Jeremiah 31:19
New International Version
After 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.’

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.’

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.’

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.’

King James Bible
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.

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 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.’

NASB 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.’

NASB 1977
‘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.’

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

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].’

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

Holman Christian Standard Bible
After I returned, I repented; After I was instructed, I struck my thigh in grief. I was ashamed and humiliated because I bore the disgrace of my youth.”

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.

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."

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.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
After I was turned around, I changed the way I thought and acted. After I was taught a lesson, I hung my head in shame. I was so ashamed and humiliated, because of all the stupid things I have done ever since I was young.'

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.'

International Standard Version
Indeed, after I turned away, then I repented. And after I came to understand, I slapped my forehead. I was both ashamed and humiliated because I bear the disgrace of my youth.'"

Majority 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.’

NET Bible
For after we turned away from you we repented. After we came to our senses we beat our breasts in sorrow. We are ashamed and humiliated because of the disgraceful things we did previously.'

New Heart 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 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.

World English Bible
Surely 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.’
Literal Translations
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.

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.

Smith's Literal Translation
For after my being turned back I was comforted; and after my knowing I struck upon the thigh: I was ashamed and also disgraced for I bore the reproach of my youth.
Catholic Translations
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.

Catholic Public Domain Version
For after you converted me, I did penance. And after you revealed to me, I struck my thigh. I am confounded and ashamed. For I have endured the disgrace of my youth.’

New American Bible
For after I turned away, I repented; after I came to myself, I struck my thigh; I was ashamed, even humiliated, because I bore the disgrace of my youth.

New Revised Standard Version
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.”
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
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.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Because after I returned to God, I have been comforted, and after I knew I had found rest, I was ashamed, also I was rebuked, for I carried the reproach of my youth
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
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.'

Brenton Septuagint Translation
For after my captivity I repented; and after I knew, I groaned for the day of shame, and shewed thee that I bore reproach from my youth.
Audio Bible



Context
Mourning Turned to Joy
18I have surely heard Ephraim’s moaning: ‘You disciplined me severely, like an untrained calf. Restore me, that I may return, for You are the LORD my God. 19 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.’ 20Is 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.…

Cross References
Luke 15:18-21
I will get up and go back to my father and say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. / I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.”’ / So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still in the distance, his father saw him and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him. ...

2 Corinthians 7:9-10
yet now I rejoice, not because you were made sorrowful, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you felt the sorrow that God had intended, and so were not harmed in any way by us. / Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation without regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.

Hosea 14:1-2
Return, O Israel, to the LORD your God, for you have stumbled by your iniquity. / Bring your confessions and return to the LORD. Say to Him: “Take away all our iniquity and receive us graciously, that we may present the fruit of our lips.

Joel 2:12-13
“Yet even now,” declares the LORD, “return to Me with all your heart, with fasting, weeping, and mourning.” / So rend your hearts and not your garments, and return to the LORD your God. For He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion. And He relents from sending disaster.

Isaiah 57:18-19
I have seen his ways, but I will heal him; I will guide him and restore comfort to him and his mourners, / bringing praise to their lips. Peace, peace to those far and near,” says the LORD, “and I will heal them.”

Ezekiel 18:30-32
Therefore, O house of Israel, I will judge you, each according to his ways, declares the Lord GOD. Repent and turn from all your transgressions, so that your iniquity will not become your downfall. / Cast away from yourselves all the transgressions you have committed, and fashion for yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. Why should you die, O house of Israel? / For I take no pleasure in anyone’s death, declares the Lord GOD. So repent and live!

Acts 3:19
Repent, then, and turn back, so that your sins may be wiped away,

Psalm 51:1-4
For the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. When Nathan the prophet came to him after his adultery with Bathsheba. Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your loving devotion; according to Your great compassion, blot out my transgressions. / Wash me clean of my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. / For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. ...

Zechariah 12:10
Then I will pour out on the house of David and on the people of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and prayer, and they will look on Me, the One they have pierced. They will mourn for Him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for Him as one grieves for a firstborn son.

