The Meaning of Jeremiah 31:21 Explained

Jeremiah 31:21

KJV: Set thee up waymarks, make thee high heaps: set thine heart toward the highway, even the way which thou wentest: turn again, O virgin of Israel, turn again to these thy cities.

YLT: Set up for thee signs, make for thee heaps, Set thy heart to the highway, the way thou wentest, Turn back, O virgin of Israel, Turn back unto these thy cities.

Darby: Set up waymarks, make for thyself signposts; set thy heart toward the highway, the way by which thou wentest: turn again, O virgin of Israel, turn again to these thy cities.

ASV: Set thee up waymarks, make thee guide-posts; set thy heart toward the highway, even the way by which thou wentest: turn again, O virgin of Israel, turn again to these thy cities.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Set thee up  waymarks,  make  thee high heaps:  set  thine heart  toward the highway,  [even] the way  [which] thou wentest:  turn again,  O virgin  of Israel,  turn again  to these thy cities. 

What does Jeremiah 31:21 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The special object of Yahweh"s love, Israel (cf. Jeremiah 31:4), should give attention to returning to the Promised Land (cf. Isaiah 35; Isaiah 40:3-5; Isaiah 40:11; Isaiah 41:18-20; Isaiah 42:16; Isaiah 43:1-7; Isaiah 44:3-4; Isaiah 49:9-13).

Context Summary

Jeremiah 31:1-40 - Shepherds That Mislead God's Flock
It is God's purpose to care for His people through shepherds (pastors) who are responsible to Him. Jesus our Lord is the Branch into which we may be grafted. He is our King who saves us and clothes us with His own spotless righteousness. God finds us in Him, Philippians 3:9. Because He reigns, we are saved and dwell in safety. When we are brought into contact with false shepherds, whether the failure be in doctrine or example, let us ask for the broken heart of Jeremiah 23:9.
God is everywhere present; as the latter paragraph indicates, He is near at hand to overhear the blasphemy of those who deride religion, and to be a very present help in time of trouble. If He fills heaven and earth, can He not fill thy heart? If His Word is like fire, let it cleanse thee! If it is as a hammer, let it pulverize thy pride! Let those of us who essay to teach and preach, not steal our words from our neighbors, or utter our own, but receive them from the source of all truth. [source]

Chapter Summary: Jeremiah 31

1  The restoration of Israel
10  The publication thereof
15  Rahel mourning is comforted
18  Ephraim repenting is brought home again
22  Christ is promised
27  His care over the church
31  His new covenant
35  The stability,
38  and amplitude of the church

What do the individual words in Jeremiah 31:21 mean?

Set up to signposts Make to you landmarks Set your heart toward the highway the way - in [which] you went And Turn back virgin of Israel Turn back to your cities these
הַצִּ֧יבִי לָ֣ךְ צִיֻּנִ֗ים שִׂ֤מִי לָךְ֙ תַּמְרוּרִ֔ים שִׁ֣תִי לִבֵּ֔ךְ לַֽמְסִלָּ֖ה דֶּ֣רֶךְ [הלכתי] (הָלָ֑כְתְּ) שׁ֚וּבִי בְּתוּלַ֣ת יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל שֻׁ֖בִי אֶל־ עָרַ֥יִךְ אֵֽלֶּה

הַצִּ֧יבִי  Set  up 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperative, feminine singular
Root: הֻצַּב 
Sense: to stand, take one’s stand, stand upright, be set (over), establish.
צִיֻּנִ֗ים  signposts 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: צִיּוּן  
Sense: signpost, monument, market.
שִׂ֤מִי  Make 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, feminine singular
Root: שׂוּמָה 
Sense: to put, place, set, appoint, make.
לָךְ֙  to  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person feminine singular
תַּמְרוּרִ֔ים  landmarks 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: תַּמְרוּרִים  
Sense: guideposts, markers, signposts, high heap.
שִׁ֣תִי  Set 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, feminine singular
Root: שִׁית  
Sense: to put, set.
לִבֵּ֔ךְ  your  heart 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person feminine singular
Root: לֵב 
Sense: inner man, mind, will, heart, understanding.
לַֽמְסִלָּ֖ה  toward  the  highway 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: מְסִלָּה  
Sense: highway, raised way, public road.
דֶּ֣רֶךְ  the  way 
Parse: Noun, common singular
Root: דֶּרֶךְ  
Sense: way, road, distance, journey, manner.
[הלכתי]  - 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
(הָלָ֑כְתְּ)  in  [which]  you  went 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person feminine singular
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
שׁ֚וּבִי  And  Turn  back 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, feminine singular
Root: שׁוּב  
Sense: to return, turn back.
בְּתוּלַ֣ת  virgin 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: בְּתוּלָה  
Sense: virgin.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל  of  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
שֻׁ֖בִי  Turn  back 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, feminine singular
Root: שׁוּב  
Sense: to return, turn back.
עָרַ֥יִךְ  your  cities 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct, second person feminine singular
Root: עִיר 
Sense: excitement, anguish.
אֵֽלֶּה  these 
Parse: Pronoun, common plural
Root: אֵהֶל 
Sense: these.