King James Version

What Does Jeremiah 31:15 Mean?

Jeremiah 31:15 in the King James Version says “Thus saith the LORD; A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, and bitter weeping; Rahel weeping for her children refused...” — study this verse from Jeremiah chapter 31 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“Thus saith the LORD; A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, and bitter weeping; Rahel weeping for her children refused to be comforted for her children, because they were not.”

Jeremiah 31:15 · KJV

Context

13

Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance, both young men and old together: for I will turn their mourning into joy, and will comfort them, and make them rejoice from their sorrow.

14

And I will satiate the soul of the priests with fatness, and my people shall be satisfied with my goodness, saith the LORD.

15

Thus saith the LORD; A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, and bitter weeping; Rahel weeping for her children refused to be comforted for her children, because they were not.

16

Thus saith the LORD; Refrain thy voice from weeping, and thine eyes from tears: for thy work shall be rewarded, saith the LORD; and they shall come again from the land of the enemy.

17

And there is hope in thine end, saith the LORD, that thy children shall come again to their own border.

Read Jeremiah 31 full chapter

Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
Thus saith the LORD; A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, and bitter weeping; Rahel weeping for her children refused to be comforted for her children, because they were not. This haunting verse captures national grief through the image of Rachel, ancestral mother of Joseph and Benjamin, weeping for her descendants. Ramah was the assembly point where Babylonians gathered captives before deportation (Jeremiah 40:1), located near Rachel's tomb (1 Samuel 10:2). Lamentation (nehi, נְהִי) and bitter weeping (bekhi, בְּכִי) convey inconsolable mourning.

Rahel weeping for her children personifies the Northern Kingdom's tribes (Ephraim and Manasseh descended from Rachel through Joseph). She refused to be comforted (me'anah, מֵאֲנָה, actively refused) because they were not (אֵינֶנּוּ, einennu, they are no more)—a devastating phrase suggesting total loss, not temporary absence. This echoes Jacob's grief over Joseph: 'he is not' (Genesis 37:30), later proven wrong when Joseph lived.

Matthew 2:17-18 applies this prophecy to Herod's massacre of Bethlehem's infants, showing the text's typological depth. Just as Rachel wept for children exiled/destroyed, so mothers wept when Herod murdered sons seeking to kill the true King. Yet in both contexts, God's redemptive purpose survives human evil—Israel returned from exile, and Christ escaped to fulfill His mission. Rachel's weeping is not final; verses 16-17 promise restoration.

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Historical & Cultural Context

Rachel, Jacob's beloved wife, died giving birth to Benjamin near Bethlehem (Genesis 35:16-20). Her tomb became a memorial, and she symbolized motherhood and covenant continuity. When Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem (586 BC) and marched captives through Ramah, it was as if Rachel—buried nearby—arose to weep for descendants facing exile and death. The phrase 'they were not' reflected the apparent extinction of Israel's national existence. Yet God preserved a remnant, fulfilling promises to the patriarchs. Matthew's use shows this pattern repeats in redemptive history—weeping gives way to restoration through God's sovereign purpose.

Reflection Questions

  1. How does Rachel's inconsolable weeping validate the reality of grief while pointing toward hope beyond present sorrow?
  2. What does Matthew's application of this text to Herod's massacre teach about how prophetic Scripture functions?
  3. In what ways does this verse comfort those who grieve losses that seem absolute and final?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 19 words
כֹּ֣ה׀1 of 19
H3541

properly, like this, i.e., by implication, (of manner) thus (or so); also (of place) here (or hither); or (of time) now

אָמַ֣ר2 of 19

“Thus saith”

H559

to say (used with great latitude)

יְהוָ֗ה3 of 19

“the LORD”

H3068

(the) self-existent or eternal; jeho-vah, jewish national name of god

ק֣וֹל4 of 19

“A voice”

H6963

a voice or sound

בְּרָמָ֤ה5 of 19

“in Ramah”

H7414

ramah, the name of four places in palestine

נִשְׁמָע֙6 of 19

“was heard”

H8085

to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to tell, etc.)

נְהִי֙7 of 19

“lamentation”

H5092

an elegy

בְּכִ֣י8 of 19

“weeping”

H1065

a weeping; by analogy, a dripping

תַמְרוּרִ֔ים9 of 19

“and bitter”

H8563

bitterness (plural as collective)

רָחֵ֖ל10 of 19

“Rahel”

H7354

rachel, a wife of jacob

מְבַכָּ֣ה11 of 19

“weeping”

H1058

to weep; generally to bemoan

עַל12 of 19
H5921

above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications

בָּנֶ֖יהָ13 of 19

“for her children”

H1121

a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or

מֵאֲנָ֛ה14 of 19

“refused”

H3985

to refuse

לְהִנָּחֵ֥ם15 of 19

“to be comforted”

H5162

properly, to sigh, i.e., breathe strongly; by implication, to be sorry, i.e., (in a favorable sense) to pity, console or (reflexively) rue; or (unfavo

עַל16 of 19
H5921

above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications

בָּנֶ֖יהָ17 of 19

“for her children”

H1121

a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or

כִּ֥י18 of 19
H3588

(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed

אֵינֶֽנּוּ׃19 of 19
H369

a nonentity; generally used as a negative particle

Study Guide

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Jeremiah. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Jeremiah 31:15 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

Cross-References

Verses related to Jeremiah 31:15 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Matthew 2:16-18Jeremiah 40:1Psalms 77:2Isaiah 22:4Jeremiah 10:20Genesis 37:35

Places in This Verse

Ramah 1Settlement · Modern: Al Ram · 31.85°N, 35.23°E16 verses across 10 books
View all places in Jeremiah 31 →

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