New International Version
Jeremiah 31:18
18“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.
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.
- 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.
- New Living Translation (NLT)I have heard Israel saying, ‘You disciplined me severely, like a calf that needs training for the yoke. Turn me again to you and restore me, for you alone are the Lord my God.
Context of Jeremiah 31:18
16This is what the Lord says: “Restrain your voice from weeping and your eyes from tears, for your work will be rewarded,” declares the Lord. “They will return from the land of the enemy. 17So there is hope for your descendants,” declares the Lord. “Your children will return to their own land. “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. 19After I strayed, I repented; after I came to understand, I beat my breast. I was ashamed and humiliated because I bore the disgrace of my youth.’ 20Is not Ephraim my dear son, the child in whom I delight? Though I often speak against him, I still remember him. Therefore my heart yearns for him; I have great compassion for 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 33:27And they will go to others and say, ‘I have sinned, I have perverted what is right, but I did not get what I deserved.
- Psalms 102:19“The Lord looked down from his sanctuary on high, from heaven he viewed the earth,
- Isaiah 57:15For this is what the high and exalted One says— he who lives forever, whose name is holy: “I live in a high and holy place, but also with the one who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite.
- Hosea 5:15Then I will return to my lair until they have borne their guilt and seek my face— in their misery they will earnestly seek me.”
- Hosea 6:1“Come, let us return to the Lord. He has torn us to pieces but he will heal us; he has injured us but he will bind up our wounds.
- Luke 15:20So he got up and went to his father. “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.
- Jeremiah 31:6There will be a day when watchmen cry out on the hills of Ephraim, ‘Come, let us go up to Zion, to the Lord our God.’ ”
- Jeremiah 3:21A 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.
- Jeremiah 50:4“In those days, at that time,” declares the Lord, “the people of Israel and the people of Judah together will go in tears 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 treat you like Admah? How can I make you like Zeboyim? My heart is changed within me; all my compassion is aroused.
- Hosea 14:4“I will heal their waywardness and love them freely, for my anger has turned away from them.
- Jeremiah 2:30“In vain I punished your people; they did not respond to correction. Your sword has devoured your prophets like a ravenous lion.
- Jeremiah 5:3Lord, do not your eyes look for truth? You struck them, but they felt no pain; you crushed them, but they refused correction. They made their faces harder than stone and refused to repent.
- Job 5:17“Blessed is the one whom God corrects; so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty.
- Psalms 39:8Save me from all my transgressions; do not make me the scorn of fools.
- Psalms 94:12Blessed is the one you discipline, Lord, the one you teach from your law;
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
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