God’s Word Translation
Jeremiah 15:19
19This is what the Lord says: If you will return, I will take you back. If you will speak what is worthwhile and not what is worthless, you will stand in my presence. The people will return to you, but you will not return to them.
Jeremiah 15:19 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Therefore thus saith the Lord, If thou return, then will I bring thee again, and thou shalt stand before me: and if thou take forth the precious from the vile, thou shalt be as my mouth: let them return unto thee; but return not thou unto them.
- New International Version (NIV)Therefore this is what the Lord says: “If you repent, I will restore you that you may serve me; if you utter worthy, not worthless, words, you will be my spokesman. Let this people turn to you, but you must not turn to them.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Therefore thus says the Lord: "If you return, I will restore you, and you shall stand before me. If you utter what is precious, and not what is worthless, you shall be as my mouth. They shall turn to you, but you shall not turn to them.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Therefore thus says the Lord: “If you return, Then I will bring you back; You shall stand before Me; If you take out the precious from the vile, You shall be as My mouth. Let them return to you, But you must not return to them.
Context of Jeremiah 15:19
17I didn’t keep company with those who laugh and have fun. I sat alone because your hand was on me. You filled me with outrage. 18Why is my pain unending and my wound incurable, refusing to heal? Will you disappoint me like a stream that dries up in summertime? This is what the Lord says: If you will return, I will take you back. If you will speak what is worthwhile and not what is worthless, you will stand in my presence. The people will return to you, but you will not return to them. 20I will make you like a solid bronze wall in front of these people. They will fight you, but they will not defeat you. I am with you, and I will save you and rescue you, declares the Lord. 21I will rescue you from the power of wicked people and free you from the power of tyrants.
Read all of Jeremiah 15Jeremiah 15:19 word by word
לָכֵ֞ן כֹּֽה־אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֗ה אִם־תָּשׁ֤וּב וַאֲשִֽׁיבְךָ֙ לְפָנַ֣י תַּֽעֲמֹ֔ד וְאִם־תּוֹצִ֥יא יָקָ֛ר מִזּוֹלֵ֖ל כְּפִ֣י תִֽהְיֶ֑ה יָשֻׁ֤בוּ הֵ֙מָּה֙ אֵלֶ֔יךָ וְאַתָּ֖ה לֹֽא־תָשׁ֥וּב אֲלֵיהֶֽם׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Therefore thus saithאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- If thou returnשׁוּבshûb · to return: repentH7725
- then will I bring thee againשׁוּבshûb · to return: rescueH7725
- thou shalt standעָמַד‛âmad · to stand: standH5975
- beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
- me: and if thou take forthיָצָאyâtsâ' · to come out: speakH3318
- the preciousיָקָרyâqâr · preciousH3368
- from the vileזָלַלzâlal · be vileH2151
- thou shalt be as my mouthפֶּהpeh · lipH6310
- unto thee; but returnשׁוּבshûb · to return: turn backH7725
Cross-references for Jeremiah 15:19
- Jeremiah 15:10I’m so miserable! Why did my mother give birth to me? I am a man who argues and quarrels with the whole earth. I have never lent or borrowed anything. Yet, everyone curses me.
- Jeremiah 20:9I think to myself, “I can forget the Lord and no longer speak his name.” But ⌞his word⌟ is inside me like a burning fire shut up in my bones. I wear myself out holding it in, but I can’t do it any longer.
- Exodus 6:29He said to Moses, “I am the Lord. Tell Pharaoh (the king of Egypt) everything I tell you.”
- Jonah 3:2“Leave at once for the important city, Nineveh. Announce to the people the message I have given you.”
- Jeremiah 15:1Then the Lord said to me, “Even if Moses and Samuel were standing in front of me, I would not feel sorry for these people. Send them away from me, and let them go.
- 1 Kings 17:1Elijah, who was from Tishbe but had settled in Gilead, said to Ahab, “I solemnly swear, as the Lord God of Israel whom I serve lives, there will be no dew or rain during the next few years unless I say so.”
- Proverbs 22:29Do you see a person who is efficient in his work? He will serve kings. He will not serve unknown people.
- Zechariah 3:7“This is what the Lord of Armies says: If you live according to my ways and follow my requirements, you will govern my temple and watch over my courtyards. Then I will give you free access to walk among those standing here.
- Luke 1:19The angel answered him, “I’m Gabriel! I stand in God’s presence. God sent me to tell you this good news.
- Luke 21:36Be alert at all times. Pray so that you have the power to escape everything that is about to happen and to stand in front of the Son of Man.”
- Jude 1:24God can guard you so that you don’t fall and so that you can be full of joy as you stand in his glorious presence without fault.
- Leviticus 10:10Teach them the difference between what is holy and what is unholy, what is clean and what is unclean.
- Isaiah 32:5Godless fools will no longer be called nobles, nor will scoundrels be considered gentlemen.
- Ezekiel 22:26Your priests violate my teachings and dishonor my holy things. They don’t distinguish between what is holy and what is unholy. They don’t teach the difference between what is clean and what is unclean. They ignore the days to worship me. So I am dishonored among the people.
- Ezekiel 44:23They must teach my people the difference between what is holy and what is unholy. They must show the people how to tell the difference between what is clean and what is unclean.
- Hebrews 5:14However, solid food is for mature people, whose minds are trained by practice to know the difference between good and evil.
Commentaries on Jeremiah 15:19
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 19If thou return - By repentance unto me, - Then will I bring thee again - Restore thee to thy own country. But some think the words are spoken to the prophet in reference to his ministry. He had greatly repined because of the persecutions which he endured. The Lord reprehends him, and is about to take from him the prophetic gift; but exhorts him first to take the precious from the vile - not to attend to the deceitful words of the people, but boldly…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 19Jeremiah had questioned God‘s righteousness (see Jeremiah 12:1 note); he is told, “If thou return,” if thou repent thee of thy doubts, and think only of thy duty, “then will I bring thee again, then will I cause thee again to stand before Me.” To stand before a person means to be his chief officer or vicegerent. It implies therefore the restoration of Jeremiah to the prophetic office. If thou take forth the precious from the vile - i. e., if thou cause…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 15-21Verses 15-21 It is matter of comfort that we have a God, to whose knowledge of all things we may appeal. Jeremiah pleads with God for mercy and relief against his enemies, persecutors, and slanderers. It will be a comfort to God's ministers, when men despise them, if they have the testimony of their own consciences. But he complains, that he found little pleasure in his work. Some good people lose much of the pleasantness of religion by the fretfulness…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 19The Lord told Jeremiah he needed to make a decision. If Jeremiah chose to serve and submit, the Lord would make him useful again. If Jeremiah spoke words of submission, faith, and obedience, and rejected worthless words (like those of the false prophets, Jeremiah 14:14–16), he could continue as the Lord’s spokesman.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1919. God's reply to Jeremiah. return ... bring ... again--Jeremiah, by his impatient language, had left his proper posture towards God; God saith, "If thou wilt return (to thy former patient discharge of thy prophetic function) I will bring thee back" to thy former position: in the Hebrew there is a play of words, "return ... turn again" (Jr 8:4; 4:1). stand before me--minister acceptably to Me (De 10:8; 1Ki 17:1; 18:15). take ... precious from…Read the comment
Topics related to Jeremiah 15:19
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Jeremiah 15
- 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
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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