Focused Passage

Jeremiah 3:6-13

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

6 Now in the days of King Josiah, the LORD said to me, “Have you seen what faithless Israel has done? She has gone up on every high hill and under every green tree to prostitute herself there.

7 I thought that after she had done all these things, she would return to Me. But she did not return, and her unfaithful sister Judah saw it.

8 She saw that because faithless Israel had committed adultery, I gave her a certificate of divorce and sent her away. Yet that unfaithful sister Judah had no fear and prostituted herself as well.

9 Indifferent to her own infidelity, Israel had defiled the land and committed adultery with stones and trees.

10 Yet in spite of all this, her unfaithful sister Judah did not return to Me with all her heart, but only in pretense,” declares the LORD.

11 And the LORD said to me, “Faithless Israel has shown herself more righteous than unfaithful Judah.

12 Go, proclaim this message toward the north: ‘Return, O faithless Israel,’ declares the LORD. ‘I will no longer look on you with anger, for I am merciful,’ declares the LORD. ‘I will not be angry forever.

13 Only acknowledge your guilt, that you have rebelled against the LORD your God. You have scattered your favors to foreign gods under every green tree and have not obeyed My voice,’” declares the LORD.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 6

Original words

Now in the days בִּימֵי֙ H3117 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine plural construct of King הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ H4428 Article | Noun - masculine singular Josiah יֹאשִׁיָּ֣הוּ H2977 Noun - proper - masculine singular the LORD יְהוָ֜ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular said וַיֹּ֨אמֶר H559 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular to me אֵלַ֗י H413 Preposition | first person common singular Have you seen הֲ‍ֽרָאִ֔יתָ H7200 Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular what אֲשֶׁ֥ר H834 Pronoun - relative faithless מְשֻׁבָ֣ה H4878 Noun - feminine singular Israel יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל H3478 Noun - proper - masculine singular has done עָשְׂתָ֖ה H6213 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular She הִ֜יא H1931 Pronoun - third person feminine singular has gone up הֹלְכָ֨ה H1980 Verb - Qal - Participle - feminine singular on עַל־ H5921 Preposition every כָּל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct high גָּבֹ֗הַּ H1364 Adjective - masculine singular . . . וְאֶל־ H413 Conjunctive waw | Preposition hill הַ֣ר H2022 Noun - masculine singular and under תַּ֛חַת H8478 Preposition every כָּל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct green רַעֲנָ֖ן H7488 Adjective - masculine singular tree עֵ֥ץ H6086 Noun - masculine singular to prostitute herself וַתִּזְנִי־ H2181 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular there שָֽׁם׃ H8033 Adverb
Verse 7

Original words

I thought וָאֹמַ֗ר H559 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singular that after אַחֲרֵ֨י H310 Preposition she had done עֲשׂוֹתָ֧הּ H6213 Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | third person feminine singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker all כָּל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct these things אֵ֛לֶּה H428 Pronoun - common plural she would return תָּשׁ֖וּב H7725 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular to Me אֵלַ֥י H413 Preposition | first person common singular But she did not וְלֹא־ H3808 Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle return שָׁ֑בָה H7725 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular and her unfaithful בָּגוֹדָ֥ה H901 Adjective - feminine singular sister אֲחוֹתָ֖הּ H269 Noun - feminine singular construct | third person feminine singular Judah יְהוּדָֽה׃ H3063 Noun - proper - masculine singular saw it וַתֵּרֶאה H7200 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular
Verse 8

Original words

She saw וָאֵ֗רֶא H7200 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singular that כִּ֤י H3588 Conjunction because עַל־ H5921 Preposition . . . כָּל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct . . . אֹדוֹת֙ H182 Noun - feminine plural - אֲשֶׁ֤ר H834 Pronoun - relative faithless מְשֻׁבָ֣ה H4878 Noun - feminine singular Israel יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל H3478 Noun - proper - masculine singular had committed adultery נִֽאֲפָה֙ H5003 Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person feminine singular I gave וָאֶתֵּ֛ן H5414 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singular her אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker a certificate סֵ֥פֶר H5612 Noun - masculine singular construct of divorce כְּרִיתֻתֶ֖יהָ H3748 Noun - feminine plural construct | third person feminine singular [and] sent her away שִׁלַּחְתִּ֕יהָ H7971 Verb - Piel - Perfect - first person common singular | third person feminine singular Yet [that] אֵלֶ֑יהָ H413 Preposition | third person feminine singular unfaithful בֹּֽגֵדָ֤ה H898 Verb - Qal - Participle - feminine singular sister אֲחוֹתָ֔הּ H269 Noun - feminine singular construct | third person feminine singular Judah יְהוּדָה֙ H3063 Noun - proper - masculine singular had no וְלֹ֨א H3808 Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle fear יָֽרְאָ֜ה H3372 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular . . . הִֽיא׃ H1931 Pronoun - third person feminine singular - וַתֵּ֖לֶךְ H1980 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular and prostituted herself וַתִּ֥זֶן H2181 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular as well גַּם־ H1571 Conjunction

