American King James Version - AKJV - 1999
Jeremiah 3
1
They say, If a man put away his wife, and she go from him, and become another man's, shall he return to her again? shall not that land be greatly polluted? but you have played the harlot with many lovers; yet return again to me, said the LORD.
Reference
Parallel theme
Ezekiel 16:26
Jeremiah 2:20
References Lord
Jeremiah 4:1
Zechariah 1:3
Ezekiel 33:11
Hosea 1:2
2
Lift up your eyes to the high places, and see where you have not been lien with. In the ways have you sat for them, as the Arabian in the wilderness; and you have polluted the land with your prostitutions and with your wickedness.
Reference
3
Therefore the showers have been withheld, and there has been no latter rain; and you had a whore's forehead, you refused to be ashamed.
Reference
5
Will he reserve his anger for ever? will he keep it to the end? Behold, you have spoken and done evil things as you could.
Reference
6
The LORD said also to me in the days of Josiah the king, Have you seen that which backsliding Israel has done? she is gone up on every high mountain and under every green tree, and there has played the harlot.
7
And I said after she had done all these things, Turn you to me. But she returned not. And her treacherous sister Judah saw it.
Reference
Parallel theme
Ezekiel 16:46
8
And 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.
Reference
Parallel theme
Deuteronomy 24:1
Isaiah 50:1
Jeremiah 3:1
Deuteronomy 24:3
Ezekiel 16:47
Ezekiel 23:9
References Israel
Hosea 3:4
9
And it came to pass through the lightness of her prostitution, that she defiled the land, and committed adultery with stones and with stocks.
Reference
10
And yet for all this her treacherous sister Judah has not turned to me with her whole heart, but feignedly, said the LORD.
Reference
11
And the LORD said to me, The backsliding Israel has justified herself more than treacherous Judah.
Reference
12
Go and proclaim these words toward the north, and say, Return, you backsliding Israel, said the LORD; and I will not cause my anger to fall on you: for I am merciful, said the LORD, and I will not keep anger for ever.
Reference
Grace
Psalm 86:15
Jeremiah 33:26
Jeremiah 31:20
Psalm 86:5
Psalm 145:8
References Israel
Jeremiah 3:18
References Lord
Ezekiel 33:11
Jeremiah 3:22
Jeremiah 30:11
Jeremiah 23:8
13
Only acknowledge your iniquity, that you have transgressed against the LORD your God, and have scattered your ways to the strangers under every green tree, and you have not obeyed my voice, said the LORD.
Reference
Parallel theme
Jeremiah 2:25
Jeremiah 2:20
Jeremiah 3:2
References God
Deuteronomy 12:2
References Lord
Jeremiah 3:6
Sin
Jeremiah 3:25
14
Turn, O backsliding children, said the LORD; for I am married to you: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion:
Reference
Parallel theme
Isaiah 6:13
Isaiah 10:22
Jeremiah 23:3
Jeremiah 3:8
References Lord
Jeremiah 2:19
Jeremiah 31:32
Isaiah 54:5
Jeremiah 2:2
Isaiah 17:6
Isaiah 1:9
15
And I will give you pastors according to my heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.
Reference
16
And it shall come to pass, when you be multiplied and increased in the land, in those days, said 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.
Reference
Covenant
Ezekiel 37:26
Parallel theme
Isaiah 65:17
Isaiah 61:4
Jeremiah 31:8
Jeremiah 30:19
Matthew 3:9
References Lord
Isaiah 60:22
17
At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the LORD; and all the nations shall be gathered to it, to the name of the LORD, to Jerusalem: neither shall they walk any more after the imagination of their evil heart.
Reference
Evil
Jeremiah 11:8
Parallel theme
Jeremiah 17:12
Ezekiel 43:7
References Lord
Zechariah 2:11
Isaiah 66:20
Isaiah 56:6
18
In 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 to your fathers.
Reference
Parallel theme
Jeremiah 31:8
Amos 9:15
Zechariah 10:6
References Israel
Jeremiah 50:4
Jeremiah 23:8
Hosea 1:11
Jeremiah 3:12
Jeremiah 16:15
19
But I said, How shall I put you among the children, and give you a pleasant land, a goodly heritage of the hosts of nations? and I said, You shall call me, My father; and shall not turn away from me.
Reference
20
Surely as a wife treacherously departs from her husband, so have you dealt treacherously with me, O house of Israel, said the LORD.
Reference
21
A voice was heard on 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.
Reference
Parallel theme
Isaiah 15:2
Jeremiah 3:2
Jeremiah 2:32
References God
Isaiah 17:10
2 Corinthians 7:10
References Israel
Jeremiah 31:9
22
Return, you backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings. Behold, we come to you; for you are the LORD our God.
Reference
Parallel theme
Hosea 14:4
Jeremiah 33:6
References God
Hosea 14:1
Zechariah 13:9
Hosea 13:4
Jeremiah 31:18
Hosea 3:5
References Lord
Jeremiah 30:17
23
Truly 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.
