Jeremiah 31:37
New International Version
This is what the LORD says: “Only if the heavens above can be measured and the foundations of the earth below be searched out will I reject all the descendants of Israel because of all they have done,” declares the LORD.

New Living Translation
This is what the LORD says: “Just as the heavens cannot be measured and the foundations of the earth cannot be explored, so I will not consider casting them away for the evil they have done. I, the LORD, have spoken!

English Standard Version
Thus says the LORD: “If the heavens above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth below can be explored, then I will cast off all the offspring of Israel for all that they have done, declares the LORD.”

Berean Standard Bible
This is what the LORD says: “Only if the heavens above could be measured and the foundations of the earth below searched out would I reject all of Israel’s descendants because of all they have done,” declares the LORD.

King James Bible
Thus saith the LORD; If heaven above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth searched out beneath, I will also cast off all the seed of Israel for all that they have done, saith the LORD.

New King James Version
Thus says the LORD: “If heaven above can be measured, And the foundations of the earth searched out beneath, I will also cast off all the seed of Israel For all that they have done, says the LORD.

New American Standard Bible
This is what the LORD says: “If the heavens above can be measured And the foundations of the earth searched out below, Then I will also reject all the descendants of Israel For everything that they have done,” declares the LORD.

NASB 1995
Thus says the LORD, “If the heavens above can be measured And the foundations of the earth searched out below, Then I will also cast off all the offspring of Israel For all that they have done,” declares the LORD.

NASB 1977
Thus says the LORD, “If the heavens above can be measured, And the foundations of the earth searched out below, Then I will also cast off all the offspring of Israel For all that they have done,” declares the LORD.

Legacy Standard Bible
Thus says Yahweh, “If the heavens above can be measured And the foundations of the earth searched out below, Then I will also reject all the seed of Israel For all that they have done,” declares Yahweh.

Amplified Bible
Thus says the LORD, “If the heavens above can be measured And the foundations of the earth searched out below, Then I will also cast off and abandon all the descendants of Israel For all that they have done,” says the LORD.

Christian Standard Bible
“This is what the LORD says: Only if the heavens above can be measured and the foundations of the earth below explored, will I reject all of Israel’s descendants because of all they have done — this is the LORD’s declaration.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
This is what the LORD says: If the heavens above can be measured and the foundations of the earth below explored, I will reject all of Israel’s descendants because of all they have done— this is the LORD’s declaration.

American Standard Version
Thus saith Jehovah: If heaven above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth searched out beneath, then will I also cast off all the seed of Israel for all that they have done, saith Jehovah.

Contemporary English Version
Can you measure the heavens? Can you explore the depths of the earth? That's how hard it would be for me to reject Israel forever, even though they have sinned. I, the LORD, have spoken.

English Revised Version
Thus saith the LORD: If heaven above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth searched out beneath, then will I also cast off all the seed of Israel for all that they have done, saith the LORD.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
This is what the LORD says: Only if the heavens could be measured or the foundations of the earth could be searched, would I ever reject all of Israel's descendants because of everything that they have done, declares the LORD.

Good News Translation
If one day the sky could be measured and the foundations of the earth explored, only then would he reject the people of Israel because of all they have done. The LORD has spoken.

International Standard Version
This is what the LORD says: "If the heavens could be measured above, or the foundations of the earth be searched out below, then I also would reject all the descendants of Israel because of everything they have done," declares the LORD.

Majority Standard Bible
This is what the LORD says: “Only if the heavens above could be measured and the foundations of the earth below searched out would I reject all of Israel’s descendants because of all they have done,” declares the LORD.

NET Bible
The LORD says, "I will not reject all the descendants of Israel because of all that they have done. That could only happen if the heavens above could be measured or the foundations of the earth below could all be explored," says the LORD.

New Heart English Bible
Thus says the LORD: "If heaven above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth searched out beneath, then will I also cast off all the descendants of Israel for all that they have done," says the LORD.

