God’s Word Translation
Jeremiah 31:18
18“I have certainly heard Ephraim mourn and say, ‘You disciplined me, and I was disciplined. I was like a young, untrained calf. Turn me, and I will be turned, because you are the Lord my God.
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
16This is what the Lord says: Stop your crying, and wipe away your tears. You will be rewarded for your work, declares the Lord. You will return from the land of the enemy. 17Your future is filled with hope, declares the Lord. Your children will return to their own territory. “I have certainly heard Ephraim mourn and say, ‘You disciplined me, and I was disciplined. I was like a young, untrained calf. Turn me, and I will be turned, because you are the Lord my God. 19After I was turned around, I changed the way I thought and acted. After I was taught a lesson, I hung my head in shame. I was so ashamed and humiliated, because of all the stupid things I have done ever since I was young.’ 20Is Ephraim my dear son? Is he a pleasant child? Even though I have often spoken against him, I still think fondly of him. That is why my heart longs for him, and I will certainly have compassion on him,” declares the Lord.
Read all of Jeremiah 31Jeremiah 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 33:27Each 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.
- Psalms 102:19“The Lord looked down from his holy place high above. From heaven he looked at the earth.
- Isaiah 57:15The High and Lofty One lives forever, and his name is holy. This is what he says: I live in a high and holy place. But I am with those who are crushed and humble. I will renew the spirit of those who are humble and the courage of those who are crushed.
- Hosea 5:15I will go back to my place until they admit that they are guilty. Then they will search for me. In their distress they will eagerly look for me.”
- Hosea 6:1Let’s return to the Lord. Even though he has torn us to pieces, he will heal us. Even though he has wounded us, he will bandage our wounds.
- Luke 15:20“So he went at once to his father. While he was still at a distance, his father saw him and felt sorry for him. He ran to his son, put his arms around him, and kissed him.
- Jeremiah 31:6There will be a day when watchmen on the mountains of Ephraim will call out this message: ‘Arise! Let’s go to Zion, to the Lord our God.’ ”
- Jeremiah 3:21The 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 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.
- Hosea 11:8“How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I hand you over, Israel? How can I make you like Admah? How can I treat you like Zeboim? I have changed my mind. I am deeply moved.
- Hosea 14:4⌞The Lord says,⌟ “I will cure them of their unfaithfulness. I will love them freely. I will no longer be angry with them.
- Jeremiah 2:30“I have punished your children without results. They didn’t respond to correction. You killed my prophets like a raging lion.
- Jeremiah 5:3Lord, your eyes look for the truth. You strike these people, but they don’t feel it. You crush them, but they refuse to be corrected. They are more stubborn than rocks. They refuse to turn back.
- Job 5:17“Blessed is the person whom God corrects. That person should not despise discipline from the Almighty.
- Psalms 39:8Rescue me from all my rebellious acts. Do not disgrace me in front of godless fools.
- Psalms 94:12O Lord, blessed is the person whom you discipline and instruct from your teachings.
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
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
Commentaries