Jeremiah 31:8

Complete Jewish Bible

They will come weeping and praying as I bring them back. I will lead them by streams of water on smooth paths, so that they won't stumble. For I am a father to Isra'el, and Efrayim is my firstborn son."

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Watch! I am going to bring them from the northern land.I will gather them from remote regions of the earth—the blind and the lame will be with them,along with those who are pregnant and those about to give birth.They will return here as a great assembly!

Hebrew Names Version
Behold, I will bring them from the north country, and gather them from the uttermost parts of the eretz, [and] with them the blind and the lame, the woman with child and her who travails with child together: a great company shall they return here.

King James Version
Behold, I will bring them from the north country, and gather them from the coasts of the earth, and with them the blind and the lame, the woman with child and her that travaileth with child together: a great company shall return thither.

English Standard Version
Behold, I will bring them from the north country and gather them from the farthest parts of the earth, among them the blind and the lame, the pregnant woman and she who is in labor, together; a great company, they shall return here.

New American Standard Bible
"Behold, I am bringing them from the north country, And I will gather them from the remote parts of the earth, Among them those who are blind and those who limp, The pregnant woman and she who is in labor, together; They will return here as a great assembly.

New Century Version
Look, I will soon bring Israel from the country in the north, and I will gather them from the faraway places on earth. Some of the people are blind and crippled. Some of the women are pregnant, and some are ready to give birth. A great many people will come back.

Amplified Bible
"Behold, I am bringing them from the north country, And I will gather them from the remote parts of the earth, Among them [will be] the blind and the lame, The woman with child and she who labors in childbirth, together; A great company, they will return here [to Jerusalem].

World English Bible
Behold, I will bring them from the north country, and gather them from the uttermost parts of the earth, [and] with them the blind and the lame, the woman with child and her who travails with child together: a great company shall they return here.

Geneva Bible (1587)
Beholde, I will bring them from the North countrey, and gather them from the coastes of the world, with the blinde & the lame among them, with the woman with childe, and her that is deliuered also: a great companie shall returne hither.

Legacy Standard Bible
Behold, I am bringing them from the north country,And I will gather them from the remote parts of the earth,Among them the blind and the lame,The woman with child and she who is in labor with child, together;A great assembly, they will return here.

Berean Standard Bible
Behold, I will bring them from the land of the north and gather them from the farthest parts of the earth, including the blind and the lame, expectant mothers and women in labor. They will return as a great assembly!

Contemporary English Version
I, the Lord , will bring my people back from Babylonia and everywhere else on earth. The blind and the lame will be there. Expectant mothers and women about to give birth will come and be part of that great crowd.

Darby Translation
Behold, I bring them from the north country, and gather them from the uttermost parts of the earth; [and] among them the blind and the lame, the woman with child and her that travaileth with child together: a great assemblage shall they return hither.

Easy-to-Read Version
Remember, I will bring Israel from that country in the north. I will gather the people of Israel from the faraway places on earth. Some of the people will be blind and crippled. Some of the women will be pregnant and ready to give birth. But many people will come back.

George Lamsa Translation
Behold, I will bring them from the north land, and gather them from the uttermost parts of the earth, and also the lame and the blind who are among them, the woman with child and her that is in travail together; a great company shall they return here.

Good News Translation
I will bring them from the north and gather them from the ends of the earth. The blind and the lame will come with them, pregnant women and those about to give birth. They will come back a great nation.

Lexham English Bible
Look, I am going to bring them from the land of the north, and I will gather them from the remotest part of the earth. Among them the blind, and the lame, those who are pregnant, and those who give birth, together, a great assembly, they will return here.

Literal Translation
Behold! I will bring them from the north country, and gather them from the recesses of the earth. Among them the blind, and the lame, the pregnant one, and the travailing one together, a great company shall return here.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Beholde, I will bringe them agayne from out of the north lode, and gather them from the endes of the worlde, with the blynde and lame that are amonge them, with the women that be greate with childe, and soch as be also delyuered: and the company of them that come agayne, shal be greate.

American Standard Version
Behold, I will bring them from the north country, and gather them from the uttermost parts of the earth, and with them the blind and the lame, the woman with child and her that travaileth with child together: a great company shall they return hither.

Bible in Basic English
See, I will take them from the north country, and get them from the inmost parts of the earth, and with them the blind and the feeble-footed, the woman with child and her who is in birth-pains together: a very great army, they will come back here.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
They shall come with weeping, and with supplications will I lead them; I will cause them to walk by rivers of waters, in a straight way wherein they shall not stumble; for I am become a father to Israel, and Ephraim is My first-born.

