Jeremiah 31:19

Literal Standard Version

For after my turning back I regretted, || 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.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
After my return, I felt regret;After I was instructed, I struck my thigh in grief.I was ashamed and humiliatedbecause I bore the disgrace of my youth.”

Hebrew Names Version
Surely after that I was turned, I repented; and after that I was instructed, I struck on my thigh: I was ashamed, yes, even confounded, because I did bear the reproach of my youth.

King James Version
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.

English Standard Version
For after I had turned away, I relented, and after I was instructed, I struck my thigh; I was ashamed, and I was confounded, because I bore the disgrace of my youth.'

New American Standard Bible
'For after I turned back, I repented; And after I was instructed, I slapped my thigh; I was ashamed and also humiliated Because I bore the shame of my youth.'

New Century Version
Lord , after I wandered away from you, I changed my heart and life. After I understood, I beat my breast with sorrow. I was ashamed and disgraced, because I suffered for the foolish things I did when I was young.'

Amplified Bible
'After I turned away [from You], I repented; After I was instructed, I struck my thigh [in remorse]; I was ashamed and even humiliated Because I carried the disgrace of my youth [as a nation].'

World English Bible
Surely after that I was turned, I repented; and after that I was instructed, I struck on my thigh: I was ashamed, yes, even confounded, because I did bear the reproach of my youth.

Geneva Bible (1587)
Surely after that I conuerted, I repented: and after that I was instructed, I smote vpon my thigh: I was ashamed, yea, euen confounded, because I did beare the reproch of my youth.

Legacy Standard Bible
For after I turned away, I repented;And after I was instructed, I slapped my thigh;I was ashamed and also dishonoredBecause I bore the reproach of my youth.'

Berean Standard Bible
After 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.'

Contemporary English Version
When we were young, we strayed and sinned, but then we realized what we had done. We are ashamed and disgraced and want to return to you."

Complete Jewish Bible
"Isn't Efrayim my very dear son, a child who delights me so? I speak about him all the time, I can't help but recall him to mind. In sum, I deeply yearn for him; I will surely show him favor," says Adonai .

Darby Translation
Surely 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.

Easy-to-Read Version
I wandered away from you. But I finally realized how wrong I was. So I changed my heart and life. I am ashamed and embarrassed about the foolish things I did when I was young.'"

George Lamsa Translation
Surely after I had repented, I have been comforted; and after I was instructed, I have found rest; I was ashamed, yea even reproved, because I did bear the reproach of my youth.

Good News Translation
We turned away from you, but soon we wanted to return. After you had punished us, we hung our heads in grief. We were ashamed and disgraced because we sinned when we were young.'

Lexham English Bible
For after my turning back I repented, and after coming to understand I struck my thigh. I was ashamed and also humiliated, because I bore the disgrace of my youth.'

Literal Translation
For after I had turned away, I repented; and after I knew, I slapped on my thigh. I was ashamed; yea, I even blushed, because I bore the reproach of my youth.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Yee as soone as thou turnest me, I shall refourme my self: and when I vnderstonde, I shall smyte vpon my thee. For verely I haue comitted shamefull thinges: O let my youth beare this reprofe and confucion.

American Standard Version
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.

Bible in Basic English
Truly, 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.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
Is Ephraim a darling son unto Me? Is he a child that is dandled? For as often as I speak of him, I do earnestly remember him still; therefore My heart yearneth for him, I will surely have compassion upon him, saith the LORD.

King James Version (1611)
Surely after that I was turned, I repented; and after that I was instructed, I smote vpon my thigh: I was ashamed, yea euen confounded, because I did beare the reproch of my youth.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Yea assoone as thou turnest me, I shall refourme my selfe, and when I vnderstande, I shall smite vpon my thygh: For veryly I haue committed shamefull thynges: for I haue borne the reproofe and confusion of my youth.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
Stand by the way, and look, thou that dwellest in Arer; and ask him that is fleeing, and him that escapes, and say, What has happened?

English Revised Version
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.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
For aftir that thou conuertidist me, Y dide penaunce; and aftir that thou schewidist to me, Y smoot myn hipe; Y am schent, and Y schamede, for Y suffride the schenschipe of my yongthe.

Update Bible Version
Surely after that I was turned, I repented; and after I was instructed, I smote on my thigh: I was ashamed, yes, even confounded, because I bore the reproach of my youth.

Webster's Bible Translation
Surely 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.

New English Translation
For after we turned away from you we repented. After we came to our senses we struck our thigh in sorrow. We are ashamed and humiliated because of the disgraceful things we did previously.'

New King James Version
Surely, after my turning, I repented; And after I was instructed, I struck myself on the thigh; I was ashamed, yes, even humiliated, Because I bore the reproach of my youth.'

New Living Translation
I turned away from God, but then I was sorry. I kicked myself for my stupidity! I was thoroughly ashamed of all I did in my younger days.'

