Jeremiah 31:21
New International Version
“Set up road signs; put up guideposts. Take note of the highway, the road that you take. Return, Virgin Israel, return to your towns.

New Living Translation
Set up road signs; put up guideposts. Mark well the path by which you came. Come back again, my virgin Israel; return to your towns here.

English Standard Version
“Set up road markers for yourself; make yourself guideposts; consider well the highway, the road by which you went. Return, O virgin Israel, return to these your cities.

Berean Standard Bible
“Set up the road markers, put up the signposts. Keep the highway in mind, the road you have traveled. Return, O Virgin Israel, return to these cities of yours.

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
“Set up signposts, Make landmarks; Set your heart toward the highway, The way in which you went. Turn back, O virgin of Israel, Turn back to these your cities.

New American Standard Bible
“Set up roadmarks for yourself, Place guideposts for yourself; Direct your mind to the highway, The way by which you went. Return, O virgin of Israel, Return to these your cities.

NASB 1995
“Set up for yourself roadmarks, Place for yourself guideposts; Direct your mind to the highway, The way by which you went. Return, O virgin of Israel, Return to these your cities.

NASB 1977
“Set up for yourself roadmarks, Place for yourself guideposts; Direct your mind to the highway, The way by which you went. Return, O virgin of Israel, Return to these your cities.

Legacy Standard Bible
“Set up roadmarks for yourself, Place for yourself guideposts; Set your heart to the highway, The way by which you went. Return, O virgin of Israel, Return to these your cities.

Amplified Bible
“Place for yourself road signs [toward Canaan], Make for yourself guideposts; Turn your thought and attention to the highway, To the way by which you went [into exile]. Retrace your steps, O virgin of Israel, Return to these your cities.

Christian Standard Bible
Set up road markers for yourself; establish signposts! Keep the highway in mind, the way you have traveled. Return, Virgin Israel! Return to these cities of yours.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Set up road markers for yourself; establish signposts! Keep the highway in mind, the way you have traveled. Return, Virgin Israel! Return to these cities of yours.

American Standard Version
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.

Contemporary English Version
With rock piles and signposts, mark the road well, my dear people. The road by which you left by will now lead you home.

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

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Set up landmarks! Put up road signs! Remember the highway, the road on which you traveled. Come back, my dear people Israel, come back to your cities.

Good News Translation
Set up signs and mark the road; find again the way by which you left. Come back, people of Israel, come home to the towns you left.

International Standard Version
Set up markers for yourselves. Erect signposts for yourselves. Pay attention to the highway, to the road you traveled. Return, virgin Israel, return to these cities of yours.

Majority Standard Bible
“Set up the roadmarks, establish the signposts. Keep the highway in mind, the road you have traveled. Return, O Virgin Israel, return to these cities of yours.

NET Bible
I will say, 'My dear children of Israel, keep in mind the road you took when you were carried off. Mark off in your minds the landmarks. Make a mental note of telltale signs marking the way back. Return, my dear children of Israel. Return to these cities of yours.

New Heart English Bible
"Set up road signs, make guideposts; set your heart toward the highway, even the way by which you went: turn again, virgin of Israel, turn again to these your cities.

Webster's Bible Translation
Set thee up way-marks, make thee high heaps: set thy heart towards the highway, even the way which thou wentest; turn again, O virgin of Israel, turn again to these thy cities.

World English Bible
“Set up road signs. Make guideposts. Set your heart toward the highway, even the way by which you went. Turn again, virgin of Israel. Turn again to these your cities.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
“Set up signs for yourself, "" Make heaps for yourself, "" Set your heart to the highway, the way you went, "" Turn back, O virgin of Israel, "" Turn back to these cities of yours.

Young's Literal Translation
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.

Smith's Literal Translation
Set up to thee thorns, set to thee bitternesses: place thy heart to the highway, the way thou wentest: turn back, O virgin of Israel, turn back to these thy cities.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Set thee up a watchtower, make to thee bitterness: direct thy heart into the right way, wherein thou hast walked: return, O virgin of Israel, return to these thy cities.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Establish a watchtower for yourself. Place yourself in bitterness. Direct your heart into the upright way, in which you used to walk. Return, return, O virgin of Israel, to these your cities!

