Jeremiah 3 25

Jeremiah 3:25 kjv

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 3:25 nkjv

We lie down in our shame, And our reproach covers us. For we have sinned against the LORD our God, We and our fathers, From our youth even to this day, And have not obeyed the voice of the LORD our God."

Jeremiah 3:25 niv

Let us lie down in our shame, and let our disgrace cover us. We have sinned against the LORD our God, both we and our ancestors; from our youth till this day we have not obeyed the LORD our God."

Jeremiah 3:25 esv

Let us lie down in our shame, and let our dishonor cover us. For we have sinned against the LORD our God, we and our fathers, from our youth even to this day, and we have not obeyed the voice of the LORD our God."

Jeremiah 3:25 nlt

Let us now lie down in shame
and cover ourselves with dishonor,
for we and our ancestors have sinned
against the LORD our God.
From our childhood to this day
we have never obeyed him."

Jeremiah 3 verses

Jeremiah 3 25 Meaning

Jeremiah 3:25 is a profound confession of sin by the people of Israel (specifically Judah). It expresses deep shame and disgrace resulting from their prolonged and pervasive disobedience to the LORD their God. This verse acknowledges not only their current sinful state but also traces their rebellion through generations, from their youth until the present day, emphasizing a consistent failure to heed God's voice and commandments. It's a statement of self-abasement, recognizing that their suffering is a direct consequence of their covenant breaking.

Jeremiah 3 25 Context

Jeremiah 3 opens with a poignant comparison of Israel to an unfaithful wife, having chased after many lovers (idols) yet God still inviting her back. God, through Jeremiah, issues a tender but urgent call for His backsliding people (both Israel, the Northern Kingdom, and Judah, the Southern Kingdom) to "Return" (Jer 3:12, 3:14, 3:22). He promises forgiveness and restoration, portraying Himself as a Father yearning for His children. In 3:21, the people are depicted weeping and pleading, having strayed from God. Jeremiah 3:22 poses God's question, "Return, O faithless sons; I will heal your faithlessness."

Verse 25 represents the people's direct response to this divine plea. They acknowledge their grievous departure from the LORD, rejecting the false hopes of foreign alliances and idolatrous practices mentioned in the preceding verses (e.g., trust in mountains/hills, Jer 3:23). This confession is a hopeful, yet still incomplete, turning point within the book's narrative of Israel's apostasy, setting the stage for subsequent warnings and promises. Historically, it reflects a period leading up to Judah's Babylonian exile, marked by rampant idolatry and social injustice, despite prophetic warnings. The polemic here is against the contemporary belief that reliance on political alliances or pagan gods could provide salvation or security, and that their sins were inconsequential.

Jeremiah 3 25 Word analysis

• We lie down (שָׁכַבְנוּ - shakhavnu):
  • Literal meaning: To lie down physically.
  • Significance: In this context, it suggests a complete state of being overwhelmed, resting in and under shame and disgrace. It implies their condition is inescapable, self-imposed, and fully enveloping. It’s not just a passing feeling, but their entire existence is submerged in this consequence. It can denote a settled, habitual state.
• in our shame (בְּבָשְׁתֵּנוּ - b'voshtenu):
  • Root: בֹּשֶׁת (boshet) - shame, confusion, ignominy.
  • Significance: Refers to the feeling of dishonor, humiliation, and disappointment stemming from their own actions, especially against the LORD. It's the moral degradation experienced when their unfaithfulness is exposed. This isn't external imposition but an internal realization of disgrace, acknowledging their own guilt and moral nakedness.
• and our disgrace (וַכְּלִמָּתֵנוּ - vakh'limmatenu):
  • Root: כְּלִמָּה (kelimmah) - humiliation, reproach, ignominy. Often used interchangeably with shame but can also emphasize the public aspect of humiliation, a state of being mocked or scorned by others, or even a divine verdict of dishonor.
  • Significance: This word reinforces "shame" by adding a layer of public humiliation and moral reproach. It suggests that their shameful condition is not just personal but evident and deserving of scorn.
• covers us (כִּסַּתְנוּ - kis'satnu):
  • Root: כָּסָה (kasah) - to cover, conceal.
  • Significance: Means "to completely envelop," not just partially conceal. The disgrace fully blankets them, symbolizing that it's pervasive, inescapable, and permeates every aspect of their existence. It's not a superficial covering but a profound, overwhelming presence.
• For we have sinned (כִּי חָטָאנוּ - ki chata'nu):
  • Root: חָטָא (chata) - to miss the mark, err, offend, sin.
  • Significance: This introduces the reason for their shame and disgrace. "To sin" means to fall short of God's perfect standard, to transgress His laws, and to deviate from the covenant path. It implies a conscious act of rebellion and disloyalty against their rightful King.
• against the LORD our God (לַיהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ - laYHWH Eloheinu):
  • "LORD" (יְהוָה - YHWH): The covenant name of God, emphasizing His personal relationship and faithfulness to Israel.
  • "our God" (אֱלֹהֵינוּ - Eloheinu): Expresses their unique covenant relationship with this particular God, chosen to be their God.
  • Significance: The confession specifically acknowledges that their sin is not just a general wrong but a direct offense against their own covenant God. This elevates the offense, highlighting their breach of a deeply personal and sacred bond. It reveals recognition of whom they have abandoned.
• we and our fathers (אֲנַחְנוּ וַאֲבוֹתֵינוּ - anakhnu va'avoteinu):
  • Significance: This extends the confession of sin beyond their generation to include previous generations. It points to a generational pattern of apostasy, a deep-seated tradition of unfaithfulness. While not absolving their personal responsibility, it recognizes the weight of inherited spiritual blindness and a cycle of disobedience.
• from our youth (מִנְּעוּרֵינוּ - minn'ureinu):
  • Significance: Refers to the earliest stages of their national existence, perhaps from the time of their entering the covenant at Sinai or the period in the wilderness, or even personally from childhood. It emphasizes the long-standing nature and deep roots of their sin, suggesting it was ingrained early and persisted.
• even to this day (וְעַד הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה - v'ad hayyom hazzeh):
  • Significance: This highlights the continuity and persistence of their sinful state. It’s an unbroken chain of disobedience from ancient times right up to the moment of their confession. It signifies a long, stubborn refusal to turn back to God, underscoring the severity and embedded nature of their rebellion.
• and have not obeyed the voice (וְלֹא־שָׁמַעְנוּ בְּקוֹל - v'lo-shama'nu b'qol):
  • Root: שָׁמַע (shama) - to hear, listen, obey. b'qol (in the voice of).
  • Significance: In Hebrew thought, "to hear" often implies "to obey." Therefore, "not obeyed the voice" means they heard God's commands, perhaps through prophets, the law, or His providential dealings, but chose not to act accordingly. This isn't passive ignorance but active defiance or neglect of divine authority. It specifies the nature of their sin: a refusal to live by God’s revealed will.
• of the LORD our God (לַיהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ - laYHWH Eloheinu):
  • (Repeated emphasis): This repetition from earlier in the verse underscores the covenant aspect and the object of their disobedience. It stresses that it was their God whose voice they persistently rejected, deepening the tragedy of their unfaithfulness.

Words-group analysis:

• "We lie down in our shame, and our disgrace covers us": This paints a vivid picture of a people fully enveloped and consumed by the consequences of their actions. It's a statement of utter vulnerability and self-exposure, having nothing to hide behind. It suggests a state of permanent dwelling in ignominy, where there is no escape or relief.
• "For we have sinned against the LORD our God": This phrase directly attributes their suffering (shame and disgrace) to their deliberate transgression. It acknowledges a direct violation of their sacred covenant relationship. It points to God as the offended party and clarifies that the problem is not merely bad luck or external circumstances but their moral and spiritual failure towards their specific covenant Lord.
• "we and our fathers, from our youth even to this day": This phrase outlines the scope and duration of their sin. It indicates both a personal and corporate, generational, and persistent pattern of rebellion. This comprehensive acknowledgment of inherited and ongoing sin demonstrates a deeper understanding of their brokenness, tracing their unfaithfulness from their earliest days as a nation (or even personally) through to the present.
• "and have not obeyed the voice of the LORD our God": This specifies the nature of their sin—it is a continuous, willful disobedience to the known commands of their covenant God. This is the root cause, the constant theme of their spiritual rebellion. It highlights their persistent refusal to yield to divine instruction and guidance, making their sin an issue of fundamental disloyalty.

Jeremiah 3 25 Bonus section

The nature of this confession in Jeremiah 3:25 is notable because it uses first-person plural pronouns ("we," "our," "us"), signifying a corporate and national admission of guilt. This is not just an individual crying out, but the collective conscience of the people speaking, potentially through Jeremiah himself articulating their anticipated response. This national-level acknowledgment of deep, widespread, and sustained sin is foundational for national healing and restoration in prophetic literature.

While this confession is presented as the people's voice, it might also reflect the prophet's profound empathy for his people and his hopeful intercession. Jeremiah frequently wrestled with God's judgment and his love for the unfaithful nation. Thus, this confession, though direct from the people, aligns with Jeremiah's prophetic message of calling them to recognize their true condition. The verse emphasizes that genuine turning begins with radical honesty about one's spiritual state and the long, deep roots of disobedience to the One True God. It highlights the principle that true repentance is holistic, recognizing not only personal faults but also patterns of corporate and inherited unfaithfulness, demanding a complete paradigm shift away from a lifestyle of disobedience towards hearing and obeying God's "voice."

Jeremiah 3 25 Commentary

Jeremiah 3:25 serves as the powerful culmination of God's plea for Israel's return and their (at least initial) rhetorical response. It’s a moment of profound, painful confession where the people openly admit their catastrophic failure to live up to their covenant obligations. The twin images of "shame" and "disgrace" – described as "lying down in" and "covering" them – paint a stark picture of their internal humiliation and external ignominy. This suffering is not presented as an arbitrary punishment but as the direct, undeniable consequence of their sin.

Crucially, the verse acknowledges that this isn't a recent lapse but a deeply ingrained pattern spanning generations, "from our youth even to this day." This highlights the cumulative effect of a national history of disobedience, emphasizing both corporate and individual responsibility. Their ultimate failing is their stubborn refusal to "obey the voice of the LORD our God"—a continuous rejection of the very divine guidance meant to lead them to life and blessing. While a crucial step towards true repentance, the immediate historical context reveals this confession in Jeremiah was often superficial or short-lived, failing to translate into consistent faithfulness. Yet, it articulates the ideal response God sought, an honest, no-excuses admission of guilt necessary for any real reconciliation and healing. It reflects a turning of the heart back towards the covenant relationship with YHWH as their unique and only true God, away from the allure of idols and worldly trusts.