Jeremiah 32:22
And hast given them this land, which thou didst swear to their fathers to give them, a land flowing with milk and honey;
Original Language Analysis
Cross References
Historical Context
God's promise to give Israel the land of Canaan was made to Abraham circa 2000 BC (Genesis 12:7) and confirmed through Isaac and Jacob. The fulfillment came approximately 600 years later when Joshua led Israel's conquest of Canaan (circa 1400 BC, or 1200 BC on alternate chronology). For nearly 800 years, Israel occupied the land, though often incompletely and inconsistently due to disobedience. The land was always conditional upon covenant obedience (Leviticus 26, Deuteronomy 28)—persistent rebellion would result in exile. By Jeremiah's day, generations of idolatry, social injustice, and covenant unfaithfulness had exhausted God's patience. The Babylonian exile would temporarily remove Israel from the land, but God's covenant promises remained valid. After seventy years, exiles returned to rebuild Jerusalem and reoccupy the land (Ezra 1-6), demonstrating that God's sworn promise outlasted the judgment. Ultimately, Jesus Christ—the true Israel—perfectly inherits all covenant promises, and believers inherit them through union with Him (Galatians 3:29, Ephesians 1:3-14).
Questions for Reflection
- How does remembering that the promised land was God's gracious gift (not Israel's achievement) shape understanding of salvation by grace alone?
- What does Israel's loss of the land due to disobedience teach about the relationship between God's unconditional covenant promises and conditional blessings?
- How does the 'land flowing with milk and honey' point forward to the eternal inheritance believers receive in Christ?
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Analysis & Commentary
And hast given them this land, which thou didst swear to their fathers to give them—God's gift of Canaan fulfilled the covenant promises made to Abraham (Genesis 12:7, 15:18-21), Isaac (Genesis 26:3-4), and Jacob (Genesis 28:13-15). The Hebrew nishba (נִשְׁבַּע, swear) indicates a solemn oath. When God swears by Himself (Hebrews 6:13), His promise is absolutely certain—He cannot lie or fail. The land grant was pure grace, not earned by Israel's merit (Deuteronomy 9:4-6). A land flowing with milk and honey—Erets zavat chalav u-devash (אֶרֶץ זָבַת חָלָב וּדְבָשׁ) describes Canaan's abundance and fertility. 'Milk' indicates plentiful pastures for livestock; 'honey' may refer to date or grape syrup, suggesting rich agriculture. This phrase appears over twenty times in Scripture, embodying God's generous provision for His people.
Jeremiah's prayer emphasizes God's faithfulness—He fulfilled His sworn promise by bringing Israel into Canaan. The conquest under Joshua demonstrated God's power to accomplish what He promised. Yet now (588/587 BC), Jeremiah stood in that very land watching Babylon prepare to destroy it and deport the inhabitants. How can this devastation align with God's covenant faithfulness? The following verse (v. 23) provides the answer: Israel's disobedience forfeited their enjoyment of the land, but God's ultimate purposes for the land remain. The promised 'land flowing with milk and honey' finds eschatological fulfillment in the new creation where God's people dwell with Him eternally (Revelation 21-22).