New American Bible
Set up road markers, put up signposts; Turn your attention to the highway, the road you walked. Turn back, virgin Israel, turn back to these your cities.

New Revised Standard Version
Set up road markers for yourself, make yourself signposts; consider well the highway, the road by which you went. Return, O virgin Israel, return to these your cities.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Set up a standard for yourself, and dwell in the wilderness; set your heart towards the straight highway; repent, O virgin of Israel, says the LORD, and dwell in these your cities.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Raise up for yourself a standard and dwell in the wilderness. Give your heart to the straight way. Return, virgin of Israel, says LORD JEHOVAH, and dwell in these your cities
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Set thee up waymarks, Make thee guide-posts; Set thy heart toward the high-way, Even the way by which thou wentest; Return, O virgin of Israel, Return to these thy cities.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Prepare thyself, O Sion; execute vengeance; look to thy ways: return, O virgin of Israel, by the way by which thou wentest, return mourning to thy cities.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Mourning Turned to Joy
20Is not Ephraim a precious son to Me, a delightful child? Though I often speak against him, I still remember him. Therefore My heart yearns for him; I have great compassion for him,” declares the LORD. 21“Set up the roadmarks, establish the signposts. Keep the highway in mind, the road you have traveled. Return, O Virgin Israel, return to these cities of yours. 22How long will you wander, O faithless daughter? For the LORD has created a new thing in the land—a woman will shelter a man.”…

Cross References
Isaiah 35:8
And there will be a highway called the Way of Holiness. The unclean will not travel it—only those who walk in the Way—and fools will not stray onto it.

Isaiah 40:3-4
A voice of one calling: “Prepare the way for the LORD in the wilderness; make a straight highway for our God in the desert. / Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill made low; the uneven ground will become smooth, and the rugged land a plain.

Isaiah 62:10
Go out, go out through the gates; prepare the way for the people! Build it up, build up the highway; clear away the stones; raise a banner for the nations!

Hosea 2:6-7
Therefore, behold, I will hedge up her path with thorns; I will enclose her with a wall, so she cannot find her way. / She will pursue her lovers but not catch them; she will seek them but not find them. Then she will say, ‘I will return to my first husband, for then I was better off than now.’

Hosea 14:1
Return, O Israel, to the LORD your God, for you have stumbled by your iniquity.

Deuteronomy 30:1-3
“When all these things come upon you—the blessings and curses I have set before you—and you call them to mind in all the nations to which the LORD your God has banished you, / and when you and your children return to the LORD your God and obey His voice with all your heart and all your soul according to everything I am giving you today, / then He will restore you from captivity and have compassion on you and gather you from all the nations to which the LORD your God has scattered you.

Zechariah 10:9
Though I sow them among the nations, they will remember Me in distant lands; they and their children will live and return.

Ezekiel 36:24
For I will take you from among the nations and gather you out of all the countries, and I will bring you back into your own land.

Isaiah 11:16
There will be a highway for the remnant of His people who remain from Assyria, as there was for Israel when they came up from the land of Egypt.

Micah 2:12
I will surely gather all of you, O Jacob; I will collect the remnant of Israel. I will bring them together like sheep in a pen, like a flock in the midst of its pasture—a noisy throng.

Luke 15:18-20
I will get up and go back to my father and say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. / I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.”’ / So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still in the distance, his father saw him and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him.

Matthew 3:3
This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah: “A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for Him.’”

John 14:6
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

Hebrews 12:13
Make straight paths for your feet, so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.

Acts 3:19
Repent, then, and turn back, so that your sins may be wiped away,


Treasury of Scripture

Set you up markers, make you high heaps: set your heart toward the highway, even the way which you went: turn again, O virgin of Israel, turn again to these your cities.

