“I am as likely to reject my people Israel as I am to abolish the laws of nature!”
Parallel translations
- WEB “If these ordinances depart from before me,” says Yahweh, “then the offspring of Israel also shall cease from being a nation before me forever.”
- KJV If those ordinances depart from before me, saith the LORD, then the seed of Israel also shall cease from being a nation before me for ever.
- BSB “Only if this fixed order departed from My presence, declares the LORD, would Israel’s descendants ever cease to be a nation before Me.”
- NKJV “If those ordinances depart From before Me, says the Lord, Then the seed of Israel shall also cease From being a nation before Me forever.”
- NASB “If this fixed order departs From Me,” declares the Lord, “Then the descendants of Israel also will cease To be a nation before Me forever.”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Only if the fixed order of creation ceased would Israel cease to be a nation before God. It guarantees the perpetual existence of God's covenant people.
Overview
Using the reliability of the natural ordinances just named, God pledges that His people will endure as surely as creation itself. This is an unconditional promise of preservation, not dependent on Israel's faithfulness. Faithful Christians have understood its fulfillment in the enduring people of God, gathered from Israel and the nations in Christ, against whom even the gates of hell will not prevail (Rom. 11:1-2; Matt. 16:18).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 11
- Isa 54:9–10“For this is like the waters of Noah to me; for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah will no more go over the earth, so I have sworn that I will not be angry with you, nor rebuke you.
- Ps 89:36–37His offspring will endure forever, his throne like the sun before me.
- Jer 33:20–26“Yahweh says: ‘If you can break my covenant of the day, and my covenant of the night, so that there shall not be day and night in their season;
- Ps 148:6He has also established them forever and ever. He has made a decree which will not pass away.
- Ps 119:89Yahweh, your word is settled in heaven forever.
- Jer 46:28Don’t be afraid, O Jacob my servant,” says Yahweh; “for I am with you; for I will make a full end of all the nations where I have driven you; but I will not make a full end of you, but I will correct you in measure, and will in no way leave you unpunished.”
- Ps 102:28The children of your servants will continue. Their offspring will be established before you.”
- Ps 72:5They shall fear you while the sun endures; and as long as the moon, throughout all generations.
- Amos 9:8–9Behold, the eyes of the Lord Yahweh are on the sinful kingdom, and I will destroy it from off the surface of the earth; except that I will not utterly destroy the house of Jacob,” says Yahweh.
- Deut 32:26I said that I would scatter them afar. I would make their memory to cease from among men;
- Ps 72:17His name endures forever. His name continues as long as the sun. Men shall be blessed by him. All nations will call him blessed.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Against the failure of false shepherds Jeremiah promises the Righteous Branch, 'The LORD our righteousness,' and the new covenant written on the heart and sealed in the blood of Christ.
How Jeremiah 31:36 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.