Christian Standard Bible
Jeremiah 31:20
20Isn’t Ephraim a precious son to me, a delightful child? Whenever I speak against him, I certainly still think about him. Therefore, my inner being yearns for him; I will truly have compassion on him. This is the Lord’s declaration.
Jeremiah 31:20 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Is Ephraim my dear son? is he a pleasant child? for since I spake against him, I do earnestly remember him still: therefore my bowels are troubled for him; I will surely have mercy upon him, saith the Lord.
- New International Version (NIV)Is not Ephraim my dear son, the child in whom I delight? Though I often speak against him, I still remember him. Therefore my heart yearns for him; I have great compassion for him,” declares the Lord.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Is Ephraim my dear son? Is he my darling child? For as often as I speak against him, I do remember him still. Therefore my heart yearns for him; I will surely have mercy on him, declares the Lord.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Is Ephraim My dear son? Is he a pleasant child? For though I spoke against him, I earnestly remember him still; Therefore My heart yearns for him; I will surely have mercy on him, says the Lord.
Context of Jeremiah 31:20
18I have surely heard Ephraim moaning, “You disciplined me, and I have been disciplined like an untrained calf. Take me back, so that I can return, for you, Lord, are my God. 19After my return, I felt regret; After I was instructed, I struck my thigh in grief. I was ashamed and humiliated because I bore the disgrace of my youth.” Isn’t Ephraim a precious son to me, a delightful child? Whenever I speak against him, I certainly still think about him. Therefore, my inner being yearns for him; I will truly have compassion on him. This is the Lord’s declaration. 21Set up road markers for yourself; establish signposts! Keep the highway in mind, the way you have traveled. Return, Virgin Israel! Return to these cities of yours. 22How long will you turn here and there, faithless daughter? For the Lord creates something new in the land — a female will shelter a man.
Read all of Jeremiah 31Jeremiah 31:20 word by word
הֲבֵן֩ יַקִּ֨יר לִ֜י אֶפְרַ֗יִם אִ֚ם יֶ֣לֶד שַׁעֲשֻׁעִ֔ים כִּֽי־מִדֵּ֤י דַבְּרִי֙ בּ֔וֹ זָכֹ֥ר אֶזְכְּרֶ֖נּוּ ע֑וֹד עַל־כֵּ֗ן הָמ֤וּ מֵעַי֙ ל֔וֹ רַחֵ֥ם אֲֽרַחֲמֶ֖נּוּ נְאֻם־יְהוָֽה׃ סRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Ephraimאֶפְרַ֫יִם'ephrayim · EphraimH669
- my dearיַקִּירyaqqîyr · preciousH3357
- sonבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
- a pleasantשַׁעֲשֻׁעִיםsha‛shûa‛ · delightH8191
- childיֶ֫לֶדyeled · youthH3206
- for sinceדַּיday · sufficiencyH1767
- I spakeדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
- against him, I do earnestlyזָכַרzâkar · to rememberH2142
- him still: therefore my bowelsמֵעֶהmê‛eh · bellyH4578
- are troubledהָמָהhâmâh · to roarH1993
- for him; I will surelyרָחַםrâcham · to have compassionH7355
- upon him, saithנְאֻםne'ûm · utteranceH5002
- the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
Cross-references for Jeremiah 31:20
- Jeremiah 32:9So I bought the field in Anathoth from my cousin Hanamel, and I weighed out the silver to him — seventeen shekels of silver.
- Jeremiah 3:19I thought, “How I long to make you my sons and give you a desirable land, the most beautiful inheritance of all the nations.” I thought, “You will call me ‘My Father’ and never turn away from me.”
- Psalms 103:13As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him.
- Proverbs 3:12for the Lord disciplines the one he loves, just as a father disciplines the son in whom he delights.
- Luke 15:24because this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found! ’ So they began to celebrate.
- Deuteronomy 32:36The Lord will indeed vindicate his people and have compassion on his servants when he sees that their strength is gone and no one is left — slave or free.
- Judges 10:16So they got rid of the foreign gods among them and worshiped the Lord, and he became weary of Israel’s misery.
- Isaiah 57:16For I will not accuse you forever, and I will not always be angry; for then the spirit would grow weak before me, even the breath, which I have made.
- Lamentations 3:32Even if he causes suffering, he will show compassion according to the abundance of his faithful love.
- Hosea 11:8How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I surrender you, Israel? How can I make you like Admah? How can I treat you like Zeboiim? I have had a change of heart; my compassion is stirred!
- Genesis 43:30Joseph hurried out because he was overcome with emotion for his brother, and he was about to weep. He went into an inner room and wept there.
- 1 Kings 3:26The woman whose son was alive spoke to the king because she felt great compassion for her son. “My lord, give her the living baby,” she said, “but please don’t have him killed!” But the other one said, “He will not be mine or yours. Cut him in two!”
- Philippians 1:8For God is my witness, how deeply I miss all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.
- Jeremiah 48:36Therefore, my heart moans like flutes for Moab, and my heart moans like flutes for the people of Kir-heres. And therefore, the wealth he has gained has perished.
- Isaiah 16:11Therefore I moan like the sound of a lyre for Moab, as does my innermost being for Kir-heres.
- Isaiah 63:15Look down from heaven and see from your lofty home — holy and beautiful. Where is your zeal and your might? Your yearning and your compassion are withheld from me.
Commentaries on Jeremiah 31:20
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20Is Ephraim my dear son? - It is impossible to conceive any thing more tenderly affectionate than this. Let us consider the whole account. The ten tribes, called here Ephraim, for the reason before alleged, are represented as acknowledging their sins. I have heard Ephraim bemoaning himself; and in his lamentation he says, Thou hast chastised me. Though he at first rebelled against the chastisement, yet at last he submitted and acknowledged his offenses. He…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. 20The exiled people were always in the Lord’s thoughts. God responded to their repentance with a father's love for his lost children (compare Luke 15:11–24).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2020. Is Ephraim my dear son? &c.--The question implies that a negative answer was to be expected. Who would have thought that one so undutiful to His heavenly Father as Ephraim had been should still be regarded by God as a "pleasant child?" Certainly he was not so in respect to his sin. But by virtue of God's "everlasting love" (Jr 31:3) on Ephraim's being "turned" to God, he was immediately welcomed as God's "dear son." This verse sets forth God's…Read the comment
Topics related to Jeremiah 31:20
In the dictionaries
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
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