Webster's Bible Translation
Thus saith the LORD; If heaven above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth searched out beneath, I will also cast off all the seed of Israel for all that they have done, saith the LORD.

World English Bible
Yahweh says: “If heaven above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth searched out beneath, then I will also cast off all the offspring of Israel for all that they have done,” says Yahweh.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
Thus said YHWH: “If the heavens above can be measured, "" And the foundations of earth searched below, "" Even I kick against all the seed of Israel, "" For all that they have done,” "" A declaration of YHWH.

Young's Literal Translation
Thus said Jehovah: If the heavens above be measured, And the foundations of earth below searched, Even I kick against all the seed of Israel, For all that they have done, An affirmation of Jehovah.

Smith's Literal Translation
Thus said Jehovah: If the heavens from above shall be measured, and the foundations of the earth shall be searched out beneath, I also will reject in all the seed of Israel for all which they did, says Jehovah.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Thus saith the Lord: If the heavens above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth searched out beneath, I also will cast away all the seed of Israel, for all that they have done, saith the Lord.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Thus says the Lord: “If the heavens above are able to be measured, and if the foundations of the earth beneath can be examined, I also will cast aside all the offspring of Israel, because of all that they have done, says the Lord.

New American Bible
Thus says the LORD: If the heavens on high could be measured, or the foundations below the earth be explored, Then would I reject all the offspring of Israel because of all they have done—oracle of the LORD.

New Revised Standard Version
Thus says the LORD: If the heavens above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth below can be explored, then I will reject all the offspring of Israel because of all they have done, says the LORD.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Thus says the LORD: If the heavens above can be measured and the foundations of the earth below explored, then I will also reject all the descendants of Israel for all that they have done, says the LORD.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Thus says LORD JEHOVAH: “If the Heavens will be measured from above, and the foundations of the Earth will be searched out from beneath, I also shall reject all the seed of Israel for everything that they have done, says LORD JEHOVAH”
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Thus saith the LORD: If heaven above can be measured, And the foundations of the earth searched out beneath, Then will I also cast off all the seed of Israel For all that they have done, saith the LORD.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Though the sky should be raised to a greater height, saith the Lord, and though the ground of the earth should be sunk lower beneath, yet I will not cast off the family of Israel, saith the Lord, for all that they have done.
Audio Bible



Context
Mourning Turned to Joy
36“Only if this fixed order departed from My presence, declares the LORD, would Israel’s descendants ever cease to be a nation before Me.” 37This is what the LORD says: “Only if the heavens above could be measured and the foundations of the earth below searched out would I reject all of Israel’s descendants because of all they have done,” declares the LORD. 38“The days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when this city will be rebuilt for Me, from the tower of Hananel to the Corner Gate.…

Cross References
Isaiah 40:12
Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, or marked off the heavens with the span of his hand? Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket, or weighed the mountains on a scale and the hills with a balance?

Psalm 147:4-5
He determines the number of the stars; He calls them each by name. / Great is our Lord, and mighty in power; His understanding has no limit.

Job 11:7-9
Can you fathom the deep things of God or discover the limits of the Almighty? / They are higher than the heavens—what can you do? They are deeper than Sheol—what can you know? / Their measure is longer than the earth and wider than the sea.

Isaiah 55:8-9
“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways,” declares the LORD. / “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so My ways are higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.

Romans 11:33-36
O, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments, and untraceable His ways! / “Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been His counselor?” / “Who has first given to God, that God should repay him?” ...

Psalm 89:2-3
For I have said, “Loving devotion is built up forever; in the heavens You establish Your faithfulness.” / You said, “I have made a covenant with My chosen one, I have sworn to David My servant:

Isaiah 54:9-10
“For to Me this is like the days of Noah, when I swore that the waters of Noah would never again cover the earth. So I have sworn that I will not be angry with you or rebuke you. / Though the mountains may be removed and the hills may be shaken, My loving devotion will not depart from you, and My covenant of peace will not be broken,” says the LORD, who has compassion on you.

