Jeremiah 3:13 · Bible study
Jeremiah 3:13 Commentary: Only Acknowledge Your Iniquity
Hebrew · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Explore Jeremiah 3:13 where God requires confession as the condition for restoration. What this reveals about repentance and divine mercy.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Confession of sin is the required condition for restoration to God; mercy is not cheap but requires honest acknowledgment.
- Key words: Only (akh), restrictive; acknowledge (yada), know/confess; iniquity (avon), guilt/perversity; scattered (pazar), dispersed in unfaithfulness; green tree, symbol of pagan worship sites.
- Main debate: Does 'only acknowledge' mean confession alone is sufficient, or is it the beginning of a larger turning (repentance that includes changed behavior)? Calvin and Keil see it as the first step; the surrounding context (vv.12-14) emphasizes return as the fuller picture.
- Theological theme: Repentance and divine mercy, God's grace does not bypass truth; it meets us in our honesty.
- Best use: Personal examination, prayer of confession, preparation for receiving God's renewing mercy.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
Only acknowledge your guilt, that you have rebelled against the LORD your God. You have scattered your favors to foreign gods under every green tree and have not obeyed My voice,’” declares the LORD.
WEB World English Bible 2000
Only acknowledge your iniquity, that you have transgressed against Yahweh your God, and have scattered your ways to the strangers under every green tree, and you have not obeyed my voice,’” says Yahweh.
KJV King James Version 1769
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.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
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.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
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 Darby Bible 1890
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.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
But yet acknowledge thy iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the Lord thy God: and thou hast scattered thy ways to strangers under every green tree, and hast not heard my voice, saith the Lord.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Conoce empero tu maldad, porque contra Jehová tu Dios has prevaricado, y tus caminos has derramado á los extraños debajo de todo árbol umbroso, y no oiste mi voz, dice Jehová.
Tão somente reconhece tua maldade, pois transgrediste contra o SENHOR teu Deus, e espalhaste teus caminhos aos estrangeiros debaixo de toda árvore frondosa, e não ouviste minha voz, diz o SENHOR.
Reconnais seulement ton iniquité,
Allein erkenne deine Missetat, daß du wider den HERRN, deinen Gott, gesündigt hast und bist hin und wieder gelaufen zu den fremden Göttern unter allen grünen Bäumen und habt meiner Stimme nicht gehorcht, spricht der HERR.
Alleen ken uw ongerechtigheid, dat gij tegen den HEERE, uw God, hebt overtreden, en uw wegen verstrooid hebt tot de vreemden, onder allen groenen boom, maar gij zijt Mijner stem niet gehoorzaam geweest, spreekt de HEERE.
Soltanto riconosci la tua iniquità: tu sei stata infedele all’Eterno, al tuo Dio, hai vòlto qua e là i tuoi passi verso gli stranieri, sotto ogni albero verdeggiante, e non hai dato ascolto alla mia voce, dice l’Eterno.
Tylko uznaj nieprawość twoję, żeś od Pana, Boga swego, odstąpiła, a tam i sam biegała drogami swemi do obcych bogów pod każde drzewo zielone, a głosu mojego nie słuchaliście, mówi Pan.
Признай только вину твою: ибо ты отступила от Господа Бога твоего и распутствовала с чужими под всяким ветвистым деревом, а гласа Моего вы не слушали, говорит Господь.
只要 承認 你的罪孽，就是 你違背 耶和華─你的 神，在各 青翠 樹 下 向別神 東奔西跑，沒有 聽從 我的話。這是耶和華 說的。
Only be conscious of your sin, the evil you have done against the Lord your God; you have gone with strange men under every branching tree, giving no attention to my voice, says the Lord.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Jeremiah 3:13
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree this verse sets a stark condition for restoration: honest acknowledgment of sin. Calvin notes that the Hebrew particle 'akh ('only' or 'but') introduces an exception, God insists on confession lest hypocrites presume on his mercy and become hardened. Gill makes the same point: unless a person knows and confesses sin, there can be no turning. The verb de'i (recognize/acknowledge) carries the full weight of self-knowledge before God. Jamieson-Fausset-Brown connect this to Proverbs 28:13 ('whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy') and Deuteronomy 30:1-3, where confession opens the path to restoration. Keil and Delitzsch call acknowledgment 'an indispensable element of the return.' The call is not to perform elaborate penance but to face the truth about one's rebellion, specifically transgressing against Yahweh, scattering devotion to foreign gods under every green tree, and refusing to obey his voice. This is the only work required: to stop hiding and speak the truth.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: God requires honest acknowledgment of specific sins as essential for restoration; mercy is not offered apart from truthfulness about our rebellion.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| The meaning of 'only acknowledge' | All traditions agree that God requires honest confession of sin as a necessary condition for restoration. | Some understand this as the sole condition (confession itself is sufficient to open the door of mercy), while others see it as the essential first step that must be completed by a life of turning from sin (the broader call to 'return' in the context). |
| The identity of 'the strangers' | This refers to foreign gods or peoples, indicating Israel's worship of pagan deities and adoption of foreign religious practices. | Some interpret 'strangers' primarily as foreign gods (idolatry), while others see it as also including political alliances with foreign nations (scattering ways to them for help). |
| The audience addressed | The immediate audience is the northern kingdom of Israel, the ten tribes already in exile. | Some argue that the message applies only to the northern exiles and is not directly a warning to Judah until later; others see Judah as an implied secondary audience, since Judah is called 'treacherous' in v.10 for failing to learn from Israel's example. |
| The role of confession in salvation | All affirm that confession is necessary for receiving God's forgiveness and mercy. | Catholics see confession as part of the sacrament of reconciliation, a means of grace instituted by Christ. Protestants generally see confession as a personal act of repentance before God, often not requiring a priestly mediator. Both views ground the practice in passages like this and 1 John 1:9. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Jeremiah 3:13 belongs to a larger discourse in the reign of Josiah (640-609 BC), likely between the twelfth and eighteenth years of his reign when the king was purging Judah of idolatry (2 Chronicles 34:3-8). The immediate audience is the northern kingdom of Israel, the ten tribes already exiled by Assyria. Cambridge Bible notes that 'Israel' here is used in the restricted sense for the north, distinct from Judah. God calls northward (v.12) because Israel has been in exile since 722 BC, yet this call holds hope of restoration.
The verse catalogues Israel's sins in terms familiar from Deuteronomy and the prophets. 'Scattered your ways to the strangers under every green tree' echoes Deuteronomy 12:2, where Israel is commanded to destroy the Canaanite high places 'under every green tree.' Now Israel has adopted those very practices. The Hebrew pazar (scatter) suggests running in all directions chasing foreign gods, a frantic unfaithfulness. 'You have not obeyed my voice' sums up the covenant violation, the refusal to heed God's word through the prophets.
The context is remarkably gracious. Verse 12 announces God's mercy: 'I will not look in anger on you, for I am merciful.' But that mercy does not bypass recognition of guilt. Calvin argues that God 'lays down here a condition, lest hypocrites, relying on his goodness, should become more and more hardened.' The historical situation, a people already punished and still unrepentant, makes the call both urgent and hopeful. God is not demanding payment; he is opening a door.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for Jeremiah 3:13. The Hebrew text is well-established, and the translations consulted (WEB, KJV, ASV, BSB, YLT, Darby, Douay) agree on the core reading. The key interpretive issues rest on grammar and context rather than manuscript differences.
Reception History
Jeremiah 3:13 has been read across Christian history as a clear call to humble confession as the necessary precursor to receiving God's mercy. Early church writers used it to emphasize the necessity of confessing sin for forgiveness (e.g., in penitential catechesis). In the medieval period, it was cited in penitential manuals as a model for the admission of guilt before absolution.
Reformed theologians like John Calvin employed this verse to guard against presumption, God's mercy is not an excuse to continue in sin; it demands honest recognition of guilt. Matthew Henry's commentary highlights it as a ground of encouragement: if we confess, we may expect pardon. In the Wesleyan tradition, the verse was used in calls to entire sanctification through honest self-examination. In modern evangelical preaching, Jeremiah 3:13 is often quoted to establish the basis for a prayer of confession in corporate worship and in personal devotions, emphasizing that God does not require a perfect performance but a truthful heart.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The only requirement. God says 'only acknowledge your iniquity.' He does not ask for a list of good deeds or a promise to do better. The single precondition for restoration is honest confession of sin. This strips away every pretense and every self-justification.
- The specific accusation. The confession must be concrete: transgressing against Yahweh, scattering devotion to strangers, refusing to obey his voice. These are not general sins but particular betrayals of the covenant. Real repentance names what was done.
- The merciful invitation. This verse sits between two calls to return (vv.12,14). God does not expose sin to condemn but to heal. The very demand for confession is an act of grace, it clarifies what is wrong so mercy can do its work.
Five-point outline
- Confession is the door. Only acknowledge, everything begins here.
- God names the sin. Transgression against a personal covenant Lord.
- The extent of unfaithfulness. Scattered ways under every green tree, depicting a restless, promiscuous idolatry.
- The root problem. You have not obeyed my voice, the refusal to listen.
- The promised outcome. In context, restoration follows: return, gathering, new shepherds (vv.14-15).
Illustration hooks
- The broken vase. A child hides a broken vase, inventing stories. Only when she brings the pieces and says 'I broke it' can the parent begin to help repair what was shattered.
- The doctor's diagnosis. A patient with symptoms avoids the doctor, afraid of bad news. The diagnosis itself is the first step toward treatment. Confession is the diagnosis that opens the way to healing.
- The courtroom. A defendant who admits guilt and shows remorse opens the possibility of a reduced sentence or clemency. The judge's mercy is not bought but received when pretense ends.
Questions your congregation is asking
- If God already knows everything I have done, why do I need to say it out loud?
- What if I have committed sins I am too ashamed to even think about, let alone confess?
- How do I know if my confession is genuine and not just going through the motions?
Leading a Discussion
This verse challenges the common assumption that we can have God's mercy without honestly facing our sin. Many of us prefer to hide, rationalize, or compare ourselves to others. Jeremiah 3:13 strips away those evasions. It shows that the path from guilt to restoration runs through confession, not as a mechanical requirement but as the only honest way to receive grace.
Discussion questions
- What stands out to you about the word 'only' in this verse? Why do you think God makes that the single condition?
- The Hebrew verb de'i means to 'know' or 'recognize', it is more than a verbal admission. What does it mean to truly know and acknowledge your sin before God?
- Consider the three specific accusations: transgressing against God, scattering ways to strangers, and not obeying God's voice. Which of these do you find most convicting in your own life? Why?
- Read Proverbs 28:13. How does this verse connect confession to mercy? What happens when people try to conceal sin instead of confessing?
- The context shows God calling a people who have already been punished for their sin. Why do you think God continues to offer mercy even after judgment?
- How does the demand for confession actually become good news? What would it mean for your relationship with God if you did not need to confess?
- What is one sin you have been avoiding confessing to God? Is there anything this week you can do to bring that into the open before God in prayer?
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. |
| Deuteronomy 12:2 | You shall surely destroy all the places in which the nations that you shall dispossess served their gods: on the high mountains, and on the hills, and under every green tree. |
| Deuteronomy 30:1 | It shall happen, when all these things have come on you, the blessing and the curse, which I have set before you, and you shall call them to mind among all the nations where Yahweh your God has driven you, |
| Deuteronomy 30:3 | that then Yahweh your God will release you from captivity, have compassion on you, and will return and gather you from all the peoples where Yahweh your God has scattered you. |
| Job 33:27 | He sings before men, and says, ‘I have sinned, and perverted that which was right, and it didn’t profit me. |
| Job 33:28 | He has redeemed my soul from going into the pit. My life will see the light.’ |
| Proverbs 28:13 | He who conceals his sins doesn’t prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy. |
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
10 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes highlights that "acknowledge" literally means "know" your iniquity — a direct recognition that your actions are sinful. He reads "scattered thy ways" as wandering off in pursuit of the idolatrous practices of foreign nations.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin stresses that God always couples the promise of his favor with a call to repentance, so that hypocrites do not take his goodness for granted and grow hardened in sin. The Israelites were warned that pardon is not easily obtained apart from acknowledgment of their guilt. Without this condition, they would deceive themselves into thinking they could settle matters with God on their own terms.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentary notes that "Israel" here refers specifically to the ten northern tribes, unlike earlier chapters where it meant the whole nation. Jeremiah argues that Israel, though guilty, is less so than Judah, who ignored the warning of Israel's exile and sinned even more. If Judah can still avert disaster by repentance, how much more can Israel?
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
But knowe thine iniquitie: for thou hast rebelled against the Lord thy God, and hast scattered thy waies to the straunge gods vnder euery greene tree, but yee woulde not obey my voyce, sayeth the Lord.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill stresses that God asks only that they acknowledge their sin, which is the least a guilty person can do. He reads "scattered thy ways to strangers under every green tree" as an explicit euphemism for wanton idolatry, made worse because they sinned against a God who had poured out goodness on them.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB stresses that the acknowledgment God requires must go beyond confessing the specific sin of the calves at Bethel. The phrase "scattered thy ways" points to their widespread pursuit of idols in every direction. Genuine repentance means owning the full extent of their unfaithfulness, not just the most obvious offense.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch argues that God calling Himself Israel's "husband" refers to the past Sinai covenant, not a future remarriage. They stress that even the smallest number of repentant Israelites will be saved. The promised shepherds are faithful civil rulers like David, ultimately pointing to the Messiah.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange insists that "return to me" in verse 1 must be read as a command, not a question. The whole discourse is a call to return, and God's authoritative decree overrides the legal barrier in Deuteronomy. Israel's false presumption of pseudo-repentance under Josiah is also removed.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry highlights the remarkable tenderness in God's call to backsliding Israel: the invitation to return is grounded not in threats but in mercy, with God describing Himself as "married" to His people. Genuine repentance requires only acknowledging sin, because God's forgiving love is already waiting.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley reads "strangers" as a description of spiritual unfaithfulness: people who have turned away from God to other gods and idols. He pictures them as restless wanderers, running here and there without true rest.