Jer 3:16-18 | JFB | STEP | 16. they shall say no more-- The Jews shall no longer glory in the possession of the ark; it shall not be missed, so great shall be the blessings of the new dispensation. The throne of the Lord, present Himself, shall eclipse and put out of mind the ark of the covenant and the mercy seat between the cherubim, God's former throne. The ark, containing the two tables of the law, disappeared at the Babylonian captivity, and was not restored to the second temple, implying that the symbolical "glory" was to be superseded by a "greater glory" ( ). neither ... visit it-- rather, "neither shall it be missed" (so in ). done-- rather, "neither shall it (the ark) be made (that is, be restored) any more" [Maurer].

‏ Jeremiah 3:16-18

16. they shall say no more--The Jews shall no longer glory in the possession of the ark; it shall not be missed, so great shall be the blessings of the new dispensation. The throne of the Lord, present Himself, shall eclipse and put out of mind the ark of the covenant and the mercy seat between the cherubim, God's former throne. The ark, containing the two tables of the law, disappeared at the Babylonian captivity, and was not restored to the second temple, implying that the symbolical "glory" was to be superseded by a "greater glory" (Hag 2:9).

neither ... visit it--rather, "neither shall it be missed" (so in Jr 23:4).

done--rather, "neither shall it (the ark) be made (that is, be restored) any more" [Maurer].

17. Jerusalem--the whole city, not merely the temple. As it has been the center of the Hebrew theocracy, so it shall be the point of attraction to the whole earth (Is 2:2-4; Zec 2:10, 11; 14:16-21).

throne of ... Lord--The Shekinah, the symbol of God's peculiar nearness to Israel (De 4:7) shall be surpassed by the antitype, God's own throne in Jerusalem (Psa 2:6, 8; Eze 34:23, 24; Zec 2:5).

imagination--rather, as Margin, "the obstinacy" or stubbornness.

18. Judah ... Israel ... together--Two distinct apostasies, that of Israel and that of Judah, were foretold (Jr 3:8, 10). The two have never been united since the Babylonish captivity; therefore their joint restoration must be still future (Is 11:12, 13; Eze 37:16-22; Ho 1:11).

north--(Jr 3:12).

land ... given ... inheritance--(Am 9:15).