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

19“I thought to myself, ‘Oh what a joy it would be for me to treat you like a son! What a joy it would be for me to give you a pleasant land, the most beautiful piece of property there is in all the world!’ I thought you would call me, ‘Father’ and would never cease being loyal to me. 20But, you have been unfaithful to me, nation of Israel, like an unfaithful wife who has left her husband,” says the Lord. “A noise is heard on the hilltops. It is the sound of the people of Israel crying and pleading to their gods. Indeed they have followed sinful ways; they have forgotten to be true to the Lord their God. 22Come back to me, you wayward people. I want to cure your waywardness. Say, ‘Here we are. We come to you because you are the Lord our God. 23We know our noisy worship of false gods on the hills and mountains did not help us. We know that the Lord our God is the only one who can deliver 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 30:15Why do you complain about your injuries, that your pain is incurable? I have done all this to you because your wickedness is so great and your sin is so much.
• Jeremiah 31:9They will come back shedding tears of contrition. I will bring them back praying prayers of repentance. I will lead them besides streams of water, along smooth paths where they will never stumble. I will do this because I am Israel’s father; Ephraim is my firstborn son.’”
• Jeremiah 50:4“When that time comes,” says the Lord, “the people of Israel and Judah will return to the land together. They will come back with tears of repentance as they seek the Lord their God.
• Isaiah 15:2They went up to the temple, the people of Dibon went up to the high places to lament. Because of what happened to Nebo and Medeba, Moab wails. Every head is shaved bare, every beard is trimmed off.
• Ezekiel 7:16Their survivors will escape to the mountains and become like doves of the valleys; all of them will moan – each one for his iniquity.
• Zechariah 12:10“I will pour out on the kingship of David and the population of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication so that they will look to me, the one they have pierced. They will lament for him as one laments for an only son, and there will be a bitter cry for him like the bitter cry for a firstborn.
• 2 Corinthians 7:10For sadness as intended by God produces a repentance that leads to salvation, leaving no regret, but worldly sadness brings about death.
• Numbers 22:32The angel of the Lord said to him, “Why have you beaten your donkey these three times? Look, I came out to oppose you because what you are doing is perverse before me.
• Job 33:27That person sings to others, saying: ‘I have sinned and falsified what is right, but I was not punished according to what I deserved.
• Proverbs 10:9The one who conducts himself in integrity will live securely, but the one who behaves perversely will be found out.
• Proverbs 19:3A person’s folly subverts his way, and his heart rages against the Lord.
• Micah 3:9Listen to this, you leaders of the family of Jacob, you rulers of the nation of Israel! You hate justice and pervert all that is right.
• Jeremiah 2:32Does a young woman forget to put on her jewels? Does a bride forget to put on her bridal attire? But my people have forgotten me for more days than can even be counted.
• Isaiah 17:10For you ignore the God who rescues you; you pay no attention to your strong protector. So this is what happens: You cultivate beautiful plants and plant exotic vines.
• Ezekiel 23:35“Therefore this is what the sovereign Lord says: Because you have forgotten me and completely disregarded me, you must bear now the punishment for your obscene conduct and prostitution.”
• Hosea 8:14Israel has forgotten his Maker and built royal palaces, and Judah has built many fortified cities. But I will send fire on their cities; it will consume their royal citadels.

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