Jeremiah 3

King James Version

Full text for Jeremiah Chapter 3

1¶ They say, If a man put away his wife, and she go from him, and become another man's, shall he return unto her again? shall not that land be greatly polluted? but thou hast played the harlot with many lovers; yet return again to me, saith the LORD.

2Lift up thine eyes unto the high places, and see where thou hast not been lien with. In the ways hast thou sat for them, as the Arabian in the wilderness; and thou hast polluted the land with thy whoredoms and with thy wickedness.

3Therefore the showers have been withholden, and there hath been no latter rain; and thou hadst a whore's forehead, thou refusedst to be ashamed.

4Wilt thou not from this time cry unto me, My father, thou [art] the guide of my youth?

5Will he reserve [his anger] for ever? will he keep [it] to the end? Behold, thou hast spoken and done evil things as thou couldest.

6¶ The LORD said also unto me in the days of Josiah the king, Hast thou seen [that] which backsliding Israel hath done? she is gone up upon every high mountain and under every green tree, and there hath played the harlot.

7And I said after she had done all these [things], Turn thou unto me. But she returned not. And her treacherous sister Judah saw [it].

8And I saw, when for all the causes whereby backsliding Israel committed adultery I had put her away, and given her a bill of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah feared not, but went and played the harlot also.

9And it came to pass through the lightness of her whoredom, that she defiled the land, and committed adultery with stones and with stocks.

10And yet for all this her treacherous sister Judah hath not turned unto me with her whole heart, but feignedly, saith the LORD.

11And the LORD said unto me, The backsliding Israel hath justified herself more than treacherous Judah.

12¶ Go and proclaim these words toward the north, and say, Return, thou backsliding Israel, saith the LORD; [and] I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you: for I [am] merciful, saith the LORD, [and] I will not keep [anger] for ever.

13Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the LORD thy God, and hast scattered thy ways to the strangers under every green tree, and ye have not obeyed my voice, saith the LORD.

14Turn, 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:

15And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.

16And it shall come to pass, when ye be multiplied and increased in the land, in those days, saith the LORD, they shall say no more, The ark of the covenant of the LORD: neither shall it come to mind: neither shall they remember it; neither shall they visit [it]; neither shall [that] be done any more.

17At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the LORD; and all the nations shall be gathered unto it, to the name of the LORD, to Jerusalem: neither shall they walk any more after the imagination of their evil heart.

18In those days the house of Judah shall walk with the house of Israel, and they shall come together out of the land of the north to the land that I have given for an inheritance unto your fathers.

19But I said, How shall I put thee among the children, and give thee a pleasant land, a goodly heritage of the hosts of nations? and I said, Thou shalt call me, My father; and shalt not turn away from me.

20¶ Surely [as] a wife treacherously departeth from her husband, so have ye dealt treacherously with me, O house of Israel, saith the LORD.

21A voice was heard upon the high places, weeping [and] supplications of the children of Israel: for they have perverted their way, [and] they have forgotten the LORD their God.

22Return, ye backsliding children, [and] I will heal your backslidings. Behold, we come unto thee; for thou [art] the LORD our God.

23Truly in vain [is salvation hoped for] from the hills, [and from] the multitude of mountains: truly in the LORD our God [is] the salvation of Israel.

24For shame hath devoured the labour of our fathers from our youth; their flocks and their herds, their sons and their daughters.

25We lie down in our shame, and our confusion covereth us: for we have sinned against the LORD our God, we and our fathers, from our youth even unto this day, and have not obeyed the voice of the LORD our God.

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

The LORD confronts Israel, likening her extensive spiritual unfaithfulness to a wife who has played the harlot with many lovers, yet mercifully calls her to return. He reveals how treacherous Judah, despite witnessing Israel's divorce for similar sins, also pursued idolatry. Nevertheless, God extends an offer of forgiveness and restoration to both, promising to heal their backslidings if they acknowledge their iniquity and return to Him.

Medium Summary

Jeremiah 3 opens with the LORD questioning if a man would return to a divorced wife who has been with another, yet He invites backsliding Israel, who has committed spiritual harlotry with many lovers, to return to Him. He recounts Israel's extensive idolatry on high places, which led to her being put away with a bill of divorce. Judah, her treacherous sister, observed this but did not fear, instead also engaging in harlotry with idols, though her repentance was feigned. The LORD declares that backsliding Israel is more justified than treacherous Judah. God then issues a call for Israel to return, promising mercy and forgiveness if they acknowledge their transgressions and disobedience. He pledges to bring them to Zion, give them faithful pastors, and establish a future where Jerusalem becomes the LORD's throne, and the houses of Judah and Israel are reunited.

Long Summary

The chapter begins with the LORD using the analogy of a divorced wife who has gone to another man, asking if her former husband would take her back, implying the land would be polluted. Yet, He extends this very invitation to Israel, who has extensively played the harlot with many lovers, urging her to return to Him despite her shamelessness and the resulting withholding of rain. The LORD recounts to Jeremiah how backsliding Israel committed spiritual harlotry on every high mountain and under every green tree, and though He called her to return, she did not. Consequently, God put her away, giving her a bill of divorce for her adultery. However, her treacherous sister Judah, witnessing Israel's fate, did not fear but also went and played the harlot, defiling the land with her idolatry, even with stones and stocks. The LORD observes that Judah's return was not with her whole heart, but feignedly, leading Him to declare that backsliding Israel had justified herself more than treacherous Judah. God then commands Jeremiah to proclaim a message of mercy to backsliding Israel, promising not to keep His anger forever if they acknowledge their iniquity and disobedience. He calls them to return, reminding them He is married unto them, and promises to gather them, give them pastors after His own heart, and feed them with knowledge and understanding. In a future vision, the Ark of the Covenant will no longer be remembered, and Jerusalem will be called the throne of the LORD, to which all nations will gather, and Judah and Israel will walk together. The chapter concludes with a voice of weeping and supplication from the children of Israel, confessing their perverted ways and forgotten God, acknowledging that salvation is only in the LORD and not from the hills, and lamenting their shame and sin from youth.

Core Concepts

  • Spiritual HarlotryIsrael's unfaithfulness to the LORD through idolatry and turning to other gods is repeatedly described as playing the harlot or committing adultery, a grave violation of their covenant relationship.
  • Divine Divorce and MercyThe LORD recounts putting away backsliding Israel with a 'bill of divorce' due to her persistent spiritual adultery. Yet, despite this, He extends an offer of mercy and a call to return, promising forgiveness and healing.
  • Treacherous JudahJudah, referred to as Israel's 'treacherous sister,' is condemned for not learning from Israel's judgment and instead also engaging in idolatry. Her repentance is described as feigned, making her guilt even greater in comparison to Israel.
  • Call to RepentanceThroughout the chapter, the LORD repeatedly calls Israel and Judah to 'return' to Him, emphasizing that acknowledgment of their iniquity is the condition for receiving His promised mercy and forgiveness.
  • Future RestorationGod promises a future restoration where He will gather His people, give them faithful leaders, and establish Jerusalem as His throne. This includes the reunification of Judah and Israel and the gathering of all nations to the LORD.
  • Confession of SinThe chapter concludes with the children of Israel's lament and confession, acknowledging their perverted ways, forgotten God, and the shame of their sin from their youth, recognizing that salvation is solely in the LORD.