King James Version

What Does Jeremiah 36:7 Mean?

Jeremiah 36:7 in the King James Version says “It may be they will present their supplication before the LORD, and will return every one from his evil way: for great i...” — study this verse from Jeremiah chapter 36 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“It may be they will present their supplication before the LORD, and will return every one from his evil way: for great is the anger and the fury that the LORD hath pronounced against this people. they: Heb. their supplication shall fail”

Jeremiah 36:7 · KJV

Context

5

And Jeremiah commanded Baruch, saying, I am shut up; I cannot go into the house of the LORD:

6

Therefore go thou, and read in the roll, which thou hast written from my mouth, the words of the LORD in the ears of the people in the LORD'S house upon the fasting day: and also thou shalt read them in the ears of all Judah that come out of their cities.

7

It may be they will present their supplication before the LORD, and will return every one from his evil way: for great is the anger and the fury that the LORD hath pronounced against this people. they: Heb. their supplication shall fail

8

And Baruch the son of Neriah did according to all that Jeremiah the prophet commanded him, reading in the book the words of the LORD in the LORD'S house.

9

And it came to pass in the fifth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, in the ninth month, that they proclaimed a fast before the LORD to all the people in Jerusalem, and to all the people that came from the cities of Judah unto Jerusalem.

Read Jeremiah 36 full chapter

Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
It may be they will present their supplication before the LORD, and will return every one from his evil way. Despite years of rejected prophecy, God extends another opportunity for repentance. It may be translates 'ulay (אוּלַי), expressing possibility, not certainty—God grants freedom to respond or reject. Present their supplication uses techinnah (תְּחִנָּה), meaning earnest petition, plea for mercy, or request for favor. This isn't casual prayer but desperate pleading for God's compassion.

Return translates shuv (שׁוּב), the primary Hebrew word for repentance meaning to turn back, reverse direction. From his evil way (miderko hara'ah, מִדַּרְכּוֹ הָרָעָה) specifies the object: forsaking wicked behavior, not merely expressing regret. True repentance involves directional change, not emotional experience only. The individual focus (every one) emphasizes personal responsibility—corporate reform requires individual transformation.

For great is the anger and the fury that the LORD hath pronounced against this people. The motivation is revealed: imminent judgment. Anger ('aph, אַף) literally means 'nostril' or 'breathing hard,' depicting divine displeasure. Fury (chemah, חֵמָה) means burning wrath or rage. Yet this very warning demonstrates mercy—God alerts them to coming judgment precisely because repentance could avert it (Jeremiah 18:7-8).

KJV Study — Public Domain

Historical & Cultural Context

By 605 BC, Judah had accumulated over a century of covenant unfaithfulness since Manasseh's wickedness (2 Kings 21). Josiah's reforms (622 BC) produced temporary improvement but no lasting heart change (Jeremiah 3:10). False prophets promised peace while Jeremiah warned of Babylonian conquest. This scroll reading provided a final, clear opportunity to repent before judgment fell. The phrase 'it may be' reflects God's genuine desire for repentance (Ezekiel 18:23, 33:11, 2 Peter 3:9) while acknowledging human freedom to reject Him. Tragically, King Jehoiakim burned the scroll (v. 23), and the people did not repent. Eleven years later (586 BC), Jerusalem fell to Babylon exactly as prophesied. The destruction validated God's warnings while demonstrating the tragic consequences of refusing repeated calls to repentance.

Reflection Questions

  1. What does the phrase 'it may be' reveal about both God's desire for repentance and human freedom to respond?
  2. How does true repentance (returning from evil ways) differ from mere remorse or religious activity?
  3. In what ways does God's warning of coming judgment actually demonstrate His mercy rather than merely His wrath?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 19 words
אוּלַ֞י1 of 19
H194

if not; hence perhaps

תִּפֹּ֤ל2 of 19

“It may be they will present”

H5307

to fall, in a great variety of applications (intransitive or causative, literal or figurative)

תְּחִנָּתָם֙3 of 19

“their supplication”

H8467

graciousness; causatively, entreaty

לִפְנֵ֣י4 of 19

“before”

H6440

the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposi

יְהוָ֖ה5 of 19

“that the LORD”

H3068

(the) self-existent or eternal; jeho-vah, jewish national name of god

וְיָשֻׁ֕בוּ6 of 19

“and will return”

H7725

to turn back (hence, away) transitively or intransitively, literally or figuratively (not necessarily with the idea of return to the starting point);

אִ֖ישׁ7 of 19

“every one”

H376

a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and in such cases frequently not expressed in translation)

מִדַּרְכּ֣וֹ8 of 19

“way”

H1870

a road (as trodden); figuratively, a course of life or mode of action, often adverb

הָרָעָ֑ה9 of 19

“from his evil”

H7451

bad or (as noun) evil (natural or moral)

כִּֽי10 of 19
H3588

(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed

גָד֤וֹל11 of 19

“for great”

H1419

great (in any sense); hence, older; also insolent

הָאַף֙12 of 19

“is the anger”

H639

properly, the nose or nostril; hence, the face, and occasionally a person; also (from the rapid breathing in passion) ire

וְהַ֣חֵמָ֔ה13 of 19

“and the fury”

H2534

heat; figuratively, anger, poison (from its fever)

אֲשֶׁר14 of 19
H834

who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc

דִּבֶּ֥ר15 of 19

“hath pronounced”

H1696

perhaps properly, to arrange; but used figuratively (of words), to speak; rarely (in a destructive sense) to subdue

יְהוָ֖ה16 of 19

“that the LORD”

H3068

(the) self-existent or eternal; jeho-vah, jewish national name of god

אֶל17 of 19
H413

near, with or among; often in general, to

הָעָ֥ם18 of 19

“against this people”

H5971

a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of israel); hence (collectively) troops or attendants; figuratively, a flock

הַזֶּֽה׃19 of 19
H2088

the masculine demonstrative pronoun, this or that

Study Guide

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Jeremiah. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Jeremiah 36:7 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

Cross-References

Verses related to Jeremiah 36:7 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Jeremiah 36:32 Kings 22:17Lamentations 4:11Jeremiah 21:5Hosea 5:15-6:12 Kings 22:13

Test Your Knowledge

Jeremiah 36 QuizTest your knowledge of this chapterJeremiah Book QuizComprehensive quiz for the entire book

Continue Your Study

Read Jeremiah 36 with CommentaryAll Jeremiah ChaptersComplete Jeremiah QuizBible CharactersNave's Topical BibleAll Bible Quizzes