Jeremiah 3:11

Jeremiah 3:11 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And the Lord said unto me, The backsliding Israel hath justified herself more than treacherous Judah.
• New International Version (NIV)The Lord said to me, “Faithless Israel is more righteous than unfaithful Judah.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And the Lord said to me, "Faithless Israel has shown herself more righteous than treacherous Judah.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then the Lord said to me, “Backsliding Israel has shown herself more righteous than treacherous Judah.

Context of Jeremiah 3:11

9She was not ashamed of what she was doing. She worshipped idols made of wood and stone. She made the land unclean because she was not faithful to me. 10Still Judah has not turned back to me. She wants me to think that she has, but she has not. Like her sister, Israel, she has not been faithful.’ That is what the Lord says. The Lord said to me, ‘It is true that Israel's people have not been faithful to me. But Judah's people are even more guilty than them. 12Go now. Shout this message to my people in the north: “You people of Israel have not been faithful to me. But now return to me,” says the Lord. “I will not always turn away from you. I am kind and I forgive people. I will not be angry with you for ever,” says the Lord. 13“But you must agree that you are guilty of sin. You have turned against me, the Lord your God. You have loved to serve many foreign gods. You have worshipped them under every big tree. You have not obeyed my commands.” ’ That is what the Lord says.

Jeremiah 3:11 word by word

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהוָה֙ אֵלַ֔י צִדְּקָ֥ה נַפְשָׁ֖הּ מְשֻׁבָ֣ה יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל מִבֹּגֵדָ֖ה יְהוּדָֽה׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• unto me, The backslidingמְשׁוּבָהmeshûbâh meshûbâh · faithlessnessH4878
• Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
• hath justifiedצָדֵקtsâdaq · to justifyH6663
• herselfנֶ֫פֶשׁnephesh · soul: myselfH5315
• more than treacherousבָּגַדbâgad · to act treacherouslyH898
• Judahיְהוּדָהyehûdâh · JudahH3063

Cross-references for Jeremiah 3:11

• Jeremiah 3:8Israel was not faithful to me and she served other gods. So I sent her away, like a husband may send his wife away if she is not faithful to him. Judah saw what happened to Israel, but she was not afraid. Like a prostitute, she also went to find other gods that she could serve.
• Hosea 4:16Israel's people have turned against the Lord. They are like a young cow that refuses to obey its owner. So how can the Lord take care of them? Will he put them in a big field to eat the grass like lambs?
• Hosea 11:7My people have decided to turn away from me. That is all that they can think about. They call up to a God who rules above, but he will not help them.
• Ezekiel 16:47You lived like them and you did all the same disgusting things that they did. But you quickly became even worse than them.
• Ezekiel 23:11Ohalah's sister, Oholibah, saw this, but she did even worse things than her sister. She wanted other lovers even more than her sister did.

Commentaries on Jeremiah 3:11

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 11Backsliding Israel hath justified herself more - She was less offensive in my eyes, and more excusable, than treacherous Judah. So it is said, Luke 18:14, the humbled publican went down to his house justified rather than the boasting Pharisee. The one was more to be pitied than the other, and more likely to receive the mercy of God.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 11Hath justified herself - Judah had had the benefit of the warning given by Israel‘s example. Both abandon Yahweh‘s service for idolatry, but Israel is simply “apostate,” Judah is also false. The verse is important, (1) as accounting for the destruction of Jerusalem so soon after the pious reign of Josiah. Manasseh‘s crimes had defiled the land, but it was by rejecting the reforms of Josiah that the people finally profaned it, and sealed their doom: (2) As…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 6-11Verses 6-11 If we mark the crimes of those who break off from a religious profession, and the consequences, we see abundant reason to shun evil ways. It is dreadful to be proved more criminal than those who have actually perished in their sins; yet it will be small comfort in everlasting punishment, for them to know that others were viler than they.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 11-25The Lord asked Israel to repent, return, and reconcile with him (contrast Jeremiah 2:1–3:10). Israel had sinned and faced punishment. Now, the people of Judah sinned even more openly than their northern relatives, ignoring the lesson the Lord taught Israel (Ezekiel 16:51–52). However, it was still not too late to repent and become the blessing to the nations (Jeremiah 4:1–2) that God intended them to be (Genesis 12:3).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1111. justified herself--has been made to appear almost just (that is, comparatively innocent) by the surpassing guilt of Judah, who adds hypocrisy and treachery to her sin; and who had the example of Israel to warn her, but in vain (compare Eze 16:51; 23:11). more than--in comparison with.Read the comment

Topics related to Jeremiah 3:11

• Backsliders
• Church
• Condescension of God
• Hypocrisy
• Idolatry

In the dictionaries

• Israel
• Judah
• Israel, Israelites
• Jacob, Israel
• Judah, kingdom of Judah
• Judea, Judah
• Adultery
• Confusion
• Marriage
• Marry

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