Matthew 3:8
Produce fruit, then, in keeping with repentance.

Isaiah 55:7
Let the wicked man forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that He may have compassion, and to our God, for He will freely pardon.

Romans 2:4
Or do you disregard the riches of His kindness, tolerance, and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness leads you to repentance?

Lamentations 3:40-41
Let us examine and test our ways, and turn back to the LORD. / Let us lift up our hearts and hands to God in heaven:

James 4:8-10
Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. / Grieve, mourn, and weep. Turn your laughter to mourning, and your joy to gloom. / Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will exalt you.

1 John 1:9
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.


Treasury of Scripture

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

Surely after.

Deuteronomy 30:2,6-8
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; …

Ezekiel 36:26,31
A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh…

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.

I smote.

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.

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…

I was ashamed.

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.

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: …

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.

I did.

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.

Jeremiah 22:21
I spake unto thee in thy prosperity; but thou saidst, I will not hear. This hath been thy manner from thy youth, that thou obeyedst not my voice.

Jeremiah 32:30
For the children of Israel and the children of Judah have only done evil before me from their youth: for the children of Israel have only provoked me to anger with the work of their hands, saith the LORD.

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Ashamed Bear Beat Blushed Bore Borne Confounded Disgrace Early Humiliated Instructed Regret Repented Reproach Signs Smote Sorrow Strayed Struck Surely Thigh Turned Undergo Understand Ways Youth
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Ashamed Bear Beat Blushed Bore Borne Confounded Disgrace Early Humiliated Instructed Regret Repented Reproach Signs Smote Sorrow Strayed Struck Surely Thigh Turned Undergo Understand Ways Youth
Jeremiah 31
1. The restoration of Israel.
10. The publication thereof.
15. Rahel mourning is comforted.
18. Ephraim repenting is brought home again.
22. Christ is promised.
27. His care over the church.
31. His new covenant.
35. The stability,
38. and amplitude of the church.














After I returned
The Hebrew root for "returned" is "שׁוּב" (shuv), which means to turn back or return. This word is often used in the context of repentance, indicating a turning away from sin and a return to God. In the historical context of Israel, this return signifies a national and personal revival, a coming back to the covenant relationship with God after a period of rebellion and exile. Spiritually, it reflects the prodigal nature of humanity and the grace of God that allows for restoration.

I repented
The Hebrew word for "repented" is "נָחַם" (nacham), which conveys a deep sense of sorrow and a change of mind or heart. Repentance is a central theme in the Bible, emphasizing the need for a heartfelt turning away from sin and a turning towards God. This phrase highlights the transformative power of genuine repentance, which is not merely an emotional response but a decisive change in direction and purpose.

after I was instructed
The word "instructed" comes from the Hebrew "יָדַע" (yada), meaning to know or to be made aware. This implies that understanding and knowledge are crucial for true repentance. In the biblical narrative, God often uses prophets, scripture, and personal experiences to instruct His people. This phrase underscores the importance of divine teaching and revelation in leading individuals to repentance and spiritual growth.

I struck my thigh
This expression is a cultural gesture of deep regret or mourning in ancient Near Eastern societies. Striking the thigh was a physical manifestation of inner turmoil and distress. It signifies the intensity of the emotional response to one's sin and the realization of its consequences. This act of contrition is a powerful reminder of the seriousness of sin and the depth of sorrow that accompanies true repentance.

I was ashamed and humiliated
The words "ashamed" and "humiliated" reflect the Hebrew terms "בּוֹשׁ" (bosh) and "כָּלַם" (kalam), respectively. These terms convey a profound sense of disgrace and dishonor. In the biblical context, shame is often associated with the recognition of sin and the failure to live up to God's standards. This phrase highlights the humbling process of acknowledging one's sinfulness and the need for God's mercy and forgiveness.

because I bore the disgrace of my youth
The "disgrace of my youth" refers to the sins and rebellious actions committed in earlier years. The Hebrew word for "disgrace" is "חֶרְפָּה" (cherpah), which denotes reproach or scorn. This phrase serves as a reminder of the lasting impact of sin and the importance of seeking God's forgiveness. It also speaks to the hope of redemption, as God promises to remove the shame of past transgressions for those who truly repent and return to Him.

