Jeremiah 14:20 · Bible study
Jeremiah 14:20 Commentary: Confessing Our Sin and Our Fathers' Sin
Hebrew · 8 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
This verse models corporate confession as the path to mercy, acknowledging both personal sin and the sins of previous generations.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Corporate confession of personal and ancestral sin as the only basis for appealing to God's mercy.
- Key words: yada (acknowledge/confess), rish'ah (wickedness), avon (iniquity), chata (sin).
- Main debate: Whether Jeremiah speaks for the whole nation or only for the faithful remnant who actually repented.
- Theological theme: Corporate solidarity in sin and repentance; covenant relationship requires honest acknowledgment.
- Best use: As a model for personal and corporate confession in times of crisis, repentance services, or prayer for national healing.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
We acknowledge our wickedness, O LORD, the guilt of our fathers; indeed, we have sinned against You.
WEB World English Bible 2000
We acknowledge, Yahweh, our wickedness, and the iniquity of our fathers; for we have sinned against you.
KJV King James Version 1769
We acknowledge, O Lord, our wickedness, and the iniquity of our fathers: for we have sinned against thee.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
We acknowledge, O Jehovah, our wickedness, and the iniquity of our fathers; for we have sinned against thee.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
We have known, O Jehovah, our wickedness, The iniquity of our fathers, For we have sinned against Thee.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
Jehovah, we acknowledge our wickedness, the iniquity of our fathers; for we have sinned against thee.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
We acknowledge, O Lord, our wickedness, the iniquities of our fathers, because we have sinned against thee.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Reconocemos, oh Jehová, nuestra impiedad, la iniquidad de nuestros padres: porque contra ti hemos pecado.
Ó SENHOR, reconhecemos nossa perversidade, a maldade de nossos pais; pois pecamos contra ti.
Éternel, nous reconnaissons notre méchanceté, l’ iniquité de nos pères;
HERR, wir erkennen unser gottlos Wesen und unsrer Väter Missetat; denn wir haben wider dich gesündigt.
HEERE! wij kennen onze goddeloosheid, en onzer vaderen ongerechtigheid, want wij hebben tegen U gezondigd.
O Eterno, noi riconosciamo la nostra malvagità, l’iniquità dei nostri padri; poiché noi abbiam peccato contro di te.
Uznajemy, Panie! niezbożność swoję, i nieprawość ojców naszych, iżeśmy zgrzeszyli przeciw tobie.
Сознаем, Господи, нечестие наше, беззаконие отцов наших; ибо согрешили мы пред Тобою.
耶和華啊，我們承認 自己的罪惡，和我們列祖 的罪孽，因 我們得罪了 你。
We are conscious, O Lord, of our sin and of the wrongdoing of our fathers: we have done evil against you.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Jeremiah 14:20
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that this verse gives the shape of true repentance. Calvin reads it as a prescription for the people; the only way to appease God is to confess sin honestly, both individual and inherited. Barnes notes that the Hebrew construction omits 'and' between 'our wickedness' and 'the iniquity of our fathers,' making the two one continuous reality: national sin is the sin of the fathers perpetuated by the children. Gill and Clarke agree the prophet speaks for the few faithful among a rebellious people, but Clarke laments that 'the people did not join him.' Still, the confession stands as a model: acknowledging personal guilt, tracing it to ancestral patterns, and naming the specific offense: 'we have sinned against you.' This is not a routine admission but the foundation of any plea for mercy.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Prophetic intercession for all Israel: Calvin and Barnes see the prophet prescribing a prayer for the whole nation.
- Confession of the faithful remnant: Clarke and Gill note that only a few joined the prophet in this confession.
- Liturgical model for exile: Calvin says the prophet dictates a form of prayer for future use in exile.
What is clear: Confession of both personal and inherited sin is the necessary first step toward appealing for God's mercy.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Function of confession | Confession of sin is necessary to obtain mercy and prepare the way for restoration. | Some traditions see this as a liturgical model for the whole people (Calvin), while others read it as the faithful remnant speaking on behalf of a rebellious nation (Clarke, Gill). |
| Corporate solidarity | The sin of the fathers has consequences for the children, and the community bears a shared guilt. | The extent of inherited guilt is debated. Some emphasize Ezekiel 18 (individual responsibility), while others point to this verse and Exodus 20:5 (generational consequences). |
| Representative confession | Jeremiah acts as an intercessor, confessing on behalf of the people. | Whether this is legitimate only when the people themselves repent, or whether the intercessor's confession is effective even if the majority does not join (Calvin says yes; Clarke is doubtful). |
Historical & Cultural Context
Jeremiah 14 opens with a devastating drought: fields barren, animals dying, people mourning (Jer 14:1-6). In response, the prophet intercedes for his people. His first prayer (vv.7-9) is met with silence. Then comes a second prayer (vv.19-22), and verse 20 is its heart. Commentators like Barnes and the Cambridge Bible note that three pleas build on each other: first, the people's contrition (v.20); second, God's own honor (v.21); third, the hopelessness of looking elsewhere (v.22). The confession in verse 20 draws directly on a covenant promise:
"If they confess their iniquity and the iniquity of their fathers, in their trespass which they trespassed against me; and also that because they walked contrary to me,"
— Leviticus 26:40 (WEB)
The generation living through the drought understands that they are reaping what their ancestors sowed and what they themselves have continued. The prophet stands before God speaking for a people who often would not speak for themselves. This is not a vague admission of fault but a specific, corporate acceptance of guilt, designed to clear the way for mercy. Lange dates this discourse before the final disaster, when repentance could still avert what was coming. Later, after the exile, Nehemiah records that the people stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers (Neh 9:2), showing that Jeremiah's model became the pattern for restoration.
Textual Notes
Reception History
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Acknowledge the truth. The Hebrew verb yada (we acknowledge) means more than intellectual awareness; it carries the sense of confessing publicly. The people name their 'wickedness' (rish'ah) and their sin (chata) openly.
- Own the inheritance. Including 'the iniquity of our fathers' links the present generation to a long history of rebellion. This is not an excuse but an admission of deep-rooted sin that only God can uproot.
- Appeal for mercy. This confession is not an end in itself. It clears the way for the pleas that follow in verses 21-22: 'Do not abhor us, for your name's sake... we will wait for you.'
Five-point outline
- The prerequisite: Confession is the door to mercy. God does not give pardon to those who deny their fault (1 John 1:9).
- The scope: Both personal sin ('our wickedness') and corporate sin ('iniquity of our fathers') must be named.
- The direction: Sin is ultimately against God himself ('we have sinned against you'), as David recognized in Psalm 51:4.
- The solidarity: We are connected to those who came before us. Their sin shaped our environment, and we continue in their patterns.
- The hope: Confession leads to waiting on God, who alone can send rain and restore his people.
Illustration hooks
- Think of a family pattern of anger or addiction that you inherited. Naming it honestly is the first step toward breaking it.
- Consider a community that has denied its history of racism. Only when it acknowledges that past can healing begin.
- A church that confesses its failures to love, to serve, to speak truth opens itself to renewal.
Questions your congregation is asking
- If I was not alive when my ancestors sinned, why should I confess their sin?
- Does confession guarantee that God will remove the consequences?
- What does corporate confession look like in a church service today?
Leading a Discussion
Jeremiah speaks for a people who have run out of excuses. In the midst of drought and despair, he leads them in a confession that names both their own sins and the sins of their fathers. This passage invites us to consider the weight of corporate sin and the freedom of honest confession.
Discussion questions
- What does the word 'acknowledge' (yada) imply beyond just knowing facts? How does it connect to confession?
- Why do you think Jeremiah includes the iniquity of the fathers? What does that say about sin and community?
- How does this confession function as a plea for mercy? Read verses 21-22 to see what follows.
- Compare this confession with David's in 2 Samuel 12:13: 'I have sinned against Yahweh.' What is similar? What is different?
- In what ways do we participate in sins of our family, church or nation without realizing it?
- How can a church or small group practice corporate confession in a way that is honest and not just routine?
- What difference does it make that the confession is addressed to Yahweh by name, rather than to a vague higher power?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Leviticus 26:40 | “‘If they confess their iniquity and the iniquity of their fathers, in their trespass which they trespassed against me; and also that because they walked contrary to me, |
| Leviticus 26:42 | then I will remember my covenant with Jacob, my covenant with Isaac, and also my covenant with Abraham; and I will remember the land. |
| II Samuel 12:13 | David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against Yahweh.” Nathan said to David, “Yahweh also has put away your sin. You will not die. |
| II Samuel 24:10 | David’s heart struck him after he had counted the people. David said to Yahweh, “I have sinned greatly in that which I have done. But now, Yahweh, put away, I beg you, the iniquity of your servant; for I have done very foolishly.” |
| Ezra 9:6 | and I said, “My God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to you, my God, for our iniquities have increased over our head, and our guiltiness has grown up to the heavens. |
| Ezra 9:7 | Since the days of our fathers we have been exceedingly guilty to this day; and for our iniquities we, our kings, and our priests have been delivered into the hand of the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity, to plunder, and to confusion of face, as it is this day. |
| Nehemiah 9:2 | The offspring of Israel separated themselves from all foreigners and stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers. |
| Job 33:27 | He sings before men, and says, ‘I have sinned, and perverted that which was right, and it didn’t profit me. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
7 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke highlights that the prophet confessed the people's wickedness on their behalf, but they did not join him in that confession. The acknowledgment was genuine, yet it was not their own. This reveals a painful gap between the prophet's intercession and the people's unrepentant hearts.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes highlights the broken, passionate nature of the original Hebrew in this prayer, describing it as a series of desperate cries. He notes that the appeal is grounded not in the nation’s merit but in God’s own name and covenant, and that no pagan idol can end the distress—only Yahweh, who made the heavens.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin stresses that the prophet is writing a model prayer for future exiles: honest confession is the only path to pardon. Even though few of his own generation knew their guilt, he dictates the words "we have done wickedly" so that those in exile would learn to humble themselves. Mentioning the fathers' iniquity does not excuse them but shows their sin is hereditary and deserves death.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge Bible highlights three specific pleas the people make: their own contrition, a concern for God's honour, and their utter hopelessness of help elsewhere. It also identifies "the throne of thy glory" as Jerusalem, particularly the Temple where God's visible glory rested above the Ark.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
We acknowledge, O Lord, our wickednesse and the iniquitie of our fathers: for we haue sinned against thee.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill stresses that the prophet speaks for a small faithful remnant who confess not only their own sins but also the sins of their ancestors. They admit their fathers sinned and they followed that same pattern, so they accept God's quarrel with them as deserved.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Matthew Henry sees the prophet's lament and prayer here as effectively reversing the earlier command not to intercede for Judah. He notes that the prophet understood that prohibition as a discouragement, not an absolute ban, since he now prays freely for the people.