Jeremiah 31 · Verse 19

Jeremiah 31:19

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.
Jeremiah 31:19, King James Version

Jeremiah 31:19 in other translations

BSBAfter I returned, I repented; and after I was instructed, I struck my thigh in grief. I was ashamed and humiliated because I bore the disgrace of my youth.’
WEBSurely after that I was turned. I repented. After that I was instructed. I struck my thigh. I was ashamed, yes, even confounded, because I bore the reproach of my youth.’
ASVSurely 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.
YLTFor after my turning back I repented, And after my being instructed I struck on the thigh, I have been ashamed, I have also blushed, For I have borne the reproach of my youth.
DARBYSurely after that I was turned, I repented; and after I knew myself, I smote upon my thigh. I was ashamed, yea, even confounded, for I bear the reproach of my youth.
BBETruly, after I had been turned, I had regret for my ways; and after I had got knowledge, I made signs of sorrow: I was put to shame, truly, I was covered with shame, because I had to undergo the shame of my early years.
WebsterSurely after I was turned, I repented; and after I was instructed, I smote upon my thigh: I was ashamed, and even confounded, because I bore the reproach of my youth.

What does Jeremiah 31:19 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
19. after that I was turned, I repented--Repentance in the full sense follows, not precedes, our being turned to God by God (Zec 12:10). The Jews' "looking to Him whom they pierced" shall result in their "mourning for Him." Repentance is the tear that flows from the eye of faith turned to Jesus. He Himself gives it: we give it not of ourselves, but must come to Him for it (Ac 5:31). instructed--made to learn by chastisement. God's Spirit often works through the corrections of His providence. smote upon ... thigh--(Eze 21:12). A token of indignant remorse, shame, and grief, because of his past sin. bear ... reproach of ... youth--"because the calamities which I bore were the just punishment of my scandalous wantonness against God in my youth"; alluding to the idols set up at Dan and Beth-el immediately after the ten tribes revolted from Judah. His sense of shame shows that he no longer delights in his sin.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 19 After that I was turned - Converted from my sin, folly, and idolatry. I repented - To conviction of sin, I now added contrition for sin. Conviction, in this sense of the word, must precede contrition or repentance. As soon as a man sees himself lost and undone, he is convicted of sin; when convicted, he begins to mourn. Thus contrition follows conviction. I smote upon my thigh - My sorrow grew deeper and deeper; I smote upon my thigh through the extremity of my distress. This was a usual sign of deep affliction. See Eze 21:12. It was the same among the ancient Greeks. So Homer: - Ως εφατ' αυταρ Αρης θαλερω πεπληγετο μηρω Χερσι καταπρηνεσσ,ολοφυρομενος δε προσηυδα. IL. lib. 15:113. "She spake: and with expanded arms, his thighs Smiting, thus sorrowful, the god exclaimed." Cowper. - αυταρ Αχιλλευς Μηρω πληξαμενος Πατροκληα προσεειπεν. IL. lib. 16:124. "Achilles saw it, smote his thigh, and said." Cowper. I have often seen persons in deep grief act thus.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Jeremiah 31:18-20

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…

Read the full comment on Jeremiah 31:18-20 →

Jeremiah 31:19 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

כִּֽי\־ki-forH3588
אַחֲרֵ֤י'a.cha.ReiafterH310
שׁוּבִי֙shu.Viturned away IH7725
נִחַ֔מְתִּיni.Cham.tiI repentedH5162
וְאַֽחֲרֵי֙ve.'a.cha.Reiand afterH310
הִוָּ֣דְעִ֔יhi.Va.de.'Iwas instructed IH3045
סָפַ֖קְתִּיsa.Fak.tiI slappedH5606
עַל\־'al-onH5921
יָרֵ֑ךְya.Rekha thighH3409
בֹּ֚שְׁתִּיBo.she.tiI was ashamedH954
וְגַם\־ve.gam-and alsoH1571
נִכְלַ֔מְתִּיnikh.Lam.tiI was humiliatedH3637
כִּ֥יkiforH3588
נָשָׂ֖אתִיna.Sa.tiI boreH5375
חֶרְפַּ֥תcher.Pat[the] reproach ofH2781
נְעוּרָֽי\׃ne.'u.Raiyouth<s> myH5271

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Jeremiah 31:19

  • Jeremiah 3:25

    We lie down in our shame, and our confusion covereth us: for we have sinned against the Lord our God, we and our fathers, from our youth even unto this day, and have not obeyed the voice of the Lord our God.

  • Ezekiel 36:31

    Then shall ye remember your own evil ways, and your doings that were not good, and shall lothe yourselves in your own sight for your iniquities and for your abominations.

  • Ezekiel 21:12

    Cry and howl, son of man: for it shall be upon my people, it shall be upon all the princes of Israel: terrors by reason of the sword shall be upon my people: smite therefore upon thy thigh.

  • Luke 18:13

    And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.

  • Deuteronomy 30:2

    And shalt return unto the Lord thy God, and shalt obey his voice according to all that I command thee this day, thou and thy children, with all thine heart, and with all thy soul;

  • Leviticus 26:41-42

    And that I also have walked contrary unto them, and have brought them into the land of their enemies; if then their uncircumcised hearts be humbled, and they then accept of the punishment of their iniquity: Then will I remember my covenant with Jacob, and also my covenant with Isaac, and also my covenant with Abraham will I remember; and I will remember the land.

  • Psalms 25:7

    Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: according to thy mercy remember thou me for thy goodness’ sake, O Lord.

  • Zechariah 12:10

    And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.

  • Ezra 9:6

    And said, O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee, my God: for our iniquities are increased over our head, and our trespass is grown up unto the heavens.

  • Ephesians 2:3-5

    Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)

  • 2 Corinthians 7:10-11

    For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death. For behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge! In all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter.

  • Luke 15:30

    But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Surely after.
De 30:2,6-8; Eze 36:26,31; Zec 12:10; Lu 15:17-19; Joh 6:44,45
Eph 2:3-5; 2Ti 2:25; Tit 3:3-7
I smote.
Eze 21:12; Lu 18:13; 2Co 7:10,11
I was ashamed.
3:25; Le 26:41,42; Ezr 9:6; Eze 6:9; 16:61-63; 20:43,44; 36:31
Ro 6:21
I did.
3:25; 22:21; 32:30; Job 13:26; 20:11; Ps 25:7; Isa 54:4; Eze 23:3
Lu 15:30

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Jeremiah 31:18

    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.

  • Jeremiah 31:19

    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.

  • Jeremiah 31:20

    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.

Read all of Jeremiah 31

Jeremiah 31:19 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Porque después que me convertí, tuve arrepentimiento, y después que me conocí, herí el muslo: avergoncéme, y confundíme, porque llevé la afrenta de mis mocedades.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Car, après que j’ai été converti, je me suis repenti; et, après que je me suis connu, j’ai frappé sur ma cuisse; j’ai été honteux, et j’ai aussi été confus, car je porte l’opprobre de ma jeunesse.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Denn nach meiner Umkehr empfinde ich Reue, und nachdem ich zur Erkenntnis gebracht worden bin schlage ich mich auf die Lenden. Ich schäme mich und bin auch zu Schanden geworden, denn ich trage die Schmach meiner Jugend. -
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Postquam enim convertisti me, egi pœnitentiam: et postquam ostendisti mihi, percussi femur meum. Confusus sum, et erubui, quoniam sustinui opprobrium adolescentiæ meæ.