Jeremiah 31:4

Jer 31:4 Again I will build thee, and thou shalt be built, O virgin of Israel: thou shalt again be adorned with thy tabrets, and shalt go forth in the dances of them that make merry.

Ver. 4. Again I will build thee.] See Jer 34:18.

Thou shalt be adorned with thy tabrets.] All shall be hail and merry with thee as heretofore: yea, thou shalt have spiritual joy, which is res severa, severe and solid, such as doth not only smoothe the brow, but fill the breast.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

31:4 In their homeland, the Israelites had been guilty of “adultery” with false gods. The restored community would be like a virgin, as though the people had never forsaken the Lord. The happiness and joy of their celebrations would manifest this transformation.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Thou shalt have still occasion to rejoice: which is meant by timbrels, and dancing, as their custom was after notable victories, Exod. 15:20; Judg. 5:2 and Jer. 18:34.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

I will build . . . thou shalt be built--The combination of the active and passive to express the same fact implies the infallible certainty of its accomplishment. "Build," that is, establish in prosperity (Jer 33:7).

adorned with . . . tabrets-- (Sa1 18:6). Or, "adorn thyself with thy timbrels"; used by damsels on occasions of public rejoicings (Exo 15:20; Jdg 11:34). Israel had cast away all instruments of joy in her exile (Psa 137:4).

dances--holy joy, not carnal mirth.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 4. O virgin of Israel] Israelites in general; now called virgin, because restored to their ancient purity.

With thy tabrets] Women in general played on these; they were used in times of rejoicing, and accompanied with dancing. To these customs, still preserved, the prophet alludes.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Jeremiah, in this verse, proceeds with the same subject, — that though there would be the long time of seventy years, yet God would become the liberator of his Church. Length of time might have extinguished the faith of the people, as it is too commonly the case: for when nothing appears to us but the naked word, and when God repeats the same promises from day to day, we think it of no moment; and then when some evil has been prevailing, we think that all ways have been already closed up, so that God cannot bring a remedy; we thus measure his power by our own standard: and as he comes late to help us, because he suffers men to be long afflicted with disease or other evils, so we imagine that God will never come, when he suspends and delays his favor longer than we wish.

Hence the Prophet says here, I will yet build thee, and built shalt thou be, virgin of Israel; and then, thou shalt yet be adorned with thy tabrets Joy is here set in opposition to the grief with which the people were to be oppressed in exile, and in part had been already oppressed, for many had been driven into exile. But Jeremiah expresses their joy and gladness by a figurative mode of speaking, by tabrets and dances of those who play For when the Prophets announce the vengeance of God, they are wont to say, “cease shall all joy among you; ye shall not play any more with the harp or with musical instruments.” So also in this place Jeremiah says, that they would return to the tabrets and dances, when God restored them to their own country. We ought not at the same time to turn this testimony of the Prophet to excuse profane lasciviousness, by which profane men pervert the benefits of God, for they preserve no moderation in their joy, but abandon themselves, and thus become wanton against God. And it is the tendency of all dances and sounds of tabrets, to besot profane men. The Prophet then did not intend to allow this sort of licentiousness to the people: for we must ever bear in mind what he said yesterday, that the voice of praise would go forth with joy. By tabrets and dances, he then means holy joy, connected with praises to God, and with the sacrifice of thanksgiving. It afterwards follows —

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

(4) Thou shalt again be adorned with thy tabrets . . .—The implied idea is that of a time of rejoicing after triumphant restoration (the “building” of the previous sentence is more than that of material walls and towers), when the daughters of Israel (as in Exo_15:20; Jdg_11:34; 1Sa_18:6; Psa_68:11) should again go forth with “timbrels and dances,” with tabrets and joy and instruments of music. The “tabret” was a musical instrument of the drum type, somewhat like the Spanish or Italian tambourine, with bells attached to the metal hoop.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

4. will I build thee, and thou shalt be built] For build = make to prosper, see note on Jer_12:16.

O virgin of Israel] The nation is addressed under the figure of a woman, as so often.

