Jeremiah 31:15, commentary and pictures

The verse pictures Rachel weeping in bitter lamentation for her children because they are gone and lost to her, refusing to be comforted, which is the anguish of bereaved mothers mourning murdered children. It was fulfilled when Herod tried to destroy the infant Christ by sending hardened soldiers through Bethlehem and all its coast to massacre all children from two years old and under, leaving wailing mothers clasping their dying infants while their cries rose above the soldiers' jests and curses toward Heaven for vengeance. That calamity was stirred by proud Jewish boastings that the Messiah would rule an earthly empire, which aroused Herod's envy and hatred, for he meant by the slaughter both to humble Jewish pride and ambition and to secure his own kingdom by murdering the infant Prince he feared, yet Christ was not destroyed and Herod himself later died a fearful death yielding to a power he could not overcome. The lament is answered by the promise in the following verses that the children shall return from the land of the enemy, when at Christ's return the grave loses its power, the dead are raised, and families are reunited. That promise comforts both the weeping mothers of Bethlehem, who will see and know their children again, and all faithful bereaved parents of little children, whose little ones are numbered among Christ's martyrs in their bordered red garments and shall surely come again.

Rachel's Weeping at Bethlehem

The verse pictures Rachel weeping in bitter lamentation for her children because they are gone, lost and no longer with her, refusing to be comforted. It represents the anguish of bereaved mothers mourning children who were killed. The lamentation and refusal to be comforted express the terrible grief caused by their deaths.

The verse was fulfilled in the mourning that followed Herod's cruel attempt to destroy the infant Christ. Hardened soldiers were sent throughout Bethlehem and all its coast to massacre all the children from two years old and under. Their homes were filled with mourning for the absent children.

The slaughter meant wailing mothers clasping their expiring infants to their breasts in horror and distress beyond description. Their cries rose above the soldiers' coarse jests and imprecations as they cried to Heaven for vengeance on the tyrant king.

False Jewish interpretations and claims that the Messiah would rule an earthly empire stirred Herod's envy and hatred against Christ. That pride and ambition for a separate government, to become the glory of the earth, provoked the hatred that led to the killing. Their boasting did not destroy the infant Savior but brought mourning upon their own homes. The calamity was permitted to humble a boastful, sinful nation.

Herod intended the slaughter for a double purpose, to exercise power and authority over the Jews and to humble their pride and discourage their ambition to have a separate government and become the glory of the whole earth. He meant also to silence their proud boastings about their king and to make his own kingdom secure by murdering the infant Prince whom he envied and feared. The infant was not destroyed. Herod later died a fearful death, forced to yield to a power he could not overcome.

Promise of Restoration and Comfort

Rachel's bitter grief for children lost and no longer with her is answered by the hope given in the verses that follow, that her children shall return from the land of the enemy. At Christ's coming the dead will be raised, the grave will lose its power, and families will be reunited in restoration. Mourning is thus met not with final loss but with promised return.

That comfort belongs to the weeping mothers of Bethlehem, who will see and know their children again as they come back from the land of the enemy. The same promise comforts faithful, bereaved parents who have lost little children, that they may trust in the Lord, be comforted, and receive their children again. Rachel's children are joined with the little ones seen among Christ's martyrs, sharing the red border of the martyrs' garment, with assurance that they shall return.