Jeremiah 31:18

Jeremiah 31:18 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus; Thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised, as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke: turn thou me, and I shall be turned; for thou art the Lord my God.
• New International Version (NIV)“I have surely heard Ephraim’s moaning: ‘You disciplined me like an unruly calf, and I have been disciplined. Restore me, and I will return, because you are the Lord my God.
• English Standard Version (ESV)I have heard Ephraim grieving, 'You have disciplined me, and I was disciplined, like an untrained calf; bring me back that I may be restored, for you are the Lord my God.
• New King James Version (NKJV)“I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself: ‘You have chastised me, and I was chastised, Like an untrained bull; Restore me, and I will return, For You are the Lord my God.

Context of Jeremiah 31:18

16Thus says the Lord, “Restrain your voice from weeping And your eyes from tears, For your work will be rewarded,” says the Lord; “And your children will return from the enemy’s land. 17There is [confident] hope for your future,” says the Lord; “Your children will come back to their own country. I have surely heard Ephraim (Israel) moaning and grieving, ‘You have chastised me, and I was chastised, Like a bull unaccustomed to the yoke or an untrained calf; Bring me back that I may be restored, For You are the Lord my God. 19After I turned away [from You], I repented; After I was instructed, I struck my thigh [in remorse]; I was ashamed and even humiliated Because I carried the disgrace of my youth [as a nation].’ 20Is Ephraim My dear son? Is he a darling and beloved child? For as often as I have spoken against him, I certainly still remember him. Therefore My affection is renewed and My heart longs for him; I will surely have mercy on him,” says the Lord.

Jeremiah 31:18 word by word

שָׁמ֣וֹעַ שָׁמַ֗עְתִּי אֶפְרַ֙יִם֙ מִתְנוֹדֵ֔ד יִסַּרְתַּ֙נִי֙ וָֽאִוָּסֵ֔ר כְּעֵ֖גֶל לֹ֣א לֻמָּ֑ד הֲשִׁיבֵ֣נִי וְאָשׁ֔וּבָה כִּ֥י אַתָּ֖ה יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהָֽי׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• I have surelyשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: hearH8085
• Ephraimאֶפְרַ֫יִם'ephrayim · EphraimH669
• bemoaningנוּדnûd · to wanderH5110
• Thou hast chastisedיָסַרyâsar · to disciplineH3256
• as a bullockעֵ֫גֶל‛êgel · calfH5695
• unaccustomedלָמַדlâmad · to learn: teachH3925
• unaccustomedלֹאlô' lô' lôh · notH3808
• turnשׁוּבshûb · to return: returnH7725
• thou me, and I shall be turnedשׁוּבshûb · to return: rescueH7725
• the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• my Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430

Cross-references for Jeremiah 31:18

• Job 33:27He sings out to other men, ‘I have sinned and perverted that which was right, And it was not proper for me!
• Psalms 102:19For He looked down from His holy height [of His sanctuary], From heaven the Lord gazed on the earth,
• Isaiah 57:15For the high and exalted One He who inhabits eternity, Whose name is Holy says this, “I dwell on the high and holy place, But also with the contrite and humble in spirit In order to revive the spirit of the humble And to revive the heart of the contrite [overcome with sorrow for sin].
• Hosea 5:15I will go away and return to My place [on high] Until they acknowledge their offense and bear their guilt and seek My face; In their distress they will earnestly seek Me, saying,
• Hosea 6:1“Come and let us return [in repentance] to the Lord, For He has torn us, but He will heal us; He has wounded us, but He will bandage us.
• Luke 15:20So he got up and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was moved with compassion for him, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.
• Jeremiah 31:6For there will be a day when the watchmen On the hills of Ephraim cry out, ‘Arise, and let us go up to Zion, To the Lord our God.’ ”
• Jeremiah 3:21A voice is heard on the barren heights, The weeping and pleading of the children of Israel, Because they have lost their way, They have [deliberately] forgotten the Lord their God.
• Jeremiah 50:4“In those days and at that time,” says the Lord, “the children of Israel will come, they and the children of Judah together; they will come up weeping [in repentance] as they come and seek the Lord their God [inquiring for and of Him].
• Hosea 11:8How can I give you up, O Ephraim? How can I surrender you, O Israel? How can I make you like Admah? How can I treat you like Zeboiim? My heart recoils within Me; All My compassions are kindled together [for My nation of Israel].
• Hosea 14:4I will heal their apostasy and faithlessness; I will love them freely, For My anger has turned away from Israel.
• Jeremiah 2:30“In vain I have punished your people [with the consequences of their disobedience]; They received no insight from correction [and refused to change]. Your [own] sword has devoured your prophets Like a destroying lion.
• Jeremiah 5:3O Lord, do not Your eyes look for truth? You [have seen their faithless heart and] have stricken them, But they did not weaken; You have consumed them, But they refused to take correction or instruction. They have made their faces harder than rock; They have refused to repent and return to You.
• Job 5:17“Behold, how happy and fortunate is the man whom God reproves, So do not despise or reject the discipline of the Almighty [subjecting you to trial and suffering].
• Psalms 39:8Save me from all my transgressions; Do not make me the scorn and reproach of the [self-righteous, arrogant] fool.
• Psalms 94:12Blessed [with wisdom and prosperity] is the man whom You discipline and instruct, O Lord, And whom You teach from Your law,

Commentaries on Jeremiah 31:18

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 18I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself - The exiled Israelites are in a state of deep repentance. Thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised - I was at first like an unbroken and untoward steer, the more I was chastised the more I rebelled; but now I have benefited by thy correction. Turn thou me - I am now willing to take thy yoke upon me, but I have no power. I can only will and pray. Take the matter into thy own hand, and fully convert my soul.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 15-22Verses 15-22 The religious character of the restoration of the ten tribes. Chastisement brought repentance, and with it forgiveness; therefore God decrees their restoration. Jeremiah 31:15 Ramah, mentioned because of its nearness to Jerusalem, from which it was distant about five miles. As the mother of three tribes, Benjamin, Ephraim, and Manasseh, Rachel is regarded as the mother of the whole ten. This passage is quoted by Matthew (marginal reference)…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 18-20Verses 18-20 Ephraim (the ten tribes) is weeping for sin. He is angry at himself for his sin, and folly, and frowardness. He finds he cannot, by his own power, keep himself close with God, much less bring himself back when he is revolted. Therefore he prays, Turn thou me, and I shall be turned. His will was bowed to the will of God. When the teaching of God's Spirit went with the corrections of his providence, then the work was done. This is our comfort…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 18-19Israel was now sorry for its sins and humbly asked for restoration. The people realized they could not save themselves. They turned away from idols and affirmed that God alone is the Lord.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1818. Ephraim--representing the ten tribes. bemoaning himself--The spirit of penitent supplication shall at last be poured on Israel as the necessary forerunner of their restoration (Zec 12:10-14). Thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised--In the first clause the chastisement itself is meant; in the second the beneficial effect of it in teaching the penitent true wisdom. bullock unaccustomed to ... yoke--A similar image occurs in De 32:15. Compare…Read the comment

Topics related to Jeremiah 31:18

• Afflictions and Adversities
• Bullock
• Chastisement
• Ephraim
• Repentance
• Self-Will
• Sin

In the dictionaries

• Ephraim
• God
• Ephraim, Ephraimite
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Bullock
• Remember
• Unaccustomed
• Ephraim (1)
• Jeremiah (2)
• Reform

Commentaries on Jeremiah 31

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings