The Meaning of Jeremiah 3:4 Explained

Jeremiah 3:4

KJV: Wilt thou not from this time cry unto me, My father, thou art the guide of my youth?

YLT: Hast thou not henceforth called to Me, 'My father, Thou art the leader of my youth?

Darby: Wilt thou not from this time cry unto me, My father, thou art the guide of my youth?

ASV: Wilt thou not from this time cry unto me, My Father, thou art the guide of my youth?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Wilt thou not from this time cry  unto me, My father,  thou [art] the guide  of my youth? 

What does Jeremiah 3:4 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Instead of repenting, they besought God to help them, calling Him their "Father," the friend who had guided them in their youth.

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 3:4 mean?

Will not from this time - you cry to Me My father the guide of my youth You [are]
הֲל֣וֹא מֵעַ֔תָּה [קראתי] (קָרָ֥את) לִ֖י אָבִ֑י אַלּ֥וּף נְעֻרַ֖י ؟ אָֽתָּה

הֲל֣וֹא  Will  not 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
מֵעַ֔תָּה  from  this  time 
Parse: Preposition-m, Adverb
Root: עַתָּה  
Sense: now.
[קראתי]  - 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
(קָרָ֥את)  you  cry 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person feminine singular
Root: קָרָא  
Sense: to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim.
לִ֖י  to  Me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
אָבִ֑י  My  father 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: אָב  
Sense: father of an individual.
אַלּ֥וּף  the  guide 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: אַלּוּף 
Sense: tame, docile.
נְעֻרַ֖י  of  my  youth 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, first person common singular
Root: נְעוּרִים 
Sense: youth, early life.
؟ אָֽתָּה  You  [are] 
Parse: Pronoun, second person masculine singular
Root: אַתְּ 
Sense: you (second pers.