[The word of GOD came to me] as follows: If a man divorces his wife, and she leaves him and gets married to another man, can he ever go back to her? Would not such a land be defiled?aCf. Deut. 24.1–4. Now you have whored with many lovers: can you return to Me?—says GOD.
Look up to the bare heights, and see:Where have they not lain with you?You waited for them on the roadsideLike a banditbbandit Lit. “Arab.” in the wilderness.And you defiled the landWith your whoring and your debauchery.
Word-by-Word Analysis
שאיעיניך
471
עלשפים
530
וראי
217
איפה
96
לא
31
שגלת
733
שכבת
722
עלדרכים
374
ישבת
712
להם
75
כערבי
302
במדבר
248
ותחניפי
564
ארץ
291
בזנותיך
495
וברעתך
698
Jeremiah 3:3
Gematria: 2149
וימנעורבביםומלקושלואהיהומצחאשהזונההיהלךמאנתהכלם
And when showers were withheldAnd the late rains did not come,You had the brazennesscbrazenness Lit. “forehead.” of a streetwalker,You refused to be ashamed.
Word-by-Word Analysis
וימנעו
182
רבבים
254
ומלקוש
482
לוא
37
היה
20
ומצח
144
אשה
306
זונה
68
היה
20
לך
50
מאנת
491
הכלם
95
Jeremiah 3:4
Gematria: 2875
הלואמעתהקראתיקראתליאביאלוףנעריאתה
Just now you called to Me, “Father!dFather I.e., the One who conveys legitimacy and provides support, in return for loyalty. You are the Companion of my youth.
Word-by-Word Analysis
הלוא
42
מעתה
515
קראתי
711
קראת
701
לי
40
אבי
13
אלוף
117
נערי
330
אתה
406
Jeremiah 3:5
Gematria: 3894
הינטרלעולםאםישמרלנצחהנהדברתותעשיהרעותותוכלפ
Does one hate for all time?Does one rageehate…rage Cf. Akkadian parallels nadāru and shamāru. forever?”That is how you spoke;You did wrong, and had your way.fhad your way Meaning of Heb. uncertain.
GOD
said to me in the days of King Josiah: Have you seen what Rebel Israel did, going to every high mountain and under every leafy tree, and whoring there?
I noted: Because Rebel Israel had committed adultery, I cast her off and handed her a bill of divorce; yet her sister, Faithless Judah, was not afraid—she too went and whored.
Word-by-Word Analysis
וארא
208
כי
30
עלכלאדות
561
אשר
501
נאפה
136
משבה
347
ישראל
541
שלחתיה
753
ואתן
457
אתספר
741
כריתתיה
1045
אליה
46
ולא
37
יראה
216
בגדה
14
יהודה
30
אחותה
420
ותלך
456
ותזן
463
גםהיא
59
Jeremiah 3:9
Gematria: 3473
והיהמקלזנותהותחנףאתהארץותנאףאתהאבןואתהעץ
Indeed, the land was defiled by her casual immorality, as she committed adultery with stone and with wood.gwith stone and with wood I.e., she deserted her God for idols of stone and wood.
Go, make this proclamation toward the north, and say: Turn back, O Rebel Israel—declares GOD. I will not look on you in anger, for I am compassionate—declares GOD; I do not bear a grudge for all time.
Only recognize your sin; for you have transgressed against the ETERNAL your God, and scattered your favorshfavors Lit. “ways.” among strangers under every leafy tree, and you have not heeded Me—declares GOD.
Turn back, rebellious children—declares GOD. Since I have espousediespoused Meaning of Heb. baʻalti uncertain; compare 31.32. you, I will take you, one from a town and two from a clan, and bring you to Zion.
Word-by-Word Analysis
שובו
314
בנים
102
שובבים
360
נאםיהוה
117
כי
30
אנכי
81
בעלתי
512
בכם
62
ולקחתי
554
אתכם
461
אחד
13
מעיר
320
ושנים
406
ממשפחה
473
והבאתי
424
אתכם
461
ציון
156
Jeremiah 3:15
Gematria: 2531
ונתתילכםרעיםכלביורעואתכםדעהוהשכיל
And I will give you shepherdsjshepherds Meaning of Heb. uncertain. after My own heart, who will pasture you with knowledge and skill.
And when you increase and are fertile in the land, in those days—declares GOD—people shall no longer speak of the Ark of the Covenant of GOD, nor shall it come to mind. They shall not mention it, or miss it, or make another.
At that time, they shall call Jerusalem “GOD’s Throne,” and all nations shall assemble there, in the name of GOD, at Jerusalem. TheykThey I.e., Israel and Judah. shall no longer follow the willfulness of their evil hearts.
In those days, the House of Judah shall go with the House of Israel; they shall come together from the land of the north to the land I gave your ancestors as a possession.
I had resolved to adopt you as My child, and I gave you a desirable land—the fairest heritage of all the nations; and I thought you would surely call Me “Father,”lFather See note at v. 4. and never cease to be loyal to Me.
Word-by-Word Analysis
ואנכי
87
אמרתי
651
איך
31
אשיתך
731
בבנים
104
ואתןלך
507
ארץ
291
חמדה
57
נחלת
488
צבי
102
צבאות
499
גוים
59
ואמר
247
אבי
13
תקראו
707
תקראילי
751
ומאחרי
265
לא
31
תשובו
714
תשובי
718
Jeremiah 3:20
Gematria: 2307
אכןבגדהאשהמרעהכןבגדתםביביתישראלנאםיהוה
Instead, you have broken faith with Me, as a woman breaks faith with a paramour, O House of Israel—declares GOD.
Turn back, O rebellious children,I will heal your afflictions!“Here we are, we come to You,For You, O ETERNAL One, are our God!
Word-by-Word Analysis
שובו
314
בנים
102
שובבים
360
ארפה
286
משובתיכם
818
הננו
111
אתנו
457
לך
50
כי
30
אתה
406
יהוה
26
אלהינו
102
Jeremiah 3:23
Gematria: 3496
אכןלשקרמגבעותהמוןהריםאכןביהוהאלהינותשועתישראל
Surely, futility comes from the hills,Confusion from the mountains.mSurely, futility comes from … the mountains I.e., the pagan rites celebrated on the hills are futile; exact force of Heb. uncertain. Only through the ETERNAL our GodIs there deliverance for Israel.
But the Shameful ThingnShameful Thing Heb. Bosheth, a contemptuous substitute for Baal. has consumedThe possessions of our ancestors ever since our youth—Their flocks and herds,Their sons and daughters.
Let us lie down in our shame,Let our disgrace cover us;For we have sinned against the ETERNAL our God,We and our ancestors from our youth to this day,And we have not heeded the ETERNAL our God.”