The Meaning of Jeremiah 3:13 Explained

Jeremiah 3:13

KJV: 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.

YLT: Only, know thine iniquity, For against Jehovah thy God thou hast transgressed, And thou dost scatter thy ways to strangers, Under every green tree, And to My voice thou hast not hearkened, An affirmation of Jehovah.

Darby: Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against Jehovah thy God, and hast turned thy ways hither and thither to the strangers under every green tree; and ye have not hearkened to my voice, saith Jehovah.

ASV: 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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Jeremiah 3:13 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Genuine repentance would have to include realizing and acknowledging that what they had done was iniquity, transgression of covenant commands, apostasy and spiritual adultery, and disobedience to Yahweh"s Word (cf. Deuteronomy 28:1-2; Deuteronomy 28:15).
"True confession, unfortunately, is a harrowing and humiliating experience, and thus seldom encountered, whether in individuals or nations. The catharsis of confession undoubtedly helps to make Christian forgiveness so rich an experience for the penitent spirit ( 1 John 1:9)." [1]

Context Summary

Jeremiah 3:11-25 - Pleading With Faithless Children
The people of the northern kingdom, to whom this appeal is especially addressed, were more excusable than Judah, because their privileges had been less. God judges us according to our opportunities. How precious the invitation and promise of Jeremiah 3:12! Confession is an essential condition that must be fulfilled by us. See 1 John 1:7. Zion shall yet be the center of a restored Israel, Jeremiah 3:14; Jeremiah 3:18. In Jeremiah 3:21-25 the voices of the people in confession and prayer mingle with Jehovah's encouraging their return. When we lie down in broken-hearted shame and penitence, we are very near to being lifted to the bosom of God. Compare Jeremiah 3:25 with Jeremiah 4:1. The return of the Chosen People to the God of their fathers will be the cause of revival and quickening throughout the earth. Compare Jeremiah 4:2 with Romans 11:12. [source]

Chapter Summary: Jeremiah 3

1  God's great mercy to Judah the polluted land
6  Judah is worse than Israel
12  The promises of the gospel to the penitent
20  Israel reproved, and called by God, makes a solemn confession of their sins

What do the individual words in Jeremiah 3:13 mean?

Only acknowledge your iniquity that against Yahweh your God that you have transgressed and have scattered - your charms to alien deities under every tree green and My voice not you have obeyed says Yahweh
אַ֚ךְ דְּעִ֣י עֲוֺנֵ֔ךְ כִּ֛י בַּיהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהַ֖יִךְ פָּשָׁ֑עַתְּ וַתְּפַזְּרִ֨י אֶת־ דְּרָכַ֜יִךְ לַזָּרִ֗ים תַּ֚חַת כָּל־ עֵ֣ץ רַעֲנָ֔ן וּבְקוֹלִ֥י לֹא־ שְׁמַעְתֶּ֖ם נְאֻם־ יְהֹוָֽה

אַ֚ךְ  Only 
Parse: Adverb
Root: אַךְ  
Sense: indeed, surely (emphatic).
דְּעִ֣י  acknowledge 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, feminine singular
Root: דָּעָה 
Sense: to know.
עֲוֺנֵ֔ךְ  your  iniquity 
Parse: Noun, common singular construct, second person feminine singular
Root: עָוֹן  
Sense: perversity, depravity, iniquity, guilt or punishment of iniquity.
כִּ֛י  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
בַּיהוָ֥ה  against  Yahweh 
Parse: Preposition-b, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
אֱלֹהַ֖יִךְ  your  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person feminine singular
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
פָּשָׁ֑עַתְּ  that  you  have  transgressed 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person feminine singular
Root: פָּשַׁע  
Sense: to rebel, transgress, revolt.
וַתְּפַזְּרִ֨י  and  have  scattered 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Consecutive imperfect, second person feminine singular
Root: פָּזַר  
Sense: to scatter, disperse.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
דְּרָכַ֜יִךְ  your  charms 
Parse: Noun, common plural construct, second person feminine singular
Root: דֶּרֶךְ  
Sense: way, road, distance, journey, manner.
לַזָּרִ֗ים  to  alien  deities 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Adjective, masculine plural
Root: זוּר 
Sense: to be strange, be a stranger.
תַּ֚חַת  under 
Parse: Preposition
Root: מִתְחָה 
Sense: the under part, beneath, instead of, as, for, for the sake of, flat, unto, where, whereas.
כָּל־  every 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
עֵ֣ץ  tree 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: עֵץ  
Sense: tree, wood, timber, stock, plank, stalk, stick, gallows.
רַעֲנָ֔ן  green 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: רָעַן 
Sense: (Palel) to be or grow luxuriant or fresh or green adj.
וּבְקוֹלִ֥י  and  My  voice 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: קֹול 
Sense: voice, sound, noise.
שְׁמַעְתֶּ֖ם  you  have  obeyed 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person masculine plural
Root: שָׁמַע 
Sense: to hear, listen to, obey.
נְאֻם־  says 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: נְאֻם  
Sense: (Qal) utterance, declaration (of prophet).
יְהֹוָֽה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.