Jeremiah 31:34 Study Bible: and they shall teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, 'Know the LORD'; for they shall all know me, from their least to their greatest,for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sins I will remember no more."

Bible > Jeremiah > Chapter 31 > Verse 34

◄ Jeremiah 31:34 ►

No longer will each man teach his neighbor or his brother, saying, 'Know the LORD,' because they will all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquities and will remember their sins no more."

Study Bible

No longer will each man teach his neighbor or his brother
This phrase signifies a transformative shift in the way God's people will experience and understand His will. In the Hebrew context, the word for "teach" (למד, lamad) implies a formal instruction or training. Historically, the Israelites relied on priests, prophets, and teachers to convey God's laws and commandments. This new covenant, however, promises a direct and personal relationship with God, eliminating the need for intermediaries. The phrase "his neighbor or his brother" emphasizes the communal aspect of Israelite society, where teaching and learning were shared responsibilities. This change heralds a more intimate and personal knowledge of God for every individual.

saying, ‘Know the LORD,’
The Hebrew word for "know" (ידע, yada) goes beyond intellectual understanding; it implies an experiential and relational knowledge. In the ancient Near Eastern context, to "know" someone often meant to have a deep, personal relationship with them. This phrase suggests that under the new covenant, the knowledge of God will be innate and deeply personal, rather than merely academic or ritualistic. The call to "Know the LORD" reflects a universal invitation to experience God's presence and character intimately.

because they will all know Me
The inclusivity of "they will all know Me" is profound. The promise extends to all people, regardless of social status, education, or background. This democratization of divine knowledge was revolutionary in a time when religious knowledge was often restricted to a select few. The Hebrew word for "all" (כל, kol) underscores the comprehensive nature of this promise. It anticipates a time when barriers between God and humanity are removed, and every person has direct access to His presence and truth.

from the least of them to the greatest
This phrase highlights the egalitarian nature of the new covenant. In ancient Israel, societal hierarchies often dictated one's access to religious instruction and participation. The "least" and the "greatest" encompass the entire spectrum of society, ensuring that no one is excluded from this promise. This reflects God's impartiality and His desire for all people to come into a relationship with Him. It is a powerful reminder of the value and dignity God places on every individual, regardless of their earthly status.

declares the LORD
The phrase "declares the LORD" (נאם יהוה, ne'um Yahweh) is a prophetic formula that underscores the authority and certainty of the message. It is a divine assurance that what has been spoken will indeed come to pass. In the context of Jeremiah's prophecy, it serves as a reminder of God's sovereignty and faithfulness. The use of God's covenant name, Yahweh, emphasizes His eternal and unchanging nature, assuring the people that He will fulfill His promises.

For I will forgive their iniquities
The promise of forgiveness is central to the new covenant. The Hebrew word for "forgive" (סלח, salach) conveys a sense of pardon and release from the burden of sin. Iniquities (עון, avon) refer to moral failings and the guilt associated with them. This assurance of forgiveness is foundational to the relationship between God and His people, as it removes the barriers that sin creates. It reflects God's grace and mercy, offering a fresh start and a restored relationship with Him.

and will remember their sins no more
The concept of God "remembering" (זכר, zakar) in Hebrew often implies acting upon something. Therefore, for God to "remember their sins no more" means He will no longer hold their sins against them or act in judgment because of them. This is a profound expression of divine grace, indicating a complete and total forgiveness. It signifies a new beginning where past transgressions no longer define the relationship between God and His people. This promise is a source of hope and assurance, highlighting the transformative power of God's love and forgiveness.

Persons / Places / Events

1. Jeremiah
A major prophet in the Old Testament, known for his prophecies concerning the destruction and restoration of Jerusalem and Judah.

2. The LORD (Yahweh)
The covenant God of Israel, who promises a new covenant with His people.

3. Israel and Judah
The divided kingdoms of God's chosen people, to whom the promise of a new covenant is given.

4. The New Covenant
A future promise of a renewed relationship between God and His people, characterized by internal transformation and forgiveness.

5. Forgiveness of Sins
A key aspect of the new covenant, where God promises to forgive and forget the sins of His people.

Teaching Points

The Universality of Knowing God
The promise that all will know the Lord signifies a personal and direct relationship with God, available to everyone, regardless of status or background.

