Focused Passage

Jeremiah 3:19-25

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

19Then I said, ‘How I long to make you My sons and give you a desirable land, the most beautiful inheritance of all the nations!’ I thought you would call Me ‘Father’ and never turn away from following Me.

20But as a woman may betray her husband, so you have betrayed Me, O house of Israel,” declares the LORD.

21A voice is heard on the barren heights, the children of Israel weeping and begging for mercy, because they have perverted their ways and forgotten the LORD their God.

22“Return, O faithless children, and I will heal your faithlessness.” “Here we are. We come to You, for You are the LORD our God.

23Surely deception comes from the hills, and commotion from the mountains. Surely the salvation of Israel is in the LORD our God.

24From our youth, that shameful god has consumed what our fathers have worked for—their flocks and herds, their sons and daughters.

25Let us lie down in our shame; let our disgrace cover us. We have sinned against the LORD our God, both we and our fathers; from our youth even to this day we have not obeyed the voice of the LORD our God.”

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 19

Cross-references

John 1:12Classic cross-references Psalms 16:6Classic cross-references Acts 20:32Classic cross-references 1 John 3:1Classic cross-references Romans 8:15Classic cross-references

Original words

Then Iוְאָנֹכִ֣יH595Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - first person common singularsaidאָמַ֗רְתִּיH559Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singularHowאֵ֚יךְH349InterjectionI long to make youאֲשִׁיתֵ֣ךְH7896Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular | second person feminine singularMy sonsבַּבָּנִ֔יםH1121Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine pluraland giveוְאֶתֶּן־H5414Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect - first person common singularyouלָךְ֙Preposition | second person feminine singulara desirableחֶמְדָּ֔הH2532Noun - feminine singularlandאֶ֣רֶץH776Noun - feminine singular constructthe most beautifulצְבִ֖יH6643Noun - masculine singular constructinheritanceנַחֲלַ֥תH5159Noun - feminine singular constructof allצִבְא֣וֹתH6643Noun - masculine plural constructthe nationsגּוֹיִ֑םH1471Noun - masculine pluralI thoughtוָאֹמַ֗רH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singularyou would call MeתִּקְרְאוּH7121Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person feminine singular. . .לִ֔יPreposition | first person common singularFatherאָבִי֙H1Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singularand neverלֹ֥אH3808Adverb - Negative particleturn awayתָשׁוּבוּ׃H7725Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person feminine singularfrom following Meוּמֵאַחֲרַ֖יH310Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m | first person common singular

Verse 20

Cross-references

1 Corinthians 7:10Classic cross-references Isaiah 48:8Classic cross-references Jeremiah 5:11Classic cross-references John 4:18Classic cross-references Hosea 3:1Classic cross-references

Original words

Butאָכֵ֛ןH403Adverbas a womanאִשָּׁ֖הH802Noun - feminine singularmay betrayבָּגְדָ֥הH898Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singularher husbandמֵרֵעָ֑הּH7453Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singularsoכֵּ֣ןH3651Adverbyou have betrayedבְּגַדְתֶּ֥םH898Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine pluralMeבִּ֛יPreposition | first person common singularO houseבֵּ֥יתH1004Noun - masculine singular constructof Israelיִשְׂרָאֵ֖לH3478Noun - proper - masculine singulardeclaresנְאֻם־H5002Noun - masculine singular constructthe LORDיְהוָֽה׃H3068Noun - proper - masculine singular

Verse 21

Cross-references

Jeremiah 2:32Classic cross-references Jeremiah 31:18Classic cross-references 2 Corinthians 7:10Classic cross-references Ezekiel 23:35Classic cross-references Isaiah 57:11Classic cross-references

Original words

A voiceק֚וֹלH6963Noun - masculine singularis heardנִשְׁמָ֔עH8085Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine singularonעַל־H5921Prepositionthe barren heightsשְׁפָיִ֣יםH8205Noun - masculine pluralthe childrenבְּנֵ֣יH1121Noun - masculine plural constructof Israelיִשְׂרָאֵ֑לH3478Noun - proper - masculine singularweepingבְּכִ֥יH1065Noun - masculine singular constructand begging for mercyתַחֲנוּנֵ֖יH8469Noun - masculine plural constructbecauseכִּ֤יH3588Conjunctionthey have pervertedהֶעֱוּוּ֙H5753Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person common plural-אֶת־H853Direct object markertheir waysדַּרְכָּ֔םH1870Noun - common singular construct | third person masculine plural[and] forgottenשָׁכְח֖וּH7911Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural-אֶת־H853Direct object markerthe LORDיְהֹוָ֥הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singulartheir Godאֱלֹהֵיהֶֽם׃H430Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural

