Jeremiah 3

Israel’s Unfaithfulness Compared to Adultery

1 “If a man divorces his wife and she goes to another man, can he take her back, Would not the land be polluted, But you, you lived wild with many lovers… and now you want to come back to Me,” says the LORD.

2 “Look up at the hills and see, is there any place you have not been with other gods, You sat by the roadside like a thirsty nomad, chasing lovers. You polluted the land with your wickedness.”

3 “That is why the showers stopped and the spring rains did not come. Yet you act like a woman with a brazen face, you refuse to be ashamed.”

4 “Now you are saying, ‘My Father! You were my friend when I was young!’”

5 “Do you really think I will stay angry forever, Do you think I will hold My rage forever, You talk smooth, but you are still doing evil with no shame.”

Faithless Israel Vs. Treacherous Judah

6 During King Josiah’s days, the LORD told Jeremiah: “Have you seen what faithless Israel did, She went up on every hill and under every green tree, acting wild with other gods.”

7 “I said, ‘After she does all this, she will come back to Me.’ But she did not. And her treacherous sister Judah saw it.”

8 “I divorced faithless Israel and sent her away because of her adultery. But Judah did not care, she went out and acted even worse.”

9 “She treated her prostitution so lightly that she polluted the land and ran after stones and wood like they were gods.”

10 “And even after all this, Judah did not come back to Me with her whole heart, just pretending,” declares the LORD.

God Calls Israel to Return

11 The LORD said, “Faithless Israel is actually less guilty than treacherous Judah.”

12 “Go announce this to the north: ‘Come back, faithless Israel,’ says the LORD. ‘I will not stay angry forever. I am merciful, just come back.’”

13 “Only admit your sin, that you rebelled against Me, ran with other gods, and did not listen,” declares the LORD.

Promise of Restoration

14 “Return to Me, My faithless children,” declares the LORD, “because I am married to you. I will take one from a city, two from a family, and bring you back to Zion.”

15 “I will give you shepherds after My own heart who will feed you with knowledge and understanding.”

16 “When you multiply in the land, you will not talk about the Ark of the Covenant anymore. You will not remember it, miss it, or rebuild it.”

17 “At that time Jerusalem will be called the Throne of the LORD, and all nations will come there. They will not follow their evil hearts anymore.”

18 “In those days Judah and Israel will walk together again and come back to the land I gave your fathers.”

God’s Grief Over Israel’s Betrayal

19 “I wanted to treat you like My own sons and give you the best land, the most beautiful inheritance. I thought you would call Me ‘Father’ and stay loyal.”

20 “But like a wife cheating on her husband, that is how you betrayed Me, Israel,” declares the LORD.

A Cry of Repentance

21 A crying voice echoes on the hills, Israel’s people weeping because they twisted their ways and forgot the LORD their God.

22 “Come back, faithless children, I will heal your unfaithful hearts.” And the people say, “Yes, we are coming back to You, because You are the LORD our God.”

23 “We thought salvation came from the hills and the noisy idol worship, but no, the LORD our God is the only One who can save Israel.”

24 “All our shame, the idols, ate up everything our ancestors worked for: their flocks, their herds, their sons, and daughters.”

25 “Let us lie down in our shame. Let our disgrace cover us. We sinned against the LORD our God, us and our parents, from our youth until now. We did not listen to the LORD our God.”