(17) And there is hope in thine end . . .--Better, There is hope for thy future. The words are the same as in Jeremiah 29:11, where the English version has "an expected end." The hope here is defined as that of the return of Rachel's children to their own border--the return, that is, of the Ten Tribes from their captivity.

Verse 17. - Hope in thine end; rather, hope for thy future (comp. on ch. 29:11). There is no occasion to render, with the Septuagint and Rosenmuller, "for thy posterity" (comp. Psalm 119:13, Hebrew); for Rachel identifies herself by sympathy with her descendants.

31:10-17 He that scattered Israel, knows where to find them. It is comfortable to observe the goodness of the Lord in the gifts of providence. But our souls are never valuable as gardens, unless watered with the dews of God's Spirit and grace. A precious promise follows, which will not have full accomplishment except in the heavenly Zion. Let them be satisfied of God's loving-kindness, and they will be satisfied with it, and desire no more to make them happy. Rachel is represented as rising from her grave, and refusing to be comforted, supposing her offspring rooted out. The murder of the children at Bethlehem, by Herod, Mt 2:16-18, in some degree fulfilled this prediction, but could not be its full meaning. If we have hope in the end, concerning an eternal inheritance, for ourselves and those belonging to us, all temporal afflictions may be borne, and will be for our good.And there is hope in thine end, saith the Lord,.... Or, "hope for thy posterity" (r); for their children that had been massacred, that these should rise again, and enjoy a blessed immortality, as the next clause seems to explain and confirm it:

that thy children shall come again to their own border: either to the border of the land of Israel, as Joseph, Mary, and Jesus did, Matthew 2:21; or rather to the borders of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, where this cruel murder was committed; and so the intimation is, that they shall rise again, and stand upon that very spot of ground where their blood was split; and not only so, but enter into and dwell upon the new earth in the Jerusalem state; and also enter into the heavenly Canaan, and dwell with Christ for evermore, on whose account their lives were taken away.

(r) "posteris tuis", Gataker; "posteritati tuae", Schmidt.