Jeremiah 31:20

God's love Mercy and compassion Parents and children Identity and self-worth

¹⁸ 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.

¹⁹ Surely after that I was turned, I repented; and after that I was instructed, I smote upon my thigh: I was ashamed, yea, even confounded, because I did bear the reproach of my youth.

Is Ephraim my dear son? is he a pleasant child? for since I spake against him, I do earnestly remember him still: therefore my bowels are troubled for him; I will surely have mercy upon him, saith the LORD.

²¹ Set thee up waymarks, make thee high heaps: set thine heart toward the highway, even the way which thou wentest: turn again, O virgin of Israel, turn again to these thy cities.

²² How long wilt thou go about, O thou backsliding daughter? for the LORD hath created a new thing in the earth, A woman shall compass a man.

Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: Is not Ephraim a precious son to Me, a delightful child? 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.
KJV: Is Ephraim my dear son? is he a pleasant child? for since I spake against him, I do earnestly remember him still: therefore my bowels are troubled for him; I will surely have mercy upon him, saith the LORD.
WEB: Is Ephraim my dear son? Is he a darling child? For as often as I speak against him, I still earnestly remember him. Therefore my heart yearns for him. I will surely have mercy on him,” says the LORD.
ASV: Is Ephraim my dear son? is he a darling child? for as often as I speak against him, I do earnestly remember him still: therefore my heart yearneth for him; I will surely have mercy upon him, saith Jehovah.
DARBY: Is Ephraim a dear son unto me? is he a child of delights? For whilst I have been speaking against him, I do constantly remember him still. Therefore my bowels are troubled for him: I will certainly have mercy upon him, saith Jehovah.
BLB: [Is] Ephraim My dear son, or a child of delights? For though I spoke against him, I thoroughly remember him still. Upon thus My bowels yearn for him, I have great compassion for him,” a declaration of YHWH.

ÅB: Er da Efra'im en så dyrebar sønn for meg eller mitt kjæreste barn, siden jeg enda må komme ham i hu, enda jeg så ofte har talt mot ham? Derfor røres mitt hjerte av medynk med ham, jeg må forbarme meg over ham, sier Herren.
OTB: "Er ikke Efraim min kjære sønn, barnet jeg gleder meg over? Selv om jeg ofte taler mot ham, husker jeg ham fortsatt. Derfor lengter mitt hjerte etter ham; jeg vil sannelig ha barmhjertighet med ham," sier Herren.
B1930: Er da Efra'im en så dyrebar sønn for mig eller mitt kjæreste barn, siden jeg ennu må komme ham i hu, enda jeg så ofte har talt mot ham? Derfor røres mitt hjerte av medynk med ham, jeg må forbarme mig over ham, sier Herren.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Isaiah 55:7
Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
Read in context
Micah 7:18–19
Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy.
Read in context
Lamentations 3:31–32
For the Lord will not cast off for ever:
Read in context
Judges 10:16
And they put away the strange gods from among them, and served the LORD: and his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel.
Read in context
Psalms 103:13
Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him.
Read in context
Isaiah 63:15
Look down from heaven, and behold from the habitation of thy holiness and of thy glory: where is thy zeal and thy strength, the sounding of thy bowels and of thy mercies toward me? are they restrained?
Read in context
Hosea 14:4
I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him.
Read in context
Luke 15:24
For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.
Read in context