Jeremiah 31:16

Amplified Bible

Thus says the LORD, "Restrain your voice from weeping And your eyes from tears, For your work will be rewarded," says the LORD; "And your children will return from the enemy's land.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
This is what the Lord says:

Hebrew Names Version
Thus says the LORD: Refrain your voice from weeping, and your eyes from tears; for your work shall be rewarded, says the LORD; and they shall come again from the land of the enemy.

King James Version
Thus saith the Lord ; Refrain thy voice from weeping, and thine eyes from tears: for thy work shall be rewarded, saith the Lord ; and they shall come again from the land of the enemy.

English Standard Version
Thus says the Lord : "Keep your voice from weeping, and your eyes from tears, for there is a reward for your work, declares the Lord , and they shall come back from the land of the enemy.

New American Standard Bible
This is what the LORD says: "Restrain your voice from weeping And your eyes from tears; For your work will be rewarded," declares the LORD, "And they will return from the land of the enemy.

New Century Version
But this is what the Lord says: "Stop crying; don't let your eyes fill with tears. You will be rewarded for your work!" says the Lord . "The people will return from their enemy's land.

World English Bible
Thus says Yahweh: Refrain your voice from weeping, and your eyes from tears; for your work shall be rewarded, says Yahweh; and they shall come again from the land of the enemy.

Geneva Bible (1587)
Thus saith the Lorde, Refraine thy voyce from weeping, and thine eyes from teares: for thy worke shalbe rewarded, saith the Lord, and they shall come againe from the land of the enemie:

Legacy Standard Bible
Thus says Yahweh,"Restrain your voice from weepingAnd your eyes from tears,For your work will be rewarded," declares Yahweh,"And they will return from the land of the enemy.

Berean Standard Bible
This is what the LORD says: "Keep your voice from weeping and your eyes from tears, for the reward for your work will come, declares the LORD. Then your children will return from the land of the enemy.

Contemporary English Version
But I, the Lord , say to dry your tears. Someday your children will come home from the enemy's land. Then all you have done for them will be greatly rewarded.

Complete Jewish Bible
so there is hope for your future," says Adonai . "Your children will return to their own territory.

Darby Translation
Thus saith Jehovah: Refrain thy voice from weeping, and thine eyes from tears; for there is a reward for thy work, saith Jehovah; and they shall come again from the land of the enemy.

Easy-to-Read Version
But the Lord says, "Stop crying. Don't fill your eyes with tears. You will be rewarded for your work." This message is from the Lord . "The people of Israel will come back from their enemy's land.

George Lamsa Translation
Thus says the LORD: Restrain your voice from weeping and your eyes from tears; for there is a reward for your tears, says the LORD; and the people shall return from the land of the enemy.

Good News Translation
Stop your crying and wipe away your tears. All that you have done for your children will not go unrewarded; they will return from the enemy's land.

Lexham English Bible
Thus says Yahweh: "Restrain your voice from weeping, and your eyes from tears, for there is a reward for your work," declares Yahweh, "and they will return from the land of the enemy.

Literal Translation
So says Jehovah, Hold back your voice from weeping, and your eyes from tears. For there will be a reward for your work, says Jehovah, and they shall come again from the land of the enemy.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
But now saieth the LORDE: leaue of from wepynge and crienge, witholde thyne eyes from teares, for thy laboure shalbe rewarded, saieth the LORDE. And they shall come agayne out of the londe of their enemies:

American Standard Version
Thus saith Jehovah: Refrain thy voice from weeping, and thine eyes from tears; for thy work shall be rewarded, saith Jehovah; and they shall come again from the land of the enemy.

Bible in Basic English
The Lord has said this: Keep your voice from sorrow and your eyes from weeping: for your work will be rewarded, says the Lord; and they will come back from the land of their hater.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
And there is hope for thy future, saith the LORD; and thy children shall return to their own border.

King James Version (1611)
Thus saith the Lord; Refraine thy voice from weeping, and thine eyes from teares: for thy worke shall be rewarded, saith the Lord, and they shall come againe from the land of the enemie.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
But nowe saith the Lorde, leaue of from weepyng and crying, withholde thine eyes from teares: for thy labour shalbe rewarded saith the Lorde, and they shall come agayne out of the lande of their enemies.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
The day of Moab is near at hand, and his iniquity moves swiftly to vengeance.