Verse 22

Cross-references

Isaiah 30:15Classic cross-references Jeremiah 30:17Classic cross-references Ezekiel 33:11Classic cross-references Zechariah 1:3Classic cross-references Hosea 14:4Classic cross-references

Original words

Returnשׁ֚וּבוּH7725Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine pluralO faithlessשׁוֹבָבִ֔יםH7726Adjective - masculine pluralchildrenבָּנִ֣יםH1121Noun - masculine plural[and] I will healאֶרְפָּ֖הH7495Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singularyour faithlessnessמְשׁוּבֹֽתֵיכֶ֑םH4878Noun - feminine plural construct | second person masculine pluralHere we areהִנְנוּ֙H2005Interjection | first person common pluralWe comeאָתָ֣נוּH857Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common pluralto Youלָ֔ךְPreposition | second person feminine singularforכִּ֥יH3588ConjunctionYouאַתָּ֖הH859Pronoun - second person masculine singularare the LORDיְהֹוָ֥הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularour Godאֱלֹהֵֽינוּ׃H430Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common plural

Verse 23

Cross-references

Psalms 121:1Classic cross-references Isaiah 12:2Classic cross-references Exodus 14:13Classic cross-references Proverbs 21:31Classic cross-references Psalms 62:7Classic cross-references

Original words

Surelyאָכֵ֥ןH403Adverbdeceptionלַשֶּׁ֛קֶרH8267Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine singular[comes from] the hillsמִגְּבָע֖וֹתH1389Preposition-m | Noun - feminine plural[and] commotionהָמ֣וֹןH1995Noun - masculine singularfrom the mountainsהָרִ֑יםH2022Noun - masculine pluralSurelyאָכֵן֙H403Adverbthe salvationתְּשׁוּעַ֖תH8668Noun - feminine singular constructof Israelיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃H3478Noun - proper - masculine singularis in the LORDבַּיהֹוָ֣הH3068Preposition-b | Noun - proper - masculine singularour Godאֱלֹהֵ֔ינוּH430Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common plural

Verse 24

Cross-references

Ezra 9:6Classic cross-references Hosea 9:10Classic cross-references

Original words

From our youthמִנְּעוּרֵ֑ינוּH5271Preposition-m | Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common plural-אֶת־H853Direct object markerthat shameful [god]וְהַבֹּ֗שֶׁתH1322Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - feminine singularhas consumedאָֽכְלָ֛הH398Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markerwhat our fathersאֲבוֹתֵ֖ינוּH1Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common pluralhave worked forיְגִ֥יעַH3018Noun - masculine singular constructtheir flocksצֹאנָם֙H6629Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine plural-וְאֶת־H853Conjunctive waw | Direct object markerand herdsבְּקָרָ֔םH1241Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural-אֶת־H853Direct object markertheir sonsבְּנֵיהֶ֖םH1121Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural-וְאֶת־H853Conjunctive waw | Direct object markerand daughtersבְּנוֹתֵיהֶֽם׃H1323Noun - feminine plural construct | third person masculine plural

Verse 25

Cross-references

Jeremiah 31:19Classic cross-references Psalms 25:7Classic cross-references Psalms 51:3Classic cross-references Ezekiel 2:3Classic cross-references Jeremiah 14:20Classic cross-references

Original words

Let us lie downנִשְׁכְּבָ֣הH7901Verb - Qal - Imperfect Cohortative - first person common pluralin our shameבְּבָשְׁתֵּ֗נוּH1322Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common plurallet our disgraceכְּלִמָּתֵנוּ֒H3639Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common plural. . .כִּי֩H3588Conjunctioncover usוּֽתְכַסֵּנוּ֮H3680Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive imperfect - third person feminine singular | first person common pluralWe have sinnedחָטָ֗אנוּH2398Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common pluralagainst the LORDלַיהוָ֨הH3068Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singularour Godאֱלֹהֵ֜ינוּH430Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common pluralboth weאֲנַ֙חְנוּ֙H587Pronoun - first person common pluraland our fathersוַאֲבוֹתֵ֔ינוּH1Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common pluralfrom our youthמִנְּעוּרֵ֖ינוּH5271Preposition-m | Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common pluraleven toוְעַד־H5704Conjunctive waw | Prepositionthisהַזֶּ֑הH2088Article | Pronoun - masculine singulardayהַיּ֣וֹםH3117Article | Noun - masculine singularwe have notוְלֹ֣אH3808Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particleobeyedשָׁמַ֔עְנוּH8085Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common pluralthe voiceבְּק֖וֹלH6963Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular constructof the LORDיְהֹוָ֥הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularour Godאֱלֹהֵֽינוּ׃סH430Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common plural

Read full chapter context All Jeremiah chapters

<- Jeremiah 2 Jeremiah 3 Jeremiah 4 ->