King James Version (1611)
Behold, I will bring them from the North countrey, and gather them from the coasts of the earth, and with them the blind and the lame, the woman with child, and her that trauelleth with child together, a great company shall returne thither.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Beholde, I wyll bryng them agayne from out of the north lande, and gather them from the endes of the worlde, with the blynde & lame that are among them, with the women that be great with chylde, & such as be also deliuered: and the companie of them that come agayne shalbe great.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And destruction shall come upon every city, it shall by no means escape; the valley also shall perish, and the plain country shall be completely destroyed, as the Lord has said.

English Revised Version
Behold, I will bring them from the north country, and gather them from the uttermost parts of the earth, and with them the blind and the lame, the woman with child and her that travaileth with child together: a great company shall they return hither.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Lo! Y schal brynge hem fro the loond of the north, and Y schal gadere hem fro the fertheste partis of erthe; among whiche schulen be a blynd man, and crokid, and a womman with childe, and trauelynge of child togidere, a greet cumpeny of hem that schulen turne ayen hidur.

Update Bible Version
Look, I will bring them from the north country, and gather them from the uttermost parts of the earth, [and] with them the blind and the lame, the pregnant woman and her that travails with child together: a great company they shall return here.

Webster's Bible Translation
Behold, I will bring them from the north country, and gather them from the borders of the earth, [and] with them the blind and the lame, the woman with child and her that travaileth with child together: a great company shall return thither.

New English Translation
Then I will reply, ‘I will bring them back from the land of the north. I will gather them in from the distant parts of the earth. Blind and lame people will come with them, so will pregnant women and women about to give birth. A vast throng of people will come back here.

New King James Version
Behold, I will bring them from the north country, And gather them from the ends of the earth, Among them the blind and the lame, The woman with child And the one who labors with child, together; A great throng shall return there.

New Living Translation
For I will bring them from the north and from the distant corners of the earth. I will not forget the blind and lame, the expectant mothers and women in labor. A great company will return!

New Life Bible
See, I am bringing them from the north country. And I will gather them from the farthest parts of the earth. Among them will be the blind and those who cannot walk, the woman with child and she who is giving birth, together. Many people will return here.

New Revised Standard
See, I am going to bring them from the land of the north, and gather them from the farthest parts of the earth, among them the blind and the lame, those with child and those in labor, together; a great company, they shall return here.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Behold me bringing them in out of the land of the North, And I will gather them out of the remote parts of the earth, Among them, the blind and the lame The woman with child and she that giveth birth, together, - A great convocation, shall return hither:

Douay-Rheims Bible
Behold I will bring them from the north country, and will gather them from the ends of the earth and among them shall be the blind, and the lame, the woman with child, and she that is bringing forth, together, a great company of them returning hither.

Revised Standard Version
Behold, I will bring them from the north country, and gather them from the farthest parts of the earth, among them the blind and the lame, the woman with child and her who is in travail, together; a great company, they shall return here.

Young's Literal Translation
Lo, I am bringing them in from the north country, And have gathered them from the sides of the earth, Among them [are] blind and lame, Conceiving and travailing one -- together, A great assembly -- they turn back hither.

THE MESSAGE
"Watch what comes next: "I'll bring my people back from the north country And gather them up from the ends of the earth, gather those who've gone blind And those who are lame and limping, gather pregnant women, Even the mothers whose birth pangs have started, bring them all back, a huge crowd!

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"Behold, I am bringing them from the north country, And I will gather them from the remote parts of the earth, Among them the blind and the lame, The woman with child and she who is in labor with child, together; A great company, they will return here.

Contextual Overview

¹ Here is what Adonai says: "The people escaping the sword found favor in the desert — I have brought Isra'el to its rest." ² From a distance Adonai appeared to me, [saying,] "I love you with an everlasting love; this is why in my grace I draw you to me. ³ Once again, I will build you; you will be rebuilt, virgin of Isra'el. Once again, equipped with your tambourines, you will go out and dance with the merrymakers. ⁴ Once again, you will plant vineyards on the hills of Shomron, and those doing the planting will have the use of its fruit. ⁵ For a day will come when the watchmen on Mount Efrayim will call, ‘Come, let's go up to Tziyon, to Adonai our God.'" ⁶ For here is what Adonai says: "Sing with joy for Ya‘akov! shout for the chief of the nations! Proclaim your praise, and say: ‘ Adonai ! You have saved your people, the remnant of Isra'el!' ⁷ Look! I am bringing them from the land in the north, gathering them from the far ends of the earth; among them are the blind and lame, women with children, women in labor, all together, a vast throng returning here. ⁸ They will come weeping and praying as I bring them back. I will lead them by streams of water on smooth paths, so that they won't stumble. For I am a father to Isra'el, and Efrayim is my firstborn son." ⁹ Nations, hear the word of Adonai ! Proclaim it in the coastlands far away. Say: "He who scattered Isra'el is gathering him, guarding him like a shepherd his flock."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