New Life Bible
For after I turned back, I was sorry for my sins. And after I was taught, I hit my upper leg in sorrow. I was ashamed and troubled, because I suffered the shame from what I did when I was young.'

New Revised Standard
For after I had turned away I repented; and after I was discovered, I struck my thigh; I was ashamed, and I was dismayed because I bore the disgrace of my youth."

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Surely after my return, I was filled with regret, And after I came to know myself, I smote upon the thigh, - I turned pale and was even confounded For I had borne the reproach of my youthful days.

Douay-Rheims Bible
For after thou didst convert me, I did penance: and after thou didst shew unto me, I struck my thigh: I am confounded and ashamed, because I have borne the reproach of my youth.

Revised Standard Version
For after I had turned away I repented; and after I was instructed, I smote upon my thigh; I was ashamed, and I was confounded, because I bore the disgrace of my youth.'

Young's Literal Translation
For 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.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
'For after I turned back, I repented; And after I was instructed, I smote on my thigh; I was ashamed and also humiliated Because I bore the reproach of my youth.'

Contextual Overview

¹⁸I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself, || You have disciplined me, || And I am disciplined, as a heifer [that is] not taught, || Turn me back, and I turn back, || For you [are] my God YHWH. ¹⁹For after my turning back I regretted, || 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.²⁰Is Ephraim a precious son to Me? A child of delights? For since My speaking against him, || I still thoroughly remember him, || Therefore My bowels have been moved for him, || I love him greatly," || A declaration of YHWH. ²¹"Set up signs for yourself, || Make heaps for yourself, || Set your heart to the highway, the way you went, || Turn back, O virgin of Israel, || Turn back to these cities of yours. ²²Until when do you withdraw yourself, O backsliding daughter? For YHWH has prepared a new thing in the land, || Woman surrounds man." ²³Thus said YHWH of Hosts, God of Israel: "Still they say this word in the land of Judah, || And in its cities, || In My turning back [to] their captivity, || YHWH blesses you, habitation of righteousness, || Mountain of holiness. ²⁴And farmers have dwelt in Judah, || And in all its cities together, || And they have journeyed in order. ²⁵For I have satiated the weary soul, || And I have filled every grieved soul." ²⁶On this I have awoken, and I behold, and my sleep has been sweet to me.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Surely after: Deuteronomy 30:2, Deuteronomy 30:6-8, Ezekiel 36:26, Ezekiel 36:31, Zechariah 12:10, Luke 15:17-19, John 6:44, John 6:45, Ephesians 2:3-5, 2 Timothy 2:25, Titus 3:3-7

I smote: Ezekiel 21:12, Luke 18:13, 2 Corinthians 7:10, 2 Corinthians 7:11

I was ashamed: Jeremiah 3:25, Leviticus 26:41, Leviticus 26:42, Ezra 9:6, Ezekiel 6:9, Ezekiel 16:61-63, Ezekiel 20:43, Ezekiel 20:44, Ezekiel 36:31, Romans 6:21

I did: Jeremiah 3:25, Jeremiah 22:21, Jeremiah 32:30, Job 13:26, Job 20:11, Psalms 25:7, Isaiah 54:4, Ezekiel 23:3, Luke 15:30

Reciprocal: Leviticus 26:43 - and they 1 Samuel 7:6 - We have sinned 1 Kings 18:37 - thou hast turned Job 33:27 - I Job 34:31 - General Job 40:5 - but I will proceed Job 42:6 - I Psalms 7:12 - If Psalms 32:3 - When Psalms 80:3 - Turn us Psalms 119:59 - turned Psalms 119:67 - but now Isaiah 66:2 - to this Jeremiah 6:8 - Be thou Jeremiah 51:51 - are confounded Ezekiel 7:16 - mourning Ezekiel 16:52 - bear thine Luke 15:15 - he went Luke 23:48 - smote Acts 26:20 - repent Philippians 4:12 - I am

Cross-References

Genesis 31:4
And Jacob sends and calls for Rachel and for Leah to the field to his flock;

Genesis 31:5
and says to them, "I am beholding your father's face—that it is not toward me as before, and the God of my father has been with me,

Genesis 31:14
And Rachel answers—Leah also—and says to him, "Have we yet a portion and inheritance in the house of our father?

Genesis 31:24
And God comes to Laban the Aramean in a dream of the night and says to him, "Take heed to yourself lest you speak with Jacob from good to evil."

Genesis 31:30
And now, you have certainly gone, because you have been very desirous for the house of your father; why have you stolen my gods?"

Genesis 31:32
with whomsoever you find your gods—he must not live; before our brothers discern for yourself what [is] with me, and take to yourself": and Jacob has not known that Rachel has stolen them.