Genesis 15:5
And the LORD took him outside and said, “Now look to the heavens and count the stars, if you are able.” Then He told him, “So shall your offspring be.”

Psalm 8:3-4
When I behold Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have set in place— / what is man that You are mindful of him, or the son of man that You care for him?

Isaiah 66:1-2
This is what the LORD says: “Heaven is My throne, and earth is My footstool. What kind of house will you build for Me? Or where will My place of repose be? / Has not My hand made all these things? And so they came into being,” declares the LORD. “This is the one I will esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, who trembles at My word.

Hebrews 1:10-12
And: “In the beginning, O Lord, You laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of Your hands. / They will perish, but You remain; they will all wear out like a garment. / You will roll them up like a robe; like a garment they will be changed; but You remain the same, and Your years will never end.”

Amos 9:6
He builds His upper rooms in the heavens and founds His vault upon the earth. He summons the waters of the sea and pours them over the face of the earth. The LORD is His name.

1 Kings 8:27
But will God indeed dwell upon the earth? The heavens, even the highest heavens, cannot contain You, much less this temple I have built.

Ephesians 3:18-19
will have power, together with all the saints, to comprehend the length and width and height and depth / of the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Job 38:4-7
Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding. / Who fixed its measurements? Surely you know! Or who stretched a measuring line across it? / On what were its foundations set, or who laid its cornerstone, ...


Treasury of Scripture

Thus said the LORD; If heaven above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth searched out beneath, I will also cast off all the seed of Israel for all that they have done, said the LORD.

If.

Jeremiah 33:22
As the host of heaven cannot be numbered, neither the sand of the sea measured: so will I multiply the seed of David my servant, and the Levites that minister unto me.

Job 11:7-9
Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection? …

Psalm 89:2
For I have said, Mercy shall be built up for ever: thy faithfulness shalt thou establish in the very heavens.

I.

Jeremiah 30:11
For I am with thee, saith the LORD, to save thee: though I make a full end of all nations whither I have scattered thee, yet will I not make a full end of thee: but I will correct thee in measure, and will not leave thee altogether unpunished.

Jeremiah 33:24-26
Considerest thou not what this people have spoken, saying, The two families which the LORD hath chosen, he hath even cast them off? thus they have despised my people, that they should be no more a nation before them…

Jeremiah 46:28
Fear thou not, O Jacob my servant, saith the LORD: for I am with thee; for I will make a full end of all the nations whither I have driven thee: but I will not make a full end of thee, but correct thee in measure; yet will I not leave thee wholly unpunished.

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Jeremiah 31
1. The restoration of Israel.
10. The publication thereof.
15. Rahel mourning is comforted.
18. Ephraim repenting is brought home again.
22. Christ is promised.
27. His care over the church.
31. His new covenant.
35. The stability,
38. and amplitude of the church.














This is what the LORD says
This phrase introduces a divine proclamation, emphasizing the authority and sovereignty of God. In Hebrew, "LORD" is "Yahweh," the covenant name of God, underscoring His eternal and unchanging nature. This introduction sets the stage for a message of assurance and divine promise, reminding the reader of God's ultimate control and faithfulness.

Only if the heavens above can be measured
The phrase speaks to the immeasurable nature of the heavens, which in ancient times were seen as vast and beyond human comprehension. The Hebrew word for "heavens" is "shamayim," often used to describe the sky or the abode of God. This imagery conveys the idea of infinity and the impossibility of fully understanding God's creation, paralleling the impossibility of God rejecting His people.

and the foundations of the earth below searched out
This part of the verse refers to the depths of the earth, which were considered mysterious and unreachable. The "foundations" symbolize stability and permanence. In the Hebrew context, the earth's foundations were seen as part of God's creative order, further emphasizing the futility of human attempts to fully grasp or alter divine decrees.