tabrets] The tabret or timbrel, the Heb. tôph, the duff or diff of the Arabs, is a hoop on which pieces of brass are often fixed, and over which parchment is extended. It is thus played with the fingers like our tambourine. It was used in early times by the Syrians of Paddanaram (Gen_31:27), played principally by women (Exo_15:20; Jdg_11:34; 1Sa_18:6; Psa_68:25), but also by prophets (1Sa_10:5) and by others (2Sa_6:5; 1Ch_13:8). Peake refers for the place occupied by dancing in the religion of the later (post-exilic) period to an essay by Franz Delitzsch, Iris, pp. 189, 204.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Again, I will build thee, and thou shalt be built, O virgin of Israel,.... The same with "all the families of Israel", Jer 31:1; who, when converted, will be espoused to Christ as a chaste virgin; have a sincere affection for him; unfeigned faith in him, and purely worship him; receiving the pure doctrines of the Gospel, and submitting to the ordinances of it; and then will the church, comparable to a building, consisting of lively stones, laid upon the foundation Christ, which is fallen down, and lies in ruins, be rebuilt, and none shall hinder it; and a glorious building it will be, and will continue so, when its stones are laid with fair colours; its foundations with sapphires; its windows made of agates; its gates of carbuncles; and all its borders of pleasant stones, Isa 54:11;

thou shalt again be adorned with thy tabrets; or timbrels, instruments of music, such as women used at times of public joy and mirth, Exo 15:20; which became them, and were very ornamental to them; and their playing on these was usually attended with dancing; hence it follows:

and shalt go forth in the dances of them that make merry; phrases expressive of spiritual joy, which will be in the hearts of the saints, and expressed by the behaviour of them at the time of the conversion of the, Jews, which will be the marriage of the Lamb; and when the bride will be ready, being adorned with the robe of Christ's righteousness, and with the graces of his Spirit, and be brought into his presence, accompanied with a chorus of virgins her companions, undefiled ones, having harps in their hands, singing the Lamb's new song; see Rev 14:2.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

O virgin of Israel - i. e., the whole people (compare Jer 14:17 note).

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

As upon their being carried into captivity both their civil state and church, which either of them were as a building framed together, were broken and pulled down, and they were scattered here and there, like the stones of a building pulled down; so God’s bringing them again together, and cementing them by a political and ecclesiastical government, is fitly compared to a building. The calling them the

virgin Israel doth not signify that the body of that people had not been defloured by idolatry, but either signifies that this promise only concerned such as had kept their virginity; or else (which it may be is more probable) Israel is here called a virgin with relation to the following words, they being virgins which were wont to go out with tabrets, 1Sa 18:6, and to dance in the time of their mirth and jollity, Exo 15:20; Jdg 11:34. The virgins are said to be adorned with their tabrets, or timbrels, either (as some think) because they were wont to tie scarfs or ribands about them, or because they looked comely with these instruments of music in their hands, or should use them in a more handsome and comely manner than they had done before, when they used them at unseasonable times. That which is here prophesied is, a merry, joyful, pleasant time to this people, when their mirth should become them; or the restoration of their religions festivals, at which they used instruments of music to express their inward spiritual joy and gladness. The prophets, 1Sa 10:5, came from the high place with a tabret, &c.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

4. Virgin — See on Jer_14:17.

Tabrets — Better, as in the margin, timbrels; a certain drum-like musical instrument, carried or worn especially by women in times of rejoicing. See Jdg_11:34; 1Sa_18:6; Job_21:12; Isa_30:32.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

I will build thee. A nation, like a family, is frequently compared to a building. (so Jer_12:16 Jer_24:6; comp. Eph_2:22) O virgin of Israel. The people of Israel is personified as a virgin. (comp. Jer_14:7) Adorned with thy tabrets, The expression will not, of course, bear to be logically criticized, for it was not the whole people who went out with "tabrets" or "timbrels," but the "damsels," who, it is true, formed an important part of religious processions, (Psa_68:25) and doubtless of secular ones also. (comp. Jud_1:11:34) Joyousness is an essential part of the Biblical ideal both of religion and of a normal state of society: "The joy of the Lord is your strength."

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

General Information:

Yahweh continues speaking to the people of Israel.

I will build you up again so you will be built

Yahweh purposefully repeats the idea that he will build Israel to emphasize it. If your language can only use active verbs and has some other way to emphasize the idea, you may want to use it here. AT: "I will build you up again. Remember this: I will build you" (See: Active or Passive and Parallelism)

virgin Israel

It was common to refer to nations as if they were women. However, "virgin" makes a person think about a young woman who has never married and so has never had the opportunity to be faithless to her husband. Therefore, calling Israel a virgin is an ironic use of language. See how you translated this in Jeremiah 18:13. AT: "Israel, who falsely pretends to be fully devoted to me" or "my faithless people Israel" (See: Personification and Irony)

tambourines

musical instruments with heads like a drum that can be hit and with pieces of metal around their sides that sound when the instruments are shaken (See: Translate Unknowns)

translationWords

virgin

vineyard

Samaria

watch

Ephraim

preach

raise

Zion

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

Yet again will I rebuild you, then you shall be built You had two buildings made by men. Therefore, they were destroyed. Yet again will I rebuild you, I by Myself, a third building, and you shall be built forever. shall you be adorned Heb. תַּעְדִּי.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.