Why will the people once more use the words “The LORD bless you, O habitation of righteousness, O holy hill”?
This final section of Jeremiah 31:23–40 consists of five separate oracles that form a chiasm that is centred on the Lord’s declaration in Jeremiah 31:31–34 that he will make a new covenant with his people. This declaration is not only the high point of the Book of Consolation, but it is probably the high point of the whole book of Jeremiah. The chiasm is structured in the following way1 :
A - Jeremiah 31:23–26: Jerusalem restored
B – Jeremiah 31:27–30: Each person held accountable for their own sin.
C – Jeremiah 31:31–34: A new covenant in which sin is forgiven and the law is written on people’s hearts.
B’-Jeremiah 31:35–37: The Lord’s unfailing commitment to the survival of Israel.
A’ –Jeremiah 31:38–40: Jerusalem restored.
The first and last oracle (A and A’) speak of the restoration of Jerusalem. The second and third oracle (B and B’) set up a striking contrast. In B every person is held accountable for their own sin and in B’ the Lord commits himself completely to the survival of Israel. The dilemma of the Lord rebuilding Jerusalem (A and A') and guaranteeing the survival of Israel (B) despite the sinfulness of the people’s hearts (B’) is resolved by the new covenant he will make (C) that transforms the sinful hearts of his people.
The first oracle (Jeremiah 31:23–26) begins with the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel
announcing he will restore the fortunes of the people of Judah. Referring to the Lord as the God of Israel
is a reminder that he is the Lord of the whole nation, both the northern tribes and Judah. In Jeremiah 31:1–22 the focus has been on the restoration of the northern tribes of Israel, but it is now made explicitly clear that the message of restoration applies to Judah as well. The Lord has never stopped being God of the whole nation and his intention has always been to restore unity to his people.
When the Lord restores the people of Judah they will once again say, The Lord bless you, O habitation of righteousness, O holy hill.
The word habitation
comes from the Hebrew word nahweh, which is used to describe the Promised Land as the place where the Lord cares for his people (Exodus 15:13 (holy abode
); Jeremiah 10:25; Jeremiah 50:7)2. It is also the place where the righteousness
of the Lord prevails. The phrase O holy hill
refers to the temple mount signifying the Lord’s presence. So, the land will once again be the place where his people experience the blessing of fellowship with the Lord as they live in a right relationship with him.
23 Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: “Once more they shall use these words in the land of Judah and in its cities, when I restore their fortunes: “‘The LORD bless you, O habitation of righteousness, O holy hill!’