God’s Word Translation
Jeremiah 3:21
21The sound of crying is heard on the hills. It is the crying and the pleading of the people of Israel. They have become crooked and have forgotten the Lord their God.
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
19“I wanted to treat you like children and give you a pleasant land, the most beautiful property among the nations. I thought that you would call me Father and wouldn’t turn away from me. 20But like a wife who betrays her husband, so you, nation of Israel, betrayed me,” declares the Lord. The sound of crying is heard on the hills. It is the crying and the pleading of the people of Israel. They have become crooked and have forgotten the Lord their God. 22“Come back, you rebellious people, and I will forgive you for being unfaithful.” Here we are! We have come to you because you are the Lord our God. 23Truly, the noise from the hills, from the mountains, is the noise of false worship. Truly, the Lord our God will rescue us.
Read all of Jeremiah 3Jeremiah 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 30:15Why do you cry about your wound, your injury that can’t be cured? I’ve done this to you. You are very wicked, and you have many sins.
- Jeremiah 31:9They will cry as they return. They will pray as I bring them back. I will lead them beside streams on a level path where they will not stumble. I will be a Father to Israel, and Ephraim will be my firstborn.
- Jeremiah 50:4“In those days and at that time,” declares the Lord, “the people of Israel and Judah will cry as they go together to seek the Lord their God.
- Isaiah 15:2The people of Dibon go to the temple, to the worship sites, to cry. Moab wails over Nebo and Medeba. Every head is shaved bald, and every beard is cut off.
- Ezekiel 7:16Those who survive will escape to the mountains. They will moan like doves in the valleys. They will moan because of their sins.
- Zechariah 12:10“I will pour out the Spirit of blessing and mercy on David’s family and on those who live in Jerusalem. They will look at me, whom they have stabbed. Then they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only son, and they will cry bitterly for him as one cries for a firstborn son.
- 2 Corinthians 7:10In fact, to be distressed in a godly way causes people to change the way they think and act and leads them to be saved. No one can regret that. But the distress that the world causes brings only death.
- Numbers 22:32The Messenger of the Lord asked him, “Why have you hit your donkey three times like this? I’ve come here to stop you because the trip you’re taking is evil.
- Job 33:27Each one sings in front of other people and says, ‘I sinned and did wrong instead of what was right, and it did me no good.
- Proverbs 10:9Whoever lives honestly will live securely, but whoever lives dishonestly will be found out.
- Proverbs 19:3The stupidity of a person turns his life upside down, and his heart rages against the Lord.
- Micah 3:9Listen to this, you leaders of the descendants of Jacob, you rulers of the nation of Israel. You despise justice and pervert everything that is right.
- Jeremiah 2:32A young woman can’t forget her jewelry or a bride her veils. Yet, my people have forgotten me for countless days.
- Isaiah 17:10You have forgotten the God of your salvation. You haven’t remembered the rock, your stronghold. Instead, you have planted the best plants and have set out the imported grapevines.
- Ezekiel 23:35“This is what the Almighty Lord says: You have forgotten me and turned your back on me. So you will be punished for your sinning and prostitution.”
- Hosea 8:14The people of Israel have built palaces, and they have forgotten their maker. The people of Judah have built many fortified cities. I will send a fire on their cities and burn down their palaces.”
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
In the dictionaries
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
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