The clause is disputed, of course. The older commentators generally agree with the presentation I’m about to give. The more modern ones do not. Jeremiah wrote it, this line of Truth. “The LORD hath created a new thing in the earth, A woman shall compass a man.” Jeremiah 31:22
As far as I can tell, this is the only time in the Bible a “woman” is said to do any such thing to a “man.” Plus, our Text tells us up front this is a “new” thing on earth!
Closest parallel I can fine, otherwise, is where God would not give a man (Barak) credit for a victory over an enemy army … because Barak would not go fight them as Israel’s sole leader. He would not go to war … without a woman’s help! That indispensable woman was the Judge named Deborah. And the woman who finally killed the chief enemy soldier (Sisera) was a Jewish lady named Jael. She single handedly killed the Captain with a “tent peg” … nailed straight through his head, while he slept in her tent! There, for sure, a woman outclassed a man. And God so noted it! Proof Text, Judges 4:9 … “And she (Deborah) said, I will surely go with thee (Barak): notwithstanding the journey that thou takest shall not be for thine honour; for the LORD shall sell Sisera into the hand of a woman (Jael). And Deborah arose, and went with Barak to Kedesh.”
Wow!
But Jeremiah’s Prophecy goes far beyond human ingenuity!
“The LORD hath created a new thing in the earth, A woman shall compass a man.”
God’s “new thing,” a fresh thing, unprecedented … will no doubt be a miracle!
Something He must “create,” the Hebrew verb being “bara,” meaning “to make something out of nothing!”
A “woman” will do something “without a man!”
Sidestepping masculine necessity!
Accomplishing something on her own, without a husband’s help, without any human’s aid or energy!
The verb “compass” (in Hebrew “sabab”) actually means “to go around.” To avoid! To “turn aside” from a man!
This is a Poel verb, a relative of the more common Piel stem in Hebrew … intensive, dramatic action being implied! Something substantial!
“A woman shall compass a man.”
It happened at the Virgin Birth, folks!
Mary conceived … and Joseph (her espoused husband) was NOT involved!
She sidestepped him!
Jesus was conceived of the Holy Spirit!
Joseph had nothing to do with the Miracle!
The noun “woman” is unusual here, “neqebah” being used in Scripture only 22 times! It’s highly suggestive in our Text, being derived from a root word meaning “to pierce, to bore.”
The angel actually assured Joseph, who was in some doubt about the “new” situation … “Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for THAT WHICH IS CONCEIVED IN HER is of the Holy Ghost.” Matthew 1:20
Wow again!
This is an astounding verse of Scripture!
Why don’t we preach it more?
And, are we near correct in our interpretation?
Look at the complete verse now … Jeremiah 31:22. “How long wilt thou go about, O thou BACKSLIDING daughter? for the LORD hath created a new thing in the earth, A woman shall compass a man.” It is here implied that this “new thing,” the Result of this Miracle (Jesus’ Virgin Birth) will even “cure” (“forgive”) Israel of her “backslidings,” of her sins!
That’s Jesus!
That’s Calvary!
That’s the Blood of our Saviour!
And that’s why Jesus was born!
Born that day long ago … because a woman compassed a man!
Praise God.
— Dr. Mike Bagwell