A Woman Will Surround a Man
Recommended Reading: Jeremiah 31
In Jeremiah 31:22 we have one of the most difficult Bible passages to interpret. I have studied this verse for the past forty years and never felt I had a clear understanding of its meaning, until now. Jeremiah writes:
“How long wilt thou go about, O thou backsliding daughter? For the LORD hath created a new thing in the earth, A woman shall encompass a man.”
The difficulty in understanding this verse is found in the phrase, “A woman shall encompass a man.” God is about to severely punish the children of Israel. He is raising up the Babylonian army to destroy the temple and bring the Jews into captivity for seventy years. Amidst this prophetic judgment, God places an oasis of hope in chapters 30-33. In the center of this oasis we read:
“The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee. Again I will build thee, and thou shalt be built, O virgin of Israel: thou shalt again be adorned with thy tabrets, and shalt go forth in the dances of them that make merry. Thou shalt yet plant vines upon the mountains of Samaria: the planters shall plant, and shall eat them as common things...”
In the middle of impending doom, God gives a future hope of unparalleled happiness and blessing. To further illustrate this unprecedented transformation, God describes an extraordinary reversal of weakness and strength— “a woman shall encompass a man.”
To understand how a woman shall encompass a man, we need to define a few words in this text, starting with the words woman and man. In our passage from Jeremiah, the Hebrew term used for woman is נְקֵבָה (neqebah—found only 22 times in the Bible) rather than the more common word for woman אשּׁה (Ishshah), which appears nearly 800 times in the Bible.
The first time נְקֵבָה (neqebah) is used in Scripture is in Genesis 1:27, where we read: “So God created man in his image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.” This word female is the same word Jeremiah uses for woman. The fact that Jeremiah uses this unusual word from Genesis is a clue to understanding the passage.
The word woman, or female, in Genesis 1:27 and Jeremiah 31:22, carries the idea of a pierced one, one who is punctured, hollowed, or by inference, a womb. It appears to relate to the woman coming forth from the pierced side of Adam.
Now that we’ve defined the word for woman in Jeremiah (pierced, punctured, hollowed, womb), we need to define the word that Jeremiah uses for man. One would think it would hold no other meaning than “a man”, but again, Jeremiah does not use the common word (Ish) for man. Rather, he uses גֶּבֶר geber, meaning “a warrior of great strength who prevails”. This appears only 65 times in contrast to the common usage, אָדָם (Adam), which appears 541 times in the Old Testament.
Jeremiah has chosen uncommon words for woman and man to convey something in the future that will also be uncommon. Placing these words together creates a deliberate paradox—an unprecedented, upside-down reality. The pierced one, a vulnerable female, will encompass or surround a Warrior of great strength!
The next word of interest is the word encompass. This can mean to simply encompass, encircle, or surround but in the context of Jeremiah’s prophesy it is much more. This word for “encompass” can also refer to a military encampment or a walled fortress of protection or an encompassing army as we see in the book of Joshua when the “men of war” were to “compass” the city of Jericho seven times. The word “compass” appears seven times in reference to the toppling of the walls of Jericho.
I imagine the children of Israel rolled their eyes when they heard a woman would encompass a warrior man. They didn’t believe Babylon was coming to destroy them, nor would they have believed in this reversal of roles for a man and woman. It would have been laughable to them. But I’m sure the laughing ceased when they were taken captive.
Since the time of Babylon, Israel continues to remain the “backsliding daughter” of the LORD. Israel missed the first coming of their Messiah and they also missed the fulfillment of “a woman encompassing a man.” When has a woman encompassed a man?
In Luke 8 we read:
“And it came to pass afterward, that he went throughout every city and village, preaching and shewing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God: and the twelve were with him, And certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils, And Joanna the wife of Chuza Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others, which ministered unto him of their substance” (Luke 8:1-3).
Can you imagine these women following Jesus throughout every city, along with the 12 disciples? This had to look strange, especially with a married woman among them! Throughout the New Testament, women were primary followers, such as the woman with the issue of blood, the woman at the well, the woman who was bent over, the woman was caught in the act of adultery, women who were close friends such as Mary and Martha, Mary Magdalene, and many, many others!
Most of the male leaders in Israel rejected Christ. Something in Jesus’ teaching angered or threatened them. He proclaimed a gospel that was an unprecedented, upside-down reality! Not only were women equal in His eyes, but they demonstrated true strength, as we see at the crucifixion. The evening before the crucifixion, all of Jesus’ male disciples fled in fear. John did return to witness the trial, but he, like the others, initially fled. I emphasize this because, at the crucifixion, John was the only male disciple present.
Jesus, however, was not alone, as we see in Matthew and Mark:
“And many women were there beholding afar off, which followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering unto him: Among which was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee's children” (Matt. 27:55, 56).
“There were also women looking on afar off: among whom was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the less and of Joses, and Salome; (Who also, when he was in Galilee, followed him, and ministered unto him;) and many other women which came up with him unto Jerusalem” (Mark 15:40-41).
At the cross we have the fulfillment of a woman encompassing a man. Those who were the most vulnerable displayed the greatest faith, strength, protection, and care. They were not afraid to be at the side of the greatest and strongest Warrior of all time. The most vulnerable and weak recognized that their Warrior was willing to be wounded for their transgressions. In turn, they followed Him, provided for Him, cared for Him, and were now encompassing him by remaining close, or rather, encompassing Him. Even after the crucifixion, the women continued to provide, protect, and care. From the cross to the grave, they chose not to abandon the One they loved most.
The church, birthed from the pierced side of Christ, continues where Mary Magdelene and the rest of the women left off. It is the vulnerable Bride of Christ who now encompasses their valiant Warrior. Vulnerable and weak, the church demonstrates to all that the LORD has indeed “created a new thing in the earth!” Out of weakness and vulnerability this new bride is an encompassing army. Again, God is doing something new—entirely new—the weak have become warriors.
In the womb, the Warrior child was protected. In the earth, the Warrior was wounded. Through His wounding, a Bride was birthed. She is now the Warrior Bride—encompassing the man.
Sincerely
Dr. Mark Hamby
Recommended Reading and Listening:
You Are There: audio dramas (ages 4+)
Little Ears: Old Testament
Little Ears: New Testament
The Miracles of Jesus
Easter
Creation
Noah
Titus: A Comrade of the Cross: book and audio drama (ages 7+)
Dashed to Pieces: book and audio drama (ages 7+)