The Role of Forgiveness in the New Covenant
God's forgiveness is complete and transformative, offering believers a fresh start and a clean slate, which is central to the new covenant.

The Internalization of God's Law
Unlike the old covenant, which was external and written on stone, the new covenant involves God's law being written on our hearts, leading to genuine obedience and transformation.

The Assurance of God's Promises
The declaration that God will remember sins no more provides believers with assurance and peace, knowing that their past does not define their future in Christ.

Living in the Reality of the New Covenant
Believers are called to live in the reality of the new covenant, embracing the personal relationship with God and the transformative power of His forgiveness.

Bible Study Questions

1. How does the promise that "they will all know Me" change our understanding of evangelism and discipleship today?

2. In what ways does the assurance of God's forgiveness impact your daily life and relationship with Him?

3. How can we practically live out the reality of having God's law written on our hearts?

4. What are some ways we can remind ourselves of the new covenant promises when we struggle with guilt or shame from past sins?

5. How does the concept of the new covenant in Jeremiah 31:34 connect with Jesus' teachings and sacrifice in the New Testament?

Connections to Other Scriptures

Hebrews 8:10-12
This passage in the New Testament directly quotes Jeremiah 31:31-34, emphasizing the fulfillment of the new covenant through Jesus Christ.

Ezekiel 36:26-27
Speaks of God giving a new heart and spirit, paralleling the internal transformation promised in the new covenant.

Matthew 26:28
Jesus refers to His blood as the blood of the new covenant, signifying the establishment of this promise through His sacrifice.

1 John 2:27
Discusses the anointing of the Holy Spirit, which teaches believers, reflecting the idea that all will know the Lord.

Psalm 103:12
Illustrates God's forgiveness, as He removes our transgressions far from us, similar to the promise of remembering sins no more.

Sermons

God's Forgetfulness of Sin	Newman Smyth, D. D.	Jeremiah 31:34
God's Non-Remembrance of Sin		Jeremiah 31:34
Good Things to Come	Archbishop Summer.	Jeremiah 31:34
Knowing the Lord Through Pardoned Sin		Jeremiah 31:34
Missions Put an End to	A.F. Muir	Jeremiah 31:34
The Church's Duty to the World	T. Raffles, D. D.	Jeremiah 31:34
The Duty of Extending Religious Knowledge	D. King.	Jeremiah 31:34
The New Covenant	A.F. Muir	Jeremiah 31:31-34
The New Covenant	S. Conway	Jeremiah 31:31-34
The New Covenant Add the Old	D. Young	Jeremiah 31:31-34
A New Covenant	G. Brooks.	Jeremiah 31:31-37
Jeremiah's Prophecy of the New Covenant	A. B. Bruce, D. D.	Jeremiah 31:31-37
The New Covenant	Expository Outlines	Jeremiah 31:31-37
The New Covenant	Canon Liddon.	Jeremiah 31:31-37
The New Covenant	G. F. Pentecost, D. D.	Jeremiah 31:31-37

People

Gareb, Jacob, Jeremiah, Rachel, Rahel

Places

Corner Gate, Egypt, Gareb, Goah, Horse Gate, Kidron, Ramah, Samaria, Tower of Hananel, Zion

Topics

Affirmation, Brother, Declares, Evil-doing, Forgive, Forgiveness, Greatest, Iniquity, Least, Longer, Memory, Mention, Neighbor, Neighbour, Pardon, Remember, Saying, Says, Sin, Sins, Teach, Teaching, Wickedness

Dictionary of Bible Themes

Jeremiah 31:34

     2366   Christ, prophecies concerning
     5854   experience, of God
     6627   conversion, nature of
     8106   assurance, nature of

Jeremiah 31:31-34

     1352   covenant, the new
     6616   atonement, in OT
     7145   remnant

Jeremiah 31:31-37

7135 Israel, people of God

Jeremiah 31:33-34

     3040   Holy Spirit, promise of
     4963   past, the
     5029   knowledge, of God
     5734   relationships
     6028   sin, deliverance from
     6615   atonement, necessity
     7793   teachers
     8670   remembering

Library

What the Stable Creation Teaches
'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.'--JER. xxxi. 36. This is the seal of the new covenant, which is to be made in days future to the prophet and his contemporaries, with the house of Israel and of Judah. That new covenant is referred to in Hebrews as the fundamental law of Christ's kingdom. Therefore we have the right to take to ourselves the promises which it contains, and to think of 'the house …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

