Jeremiah 32:40
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This isn't just a promise of divine blessing; it’s a radical re-rooting of obedience. God doesn't just offer favor; He promises to instill His "fear" in hearts, ensuring not just the start of faithfulness, but its unbreakable continuation. This means genuine obedience and perseverance aren't human achievements, but the direct, powerful work of God within us.
I will make with them an everlasting covenant, that I will not turn away from doing good to them. And I will put the fear of me in their hearts, that they may not turn from me.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jeremiah is in prison, having bought a field as a sign of hope for a future return from exile. God reaffirms this promise of restoration, clarifying that while judgment is coming, a new, eternal covenant will be made. This covenant is characterized by God's active presence in their hearts, ensuring their faithfulness, and a perpetual turning towards good, not away from it.
Ever wondered if God's promises are truly secure? Jeremiah 32:40 reveals a covenant so solid, it's built on God's own faithfulness, not ours.
Jeremiah 32:40 introduces a radical shift in God's relationship with His people. Unlike previous covenants that depended on human obedience, this 'everlasting covenant' is fundamentally God's initiative.
God's Unwavering Goodness
This is a promise of security rooted entirely in God's character. It's a covenant where God guarantees His own faithfulness.
The verse mentions 'the fear of me,' but it's not about cowering. Discover how God reshapes our inner selves to ensure we stay close to Him.
The second part of Jeremiah 32:40 explains how this everlasting covenant secures our relationship with God: through an internal transformation.
From External Law to Internal Transformation
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This 'fear' is God's Spirit working within us, making us truly want what He wants, and leading us to persevere in following Him.
Understand the original words
beriyth · Hebrew Noun
A binding, solemn agreement initiated by God, in which He pledges Himself to His people; 'everlasting' implies an eternal, unbreakable commitment.
This profound promise of an everlasting covenant, made during the bleakness of Jerusalem's siege and Jeremiah's imprisonment, was a radical message of hope. It looked beyond the immediate destruction to a future where God's transformative power would secure His people's faithfulness, not through external law alone, but through an internal, divinely-wrought fear and devotion.
c. 586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem and Temple Destruction
The Babylonians, under Nebuchadnezzar II, conquer Judah, destroy Jerusalem and its Temple, and carry many inhabitants into exile.
539 BC
Persian Conquest of Babylon
Cyrus the Great of Persia conquers Babylon, leading to a shift in imperial power and the eventual decree allowing Jewish exiles to return to Jerusalem.
538 BC
Edict of Cyrus
Cyrus issues a decree permitting the Jewish exiles to return to their homeland and rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem, marking the beginning of the return from Babylonian exile.
c. 516 BC
Completion of the Second Temple
The rebuilt Temple in Jerusalem is dedicated, representing a significant moment of restoration and continuity for the Jewish people after their exile.
c. 458 BC
Ezra's Reforms
The scribe Ezra leads a group of exiles back to Jerusalem and institutes religious reforms, emphasizing adherence to the Law and addressing issues of intermarriage.
c. 445 BC
Nehemiah Rebuilds Jerusalem's Walls
Nehemiah returns to Jerusalem and successfully leads the rebuilding of the city walls, a crucial act of fortification and re-establishment for the community.
c. 587 BC - c. 586 BC— this verse
Jeremiah Imprisoned During Siege
Jeremiah is imprisoned in Jerusalem during the final siege by the Babylonians, experiencing firsthand the devastation he prophesied. He later buys a field as a sign of hope for the future.
This passage directly introduces the concept of a 'new covenant' that God will establish, paralleling Jeremiah 32:40's promise of an 'everlasting covenant,' highlighting internal transformation rather than external law.
Ezekiel 36:26-27This prophecy speaks of God giving a new heart and putting His Spirit within His people, directly reflecting Jeremiah 32:40's promise that God will 'put the fear of me in their hearts' so they won't turn away.
Hebrews 8:6-13The New Testament author explicitly references Jeremiah's prophecy of the new covenant, explaining that Christ is the mediator and that God's laws are written on the hearts of believers, fulfilling Jeremiah 32:40's promise of an internal, enduring covenant.
1 Samuel 12:24This verse echoes Jeremiah 32:40 by urging the people to 'serve the Lord with all your heart' and consider 'what great things he has done for you,' emphasizing the responsive heart that fears and obeys God.
Psalm 130:4This psalm beautifully connects God's gracious forgiveness ('With you there is forgiveness') with the response of reverent fear ('that you may be feared'), mirroring Jeremiah 32:40 where God's unchanging goodness is the basis for the fear that keeps people from turning away.
calvinJeremiah 32:40: "And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me."
- Et percutiam (vel, insculpam, feriam) cum ipsis foedus perpetuum, nempe qued non discedam ab ipsis (ad verbum, de post ipsis) ut benefaciam! psis, et timorem mei ponam in cordibus ipsorum, ut non discedant a me.
He pursues the same subject; but the repetition is intended emphatically to recomme…
pooleJeremiah 32:40: "And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me."
This promise manifestly relateth to those Jews that should receive the Lord Jesus Christ, or that were Israelites indeed; for as to others, God did turn away from doing them good, when their city was taken by Titus; unless it be to be understood of a national conversion of the Jews, not yet effected…
This isn't just a promise of divine blessing; it’s a radical re-rooting of obedience. God doesn't just offer favor; He promises to instill His "fear" in hearts, ensuring not just the start of faithfulness, but its unbreakable continuation. This means genuine obedience and perseverance aren't human achievements, but the direct, powerful work of God within us.
Jeremiah is in prison, having bought a field as a sign of hope for a future return from exile. God reaffirms this promise of restoration, clarifying that while judgment is coming, a new, eternal covenant will be made. This covenant is characterized by God's active presence in their hearts, ensuring their faithfulness, and a perpetual turning towards good, not away from it.
Jeremiah is in prison, having bought a field as a sign of hope for a future return from exile. God reaffirms this promise of restoration, clarifying that while judgment is coming, a new, eternal covenant will be made. This covenant is characterized by God's active presence in their hearts, ensuring their faithfulness, and a perpetual turning towards good, not away from it.
"I will make with them an everlasting covenant, that I will not turn away from doing good to them. And I will put the fear of me in their hearts, that they may not turn from me." — This isn't just a promise of divine blessing; it’s a radical re-rooting of obedience. God doesn't just offer favor; He promises to instill His "fear" in hearts, ensuring not just the start of fai…
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Last reviewed October 2026