Set thee.

Isaiah 57:14
And shall say, Cast ye up, cast ye up, prepare the way, take up the stumblingblock out of the way of my people.

Isaiah 62:10
Go through, go through the gates; prepare ye the way of the people; cast up, cast up the highway; gather out the stones; lift up a standard for the people.

set thine.

Jeremiah 50:5
They shall ask the way to Zion with their faces thitherward, saying, Come, and let us join ourselves to the LORD in a perpetual covenant that shall not be forgotten.

Deuteronomy 32:46
And he said unto them, Set your hearts unto all the words which I testify among you this day, which ye shall command your children to observe to do, all the words of this law.

1 Chronicles 29:3
Moreover, because I have set my affection to the house of my God, I have of mine own proper good, of gold and silver, which I have given to the house of my God, over and above all that I have prepared for the holy house,

turn.

Jeremiah 51:6,50
Flee out of the midst of Babylon, and deliver every man his soul: be not cut off in her iniquity; for this is the time of the LORD'S vengeance; he will render unto her a recompence…

Isaiah 48:20
Go ye forth of Babylon, flee ye from the Chaldeans, with a voice of singing declare ye, tell this, utter it even to the end of the earth; say ye, The LORD hath redeemed his servant Jacob.

Isaiah 52:11,12
Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch no unclean thing; go ye out of the midst of her; be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the LORD…

O.

Jeremiah 31:4
Again I will build thee, and thou shalt be built, O virgin of Israel: thou shalt again be adorned with thy tabrets, and shalt go forth in the dances of them that make merry.

Jeremiah 3:14
Turn, O backsliding children, saith the LORD; for I am married unto you: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion:

Zechariah 10:9
And I will sow them among the people: and they shall remember me in far countries; and they shall live with their children, and turn again.

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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.














Set up the roadmarks
The Hebrew word for "roadmarks" is "צִיּוּן" (tsiyun), which can also mean a sign or a monument. In ancient times, roadmarks were essential for travelers to find their way, especially in the vast and often featureless landscapes of the Near East. Spiritually, this phrase calls believers to establish clear markers in their lives that guide them back to God’s path. It suggests intentionality in spiritual journeying, ensuring that one does not stray from the divine direction.

establish the signposts
The term "signposts" in Hebrew is "תַּמְרוּרִים" (tamrurim), which refers to guiding posts or indicators. Historically, these were crucial for navigation, much like modern-day road signs. In a spiritual sense, this phrase encourages the faithful to set up reminders of God’s promises and commandments, serving as constant guides in their daily walk with Him. It emphasizes the importance of having visible, tangible reminders of faith and commitment.

Keep the highway in mind
The "highway" here, "מְסִלָּה" (mesillah) in Hebrew, refers to a raised or prepared road, often used for royal or significant travel. This imagery suggests a path that is not only well-trodden but also elevated, symbolizing a life lived in accordance with God’s will. The call to "keep in mind" implies a conscious effort to remember and adhere to the righteous path, highlighting the importance of mindfulness in one’s spiritual journey.

the road you have traveled
This phrase invites reflection on past experiences and the journey of faith. The Hebrew word for "road" is "דֶּרֶךְ" (derekh), which can also mean a way of life or conduct. It encourages believers to consider their spiritual history, learn from past mistakes, and recognize the faithfulness of God throughout their journey. It is a call to remember the lessons learned and the divine guidance received along the way.

Return, O Virgin of Israel
The term "Virgin of Israel" is a poetic and affectionate reference to the nation of Israel, emphasizing purity and a special relationship with God. The call to "return" is "שׁוּבִי" (shubi) in Hebrew, a recurring theme in the prophetic books, urging repentance and a return to covenant faithfulness. This phrase underscores God’s enduring love and desire for His people to come back to Him, despite their past unfaithfulness.

return to these cities of yours
The repetition of "return" emphasizes the urgency and importance of coming back to a place of spiritual and physical restoration. "These cities" refers to the promised land, a symbol of God’s blessing and provision. Historically, this was a call for the exiled Israelites to return to their homeland. Spiritually, it represents a call to return to a place of divine favor and blessing, encouraging believers to seek restoration and renewal in their relationship with God.

