Jeremiah 31:36 (YLT)

Passage

If these statutes depart from before Me, An affirmation of Jehovah, Even the seed of Israel doth cease From being a nation before Me all the days.

Nearby Context

Jeremiah 31:34 And they do not teach any more Each his neighbour, and each his brother, Saying, Know ye Jehovah, For they all know Me, from their least unto their greatest, An affirmation of Jehovah; For I pardon their iniquity, And of their sin I make mention no more.

Jeremiah 31:35 Thus said Jehovah, Who is giving the sun for a light by day, The statutes of moon and stars for a light by night, Quieting the sea when its billows roar, Jehovah of Hosts <FI>is<Fi> His name:

Jeremiah 31:36 If these statutes depart from before Me, An affirmation of Jehovah, Even the seed of Israel doth cease From being a nation before Me all the days.

Jeremiah 31:37 Thus said Jehovah: If the heavens above be measured, And the foundations of earth below searched, Even I kick against all the seed of Israel, For all that they have done, An affirmation of Jehovah.

Jeremiah 31:38 Lo, days <FI>are coming<Fi> , an affirmation of Jehovah, And the city hath been built to Jehovah, From the tower of Hananeel to the gate of the corner.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "statutes", "depart", "before", "affirmation", "jehovah", "even", "seed", and "israel". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "statutes" and "depart", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 35's "Thus said Jehovah Who is giving the..." into verse 37's "Thus said Jehovah If the heavens above...", so "statutes" and "depart" 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 "statutes" and "depart" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.