Jeremiah 31:2 (ASV)

Passage

Thus saith Jehovah, The people that were left of the sword found favor in the wilderness; even Israel, when I went to cause him to rest.

Nearby Context

Jeremiah 31:1 At that time, saith Jehovah, will I be the God of all the families of Israel, and they shall be my people.

Jeremiah 31:2 Thus saith Jehovah, The people that were left of the sword found favor in the wilderness; even Israel, when I went to cause him to rest.

Jeremiah 31:3 Jehovah appeared of old unto me, [saying], Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.

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

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "thus", "saith", "jehovah", "people", "left", "sword", "found", and "favor". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "thus" and "saith", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 1's "At that time saith Jehovah will I..." into verse 3's "Jehovah appeared of old unto me saying...", so "thus" and "saith" belong inside that flow. In Jeremiah context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "thus" and "saith" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.