Matthew Poole and continuators on Jeremiah 31:8

8 Behold, I will bring them from the north-country , and gather them from the coasts of the earth q, and with them, the blind, and the lame, the woman with child, and her that travaileth with child together, a great company shall return hither .

By the North-Country, is unquestionably meant Babylon, and the land of the Chaldeans, and those places which were Northward of Hierusalem, and by the Coasts of the Earth, all other parts into which any of the Iews had been driven.

The meaning of this is, that nothing should hinder such from returning, as had a mind to return, blind men that could not see their way, and lame persons, who had no strength to walk in it, though they saw it, and women with child, in regard of their heaviness, and women travelling, in regard of their pain, are persons more unfit to travel long journeys then any others, but saith God, I will make such provision that some under those circumstances shall come; that these phrases must be interpreted only into this general sense, appears, because such persons in a literal sense could not come, and though some worthy interpreters, understand it in a spiritual sense of ignorant and impotent persons, and such as are laden with the burden of their sins, and coming to Christ it seems not to be the primary sense of the Text.

Marginal references: chap. 23.8.