Jeremiah 3:21

Jeremiah 3:21 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)A voice was heard upon the high places, weeping and supplications of the children of Israel: for they have perverted their way, and they have forgotten the Lord their God.
• New International Version (NIV)A cry is heard on the barren heights, the weeping and pleading of the people of Israel, because they have perverted their ways and have forgotten the Lord their God.
• English Standard Version (ESV)A voice on the bare heights is heard, the weeping and pleading of Israel's sons because they have perverted their way; they have forgotten the Lord their God.
• New King James Version (NKJV)A voice was heard on the desolate heights, Weeping and supplications of the children of Israel. For they have perverted their way; They have forgotten the Lord their God.

Context of Jeremiah 3:21

19I thought this: “I want you people of Israel to be my children. That would make me very happy. I want to give you a good land as your home. It is a more beautiful land than any other nation enjoys.” I thought that you would call me “Father”. I thought that you would always be faithful to me. 20But you, Israel, have gone away from me, like a woman who leaves her husband. You have not been faithful to me.’ That is what the Lord says. ‘I can hear a noise on the tops of the hills. Israel's people are weeping. They are calling out for help. Yes, they have turned to bad ways. They have forgotten to serve the Lord their God. 22Return to me, all of you have turned away. I will help you to be faithful to me. Now you should say, “Yes, we will return to you, because you are the Lord our God. 23The false gods that we worship on the hills have deceived us. Our wild parties on the mountains have not helped us. Only the Lord our God can really save Israel.

Jeremiah 3:21 word by word

ק֚וֹל עַל־שְׁפָיִ֣ים נִשְׁמָ֔ע בְּכִ֥י תַחֲנוּנֵ֖י בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל כִּ֤י הֶעֱוּוּ֙ אֶת־דַּרְכָּ֔ם שָׁכְח֖וּ אֶת־יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵיהֶֽם׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• A voiceקוֹלqôl qôl · voiceH6963
• was heardשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: hearH8085
• upon the high placesשְׁפִיshephîy · barenessH8205
• weepingבְּכִיbekîy · weepingH1065
• supplicationsתַּחֲנוּןtachănûn tachănûnâh · supplicationH8469
• of the childrenבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
• for they have pervertedעָוָה‛âvâh · to twistH5753
• their wayדֶּ֫רֶךְderek · way: conductH1870
• they have forgottenשָׁכַחshâkach shâkêach · to forgetH7911
• the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• their Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430

Cross-references for Jeremiah 3:21

• Jeremiah 30:15You complain about your wounds. You say that your pain will never get better. But I had to punish you, because you are very wicked, and you are guilty of many sins.
• Jeremiah 31:9They will be weeping as they come. They will pray for my help as I lead them. I will lead them beside streams of fresh water, and on flat paths where they will not fall down. I will help them because I am a father for Israel's people. Ephraim is like my firstborn son.’
• Jeremiah 50:4The Lord says, ‘When that happens, the people of Israel and Judah will return to their land. They will weep because of their sins. They will want to worship the Lord their God.
• Isaiah 15:2The people in Dibon have gone up to their temple to weep. They have gone up to the altars where they worship their gods. Moab's people are weeping because of what has happened at Nebo and Medeba. They are so upset that they have cut off their hair and their beards.
• Ezekiel 7:16Those who remain alive will escape. They will run to the mountains. They will be like doves that hunters have chased out of the valleys. They will cry aloud because of their sins.
• Zechariah 12:10I will cause the family of David and the people in Jerusalem to think seriously about me. Then they will know that I am kind to them. And they will want to pray to me. They will look at me whom they pierced (made holes in). They will weep about him as those that weep after the death of their only son. They will cry aloud as if their only son was dead.
• 2 Corinthians 7:10People need to become sad in the way that God wants. When they are sad like that, it causes them to turn away from wrong things. Then God saves them from their sins. They will never be sorry about that! But when people become sad in the way that the world wants, it does not help them. They do not turn to God and they die in their spirits.
• Numbers 22:32The angel of the Lord said to him, ‘You should not have hit your donkey like that! I have come here to stop you because you refuse to obey me.
• Job 33:27That person will say clearly to everyone, “I did things that were not right. I did wrong things, but God did not punish me as I deserved.
• Proverbs 10:9If people are honest, their lives are safe. But those who are not honest will receive punishment.
• Proverbs 19:3Some people do silly things and so they destroy themselves. Then they get angry with the Lord.
• Micah 3:9So listen to this, you leaders of Jacob's people. You are Israel's rulers. But you never do what is right and fair. You take what is good. And you make it seem bad.
• Jeremiah 2:32A young woman does not forget to wear her jewels. When a woman marries, she does not forget to wear her special dress. But for many years, my people have forgotten me.
• Isaiah 17:10That will happen because you have forgotten the God who rescues you. He is the Rock where you can safely hide, but you have turned away from him. Instead, you plant the best plants and vines in your gardens. You buy them from foreign countries for a lot of money.
• Ezekiel 23:35This is what the Almighty Lord says: “You have forgotten me. You have not been faithful to me. You have lived as a prostitute and you have done disgusting things. So now you must receive the punishment that you deserve.” ’
• Hosea 8:14Israel's people have built beautiful palaces. But they have forgotten me, who made them into a nation! Judah's people have built many strong cities. But I will send fire to destroy their cities and their strong buildings.’

Commentaries on Jeremiah 3:21

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21A voice was heard upon the high places - Here the Israelites are represented as assembled together to bewail their idolatry and to implore mercy. While thus engaged, they hear the gracious call of Jehovah: -Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 21Upon the high places - Upon those bare table-lands, which previously had been the scene of Israel‘s idolatries Jeremiah 3:2. The prophet supposes the offer of mercy to Israel if repentant to have been accepted, and describes Israel‘s agony of grief now that she is convinced of her sins. Weeping and supplications - literally, “the weeping of earliest prayers for mercy.” For they have … - Rather, because “they hare perverted their way,” literally, made it…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 21-25Verses 21-25 Sin is turning aside to crooked ways. And forgetting the Lord our God is at the bottom of all sin. By sin we bring ourselves into trouble. The promise to those that return is, God will heal their backslidings, by his pardoning mercy, his quieting peace, and his renewing grace. They come devoting themselves to God. They come disclaiming all expectations of relief and succour from any but the Lord. Therefore they come depending upon him only…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 21-25The people, held captive in Assyria, claimed they had repented of their sins. However, their words were insincere, and the Lord rejected their plea. God told his people that if they truly wanted to return to him, they had to abandon the hilltop altars where they worshiped idols and remove all traces of idolatry from their religion.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2121. In harmony with the preceding promises of God, the penitential confessions of Israel are heard. high places--The scene of their idolatries is the scene of their confessions. Compare Jr 3:23, in which they cast aside their trust in these idolatrous high places. The publicity of their penitence is also implied (compare Jr 7:29; 48:38).Read the comment

Topics related to Jeremiah 3:21

• Backsliders
• Church
• Forgetting God
• Repentance
• Sin

In the dictionaries

• God
• Israel
• Israel, Israelites
• Jacob, Israel
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Children of Israel
• Adultery
• Confusion
• Marry
• Reserve

Commentaries on Jeremiah 3

• 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