English Revised Version
Thus saith the LORD: Refrain thy voice from weeping, and thine eyes from tears: for thy work shall be rewarded, saith the LORD; and they shall come again from the land of the enemy.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
The Lord seith these thingis, Thi vois reste of wepyng, and thin iyen reste of teeres; for whi mede is to thi werk, seith the Lord; and thei schulen turne ayen fro the lond of the enemy.

Update Bible Version
Thus says Yahweh: Refrain your voice from weeping, and your eyes from tears; for your work shall be rewarded, says Yahweh; and they shall come again from the land of the enemy.

Webster's Bible Translation
Thus saith the LORD; Refrain thy voice from weeping, and thy eyes from tears: for thy work shall be rewarded, saith the LORD; and they shall come again from the land of the enemy.

New English Translation
The Lord says to her, "Stop crying! Do not shed any more tears! For your heartfelt repentance will be rewarded. Your children will return from the land of the enemy. I, the Lord , affirm it!

New King James Version
Thus says the LORD: "Refrain your voice from weeping, And your eyes from tears; For your work shall be rewarded, says the LORD, And they shall come back from the land of the enemy.

New Living Translation
But now this is what the Lord says: "Do not weep any longer, for I will reward you," says the Lord . "Your children will come back to you from the distant land of the enemy.

New Life Bible
The Lord says, "Keep your voice from crying and your eyes from tears. For you will receive pay for your work," says the Lord. "They will return from the land of those who hate them.

New Revised Standard
Thus says the Lord : Keep your voice from weeping, and your eyes from tears; for there is a reward for your work, says the Lord : they shall come back from the land of the enemy;

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Thus, saith Yahweh - Restrain thy voice from weeping, And thine eyes from tears, - For there is a reward for thy labour, Declareth Yahweh, So they shall return from the land of the enemy:

Douay-Rheims Bible
Thus saith the Lord: Let thy voice cease from weeping, and thy eyes tears: for there is a reward for thy work, saith the Lord: and they shall return out of the land of the enemy.

Revised Standard Version
Thus says the LORD: "Keep your voice from weeping, and your eyes from tears; for your work shall be rewarded, says the LORD, and they shall come back from the land of the enemy.

Young's Literal Translation
Thus said Jehovah: Withhold thy voice from weeping, and thine eyes from tears, For there is a reward for thy work, An affirmation of Jehovah, And they have turned back from the land of the enemy.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Thus says the LORD, "Restrain your voice from weeping And your eyes from tears; For your work will be rewarded," declares the LORD, "And they will return from the land of the enemy.

Contextual Overview

¹⁰Hear the word of the LORD, O you nations, And declare it in the isles and coastlands far away, And say, "He who scattered Israel will gather him And will keep him as a shepherd keeps his flock." ¹¹For the LORD has ransomed Jacob And has redeemed him from the hand of him who was stronger than he. ¹²"They will come and sing aloud and shout for joy on the height of Zion, And will be radiant [with joy] over the goodness of the LORD— For the grain, for the new wine, for the oil, And for the young of the flock and the herd. And their life will be like a watered garden, And they shall never sorrow or languish again. ¹³"Then the virgin will rejoice in the dance, And the young men and old, together, For I will turn their mourning into joy And will comfort them and make them rejoice after their sorrow. ¹⁴"I will fully satisfy the soul of the priests with abundance, And My people will be satisfied with My goodness," says the LORD. ¹⁵Thus says the LORD, "A voice is heard in Ramah, Lamentation (songs of mourning) and bitter weeping. Rachel (Israel) is weeping for her children; She refuses to be comforted for her children, Because they are gone." ¹⁶Thus says the LORD, "Restrain your voice from weeping And your eyes from tears, For your work will be rewarded," says the LORD; "And your children will return from the enemy's land.¹⁷"There is [confident] hope for your future," says the LORD; "Your children will come back to their own country.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Refrain: Genesis 43:31, Genesis 45:1, Psalms 30:5, Mark 5:38, Mark 5:39, John 20:13-15, 1 Thessalonians 4:14

for: Ruth 2:12, 2 Chronicles 15:7, Ecclesiastes 9:7, Hebrews 6:10, Hebrews 11:6

they: Jeremiah 31:4, Jeremiah 31:5, Jeremiah 23:3, Jeremiah 29:14, Jeremiah 30:3, Jeremiah 30:18, Jeremiah 33:7, Jeremiah 33:11, Ezra 1:5-11, Ezekiel 11:17, Ezekiel 11:18, Ezekiel 20:41, Ezekiel 20:42, Hosea 1:11

Reciprocal: Jeremiah 30:5 - a voice Matthew 5:4 - General Luke 7:13 - Weep not Revelation 5:5 - Weep

Cross-References

Genesis 31:9
"Thus God has taken away the flocks of your father and given them to me.

