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

God says, “If a husband divorces his wife And she leaves him And becomes another man’s wife, Will he return to her again? Would that land not be completely defiled? But you are a prostitute with many lovers; Yet you turn to Me,” declares the Lord. 2“Raise your eyes to the bare heights and see; Where have you not been violated? You have sat for them by the roads Like an Arab in the desert, And you have defiled a land With your prostitution and your wickedness. 3Therefore the showers have been withheld, And there has been no spring rain. Yet you had a prostitute’s forehead; You refused 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

• saysאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• Ifהֵןhên · look!H2005
• a husbandאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
• divorcesשָׁלַחshâlach · to send: divorceH7971
• his wifeאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · woman: wifeH802
• And she leavesהָלַךְhâlak · to go: wentH1980
• And she leavesמִן־min minnîy minnêy · fromH4480
• And becomesהָיָהhâyâh · to beH1961
• anotherאַחֵר'achêr · anotherH312
• Will he returnשׁוּבshûb · to return: returnH7725
• to her againאֶ֫מֶשׁ'emesh · last nightH570
• Would that landאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
• not be completelyחָנֵףchânêph · to polluteH2610
• are a prostituteזָנָהzânâh · to fornicateH2181
• manyרַבrab · manyH7227
• loversרֵעַrêa‛ rêya‛ · neighborH7453
• to Me,” declaresנְאֻםne'ûm · utteranceH5002
• the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068

Cross-references for Jeremiah 3:1

• Deuteronomy 24:1“When a man takes a wife and marries her, and it happens, if she finds no favor in his eyes because he has found some indecency in her, that he writes her a certificate of divorce, puts it in her hand, and sends her away from his house,
• Jeremiah 3:9And because of the thoughtlessness of her prostitution, she defiled the land and committed adultery with stones and trees.
• Jeremiah 2:7I brought you into the fruitful land To eat its fruit and its good things. But you came and defiled My land, And you made My inheritance an abomination.
• Leviticus 18:24‘Do not defile yourselves by any of these things; for by all these things the nations which I am driving out from you have become defiled.
• Isaiah 24:5The earth is also defiled by its inhabitants, for they violated laws, altered statutes, and broke the everlasting covenant.
• Micah 2:10Arise and go, For this is no place of rest Because of the uncleanness that brings on destruction, A painful destruction.
• Jeremiah 2:20“For long ago I broke your yoke And tore off your restraints; But you said, ‘I will not serve!’ For on every high hill And under every leafy tree You have lain down as a prostitute.
• Deuteronomy 22:21then they shall bring the girl out to the doorway of her father’s house, and the men of her city shall stone her to death, because she has committed a disgraceful sin in Israel by playing the prostitute in her father’s house; so you shall eliminate the evil from among you.
• Judges 19:2But his concubine found him repugnant, and she left him and went to her father’s house in Bethlehem in Judah, and remained there for a period of four months.
• Ezekiel 16:26You also committed prostitution with the Egyptians, your lustful neighbors, and multiplied your obscene practice to provoke Me to anger.
• Ezekiel 23:4Their names were Oholah the elder and Oholibah her sister. And they became Mine, and they gave birth to sons and daughters. And as for their names, Samaria is Oholah and Jerusalem is Oholibah.
• Hosea 1:2When the Lord first spoke through Hosea, the Lord said to Hosea, “Go, take for yourself a wife inclined to infidelity, and children of infidelity; for the land commits flagrant infidelity, abandoning the Lord.”
• Hosea 2:5For their mother has committed prostitution; She who conceived them has acted shamefully. For she said, ‘I will go after my lovers, Who give me my bread and my water, My wool and my flax, my oil and my drink.’
• Jeremiah 3:12Go and proclaim these words toward the north and say, ‘Return, faithless Israel,’ declares the Lord; ‘I will not look at you in anger. For I am gracious,’ declares the Lord; ‘I will not be angry forever.
• Jeremiah 4:1“If you will return, Israel,” declares the Lord, “Then you should return to Me. And if you will put away your detestable things from My presence, And will not waver,
• Jeremiah 8:4“You shall say to them, ‘This is what the Lord says: “Do people fall and not get up? Does one turn away and not repent?

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