What the Immense Creation Teaches
'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.'--JER. xxxi. 37. In the former sermon we considered the previous verse as presenting the stability of creation as a guarantee of the firmness of God's gracious covenant. Now we have to consider these grand closing words which bring before us another aspect of the universe as a guarantee for another side of God's gracious …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

August the Twenty-First Satisfaction
"My people shall be satisfied with My goodness." --JEREMIAH xxxi. 10-14. And how unlike is all this to the feasts of the world! There is a great show, but no satisfaction. There is much decorative china, but no nutritious food or drink. "Every one that drinketh of this water shall thirst again." We rise from the table, and our deepest cravings are unappeased. "Why art thou cast down, O my soul?" We know. We have had a condiment, but no meat; a showy menu-card, but no reviving feast. Nothing but …
John Henry Jowett—My Daily Meditation for the Circling Year

God in the Covenant
But I have been thinking for the last two or three days, that the covenant of grace excels the other covenant most marvelously in the mighty blessings which it confers. What does the covenant of grace convey? I had thought this morning of preaching a sermon upon "The covenant of grace; what are the blessings it gives to God's children?" But when I began to think of it, there was so much in the covenant, that if I had only read a catalogue of the great and glorious blessings, wrapped up within its …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 2: 1856

The Two Covenants: their Relation
"It is written, that Abraham had two sons, one by the bondmaid, and one by the freewoman. Howbeit, the one by the bondmaid is born after the flesh; but the son by the freewoman is born through promise. Which things contain an allegory: for these women are two covenants." -GAL. iv. 22-24. THERE are two covenants, one called the Old, the other the New. God speaks of this very distinctly in Jeremiah, where He says: "The days come, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, not after the …
Andrew Murray—The Two Covenants

The New Covenant
"But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put My law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be My people. And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, saying, Know the Lord: for they shall all know Me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more."--JER. xxxi. 33, 34. ISAIAH has often been called …
Andrew Murray—The Two Covenants

Conversion of all that Come.
"Turn Thou me and I shall be turned." --Jer. xxxi. 18. The elect, born again and effectually called, converts himself. To remain unconverted is impossible; but he inclines his ear, he turns his face to the blessed God, he is converted in the fullest sense of the word. In conversion the fact of cooperation on the part of the saved sinner assumes a clearly defined and perceptible character. In regeneration there was none; in the calling there was a beginning of it; in conversion proper it became a …
Abraham Kuyper—The Work of the Holy Spirit

Old Things are Passed Away.
…
John Newton—Olney Hymns

Whether the Active Life Remains after this Life?
Objection 1: It would seem that the active life remains after this life. For the acts of the moral virtues belong to the active life, as stated above [3738](A[1]). But the moral virtues endure after this life according to Augustine (De Trin. xiv, 9). Therefore the active life remains after this life. Objection 2: Further, teaching others belongs to the active life, as stated above [3739](A[3]). But in the life to come when "we shall be like the angels," teaching will be possible: even as apparently …
Saint Thomas Aquinas—Summa Theologica

Waiting Faith Rewarded and Strengthened by New Revelations
'And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before Me, and be thou perfect. And I will make My covenant between Me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly. And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying, As for Me, behold, My covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations. Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

A vision of Judgement and Cleansing
'And he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the Angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him. 2. And the Lord said unto Satan, The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan; even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire? 3. Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the Angel. 4. And He answered and spake unto those that stood before Him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him He said, …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Perseverance in Holiness
May the King himself come near and feast his saints to-day! May the Comforter who convinced of sin now come to cheer us with the promise! We noticed concerning the fig tree, that it was confirmed in its barrenness: it had borne no fruit, though it made large professions of doing so, and it was made to abide as it was. Let us consider another form of confirmation: not the curse of continuance in the rooted habit of evil; but the blessing of perseverance in a settled way of grace. May the Lord show …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 35: 1889