Psalms 45:10
Hear, O daughter, consider and incline your ear [to my instruction]: Forget your people and your father's house;

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Thus saith the Lord, refrain thy voice from weeping, and thine eyes from tears,.... Though sorrow on such an occasion may be lawfully indulged, yet it ought to be moderated; and attention should be given to those things which may serve to relieve under it, and especially when they come from the Lord himself; then a stop is to be put to the mournful voice, and wet eyes are to be dried up:

for thy work shall be rewarded, saith the Lord; in bearing these children, and bringing them into the world, and expressing such an affectionate and tender concern for them; signifying, that the trouble of bearing and bringing them into the world, and nursing them the time they did live, should not, as it might seem, be fruitless, and to answer no end; but it should be seen hereafter, that all this was not in vain; nor should they think it so; but that they have an ample recompense of all their sorrow and trouble:

and they shall come again from the land of the enemy; meaning either Joseph, and Mary, and Jesus; who, by the warning of an angel, went into Egypt, the land of the enemy, where the Jewish fathers were once evilly entreated, just before this barbarity was committed; where they stayed till all danger was over, and then returned; see Matthew 2:13; compared with Hosea 11:1; or rather the murdered children, who, in the resurrection morn, shall return from the grave, the land of that "last enemy", death, which shall be destroyed, 1 Corinthians 15:26; and so Rachel, and the Jewish mothers she represents, are comforted with the hopes of a better resurrection; see Hebrews 11:35.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The religious character of the restoration of the ten tribes. Chastisement brought repentance, and with it forgiveness; therefore God decrees their restoration.

Jeremiah 31:15

Ramah, mentioned because of its nearness to Jerusalem, from which it was distant about five miles. As the mother of three tribes, Benjamin, Ephraim, and Manasseh, Rachel is regarded as the mother of the whole ten. This passage is quoted by Matthew (marginal reference) as a type. In Jeremiah it is a poetical figure representing in a dramatic form the miserable condition of the kingdom of Ephraim devastated by the sword of the Assyrians.

Jeremiah 31:16

Rachel’s work had been that of bearing and bringing up children, and by their death she was deprived of the joy for which she had labored: but by their being restored to her she will receive her wages.

Jeremiah 31:17

In thine end - i. e., for thy time to come (see the Jeremiah 29:11 note).

Jeremiah 31:18

As a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke - literally, like an untaught calf. Compare the Hosea 10:11 note. Ephraim, like an untrained steer, had resisted Yahweh’s will.

Jeremiah 31:19

After that I was turned - i. e., after I had turned away from Thee. In Jeremiah 31:18 it has the sense of turning to God.

Instructed - Brought to my senses by suffering. The smiting upon the thigh is a sign of sorrow. Compare Ezekiel 21:17.

The reproach of my youth - i. e., the shame brought upon me by sins of my youth.

Jeremiah 31:20

Moved to compassion by Ephraim’s lamentation, Yahweh shows Himself as tender and ready to forgive as parents are their spoiled (rather, darling) child.

For ... him - Or, “that so often as I speak concerning him,” i. e., his punishment.

My bowels are troubled - The metaphor expresses the most tender internal emotion.

Jeremiah 31:21

Waymarks - See 2 Kings 23:17 note.

High heaps - Or, signposts, pillars to point out the way.

Set thine heart - Not set thy affection, but turn thy thoughts and attention (in Hebrew the heart is the seat of the intellect) to the highway, even the way by which thou wentest.

Jeremiah 31:22

Israel instead of setting itself to return hesitates, and goes here and there in a restless mood. To encourage it God gives the sign following.

A woman shall compass a man - i. e., the female shall protect the strong man; the weaker nature that needs help will surround the stronger with loving and fostering care. This expresses a new relation of Israel to the Lord, a new covenant, which the Lord will make with His people (Jeremiah 31:31 following). The fathers saw in these words a prophecy of the miraculous conception of our Lord by the Virgin.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Jeremiah 31:16. They shall come again from the land of the enemy. — This could not be said of the murdered innocents at Bethlehem; they never came again; but the Jews, who had gone into captivity, did come again from the land of their enemy to their own border.