(19) After that I was turned.--The words have been referred by some commentators (Hitzig) to the previous turning away from God--the apostasy of Ephraim; but the repetition of the word that had been used in the previous verse makes it far more natural to connect it with the first movement of repentance. The "smiting upon the thigh" is, like the Publican's "smiting on his breast" (Luke 18:13), an Eastern expression of extremest grief. So in Ezekiel 21:17 we have the "smiting of the hands together" as a symbol of anger, which is also sorrow. In Homer (Odyss. xiii. 193) we have the very gesture here depicted--

"And then he groaned, and smote on both his thighs

With headlong hands, and so in sorrow spoke."

The reproach of my youth--i.e., the shame which the sins of his youth had brought upon him.

Verse 19. - After that I was turned, I repented; rather, after my turning away (as Jeremiah 8:4), I have repented. It is a different kind of "turning" which is here meant, a turning away from God. I was instructed; literally, I was made to know; i.e. brought to my senses by punishment. I smote upon my thigh; rather, I have smitten, etc. Ephraim describes his present state of mind, and the symbols by which he translates it into act. Smiting upon the thigh was a sign of mourning (comp. Ezekiel 21:17). I did bear, etc.; rather, I have borne, etc. The "reproach of Ephraim's youth" is that which he brought upon himself in early times by his unfaithfulness to Jehovah.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
After
אַחֲרֵ֤י (’a·ḥă·rê)
Preposition
Strong's 310: The hind or following part

I returned,
שׁוּבִי֙ (šū·ḇî)
Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | first person common singular
Strong's 7725: To turn back, in, to retreat, again

I repented;
נִחַ֔מְתִּי (ni·ḥam·tî)
Verb - Nifal - Perfect - first person common singular
Strong's 5162: To sigh, breathe strongly, to be sorry, to pity, console, rue, to avenge

and after
וְאַֽחֲרֵי֙ (wə·’a·ḥă·rê)
Conjunctive waw | Preposition
Strong's 310: The hind or following part

I was instructed,
הִוָּ֣דְעִ֔י (hiw·wā·ḏə·‘î)
Verb - Nifal - Infinitive construct | first person common singular
Strong's 3045: To know

I struck [my thigh]
סָפַ֖קְתִּי (sā·p̄aq·tî)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular
Strong's 5606: To clap the hands, of satisfaction, to be enough, of excess, to vomit

in grief.
יָרֵ֑ךְ (yā·rêḵ)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 3409: Thigh,loin, flank, side

I was ashamed
בֹּ֚שְׁתִּי (bō·šə·tî)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular
Strong's 954: To pale, to be ashamed, to be disappointed, delayed

and
וְגַם־ (wə·ḡam-)
Conjunctive waw | Conjunction
Strong's 1571: Assemblage, also, even, yea, though, both, and

humiliated
נִכְלַ֔מְתִּי (niḵ·lam·tî)
Verb - Nifal - Perfect - first person common singular
Strong's 3637: To wound, to taunt, insult

because
כִּֽי־ (kî-)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

I bore
נָשָׂ֖אתִי (nā·śā·ṯî)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular
Strong's 5375: To lift, carry, take

the disgrace
חֶרְפַּ֥ת (ḥer·paṯ)
Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 2781: Contumely, disgrace, the pudenda

of my youth.’
נְעוּרָֽי׃ (nə·‘ū·rāy)
Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singular
Strong's 5271: Youth, the state, the persons


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OT Prophets: Jeremiah 31:19 Surely after that I was turned (Jer.)
Jeremiah 31:18
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