Jeremiah 31:19 (DBY)

Passage

Surely after that I was turned, I repented; and after I knew myself, I smote upon [my] thigh. I was ashamed, yea, even confounded, for I bear the reproach of my youth.

Nearby Context

Jeremiah 31:17 And there is hope for thy latter end, saith Jehovah, and thy children shall come again to their own border.

Jeremiah 31:18 I have indeed heard Ephraim bemoaning himself [thus]: Thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised as a bullock not trained: turn thou me, and I shall be turned; for thou art Jehovah my God.

Jeremiah 31:19 Surely after that I was turned, I repented; and after I knew myself, I smote upon [my] thigh. I was ashamed, yea, even confounded, for I bear the reproach of my youth.

Jeremiah 31:20 Is Ephraim a dear son unto me? is he a child of delights? For whilst I have been speaking against him, I do constantly remember him still. Therefore my bowels are troubled for him: I will certainly have mercy upon him, saith Jehovah.

Jeremiah 31:21 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.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "surely", "after", "turned", "repented", "knew", "myself", and "smote". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "surely" and "after", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 18's "I have indeed heard Ephraim bemoaning himself..." into verse 20's "Is Ephraim a dear son unto me...", so "surely" and "after" belong inside that flow. In Jeremiah context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "surely" and "after" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.