Reference
24
For shame has devoured the labor of our fathers from our youth; their flocks and their herds, their sons and their daughters.
Reference
Parallel theme
Hosea 9:10
Summary of Jeremiah 3
Jeremiah 3 continues the marriage imagery of the previous chapter, presenting Israel's relationship with God as that of a wife who has repeatedly been unfaithful to her husband.
The chapter begins with a difficult picture of divorce and remarriage.
God uses this familiar social relationship to show how seriously Israel has violated its covenant with Him.
Israel has pursued other gods in the same way an unfaithful spouse pursues other lovers.
The nation's idolatry has become widespread, occurring on hills, under trees, and at other religious sites throughout the land.
Even when God withholds rain as a consequence of their rebellion, the people refuse to feel genuine shame or change their behavior.
The chapter then contrasts Israel and Judah.
The northern kingdom of Israel had already fallen to Assyria in 722 BC.
Judah witnessed this disaster, yet instead of learning from it, Judah repeated many of the same sins.
God therefore describes Judah as even more treacherous because she had the opportunity to observe Israel's judgment and still refused to return wholeheartedly.
This is particularly relevant during the reign of Josiah, 640–609 BC, when Judah experienced major religious reforms.
Jeremiah recognizes that external reform is not enough.
The people must actually return to God with their whole heart.
Yet the chapter is not primarily a message of condemnation.
A major theme is God's willingness to forgive and restore.
God tells faithless Israel to return because He is merciful and does not want His anger to continue forever.
But returning requires honesty.
The people must acknowledge their rebellion, admit their worship of false gods, and stop pretending that their relationship with God is healthy when their behavior says otherwise.
God promises that those who return will be gathered and restored.
He will give them faithful shepherds who will guide them with knowledge and understanding.
Jerusalem will become the center of God's rule, and eventually Israel and Judah will be reunited and return to the land.
This represents a dramatic reversal of centuries of division, exile, and rebellion.
The final section becomes a confession.
The people recognize that their previous religious practices have brought shame and destruction rather than salvation.
They acknowledge that true salvation does not come from hills, mountains, idols, political power, or religious rituals.
It comes from the Lord.
The chapter ends with Israel admitting its long history of disobedience and recognizing that its only real hope is to return to God.
The central message is that God views Israel's idolatry as a serious betrayal of the covenant, yet even after generations of unfaithfulness and after the northern kingdom's destruction in 722 BC, He continues to call His people back to Himself; genuine restoration requires more than outward religious reform, because God desires wholehearted repentance, and He promises that those who truly return will receive faithful leadership, renewed fellowship with Him, restoration to the land, and ultimately the reunification of His divided people.
The chapter begins with a difficult picture of divorce and remarriage.
God uses this familiar social relationship to show how seriously Israel has violated its covenant with Him.
Israel has pursued other gods in the same way an unfaithful spouse pursues other lovers.
The nation's idolatry has become widespread, occurring on hills, under trees, and at other religious sites throughout the land.
Even when God withholds rain as a consequence of their rebellion, the people refuse to feel genuine shame or change their behavior.
The chapter then contrasts Israel and Judah.
The northern kingdom of Israel had already fallen to Assyria in 722 BC.
Judah witnessed this disaster, yet instead of learning from it, Judah repeated many of the same sins.
God therefore describes Judah as even more treacherous because she had the opportunity to observe Israel's judgment and still refused to return wholeheartedly.
This is particularly relevant during the reign of Josiah, 640–609 BC, when Judah experienced major religious reforms.
Jeremiah recognizes that external reform is not enough.
The people must actually return to God with their whole heart.
Yet the chapter is not primarily a message of condemnation.
A major theme is God's willingness to forgive and restore.
God tells faithless Israel to return because He is merciful and does not want His anger to continue forever.
But returning requires honesty.
The people must acknowledge their rebellion, admit their worship of false gods, and stop pretending that their relationship with God is healthy when their behavior says otherwise.
God promises that those who return will be gathered and restored.
He will give them faithful shepherds who will guide them with knowledge and understanding.
Jerusalem will become the center of God's rule, and eventually Israel and Judah will be reunited and return to the land.
This represents a dramatic reversal of centuries of division, exile, and rebellion.
The final section becomes a confession.
The people recognize that their previous religious practices have brought shame and destruction rather than salvation.
They acknowledge that true salvation does not come from hills, mountains, idols, political power, or religious rituals.
It comes from the Lord.
The chapter ends with Israel admitting its long history of disobedience and recognizing that its only real hope is to return to God.
The central message is that God views Israel's idolatry as a serious betrayal of the covenant, yet even after generations of unfaithfulness and after the northern kingdom's destruction in 722 BC, He continues to call His people back to Himself; genuine restoration requires more than outward religious reform, because God desires wholehearted repentance, and He promises that those who truly return will receive faithful leadership, renewed fellowship with Him, restoration to the land, and ultimately the reunification of His divided people.