Jeremiah 23:5
Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth.
Original Language Analysis
יָמִ֤ים
Behold the days
H3117
יָמִ֤ים
Behold the days
Strong's:
H3117
Word #:
2 of 16
a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an asso
יְהוָ֔ה
the LORD
H3068
יְהוָ֔ה
the LORD
Strong's:
H3068
Word #:
5 of 16
(the) self-existent or eternal; jeho-vah, jewish national name of god
וַהֲקִמֹתִ֥י
that I will raise
H6965
וַהֲקִמֹתִ֥י
that I will raise
Strong's:
H6965
Word #:
6 of 16
to rise (in various applications, literal, figurative, intensive and causative)
וּמָ֤לַךְ
shall reign
H4427
וּמָ֤לַךְ
shall reign
Strong's:
H4427
Word #:
10 of 16
to reign; hence (by implication) to take counsel
וְהִשְׂכִּ֔יל
and prosper
H7919
וְהִשְׂכִּ֔יל
and prosper
Strong's:
H7919
Word #:
12 of 16
to be (causatively, make or act) circumspect and hence, intelligent
וְעָשָׂ֛ה
and shall execute
H6213
וְעָשָׂ֛ה
and shall execute
Strong's:
H6213
Word #:
13 of 16
to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application
מִשְׁפָּ֥ט
judgment
H4941
מִשְׁפָּ֥ט
judgment
Strong's:
H4941
Word #:
14 of 16
properly, a verdict (favorable or unfavorable) pronounced judicially, especially a sentence or formal decree (human or (participant's) divine law, ind
Cross References
Isaiah 4:2In that day shall the branch of the LORD be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and comely for them that are escaped of Israel.Isaiah 52:13Behold, my servant shall deal prudently, he shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high.Isaiah 9:7Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.Zechariah 3:8Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, thou, and thy fellows that sit before thee: for they are men wondered at: for, behold, I will bring forth my servant the BRANCH.Isaiah 53:2For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.Zechariah 9:9Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.Revelation 19:11And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.Jeremiah 23:6In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.Jeremiah 30:9But they shall serve the LORD their God, and David their king, whom I will raise up unto them.Jeremiah 30:3For, lo, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will bring again the captivity of my people Israel and Judah, saith the LORD: and I will cause them to return to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall possess it.
Historical Context
When this prophecy was given, David's line seemed finished—Jehoiachin (also called Coniah or Jeconiah) was cursed so that none of his descendants would prosper on David's throne (22:30). Yet God's promise to David was unconditional (2 Samuel 7:12-16). The solution came through the virgin birth: Jesus was David's descendant through Mary (legal heir through adoption by Joseph, biological descendant through Mary), thus fulfilling both the promise and bypassing the curse on Jeconiah's line.
Questions for Reflection
- How does Jesus fulfill each aspect of this Messianic prophecy—righteous, reigning, prospering, executing judgment and justice?
- What does it mean that Christ is the 'Branch' from David's line—something that grows from what seemed dead?
- How should we live now in light of the certainty that Christ will return to establish His kingdom fully?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
This verse contains one of the Old Testament's clearest Messianic prophecies. The 'righteous Branch' (tsemach tsaddiq, צֶמַח צַדִּיק) refers to a descendant from David's line who will perfectly fulfill the kingly calling that Judah's recent rulers had catastrophically failed. The Branch imagery appears elsewhere in Isaiah (4:2; 11:1), Jeremiah (33:15), and Zechariah (3:8; 6:12), always pointing to the coming Messiah.
The description is comprehensive: He will be 'raised unto David' (fulfilling the Davidic covenant), He will be 'righteous' (in contrast to corrupt kings), He will 'reign and prosper' (exercising successful sovereignty), and He will 'execute judgment and justice in the earth' (establishing true righteousness). This King will accomplish everything Judah's failed monarchs could not. The emphasis on righteousness and justice directly contrasts with leaders who perverted justice and practiced wickedness.
Reformed theology recognizes this as a prophecy of Christ's first and second advents. At His first coming, Jesus was born of David's line (Matthew 1:1; Luke 2:4) and began His reign, though rejected by His own people. At His second coming, He will establish His kingdom fully, executing judgment and justice throughout the earth. The Branch has already been raised; His kingdom is growing; His final victory is certain.