(21) Set thee up way marks . . .--It will be noted that the figure is changed, and that instead of "Ephraim, the dear son," we have Israel, the "back-sliding daughter." The idea of the return of the exiles is still prominent, and she, as represented by the first group of those who came back, is called on to set up "heaps of stones," after the manner of Eastern travellers, as waymarks for those who followed. (Comp. Ezekiel 39:15.) The way which she had trodden when she was led out into captivity was to be re-trodden in the fulness of joy on her return. She was to pass in her joy through the self-same cities that had then seen her in her shame.

Verse 21. - Set thee up waymarks. The "virgin of Israel" is addressed. She is directed to mark out the road for the returning exiles. The command is obviously the. torical in form; the general sense is that the Israelites are to call to mind the road so familiar to their forefathers, though only known to themselves by tradition. The word rendered "waymarks" occurs again in 2 Kings 33:17 and Ezekiel 39:15. It apparently means a stone pillar, which might be used either as a waymark or a sepulchral monument. The high heaps seem to mean much the same thing; "signposts" would be a better rendering. Set thine heart toward the highway; rather, turn thy thoughts, etc., for the heart is here evidently the symbol of the intellectual rather than the moral life (comp. 1 Kings 10:2, and many other passages). A passage in the Psalms (Psalm 84:6) will occur to every one, in which a psalmist, longing at a distance for the services of the temple, pronounces blessed the man "in whose heart are the highways [to Zion];" here, it is true, "heart" has the double meaning of "mind" and "affections," but "highway" has almost exactly the same sense as in the passage before us. To these thy cities. The unseen speaker is supposed to be in Palestine.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
“Set up
הַצִּ֧יבִי (haṣ·ṣî·ḇî)
Verb - Hifil - Imperative - feminine singular
Strong's 5324: To take one's stand, stand

the roadmarks,
צִיֻּנִ֗ים (ṣî·yu·nîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 6725: A monumental, guiding pillar

establish
שִׂ֤מִי (śi·mî)
Verb - Qal - Imperative - feminine singular
Strong's 7760: Put -- to put, place, set

the signposts.
תַּמְרוּרִ֔ים (tam·rū·rîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 8564: An erection, pillar

Keep the highway
לַֽמְסִלָּ֖ה (lam·sil·lāh)
Preposition-l, Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 4546: A thoroughfare, a viaduct, a staircase

in mind,
שִׁ֣תִי (ši·ṯî)
Verb - Qal - Imperative - feminine singular
Strong's 7896: To put, set

the road
דֶּ֣רֶךְ (de·reḵ)
Noun - common singular
Strong's 1870: A road, a course of life, mode of action

you have traveled.
הָלָ֑כְתְּ (hā·lā·ḵət)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person feminine singular
Strong's 1980: To go, come, walk

Return,
שׁ֚וּבִי (ū·ḇî)
Verb - Qal - Imperative - feminine singular
Strong's 7725: To turn back, in, to retreat, again

O Virgin
בְּתוּלַ֣ת (bə·ṯū·laṯ)
Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 1330: A virgin, sometimes, a bride

Israel,
יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל (yiś·rā·’êl)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3478: Israel -- 'God strives', another name of Jacob and his desc

return
שֻׁ֖בִי (šu·ḇî)
Verb - Qal - Imperative - feminine singular
Strong's 7725: To turn back, in, to retreat, again

to
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

these
אֵֽלֶּה׃ (’êl·leh)
Pronoun - common plural
Strong's 428: These, those

cities of yours.
עָרַ֥יִךְ (‘ā·ra·yiḵ)
Noun - feminine plural construct | second person feminine singular
Strong's 5892: Excitement


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OT Prophets: Jeremiah 31:21 Set up road signs make guideposts (Jer.)
Jeremiah 31:20
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