God’s Word Translation
Jeremiah 3:11
11Then the Lord said to me, “Unfaithful Israel was less guilty than treacherous Judah.
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
9Because she wasn’t concerned about acting like a prostitute, she polluted the land and committed adultery with standing stones and wood pillars. 10Even after all this, Israel’s treacherous sister Judah didn’t wholeheartedly come back to me. She was deceitful,” declares the Lord. Then the Lord said to me, “Unfaithful Israel was less guilty than treacherous Judah. 12Go and proclaim these things to the north: “ ‘Come back, unfaithful Israel. It is the Lord speaking. I will no longer frown on you because I’m merciful,’ declares the Lord. ‘I will no longer be angry with you. 13Admit that you’ve done wrong! You have rebelled against the Lord your God. You have given yourself to strangers under every large tree. You have not obeyed me,’ declares the Lord.
Read all of Jeremiah 3Jeremiah 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 3:8Judah saw that I sent unfaithful Israel away because of her adultery and that I gave Israel her divorce papers. But treacherous Judah, her sister, wasn’t afraid. She also acted like a prostitute.
- Hosea 4:16“The people of Israel are as stubborn as a bull. How can the Lord feed them like lambs in an open pasture?
- Hosea 11:7My people are determined to turn away from me. Even if they call to the Most High, he will not pardon them.
- Ezekiel 16:47You didn’t follow their ways. You didn’t do the same disgusting things that they did. It only took you a little time to be more corrupt than they ever were.
- Ezekiel 23:11“Even though her younger sister Oholibah saw this, Oholibah lusted after men more than her sister did. Oholibah’s prostitution became worse than her sister’s prostitution.
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
In the dictionaries
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
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