I: Jeremiah 3:12, Jeremiah 23:8, Jeremiah 29:14, Psalms 107:3, Zechariah 2:6

the coasts: Psalms 65:5, Psalms 98:3, Isaiah 43:6, Isaiah 45:22, Isaiah 52:10, Ezekiel 20:34, Ezekiel 20:41, Ezekiel 34:13

them the: Isaiah 40:11, Isaiah 42:16, Ezekiel 34:16, Micah 4:6, Zephaniah 3:19, Matthew 12:20, John 21:15, 1 Corinthians 8:10, 1 Thessalonians 5:14, Hebrews 4:15, Hebrews 12:12

Reciprocal: Numbers 10:33 - went before Ezra 3:12 - wept Ezra 8:21 - afflict ourselves Psalms 23:3 - leadeth Psalms 126:1 - turned again Ecclesiastes 7:3 - is better Isaiah 14:1 - set Isaiah 43:5 - I will Isaiah 49:18 - all these Jeremiah 1:14 - Out of Jeremiah 3:14 - one of a city Jeremiah 3:16 - when Jeremiah 3:18 - out Jeremiah 16:15 - that brought Jeremiah 23:3 - General Jeremiah 46:27 - I will save Jeremiah 50:19 - bring Ezekiel 11:17 - General Ezekiel 28:25 - When Ezekiel 34:11 - search Ezekiel 36:24 - General Ezekiel 37:21 - General Joel 3:7 - I will Micah 2:12 - surely assemble Micah 7:12 - also Zephaniah 3:18 - gather Zechariah 8:7 - I Luke 7:22 - how John 10:3 - and leadeth Hebrews 12:13 - lame

Cross-References

Genesis 30:32
I will also go through the flock and pick out every speckled, spotted or brown sheep, and every speckled or spotted goat; these and their offspring will be my wages.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Behold, I will bring them from the north country,.... As from Babylon, at the end of the seventy years' captivity, which lay north of Judea; so, in the latter day, from those northern countries, as ours, where they now are in great numbers:

and gather them from the coasts of the earth; or "sides" of it; from all the parts of the world where they are:

[and] with them the blind and the lame, the woman with child and her that travaileth with child together; signifying that no difficulties whatsoever should hinder them in their return to their own land; provision should be made for persons under these circumstances, so unfit to travel. All this may be understood, in a figurative sense, of those who are spiritually "blind"; who are made to see their lost estate, and need of Christ; and are brought to him, and to his church, in a way they had not known, and in paths they knew not before: and of the lame and impotent, unable to do any good thing in a spiritual sense, and will not come to Christ, unless drawn; these are made to leap as a hart, and to flee to Christ for refuge, and run the ways of his commandments: and of such who are laden and burdened, as "women with child"; and who are encouraged and enabled as such to come to Christ, and cast their burdens on him, and find rest for their souls: and of such who are in pain and distress, as one "that travaileth with child": in the pangs of the new birth, under a sense of wrath, and as ready to perish; who also are enabled to come and venture their souls on Christ, receive his Gospel, and submit to his ordinances, where they find peace and comfort:

a great company shall return thither; three thousand were converted under one sermon, in the first times of the Gospel; and, in the latter day, the nation of the Jews shall be born again at once; the number of the children of Israel shall then be as the sand of the sea, and great shall be the day of Jezreel, Isaiah 66:8.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The coasts of the earth - See Jeremiah 6:22 note.

Thither - Really, here. Not to the north country, but to Palestine, where Jeremiah wrote. A company is the word constantly used of Israel at the Exodus Exodus 16:3 as an organized community.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Jeremiah 31:8. I will bring them from the north country — From Babylon.

From the coasts of the earth — The ten tribes were carried away partly into Assyria by Tiglath-pileser, and partly into Mesopotamia and Media by Shalmaneser, 2 Kings 15:29; 2 Kings 17:6. Assyria and Media, being very distant from Palestine, might have been called, in prophetic language, the coasts of the earth.

The blind and the lame — I will so effectually remove all difficulties out of the way, so provide for them on the journey, so supernaturally support their bodies and minds, that the veriest invalids shall safely proceed to, and happily arrive at, the end of their journey.