Jeremiah 3:1

Jeremiah 3:1 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)They say, If a man put away his wife, and she go from him, and become another man’s, shall he return unto her again? shall not that land be greatly polluted? but thou hast played the harlot with many lovers; yet return again to me, saith the Lord.
• New International Version (NIV)“If a man divorces his wife and she leaves him and marries another man, should he return to her again? Would not the land be completely defiled? But you have lived as a prostitute with many lovers— would you now return to me?” declares the Lord.
• English Standard Version (ESV)"If a man divorces his wife and she goes from him and becomes another man's wife, will he return to her? Would not that land be greatly polluted? You have played the whore with many lovers; and would you return to me? declares the Lord.
• New King James Version (NKJV)“They say, ‘If a man divorces his wife, And she goes from him And becomes another man’s, May he return to her again?’ Would not that land be greatly polluted? But you have played the harlot with many lovers; Yet return to Me,” says the Lord.

Context of Jeremiah 3:1

If a man divorces his wife and she leaves him to marry another, can he ever return to her? Wouldn’t such a land become totally defiled? But you! You have prostituted yourself with many partners — can you return to me? This is the Lord’s declaration. 2Look to the barren heights and see. Where have you not been immoral? You sat waiting for them beside the highways like a nomad in the desert. You have defiled the land with your prostitution and wickedness. 3This is why the showers haven’t come — why there has been no spring rain. You have the brazen look of a prostitute and refuse to be ashamed.

Jeremiah 3:1 word by word

לֵאמֹ֡ר הֵ֣ן יְשַׁלַּ֣ח אִ֣ישׁ אֶת־אִשְׁתּוֹ֩ וְהָלְכָ֨ה מֵאִתּ֜וֹ וְהָיְתָ֣ה לְאִישׁ־אַחֵ֗ר הֲיָשׁ֤וּב אֵלֶ֙יהָ֙ ע֔וֹד הֲל֛וֹא חָנ֥וֹף תֶּחֱנַ֖ף הָאָ֣רֶץ הַהִ֑יא וְאַ֗תְּ זָנִית֙ רֵעִ֣ים רַבִּ֔ים וְשׁ֥וֹב אֵלַ֖י נְאֻם־יְהֹוָֽה׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• They sayאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• If a manאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
• put awayשָׁלַחshâlach · to send: divorceH7971
• his wifeאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · woman: wifeH802
• and she goהָלַךְhâlak · to go: wentH1980
• from him, and become anotherאַחֵר'achêr · anotherH312
• shall he return unto her againשׁוּבshûb · to return: returnH7725
• shall not that landאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
• be greatlyחָנֵףchânêph · to polluteH2610
• but thou hast played the harlotזָנָהzânâh · to fornicateH2181
• with manyרַבrab · manyH7227
• loversרֵעַrêa‛ rêya‛ · neighborH7453
• to me, saithנְאֻםne'ûm · utteranceH5002
• the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068

