Focused Passage

Jeremiah 3:14-18

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

14 “Return, O faithless children,” declares the LORD, “for I am your master, and I will take you—one from a city and two from a family—and bring you to Zion.

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

16 “In those days, when you multiply and increase in the land,” declares the LORD, “they will no longer discuss the ark of the covenant of the LORD. It will never come to mind, and no one will remember it or miss it, nor will another one be made.

17 At that time they will call Jerusalem The Throne of the LORD, and all the nations will be gathered in Jerusalem to honor the name of the LORD. They will no longer follow the stubbornness of their evil hearts.

18 In those days the house of Judah will walk with the house of Israel, and they will come together from the land of the north to the land that I gave to your fathers as an inheritance.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 14

Cross-references

Isaiah 62:4 Classic cross-references Hosea 2:19 Classic cross-references Jeremiah 2:19 Classic cross-references Jeremiah 23:4 Classic cross-references Jeremiah 31:32 Classic cross-references

Original words

Return שׁ֣וּבוּ H7725 Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural O faithless שׁוֹבָבִים֙ H7726 Adjective - masculine plural children בָנִ֤ים H1121 Noun - masculine plural declares נְאֻם־ H5002 Noun - masculine singular construct the LORD יְהוָ֔ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular for כִּ֥י H3588 Conjunction I אָנֹכִ֖י H595 Pronoun - first person common singular am your master בָּעַ֣לְתִּי H1166 Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular and I will take וְלָקַחְתִּ֨י H3947 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular you אֶתְכֶ֜ם H853 Direct object marker | second person masculine plural one אֶחָ֣ד H259 Number - masculine singular from a city מֵעִ֗יר H5892 Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular and two וּשְׁנַ֙יִם֙ H8147 Conjunctive waw | Number - md from a family מִמִּשְׁפָּחָ֔ה H4940 Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular and bring וְהֵבֵאתִ֥י H935 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular you אֶתְכֶ֖ם H853 Direct object marker | second person masculine plural to Zion צִיּֽוֹן׃ H6726 Noun - proper - feminine singular

Verse 15

Cross-references

Ephesians 4:11 Classic cross-references Jeremiah 23:4 Classic cross-references Acts 20:28 Classic cross-references Ezekiel 34:23 Classic cross-references Colossians 1:28 Classic cross-references

Original words

Then I will give וְנָתַתִּ֥י H5414 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular you אֶתְכֶ֖ם H853 Direct object marker | second person masculine plural shepherds רֹעִ֖ים H7462 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural after לָכֶ֛ם Preposition | second person masculine plural My own heart כְּלִבִּ֑י H3820 Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular who will feed וְרָע֥וּ H7462 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural you with knowledge דֵּעָ֥ה H1844 Noun - feminine singular and understanding וְהַשְׂכֵּֽיל׃ H7919 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive absolute

Verse 16

Cross-references

Isaiah 65:17 Classic cross-references Amos 9:14 Classic cross-references Ezekiel 37:26 Classic cross-references Hosea 1:10 Classic cross-references Isaiah 66:1 Classic cross-references

Original words

In those הָהֵ֙מָּה֙ H1992 Article | Pronoun - third person masculine plural days בַּיָּמִ֤ים H3117 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine plural . . . וְהָיָ֡ה H1961 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular when כִּ֣י H3588 Conjunction you multiply תִרְבּוּ֩ H7235 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural and increase וּפְרִיתֶ֨ם H6509 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine plural in the land בָּאָ֜רֶץ H776 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singular declares נְאֻם־ H5002 Noun - masculine singular construct the LORD יְהוָ֔ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular they will no לֹא־ H3808 Adverb - Negative particle longer ע֗וֹד H5750 Adverb discuss יֹ֣אמְרוּ H559 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural the ark אֲרוֹן֙ H727 Noun - common singular construct of the covenant בְּרִית־ H1285 Noun - feminine singular construct of the LORD יְהוָ֔ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular It will never וְלֹ֥א H3808 Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle come יַעֲלֶ֖ה H5927 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular to עַל־ H5921 Preposition mind לֵ֑ב H3820 Noun - masculine singular and no one וְלֹ֤א H3808 Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle will remember יִזְכְּרוּ־ H2142 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural it בוֹ֙ Preposition | third person masculine singular or miss it יִפְקֹ֔דוּ H6485 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural nor וְלֹ֥א H3808 Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle . . . וְלֹ֣א H3808 Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle will another one עֽוֹד׃ H5750 Adverb be made יֵעָשֶׂ֖ה H6213 Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular

Verse 17

Cross-references

Micah 4:1 Classic cross-references Ezekiel 43:7 Classic cross-references Ezekiel 48:35 Classic cross-references Hebrews 3:12 Classic cross-references Jeremiah 17:12 Classic cross-references

Original words

At that הַהִ֗יא H1931 Article | Pronoun - third person feminine singular time בָּעֵ֣ת H6256 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - common singular they will call יִקְרְא֤וּ H7121 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural Jerusalem לִירוּשָׁלִַ֙ם֙ H3389 Preposition-l | Noun - proper - feminine singular The Throne כִּסֵּ֣א H3678 Noun - masculine singular construct of the LORD יְהוָ֔ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular and all כָֽל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct the nations הַגּוֹיִ֛ם H1471 Article | Noun - masculine plural will be gathered וְנִקְוּ֨וּ H6960 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural אֵלֶ֧יהָ אֵלֶ֧יהָ H413 Preposition | third person feminine singular in Jerusalem לִירוּשָׁלִָ֑ם H3389 Preposition-l | Noun - proper - feminine singular to [honor] the name לְשֵׁ֥ם H8034 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct of the LORD יְהוָ֖ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular They will no longer וְלֹא־ H3808 Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle . . . ע֔וֹד H5750 Adverb follow יֵלְכ֣וּ H1980 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural . . . אַחֲרֵ֕י H310 Preposition the stubbornness שְׁרִר֖וּת H8307 Noun - feminine singular construct of their evil הָרָֽע׃ס H7451 Article | Adjective - masculine singular hearts לִבָּ֥ם H3820 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural

Verse 18

Cross-references

Zechariah 10:6 Classic cross-references Isaiah 11:13 Classic cross-references Jeremiah 12:14 Classic cross-references Jeremiah 16:15 Classic cross-references Jeremiah 31:8 Classic cross-references

Original words

In those הָהֵ֔מָּה H1992 Article | Pronoun - third person masculine plural days בַּיָּמִ֣ים H3117 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine plural the house בֵית־ H1004 Noun - masculine singular construct of Judah יְהוּדָ֖ה H3063 Noun - proper - masculine singular will walk יֵלְכ֥וּ H1980 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural with עַל־ H5921 Preposition the house בֵּ֣ית H1004 Noun - masculine singular construct of Israel יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל H3478 Noun - proper - masculine singular and they will come וְיָבֹ֤אוּ H935 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine plural together יַחְדָּו֙ H3162 Adverb from the land מֵאֶ֣רֶץ H776 Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular construct of the north צָפ֔וֹן H6828 Noun - feminine singular to עַל־ H5921 Preposition the land הָאָ֕רֶץ H776 Article | Noun - feminine singular that אֲשֶׁ֥ר H834 Pronoun - relative {I gave} to your fathers אֲבוֹתֵיכֶֽם׃ H1 Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine plural as an inheritance הִנְחַ֖לְתִּי H5157 Verb - Hifil - Perfect - first person common singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker

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