’s law. It carries the nuance of twisting or perverting what is right, signifying a rebellion against God's standards that requires divine atonement.
ḥaṭṭāʾṯ · Hebrew Noun
A missing of the mark or a falling short of God's perfect standard of holiness. It represents both the act of disobedience and the inherent condition of alienation from God.
This prophecy was given during the devastating Babylonian exile, a time when the people of Judah experienced the complete collapse of their political and religious structures. The promise of an internal, profound knowledge of God, rooted in His forgiveness, offered immense hope amidst national ruin and disillusionment with past forms of teaching and ritual.
Late 8th century BC
Assyrian Deportations Begin
The Neo-Assyrian Empire begins deporting populations from conquered territories, disrupting Israelite society and scattering its people.
701 BC
Sennacherib's Invasion of Judah
The Assyrian king Sennacherib invades Judah, conquering many cities and besieging Jerusalem. This event highlights the vulnerability of the Davidic kingdom and the failure of relying on alliances over God.
605 BC
First Babylonian Deportation
Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon conquers Judah, initiating a series of deportations that include many of the elite and skilled individuals, including the prophet Daniel.
597 BC
Second Babylonian Deportation
Babylon deports more Judeans, including King Jehoiachin and the prophet Ezekiel, after a brief rebellion. This further destabilizes the nation and its religious institutions.
587/586 BC— this verse
Fall of Jerusalem and Temple Destruction
The Babylonians under Nebuchadnezzar destroy Jerusalem and its Temple, scattering the remaining population into exile. This is the pivotal catastrophe Jeremiah prophesied.
c. 539 BC
Persian Conquest of Babylon
Cyrus the Great conquers Babylon, paving the way for the return of the Jewish exiles to Jerusalem.
This passage directly quotes Jeremiah 31:34 when explaining the superiority of the New Covenant, emphasizing the internal knowledge of God that replaces external instruction.
John 6:45Jesus echoes the prophet's words, stating that all whom the Father draws to Him will be taught by God, highlighting the divine impartation of knowledge central to Jeremiah's prophecy.
Isaiah 54:13This earlier prophecy from Isaiah shares the theme of God's direct teaching of His children, foreshadowing the intimate and internal knowledge described in Jeremiah.
Ezekiel 36:26This passage from Ezekiel promises a new heart and a new spirit from God, which is the internal foundation for the universal knowledge of God that Jeremiah foretells.
1 John 2:27The Apostle John reassures believers that the anointing they have received from Christ remains in them, teaching them all things, which directly reflects the 'all shall know me' aspect of Jeremiah's prophecy.
calvinJeremiah 31:34: "And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more."
- And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I w…
clarkeJeremiah 31:34: "And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more."
And they shall teach no more - It shall be a time of universal light and knowledge; all shall know God in Christ, from the least to the greatest; the children shall be taught to read the New Covenant, and to u…
The profound promise here isn't that teaching will cease, but that the need for basic instruction will transform. Instead of constantly needing to be told to know the Lord, everyone will possess an internal, direct knowledge of God, rooted in the incredible reality that He will forgive and forget their sins. This shift is from external instruction to internal revelation, a direct impartation of divine knowledge made possible by God's gracious forgetting of our past.
This verse is the climax of Jeremiah's prophecy about a "new covenant," directly following God's promise to forgive iniquity and remember sins no more. It paints a future where God's relationship with His people is so intimate and direct that external teaching of basic knowledge about Him becomes unnecessary. This radical transformation is rooted in the profound reality of God's forgiveness, which makes this direct, internal knowledge possible for everyone.
This verse is the climax of Jeremiah's prophecy about a "new covenant," directly following God's promise to forgive iniquity and remember sins no more. It paints a future where God's relationship with His people is so intimate and direct that external teaching of basic knowledge about Him becomes unnecessary. This radical transformation is rooted in the profound reality of God's forgiveness, which makes this direct, internal knowledge possible for everyone.
"And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember th…" — The profound promise here isn't that teaching will cease, but that the need for basic instruction will transform. Instead of constantly needing to be told to know the Lord, everyone will possess…
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Last reviewed October 2026