BSB notes

  • DSS, one LXX manuscript, and Syriac; MT I saw
Verse 9

Original words

Indifferent to וְהָיָה֙ H1961 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular . . . מִקֹּ֣ל H6963 Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct her [own] infidelity זְנוּתָ֔הּ H2184 Noun - feminine singular construct | third person feminine singular [Israel] had defiled וַתֶּחֱנַ֖ף H2610 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker the land הָאָ֑רֶץ H776 Article | Noun - feminine singular and committed adultery וַתִּנְאַ֥ף H5003 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular - אֶת־ H853 Preposition with stones הָאֶ֖בֶן H68 Article | Noun - feminine singular - וְאֶת־ H853 Conjunctive waw | Preposition and trees הָעֵֽץ׃ H6086 Article | Noun - masculine singular
Verse 10

Original words

Yet וְגַם־ H1571 Conjunction in spite of all בְּכָל־ H3605 Preposition | Noun - masculine singular construct this זֹ֗את H2063 Pronoun - feminine singular her unfaithful בָּגוֹדָ֧ה H901 Adjective - feminine singular sister אֲחוֹתָ֛הּ H269 Noun - feminine singular construct | third person feminine singular Judah יְהוּדָ֖ה H3063 Noun - proper - masculine singular did not לֹא־ H3808 Adverb - Negative particle return שָׁ֨בָה H7725 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular to Me אֵלַ֜י H413 Preposition | first person common singular with all בְּכָל־ H3605 Preposition | Noun - masculine singular construct her heart לִבָּ֑הּ H3820 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singular but only כִּ֥י H3588 Conjunction . . . אִם־ H518 Conjunction in pretense בְּשֶׁ֖קֶר H8267 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular declares נְאֻם־ H5002 Noun - masculine singular construct the LORD יְהוָֽה׃פ H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular
Verse 11

Original words

And the LORD יְהוָה֙ H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular said וַיֹּ֤אמֶר H559 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular to me אֵלַ֔י H413 Preposition | first person common singular Faithless מְשֻׁבָ֣ה H4878 Noun - feminine singular Israel יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל H3478 Noun - proper - masculine singular has shown herself נַפְשָׁ֖הּ H5315 Noun - feminine singular construct | third person feminine singular more righteous צִדְּקָ֥ה H6663 Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person feminine singular than unfaithful מִבֹּגֵדָ֖ה H898 Preposition-m | Verb - Qal - Participle - feminine singular Judah יְהוּדָֽה׃ H3063 Noun - proper - masculine singular
Verse 12

Original words

Go הָלֹ֡ךְ H1980 Verb - Qal - Infinitive absolute proclaim וְקָֽרָאתָ֩ H7121 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker this הָאֵ֜לֶּה H428 Article | Pronoun - common plural message הַדְּבָרִ֨ים H1697 Article | Noun - masculine plural toward the north צָפ֗וֹנָה H6828 Noun - feminine singular | third person feminine singular - וְ֠אָמַרְתָּ H559 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular Return שׁ֣וּבָה H7725 Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular | third person feminine singular O faithless מְשֻׁבָ֤ה H4878 Noun - feminine singular Israel יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ H3478 Noun - proper - masculine singular declares נְאֻם־ H5002 Noun - masculine singular construct the LORD יְהוָ֔ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular I will no longer לֽוֹא־ H3808 Adverb - Negative particle look on you with anger אַפִּ֥יל H5307 Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - first person common singular . . . פָּנַ֖י H6440 Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singular for כִּֽי־ H3588 Conjunction I [am] אֲנִי֙ H589 Pronoun - first person common singular merciful חָסִ֤יד H2623 Adjective - masculine singular declares נְאֻם־ H5002 Noun - masculine singular construct the LORD יְהוָ֔ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular I will not לֹ֥א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle be angry אֶטּ֖וֹר H5201 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular forever לְעוֹלָֽם׃ H5769 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular
Verse 13

Original words

Only אַ֚ךְ H389 Adverb acknowledge דְּעִ֣י H3045 Verb - Qal - Imperative - feminine singular your guilt עֲוֺנֵ֔ךְ H5771 Noun - common singular construct | second person feminine singular that כִּ֛י H3588 Conjunction you have rebelled פָּשָׁ֑עַתְּ H6586 Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person feminine singular against the LORD בַּיהוָ֥ה H3068 Preposition-b | Noun - proper - masculine singular your God אֱלֹהַ֖יִךְ H430 Noun - masculine plural construct | second person feminine singular You have scattered וַתְּפַזְּרִ֨י H6340 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - second person feminine singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker your favors דְּרָכַ֜יִךְ H1870 Noun - common plural construct | second person feminine singular to foreign [gods] לַזָּרִ֗ים H2114 Preposition-l, Article | Adjective - masculine plural under תַּ֚חַת H8478 Preposition every כָּל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct green רַעֲנָ֔ן H7488 Adjective - masculine singular tree עֵ֣ץ H6086 Noun - masculine singular and have not לֹא־ H3808 Adverb - Negative particle obeyed שְׁמַעְתֶּ֖ם H8085 Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine plural My voice וּבְקוֹלִ֥י H6963 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular declares נְאֻם־ H5002 Noun - masculine singular construct the LORD יְהֹוָֽה׃ H3068 Noun - proper - 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.