New King James Version
Jeremiah 3:21
21A 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.
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 Living Translation (NLT)Voices are heard high on the windswept mountains, the weeping and pleading of Israel’s people. For they have chosen crooked paths and have forgotten the Lord their God.
Context of Jeremiah 3:21
19“But I said: ‘How can I put you among the children And give you a pleasant land, A beautiful heritage of the hosts of nations?’ “And I said: ‘You shall call Me, “My Father,” And not turn away from Me.’ 20Surely, as a wife treacherously departs from her husband, So have you dealt treacherously with Me, O house of Israel,” says the Lord. 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. 22“Return, you backsliding children, And I will heal your backslidings.” “Indeed we do come to You, For You are the Lord our God. 23Truly, in vain is salvation hoped for from the hills, And from the multitude of mountains; Truly, in the Lord our God Is the salvation of Israel.
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 affliction? Your sorrow is incurable. Because of the multitude of your iniquities, Because your sins have increased, I have done these things to you.
- Jeremiah 31:9They shall come with weeping, And with supplications I will lead them. I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters, In a straight way in which they shall not stumble; For I am a Father to Israel, And Ephraim is My firstborn.
- Jeremiah 50:4“In those days and in that time,” says the Lord, “The children of Israel shall come, They and the children of Judah together; With continual weeping they shall come, And seek the Lord their God.
- Isaiah 15:2He has gone up to the temple and Dibon, To the high places to weep. Moab will wail over Nebo and over Medeba; On all their heads will be baldness, And every beard cut off.
- Ezekiel 7:16‘Those who survive will escape and be on the mountains Like doves of the valleys, All of them mourning, Each for his iniquity.
- Zechariah 12:10“And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn.
- 2 Corinthians 7:10For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.
- Numbers 22:32And the Angel of the Lord said to him, “Why have you struck your donkey these three times? Behold, I have come out to stand against you, because your way is perverse before Me.
- Job 33:27Then he looks at men and says, ‘I have sinned, and perverted what was right, And it did not profit me.’
- Proverbs 10:9He who walks with integrity walks securely, But he who perverts his ways will become known.
- Proverbs 19:3The foolishness of a man twists his way, And his heart frets against the Lord.
- Micah 3:9Now hear this, You heads of the house of Jacob And rulers of the house of Israel, Who abhor justice And pervert all equity,
- Jeremiah 2:32Can a virgin forget her ornaments, Or a bride her attire? Yet My people have forgotten Me days without number.
- Isaiah 17:10Because you have forgotten the God of your salvation, And have not been mindful of the Rock of your stronghold, Therefore you will plant pleasant plants And set out foreign seedlings;
- Ezekiel 23:35“Therefore thus says the Lord God: ‘Because you have forgotten Me and cast Me behind your back, Therefore you shall bear the penalty Of your lewdness and your harlotry.’ ”
- Hosea 8:14“For Israel has forgotten his Maker, And has built temples; Judah also has multiplied fortified cities; But I will send fire upon his cities, And it shall devour his 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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries