The Meaning of Jeremiah 3:24 Explained

Jeremiah 3:24

KJV: For shame hath devoured the labour of our fathers from our youth; their flocks and their herds, their sons and their daughters.

YLT: And the shameful thing hath devoured The labour of our fathers from our youth, Their flock and their herd, Their sons and their daughters.

Darby: But shame hath devoured the labour of our fathers from our youth; their flocks and their herds, their sons and their daughters.

ASV: But the shameful thing hath devoured the labor of our fathers from our youth, their flocks and their herds, their sons and their daughters.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

For shame  hath devoured  the labour  of our fathers  from our youth;  their flocks  and their herds,  their sons  and their daughters. 

What does Jeremiah 3:24 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Idolatry had consumed the Israelites in all that they had done throughout their history. It had been a blight on their existence, a shame to them as a people. But another nuance may also have been intended.
". . . Baal is referred to under the substitute name bosheth, "shame" [1].... "Shame" (Baal) had devoured all that the labors of their fathers had produced since the people were children." [2]

Context Summary

Jeremiah 3:11-25 - Pleading With Faithless Children
The people of the northern kingdom, to whom this appeal is especially addressed, were more excusable than Judah, because their privileges had been less. God judges us according to our opportunities. How precious the invitation and promise of Jeremiah 3:12! Confession is an essential condition that must be fulfilled by us. See 1 John 1:7. Zion shall yet be the center of a restored Israel, Jeremiah 3:14; Jeremiah 3:18. In Jeremiah 3:21-25 the voices of the people in confession and prayer mingle with Jehovah's encouraging their return. When we lie down in broken-hearted shame and penitence, we are very near to being lifted to the bosom of God. Compare Jeremiah 3:25 with Jeremiah 4:1. The return of the Chosen People to the God of their fathers will be the cause of revival and quickening throughout the earth. Compare Jeremiah 4:2 with Romans 11:12. [source]

Chapter Summary: Jeremiah 3

1  God's great mercy to Judah the polluted land
6  Judah is worse than Israel
12  The promises of the gospel to the penitent
20  Israel reproved, and called by God, makes a solemn confession of their sins

What do the individual words in Jeremiah 3:24 mean?

For shame has devoured - the labor of our fathers from our youth their flocks and their herds their sons their daughters
וְהַבֹּ֗שֶׁת אָֽכְלָ֛ה אֶת־ יְגִ֥יעַ אֲבוֹתֵ֖ינוּ מִנְּעוּרֵ֑ינוּ צֹאנָם֙ וְאֶת־ בְּקָרָ֔ם בְּנֵיהֶ֖ם בְּנוֹתֵיהֶֽם

וְהַבֹּ֗שֶׁת  For  shame 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: בֹּשֶׁת  
Sense: shame.
אָֽכְלָ֛ה  has  devoured 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person feminine singular
Root: אָכַל  
Sense: to eat, devour, burn up, feed.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
יְגִ֥יעַ  the  labor 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: יְגִיעַ  
Sense: toil, work.
אֲבוֹתֵ֖ינוּ  of  our  fathers 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, first person common plural
Root: אָב  
Sense: father of an individual.
מִנְּעוּרֵ֑ינוּ  from  our  youth 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine plural construct, first person common plural
Root: נְעוּרִים 
Sense: youth, early life.
צֹאנָם֙  their  flocks 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: צֹאן  
Sense: small cattle, sheep, sheep and goats, flock, flocks.
בְּקָרָ֔ם  their  herds 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: בָּקָר  
Sense: cattle, herd, oxen, ox.
בְּנֵיהֶ֖ם  their  sons 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
בְּנוֹתֵיהֶֽם  their  daughters 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: בַּת  
Sense: daughter.