Genesis 31:34
And Rachel has taken the teraphim, and puts them in the furniture of the camel, and sits on them; and Laban feels all the tent, and has not found;

Genesis 35:2
And Jacob says to his household, and to all who [are] with him, "Turn aside the gods of the stranger which [are] in your midst, and cleanse yourselves, and change your garments;

Joshua 24:2
And Joshua says to all the people, "Thus said YHWH, God of Israel: Beyond the River your fathers have dwelt of old—Terah father of Abraham and father of Nachor—and they serve other gods;

Judges 18:31
And they appoint for themselves the carved image of Micah, which he had made, all the days of the house of God being in Shiloh.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Surely after that I was turned I repented,.... Ephraim's prayer was answered; as he prayed he might be turned, he was; and when he was turned, then he repented, not only of sin in general, but of such sins as he had been particularly guilty of; not only of the grosser actions of life, but of inward sins, secret lusts and corruptions; even of sins of holy things, having now different sentiments, affections, and conduct: and this is what is called evangelical repentance, and is from the grace of God; springs from love; flows from a sight of God and a view of Christ; is increased by the discoveries of God's love, and is unto life and salvation; and this sort of repentance follows upon conversion; there must be first a true and real conversion before this evangelical repentance can take place:

and after that I was instructed I smote upon [my] thigh: as expressive of sorrow for sin after a godly sort; of indignation at it; and shame and confusion for it; and also of astonishment, at the mercy, forbearance, and long suffering of God, Ezekiel 21:12; and this humiliation follows upon spiritual instruction, which is previously necessary to it; "after it was made known to me" u; as the words may be rendered; what a sinful, guilty, impure, and impotent, and unrighteous creature he was; after that he became acquainted with himself, and his wretched state and condition; when instructed either by the rod, or by the word, and by the Spirit of God, in the use of both, or either; when led into the knowledge of divine things; of the love and grace of God through Christ; of the person, offices, and glory of Christ; of the way of life and salvation by him; and of the doctrines of pardon, and righteousness, and acceptance through him:

I was ashamed, yea, even confounded, because I did bear the reproach of my youth; in his conscience; the sins and follies of his youth being presented and set before him, and he convinced of them, was filled with shame and confusion at the remembrance of them; which is a common thing when a man is thoroughly awakened and converted, and is brought to true repentance and humiliation. So the Targum,

"because we have received the reproach of our sins, which were of old?''

u ואחדי הודעי "et postquam ostensum est mihi", Pagninus, Vatablus; "ostensum fuerit", Junius Tremellius "et post notum est mihi", Montanus.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

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) as a type. In Jeremiah it is a poetical figure representing in a dramatic form the miserable condition of the kingdom of Ephraim devastated by the sword of the Assyrians.

Jeremiah 31:16

Rachel’s work had been that of bearing and bringing up children, and by their death she was deprived of the joy for which she had labored: but by their being restored to her she will receive her wages.

Jeremiah 31:17

In thine end - i. e., for thy time to come (see the Jeremiah 29:11 note).

Jeremiah 31:18

As a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke - literally, like an untaught calf. Compare the Hosea 10:11 note. Ephraim, like an untrained steer, had resisted Yahweh’s will.

Jeremiah 31:19

After that I was turned - i. e., after I had turned away from Thee. In Jeremiah 31:18 it has the sense of turning to God.

Instructed - Brought to my senses by suffering. The smiting upon the thigh is a sign of sorrow. Compare Ezekiel 21:17.

The reproach of my youth - i. e., the shame brought upon me by sins of my youth.

Jeremiah 31:20

Moved to compassion by Ephraim’s lamentation, Yahweh shows Himself as tender and ready to forgive as parents are their spoiled (rather, darling) child.

For ... him - Or, “that so often as I speak concerning him,” i. e., his punishment.

My bowels are troubled - The metaphor expresses the most tender internal emotion.

Jeremiah 31:21

Waymarks - See 2 Kings 23:17 note.

High heaps - Or, signposts, pillars to point out the way.

Set thine heart - Not set thy affection, but turn thy thoughts and attention (in Hebrew the heart is the seat of the intellect) to the highway, even the way by which thou wentest.

Jeremiah 31:22

Israel instead of setting itself to return hesitates, and goes here and there in a restless mood. To encourage it God gives the sign following.

A woman shall compass a man - i. e., the female shall protect the strong man; the weaker nature that needs help will surround the stronger with loving and fostering care. This expresses a new relation of Israel to the Lord, a new covenant, which the Lord will make with His people (Jeremiah 31:31 following). The fathers saw in these words a prophecy of the miraculous conception of our Lord by the Virgin.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Jeremiah 31:19. 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 Ezekiel 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. xv. 113.

"She spake: and with expanded arms, his thighs

Smiting, thus sorrowful, the god exclaimed."

COWPER.

---- αυταρ Αχιλλευς

Μηρω πληξαμενος Πατροκληα προσεειπεν.

IL. lib. xvi. 124.

"Achilles saw it, smote his thigh, and said -----."

COWPER.

I have often seen persons in deep grief act thus.