Cross-references for Jeremiah 3:1

• Deuteronomy 24:1“If a man marries a woman, but she becomes displeasing to him because he finds something indecent about her, he may write her a divorce certificate, hand it to her, and send her away from his house.
• Jeremiah 3:9Indifferent to her prostitution, she defiled the land and committed adultery with stones and trees.
• Jeremiah 2:7I brought you to a fertile land to eat its fruit and bounty, but after you entered, you defiled my land; you made my inheritance detestable.
• Leviticus 18:24“Do not defile yourselves by any of these practices, for the nations I am driving out before you have defiled themselves by all these things.
• Isaiah 24:5The earth is polluted by its inhabitants, for they have transgressed teachings, overstepped decrees, and broken the permanent covenant.
• Micah 2:10Get up and leave, for this is not your place of rest because defilement brings destruction — a grievous destruction!
• Jeremiah 2:20For long ago I broke your yoke; I tore off your chains. You insisted, “I will not serve!” On every high hill and under every green tree you lay down like a prostitute.
• Deuteronomy 22:21they will bring the woman to the door of her father’s house, and the men of her city will stone her to death. For she has committed an outrage in Israel by being promiscuous while living in her father’s house. You must purge the evil from you.
• Judges 19:2But she was unfaithful to him and left him for her father’s house in Bethlehem in Judah. She was there for four months.
• Ezekiel 16:26You engaged in promiscuous acts with Egyptian men, your well-endowed neighbors, and increased your prostitution to anger me.
• Ezekiel 23:4The older one was named Oholah, and her sister was Oholibah. They became mine and gave birth to sons and daughters. As for their names, Oholah represents Samaria and Oholibah represents Jerusalem.
• Hosea 1:2When the Lord first spoke to Hosea, he said this to him: Go and marry a woman of promiscuity, and have children of promiscuity, for the land is committing blatant acts of promiscuity by abandoning the Lord.
• Hosea 2:5Yes, their mother is promiscuous; she conceived them and acted shamefully. For she thought, “I will follow my lovers, the men who give me my food and water, my wool and flax, my oil and drink.”
• Jeremiah 3:12Go, proclaim these words to the north, and say, ‘Return, unfaithful Israel. This is the Lord’s declaration. I will not look on you with anger, for I am unfailing in my love. This is the Lord’s declaration. I will not be angry forever.
• Jeremiah 4:1If you return, Israel — this is the Lord’s declaration — you will return to me, if you remove your abhorrent idols from my presence and do not waver,
• Jeremiah 8:4“You are to say to them: This is what the Lord says: Do people fall and not get up again? If they turn away, do they not return?

Commentaries on Jeremiah 3:1

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1If a man put away his wife - It was ever understood, by the law and practice of the country, that if a woman were divorced by her husband, and became the wife of another man, the first husband could never take her again. Now Israel had been married unto the Lord; joined in solemn covenant to him to worship and serve him only. Israel turned from following him, and became idolatrous. On this ground, considering idolatry as a spiritual whoredom, and the…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1They say - Or, That is to say. The prophet has completed his survey of Israel‘s conduct, and draws the conclusion that as an adulterous wife could not be taken back by her husband, so Israel has forfeited her part in the covenant with God. Apparently the opening word, which literally means “to say,” only introduces the quotation in the margin. Yet return again to me - Or, “and thinkest thou to return unto me!” The whole argument is not of mercy, but is…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1Exhortations to repentance. (Jr 3:1-5) Judah more guilty than Israel. (Jr 3:6-11) But pardon is promised. (Jr 3:12-20) The children of Israel express their sorrow and repentance. (Jr 3:21-25) Verses 1-5 In repentance, it is good to think upon the sins of which we have been guilty, and the places and companies where they have been committed. How gently the Lord had corrected them! In receiving penitents, he is God, and not man. Whatever thou hast said or…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1The law forbade a man from remarrying a woman he had divorced if she married another man afterward (Deuteronomy 24:1–4). A woman with many lovers was even less likely to be accepted back.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-25Contrary to all precedent in the case of adultery, Jehovah offers a return to Judah, the spiritual adulteress (Jr 3:1-5). A new portion of the book, ending with the sixth chapter. Judah worse than Israel; yet both shall be restored in the last days (Jr 3:6-25). 1. They say--rather, as Hebrew, "saying," in agreement with "the Lord"; Jr 2:37 of last chapter [Maurer]. Or, it is equivalent to, "Suppose this case." Some copyist may have omitted, "The word of…Read the comment

Topics related to Jeremiah 3:1

• Adultery
• Backsliders
• Church
• Condescension of God
• Divorce
• Idolatry

In the dictionaries

• Adultery
• Confusion
• Harlot
• Marriage
• Marry
• Reserve
• Solomon, Song of
• Crime; Crimes
• Defile; Defilement
• Habaziniah

Commentaries on Jeremiah 3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings