Jeremiah 36:3
in Jeremiah 36Perhaps when the people of Judah hear about all the calamity I plan to bring upon them, each of them will turn from his wicked way. Then I will forgive their iniquity and their sin.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
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
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.
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This verse in Jeremiah 36
Commentary
8 notes on this verseThis site's exposition
the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah
on Jeremiah 36:1-4
The scroll gathers every word spoken to Jeremiah “concerning Israel, Judah, and all the nations” from Josiah to Jehoiakim’s fourth year. The purpose is given before a word is written: “Then I will forgive their iniquity and their sin.” Baruch son of Neriah first appears here as the scribe.
This site's exposition
each of them will turn from his wicked way
The scroll was written so that the people of Judah would hear, turn from the wicked way, and be forgiven, the three steps Clarke names. Henry reads the LORD's readiness to forgive iniquity and sin as mercy that waits for the people to turn. Barnes sets this beside Jeremiah 26:3.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening4 voices
It may be that the house of Judah will hear all the evil which I purpose to do unto them,....
This plainly implies the honour of God's justice, with which it is not consistent that he should forgive the sin unless the sinner repent of it and turn from it; but it plainly expresses the honour of his mercy, that he is very ready to forgive sin and only waits till the sinner be qualified to receive forgiveness, and therefore uses various means to bring us to repentance, that he may forgive.
What they had heard once must be recapitulated, and rehearsed to them again, that what was forgotten might be called to mind again and what made no impression upon them at the first hearing might take hold of them when they heard it the second time. And what was perhaps already written, and published in single sermons, must be collected into one volume, that none might be lost.
Note, Prayer to God for grace to turn us is necessary in order to our turning; and those that are convinced by the word of God of the necessity of returning to him will present their supplications to him for that grace. And the consideration of this, that great is the anger which God has pronounced against us for sin, should quicken both our prayers and our endeavours.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
It may be that the house of Judah will hear - It was yet possible to avert the judgments which had been so often denounced against them. But in order to this they must - 1. Hear what God has spoken. 2. Every man turn from his evil way. 3. If they do so, God graciously promises to forgive their iniquity and their sin.
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Compare Jer 26:3. In point of date Jer. 26: is immediately prior to the present.
The words behind it
20 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| אוּלַ֤י | ʾulai | perhaps | H194 → | 45 times |
| יִשְׁמְעוּ֙ | yishmeu | they will hear | H8085 → | 1159 times |
| בֵּ֣ית | beit | [the] house of | H1004 → | 2046 times |
| יְהוּדָ֔ה | yehudah | Judah | H3063 → | 819 times |
| אֵ֚ת | ʾet | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| כָּל־ | kol- | all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| הָ֣רָעָ֔ה | haraah | the harm | H7451 → | 662 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֛ר | ʾasher | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| אָנֹכִ֥י | ʾanokhi | I | H595 → | 359 times |
| חֹשֵׁ֖ב | choshev | [am] planning | H2803 → | 124 times |
| לַעֲשׂ֣וֹת | laasot | to do | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| לָהֶ֑ם | lahem | to <the> them | ||
| לְמַ֣עַן | lemaan | so that | H4616 → | 272 times |
| יָשׁ֗וּבוּ | yashuvu | they may turn back | H7725 → | 1056 times |
| אִ֚ישׁ | ʾish | everyone | H376 → | 1663 times |
| מִדַּרְכּ֣וֹ | midarko | from way his | H1870 → | 707 times |
| הָרָעָ֔ה | haraah | <the> evil | H7451 → | 662 times |
| וְסָלַחְתִּ֥י | vesalachti | and I will forgive | H5545 → | 46 times |
| לַעֲוֹנָ֖ם | laavonam | <to> iniquity their | H5771 → | 233 times |
| וּלְחַטָּאתָֽם׃ ס | ulechatatam | and <to> sin their | H2403 → | 295 times |
אוּלַ֤יperhaps
ʾulaiH194 →45 times
יִשְׁמְעוּ֙they will hear
yishmeuH8085 →1159 times
בֵּ֣ית[the] house of
beitH1004 →2046 times
יְהוּדָ֔הJudah
yehudahH3063 →819 times
אֵ֚ת<obj.>
ʾetH853 →10935 times
כָּל־all
kol-H3605 →5413 times
הָ֣רָעָ֔הthe harm
haraahH7451 →662 times
אֲשֶׁ֛רwhich
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
אָנֹכִ֥יI
ʾanokhiH595 →359 times
חֹשֵׁ֖ב[am] planning
choshevH2803 →124 times
לַעֲשׂ֣וֹתto do
laasotH6213 →2628 times
לָהֶ֑םto <the> them
lahem
לְמַ֣עַןso that
lemaanH4616 →272 times
יָשׁ֗וּבוּthey may turn back
yashuvuH7725 →1056 times
אִ֚ישׁeveryone
ʾishH376 →1663 times
מִדַּרְכּ֣וֹfrom way his
midarkoH1870 →707 times
הָרָעָ֔ה<the> evil
haraahH7451 →662 times
וְסָלַחְתִּ֥יand I will forgive
vesalachtiH5545 →46 times
לַעֲוֹנָ֖ם<to> iniquity their
laavonamH5771 →233 times
וּלְחַטָּאתָֽם׃ סand <to> sin their
ulechatatamH2403 →295 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Acts 3:19Repent, then, and turn back, so that your sins may be wiped away,
it leads to
- Isaiah 44:22
I have blotted out your transgressions like a cloud, and your sins like a mist. Return to Me, for I have redeemed you.
- Acts 2:38
Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
- Isaiah 43:25
I, yes I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake and remembers your sins no more.
- Isaiah 1:16–20
Wash and cleanse yourselves. Remove your evil deeds from My sight. Stop doing evil!
- Matthew 13:15
For this people’s heart has grown callous; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts,…
- Isaiah 44:22
Through
Jeremiah 18:8But if that nation I warned turns from its evil, then I will relent of the disaster I had planned to bring.
it leads to
- Ezekiel 18:21
But if the wicked man turns from all the sins he has committed, keeps all My statutes, and does what is just and right, he will surely live; he will not die.
- Jeremiah 26:3
Perhaps they will listen and turn—each from his evil way of life—so that I may relent of the disaster I am planning to bring upon them because of the evil of their deeds.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Jeremiah 26:13
So now, correct your ways and deeds, and obey the voice of the LORD your God, so that He might relent of the disaster He has pronounced against you.
- Ezekiel 18:21
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies3
On this verse
On this chapter
About Jeremiah

Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Carl Friedrich Keil, The Prophecies of Jeremiah; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.