will I reject all the descendants of Israel
Here, God speaks of His enduring commitment to Israel. The Hebrew word for "reject" is "ma'as," which implies a strong refusal or disdain. However, the conditional nature of the statement highlights God's unwavering promise to His people, despite their failings. It reassures the reader of God's grace and the unbreakable covenant with Israel.

because of all they have done
This phrase acknowledges the sins and transgressions of Israel. The historical context involves Israel's repeated disobedience and idolatry. Yet, the verse underscores that God's covenant is not nullified by human failure. It serves as a reminder of God's mercy and the hope of redemption, encouraging believers to trust in His forgiveness.

declares the LORD
The repetition of "declares the LORD" bookends the verse with divine authority. It reinforces the certainty and seriousness of God's promise. In the Hebrew text, this phrase is often used to affirm the truth and reliability of prophetic messages, assuring the reader of God's unchanging word and His ultimate plan for His people.

(37) If heaven above can be measured . . .--The thought of the preceding verse is reproduced with a slight modification of meaning. Over and above the idea, as stated above, that the stability of nature is a parable of the steadfastness of God's laws and purposes in the spiritual world, there is implied a feeling, like that of Romans 11:33, that man's finite intellect cannot fathom His modes of working out that purpose any more than it can measure what to the prophet's mind were the illimitable heaven and the unfathomable earth.

Verse 37. - Thus edith the Lord. "It is not without meaning that the prophet so frequently repeats: 'Thus saith the Lord.' This formed the Α and Ω; his word was the sole ground of hope for Israel. Apart from it, despair was as reasonable as now it was unreasonable" (Hengstenberg).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
This is what
כֹּ֣ה ׀ (kōh)
Adverb
Strong's 3541: Like this, thus, here, now

the LORD
יְהוָ֗ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

says:
אָמַ֣ר (’ā·mar)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

“Only if
אִם־ (’im-)
Conjunction
Strong's 518: Lo!, whether?, if, although, Oh that!, when, not

the heavens
שָׁמַ֙יִם֙ (šā·ma·yim)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 8064: Heaven, sky

above
מִלְמַ֔עְלָה (mil·ma‘·lāh)
Preposition-m, Preposition-l | Adverb | third person feminine singular
Strong's 4605: The upper part, with prefix upward, above, overhead, from the top

could be measured
יִמַּ֤דּוּ (yim·mad·dū)
Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 4058: To stretch, to measure, to be extended

and the foundations
מֽוֹסְדֵי־ (mō·ws·ḏê-)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 4146: A foundation

of the earth
אֶ֖רֶץ (’e·reṣ)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 776: Earth, land

below
לְמָ֑טָּה (lə·māṭ·ṭāh)
Preposition-l | Adverb
Strong's 4295: Downward, below, beneath

searched out,
וְיֵחָקְר֥וּ (wə·yê·ḥā·qə·rū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 2713: To penetrate, to examine intimately

would I
אֲנִ֞י (’ă·nî)
Pronoun - first person common singular
Strong's 589: I

reject
אֶמְאַ֨ס (’em·’as)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular
Strong's 3988: To spurn, to disappear

all
בְּכָל־ (bə·ḵāl)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

of Israel’s
יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל (yiś·rā·’êl)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3478: Israel -- 'God strives', another name of Jacob and his desc

descendants
זֶ֧רַע (ze·ra‘)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 2233: Seed, fruit, plant, sowing-time, posterity

because of
עַֽל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

all
כָּל־ (kāl-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

they have done,”
עָשׂ֖וּ (‘ā·śū)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 6213: To do, make

declares
נְאֻם־ (nə·’um-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 5002: An oracle

the LORD.
יְהוָֽה׃ (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel


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OT Prophets: Jeremiah 31:37 Thus says Yahweh: If heaven above can (Jer.)
Jeremiah 31:36
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