The Meaning of Jeremiah 36:3 Explained

Jeremiah 36:3

KJV: It may be that the house of Judah will hear all the evil which I purpose to do unto them; that they may return every man from his evil way; that I may forgive their iniquity and their sin.

YLT: if so be the house of Israel do hear all the evil that I am thinking of doing to them, so that they turn back each from is evil way, and I have been propitious to their iniquity, and to their sin.'

Darby: It may be the house of Judah will hear all the evil that I purpose to do unto them, that they may return every man from his evil way, and that I may forgive their iniquity and their sin.

ASV: It may be that the house of Judah will hear all the evil which I purpose to do unto them; that they may return every man from his evil way; that I may forgive their iniquity and their sin.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

It may be that the house  of Judah  will hear  all the evil  which I purpose  to do  unto them; that they may return  every man  from his evil  way;  that I may forgive  their iniquity  and their sin. 

What does Jeremiah 36:3 Mean?

Verse Meaning

All of these recorded prophecies of coming judgment might move the Judahites to repent (cf. Jeremiah 25:13). If the people repented, the Lord would forgive them.

Context Summary

Jeremiah 36:1-32 - A Vain Attempt To Destroy God's Word
These written words had been directly given from God, Jeremiah 36:18. The fast was instituted to seek divine help in the approaching conflict with Nebuchadnezzar. But of what good is a fast while the evils of apostasy and disobedience are unredressed? It was against these that Jeremiah protested; and his words were read to a vast concourse of people by Baruch his faithful friend. It was the month of December, and the royal chamber was warmed by a brazier of burning charcoal. As Jehudi read, the godless king cut the roll with a penknife and consigned it to the fire. All down the ages false priests have dealt thus with the Word that condemned them. But a sailor does not escape shipwreck by destroying the chart which indicates the rocks on which he is drifting. God's words are eternal, though the material on which they are written may perish. He who rejects God's truth does so at his peril, while God hides His faithful servants in the secret of His presence, secure from the attacks of enemies. [source]

Chapter Summary: Jeremiah 36

1  Jeremiah causes Baruch to write his prophesy,
5  and publicly to read it
11  The princes, having intelligence thereof by Michaiah,
14  send Jehudi to fetch the roll and read it
19  They will Baruch to hide himself and Jeremiah
20  The king, Jehoiakim, being certified thereof, hears part of it and burns the roll
27  Jeremiah denounces his judgment
32  Baruch writes a new copy

What do the individual words in Jeremiah 36:3 mean?

It may be that will hear the house of Judah - all the adversities which I purpose to bring upon them that may turn everyone from his way evil that I may forgive their iniquity and their sin -
אוּלַ֤י יִשְׁמְעוּ֙ בֵּ֣ית יְהוּדָ֔ה אֵ֚ת כָּל־ הָ֣רָעָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֛ר אָנֹכִ֥י חֹשֵׁ֖ב לַעֲשׂ֣וֹת לָהֶ֑ם לְמַ֣עַן יָשׁ֗וּבוּ אִ֚ישׁ מִדַּרְכּ֣וֹ הָרָעָ֔ה וְסָלַחְתִּ֥י לַעֲוֺנָ֖ם וּלְחַטָּאתָֽם ס

אוּלַ֤י  It  may  be  that 
Parse: Adverb
Root: אוּלַי  
Sense: perhaps, peradventure.
יִשְׁמְעוּ֙  will  hear 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: שָׁמַע 
Sense: to hear, listen to, obey.
בֵּ֣ית  the  house 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
יְהוּדָ֔ה  of  Judah 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יְהוּדָה  
Sense: the son of Jacob by Leah.
אֵ֚ת  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הָ֣רָעָ֔ה  the  adversities 
Parse: Article, Adjective, feminine singular
Root: רַע 
Sense: bad, evil.
חֹשֵׁ֖ב  purpose 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: חָשַׁב 
Sense: to think, plan, esteem, calculate, invent, make a judgment, imagine, count.
לַעֲשׂ֣וֹת  to  bring 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
לָהֶ֑ם  upon  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
לְמַ֣עַן  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: לְמַעַן 
Sense: purpose, intent prep.
יָשׁ֗וּבוּ  may  turn 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: שׁוּב  
Sense: to return, turn back.
אִ֚ישׁ  everyone 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
מִדַּרְכּ֣וֹ  from  his  way 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, common singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: דֶּרֶךְ  
Sense: way, road, distance, journey, manner.
הָרָעָ֔ה  evil 
Parse: Article, Adjective, feminine singular
Root: רַע 
Sense: bad, evil.
וְסָלַחְתִּ֥י  that  I  may  forgive 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, first person common singular
Root: סָלַח  
Sense: to forgive, pardon.
לַעֲוֺנָ֖ם  their  iniquity 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, common singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: עָוֹן  
Sense: perversity, depravity, iniquity, guilt or punishment of iniquity.
וּלְחַטָּאתָֽם  and  their  sin 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: חַטָּאָה 
Sense: sin, sinful.
ס  - 
Parse: Punctuation