Jeremiah 3:13

13 Only acknowledge your guilt— you have rebelled against the LORD your God, you have scattered your favors to foreign gods under every spreading tree, and have not obeyed me,’ ” declares the LORD.

Jeremiah 3:13 in Other Translations

King James Version (KJV)
13 Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the LORD thy God, and hast scattered thy ways to the strangers under every green tree, and ye have not obeyed my voice, saith the LORD.
English Standard Version (ESV)
13 Only acknowledge your guilt, that you rebelled against the LORD your God and scattered your favors among foreigners under every green tree, and that you have not obeyed my voice, declares the LORD.
New Living Translation (NLT)
13 Only acknowledge your guilt. Admit that you rebelled against the LORD your God and committed adultery against him by worshiping idols under every green tree. Confess that you refused to listen to my voice. I, the LORD, have spoken!
The Message Bible (MSG)
13 Just admit your guilt. Admit your God-defiance. Admit to your promiscuous life with casual partners, pulling strangers into the sex-and-religion groves While turning a deaf ear to me.'" God's Decree.
American Standard Version (ASV)
13 Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against Jehovah thy God, and hast scattered thy ways to the strangers under every green tree, and ye have not obeyed my voice, saith Jehovah.
GOD'S WORD Translation (GW)
13 Admit that you've done wrong! You have rebelled against the LORD your God. You have given yourself to strangers under every large tree. You have not obeyed me,' declares the LORD.
Holman Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
13 Only acknowledge your guilt- you have rebelled against the Lord your God. You have scattered your favors to strangers under every green tree and have not obeyed My voice. [This is] the Lord's declaration.
New International Reader's Version (NIRV)
13 Admit that you are guilty of doing what is wrong. You have refused to obey me. I am the LORD your God. You have committed adultery with other gods. You worshiped them under every green tree. And you have not obeyed me,' " announces the Lord.

Jeremiah 3:13 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 3:13

Only acknowledge thine iniquity
Or, "know" F5 it; unless a man knows his sin, and is convicted of it, he will never repent of it, or turn from it; and when he is made sensible of it, and sorry for it, he ought to acknowledge and confess it before God, against whom he has sinned; this is what is insisted upon, and all that is insisted upon; and it is the least that can be done, and is what every sensible sinner will do, who upon it may expect the discovery of pardoning grace and mercy, ( Psalms 32:5 ) ( Psalms 51:3 Psalms 51:4 ) ( Proverbs 28:13 ) ( 1 John 1:9 ) : that thou hast transgressed against the Lord thy God;
against his law, his declared mind and will, and notwithstanding he is the Lord thy God; against a God of love, grace, and mercy, who had loaded them with his benefits, and followed them with his goodness; all which aggravates the sin they had been guilty of: and hast scattered thy ways to the strangers under every green tree;
a phrase expressive of whoredom; it is an euphemism, the same with (Mylgr qwvyp) , as Jarchi observes, "the opening of the feet", to everyone that passes by, to be lain with, ( Ezekiel 16:25 ) and is to be understood of the multiplied idolatries of Israel; and that as harlots run about here and there, and prostitute themselves to whomsoever they meet with, so they worshipped the strange gods of the Heathens everywhere, in all their cities, upon every mountain and hill, and under every green tree; see ( Jeremiah 2:20 Jeremiah 2:28 ) so the Targum,

``and thou hast corrupted thy way, thou hast joined thyself to the people that worship idols under every green tree:''
and ye have not obeyed my voice, saith the Lord:
the voice of his command in the law, which forbids idolatry; and his voice by his prophets, which reproved them for it, and exhorted them to repentance; but they regarded neither.
FOOTNOTES:

F5 (yed) "scito", V. L. Pagninus, Montanus.

Jeremiah 3:13 In-Context

11 The LORD said to me, “Faithless Israel is more righteous than unfaithful Judah.
12 Go, proclaim this message toward the north: “ ‘Return, faithless Israel,’ declares the LORD, ‘I will frown on you no longer, for I am faithful,’ declares the LORD, ‘I will not be angry forever.
13 Only acknowledge your guilt— you have rebelled against the LORD your God, you have scattered your favors to foreign gods under every spreading tree, and have not obeyed me,’ ” declares the LORD.
14 “Return, faithless people,” declares the LORD, “for I am your husband. I will choose you—one from a town and two from a clan—and bring you to Zion.
15 Then I will give you shepherds after my own heart, who will lead you with knowledge and understanding.

Cross References 4

  • 1. Deuteronomy 30:1-3; Jeremiah 14:20; 1 John 1:9
  • 2. S Jeremiah 2:25
  • 3. S Deuteronomy 12:2
  • 4. ver 25; Jeremiah 22:21
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