The previous verses (Jeremiah 23:1–4) spoke of the Lord’s promise to gather his scattered sheep, bring them back from exile and give them the kind of leadership they have always needed. The Lord now reveals where this leadership is going to come from. ’Behold, the days are coming’, declares the Lord, ‘when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.'
The expression days are coming
looks into the future without being specific. It is an expression of the fact that the Lord is going to act in the future according to his covenant promises.1 The particular promise referred to here is the one the Lord made to King David in 2 Samuel 7:1–29, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I shall establish the throne of his kingdom forever
(2 Samuel 7:12–13). David recalls this promise at the end of his life when he says, For does not my house stand so with God? For he has made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things and secure. For will he not cause to prosper all my help and my desire?
(2 Samuel 23:5). The Hebrew word translated here as prosper
is semah and it is the same word used by Jeremiah to describe this future ruler as the "Branch.” The word semah means to sprout, to spring up, and draws a picture of life and fruitfulness.2 Even though the Davidic line appears to be dead (Jeremiah 22:30), after the Babylonian exile all is not lost. There is yet hope because the Lord will not allow the failure of Judah’s kings and her people to destroy his covenant promises and purposes. Isaiah also spoke of this shoot from the stump of Jesse
who would come after the exile to restore the Lord’s people (Isaiah 11:1–9) as did Zechariah (Zechariah 3:8).
This coming king is described as righteous,
and his rule is marked by wisdom, justice, and righteousness. This is in stark contrast to the kings of Judah that have come before him. He is the perfect king who rules in perfect obedience to the covenant. This promise is fulfilled about 600 years later with the birth of Jesus Christ.
5 “Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.