Bible Strands

Jeremiah 31:19

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.’

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Ephraim speaks to God in response to divine discipline, acknowledging severe correction before the Lord’s compassionate reply. The declaration occurs within a prophetic dialogue about Israel’s repentance and restoration.

The words — The text notes נִחַ֔מְתִּי (ni.Cham.ti), literally “I repented,” and סָפַ֖קְתִּי (sa.Fak.ti), literally “I struck.” These terms record the speaker’s physical and emotional reaction to instruction.

The thread — The posture of shame and memory of past sin appears in Jeremiah 3:25 and Ezekiel 36:31. The context of judgment and discipline against Israel’s leaders is noted in Ezekiel 21:12.

Why it lands — The text records a confession of disgrace and a request for restoration before stating God’s compassionate response. It requires a reader to acknowledge past rebellion and accept correction without minimizing the cost of that rebellion.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

כִּֽי־ki-forאַחֲרֵ֤י'a.cha.Reiafterשׁוּבִי֙shu.V/iturned away/ Iנִחַ֔מְתִּיni.Cham.tiI repentedוְאַֽחֲרֵי֙ve./'a.cha.Reiand/ afterהִוָּ֣דְעִ֔יhi.Va.de.'/Iwas instructed/ Iסָפַ֖קְתִּיsa.Fak.tiI slappedעַל־'al-onיָרֵ֑ךְya.Rekha thighבֹּ֚שְׁתִּיBo.she.tiI was ashamedוְגַם־ve./gam-and/ alsoנִכְלַ֔מְתִּיnikh.Lam.tiI was humiliatedכִּ֥יkiforנָשָׂ֖אתִיna.Sa.tiI boreחֶרְפַּ֥תcher.Pat[the] reproach ofנְעוּרָֽי׃ne.'u.Ra/iyouth<s>/ my

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.

Cross-references