Focused Passage

Jeremiah 3:1-5

Return, Faithless Israel: The LORD Calls His Adulterous People Back

The chapter moves from the impossibility and scandal of easy return after spiritual adultery, to Judah's hypocritical superiority over Israel, to the LORD's gracious summons for faithless Israel to return, and then to a future restoration marked by healed backsliding, renewed shepherds, transformed worship, and nations gathered to the LORD.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

1“If a man divorces his wife and she leaves him to marry another, can he ever return to her? Would not such a land be completely defiled? But you have played the harlot with many lovers—and you would return to Me?” declares the LORD.

2“Lift up your eyes to the barren heights and see. Is there any place where you have not been violated? You sat beside the highways waiting for your lovers, like a nomad in the desert. You have defiled the land with your prostitution and wickedness.

3Therefore the showers have been withheld, and no spring rains have fallen. Yet you have the brazen look of a prostitute; you refuse to be ashamed.

4Have you not just called to Me, ‘My Father, You are my friend from youth.

5Will He be angry forever? Will He be indignant to the end?’ This you have spoken, but you keep doing all the evil you can.”

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 1

Original words

-לֵאמֹ֡רH559Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructIfהֵ֣ןH2005Interjectiona manאִ֣ישׁH376Noun - masculine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markerdivorcesיְשַׁלַּ֣חH7971Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singularhis wifeאִשְׁתּוֹ֩H802Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singularand she leavesוְהָלְכָ֨הH1980Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singularhimמֵאִתּ֜וֹH854Preposition-m | Direct object marker | third person masculine singularto marryוְהָיְתָ֣הH1961Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singular. . .לְאִישׁ־H376Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singularanotherאַחֵ֗רH312Adjective - masculine singularcan he everע֔וֹדH5750Adverbreturnהֲיָשׁ֤וּבH7725Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularto herאֵלֶ֙יהָ֙H413Preposition | third person feminine singularWould notהֲל֛וֹאH3808Adverb - Negative particlesuchהַהִ֑יאH1931Article | Pronoun - third person feminine singulara landהָאָ֣רֶץH776Article | Noun - feminine singularbe completely defiledחָנ֥וֹףH2610Verb - Qal - Infinitive absolute. . .תֶּחֱנַ֖ףH2610Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singularBut youוְאַ֗תְּH859Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - second person feminine singularhave played the harlotזָנִית֙H2181Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person feminine singularwith manyרַבִּ֔יםH7227Adjective - masculine pluralloversרֵעִ֣יםH7453Noun - masculine pluraland you would returnוְשׁ֥וֹבH7725Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Infinitive absoluteto Meאֵלַ֖יH413Preposition | first person common singulardeclaresנְאֻם־H5002Noun - masculine singular constructthe LORDיְהֹוָֽה׃H3068Noun - proper - masculine singular
Verse 2

Original words

Lift upשְׂאִֽי־H5375Verb - Qal - Imperative - feminine singularyour eyesעֵינַ֨יִךְH5869Noun - cdc | second person feminine singulartoעַל־H5921Prepositionthe barren heightsשְׁפָיִ֜םH8205Noun - masculine pluraland seeוּרְאִ֗יH7200Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Imperative - feminine singularIs there any place whereאֵיפֹה֙H375Interrogativeyou have notלֹ֣אH3808Adverb - Negative particlebeen violatedשֻׁגַּלְתְּH7693Verb - Pual - Perfect - second person feminine singularYou satיָשַׁ֣בְתְּH3427Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person feminine singularbesideעַל־H5921Prepositionthe highwaysדְּרָכִים֙H1870Noun - common plural{waiting} for [your lovers]לָהֶ֔םPreposition | third person masculine plurallike a nomadכַּעֲרָבִ֖יH6163Preposition-k | Noun - proper - masculine singularin the desertבַּמִּדְבָּ֑רH4057Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singularYou have defiledוַתַּחֲנִ֣יפִיH2610Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - second person feminine singularthe landאֶ֔רֶץH776Noun - feminine singularwith your prostitutionבִּזְנוּתַ֖יִךְH2184Preposition-b | Noun - feminine plural construct | second person feminine singularand wickednessוּבְרָעָתֵֽךְ׃H7451Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | second person feminine singular
Verse 3

Original words

Therefore the showersרְבִבִ֔יםH7241Noun - masculine pluralhave been withheldוַיִּמָּנְע֣וּH4513Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluraland noל֣וֹאH3808Adverb - Negative particlespring rainsוּמַלְק֖וֹשׁH4456Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singularhave fallenהָיָ֑הH1961Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularYet you haveהָ֣יָהH1961Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularthe brazen lookוּמֵ֨צַחH4696Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular constructof a prostituteאִשָּׁ֤הH802Noun - feminine singular. . .זוֹנָה֙H2181Noun - feminine singularyou refuseמֵאַ֖נְתְּH3985Verb - Piel - Perfect - second person feminine singularto be ashamedהִכָּלֵֽם׃H3637Verb - Nifal - Infinitive construct
Verse 4

Original words

Have you notהֲל֣וֹאH3808Adverb - Negative particlejustמֵעַ֔תָּהH6258Preposition-m | AdverbcalledקָרָאתִיH7121Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person feminine singularto Meלִ֖יPreposition | first person common singularMy Fatherאָבִ֑יH1Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singularYou [are]אָֽתָּה׃H859Pronoun - second person masculine singularmy friendאַלּ֥וּףH441Noun - masculine singular constructfrom youthנְעֻרַ֖יH5271Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singular
Verse 5

Original words

Will He be angryהֲיִנְטֹ֣רH5201Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularforeverלְעוֹלָ֔םH5769Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular. . .אִם־H518ConjunctionWill He be indignantיִשְׁמֹ֖רH8104Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularto the endלָנֶ֑צַחH5331Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singularThisהִנֵּ֥הH2009Interjectionyou have spokenדִבַּרְתִּיH1696Verb - Piel - Perfect - second person feminine singularbut you keep doingוַתַּעֲשִׂ֥יH6213Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - second person feminine singularall the evilהָרָע֖וֹתH7451Article | Noun - feminine pluralyou canוַתּוּכָֽל׃פH3201Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - second person masculine singular

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.