Appendix xiv. The Law in Messianic Times.
THE question as to the Rabbinic views in regard to the binding character of the Law, and its imposition on the Gentiles, in Messianic times, although, strictly speaking, not forming part of this history, is of such vital importance in connection with recent controversies as to demand special consideration. In the text to which this Appendix refers it has been indicated, that a new legislation was expected in Messianic days. The ultimate basis of this expectancy must be sought in the Old Testament …
Alfred Edersheim—The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah

Conversion --Varied Phenomena or Experience.
We have spoken of the meaning of this term, inquired into the nature of the change, and noted its essential elements. We have also learned that there are some who do not need it because they are in a converted state, and that all who are not in such a state of Grace, do need conversion, regardless of anything that may or may not have taken place in the past. We inquire now as to the agencies or means by which this change is brought about. For it is a change which man can certainly not effect by his …
G. H. Gerberding—The Way of Salvation in the Lutheran Church

The Girdle of the City. Nehemiah 3
The beginning of the circumference was from 'the sheep-gate.' That, we suppose, was seated on the south part, yet but little removed from that corner, which looks south-east. Within was the pool of Bethesda, famous for healings. Going forward, on the south part, was the tower Meah: and beyond that, "the tower of Hananeel": in the Chaldee paraphrast it is, 'The tower Piccus,' Zechariah 14:10; Piccus, Jeremiah 31:38.--I should suspect that to be, the Hippic tower, were not that placed on the north …
John Lightfoot—From the Talmud and Hebraica

The King in Exile
'And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and His mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy Him. 14. When he arose, he took the young child and His mother by night, and departed into Egypt; 15. And was there until the death of Herod; that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

"We have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous. "
1 John ii. 1.--"We have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous." There is no settlement to the spirit of a sinner that is once touched with the sense of his sins, and apprehension of the justice and wrath of God, but in some clear and distinct understanding of the grounds of consolation in the gospel, and the method of salvation revealed in it. There is no solid peace giving answer to the challenges of the law and thy own conscience, but in the advocation of Jesus Christ, the Saviour …
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

The Quotation in Matt. Ii. 6.
Several interpreters, Paulus especially, have asserted that the interpretation of Micah which is here given, was that of the Sanhedrim only, and not of the Evangelist, who merely recorded what happened and was said. But this assertion is at once refuted when we consider the object which Matthew has in view in his entire representation of the early life of Jesus. His object in recording the early life of Jesus is not like that of Luke, viz., to communicate historical information to his readers. …
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament

Exposition of Chap. Iii. (ii. 28-32. )
Ver. 1. "And it shall come to pass, afterwards, I will pour out My Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy; your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions." The communication of the Spirit of God was the constant prerogative of the Covenant-people. Indeed, the very idea of such a people necessarily requires it. For the Spirit of God is the only inward bond betwixt Him and that which is created; a Covenant-people, therefore, without such an inward …
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament

The Lord's Supper Instituted.
(Jerusalem. Evening Before the Crucifixion.) ^A Matt. XXVI. 26-29; ^B Mark XIV. 22-25; ^C Luke XXII. 19, 20; ^F I. Cor. XI. 23-26. ^a 26 And as they were eating, ^f the Lord Jesus in the night in which he was betrayed took bread; 24 and when he had given thanks, { ^b blessed,} ^f he brake it, ^a and he gave to the disciples, and said, ^b Take ye: ^a Take, eat; this is my body. ^f which is ^c given ^f for you: this do in remembrance of me. [As only unleavened bread was eaten during the paschal supper, …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

The First Covenant
"Now therefore, if ye will obey My voice, and keep My covenant, ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto Me."--EX. xix. 5. "He declared unto you His covenant, which He commanded you to perform, even ten commandments."--DEUT. iv. 13.i "If ye keep these judgments, the Lord thy God shall keep unto thee the covenant,"--DEUT. vii. 12. "I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, not according to the covenant which I made with their fathers, which My covenant they brake."--JER. xxxi. 31, 32. WE have …
Andrew Murray—The Two Covenants

Sanctification.
I. I will remind you of some points that have been settled in this course of study. 1. The true intent and meaning of the law of God has been, as I trust, ascertained in the lectures on moral government. Let this point if need be, be examined by reference to those lectures. 2. We have also seen, in those lectures, what is not, and what is implied in entire obedience to the moral law. 3. In those lectures, and also in the lectures on justification and repentance, it has been shown that nothing is …
Charles Grandison Finney—Systematic Theology

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