Jeremiah 3:20

Jeremiah 3:20 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Surely as a wife treacherously departeth from her husband, so have ye dealt treacherously with me, O house of Israel, saith the Lord.
• New International Version (NIV)But like a woman unfaithful to her husband, so you, Israel, have been unfaithful to me,” declares the Lord.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Surely, as a treacherous wife leaves her husband, so have you been treacherous to me, O house of Israel, declares the Lord.'"
• New King James Version (NKJV)Surely, as a wife treacherously departs from her husband, So have you dealt treacherously with Me, O house of Israel,” says the Lord.

Context of Jeremiah 3:20

18In those days the house of Judah will walk with the house of Israel, and they will come together from the land of the north to the land that I gave your fathers as an inheritance. 19“Then I said, ‘How I would set you among My sons And give you a pleasant land, The most beautiful inheritance of the nations!’ And I said, ‘You shall call Me, My Father, And not turn away from following Me.’ However, as a woman treacherously leaves her lover, So you have dealt treacherously with Me, House of Israel,” declares the Lord. 21A voice is heard on the bare heights, The weeping, the pleading of the sons of Israel. Because they have perverted their way, They have forgotten the Lord their God. 22“Return, you faithless sons, I will heal your faithlessness.” “Behold, we come to You; For You are the Lord our God.

Jeremiah 3:20 word by word

אָכֵ֛ן בָּגְדָ֥ה אִשָּׁ֖ה מֵרֵעָ֑הּ כֵּ֣ן בְּגַדְתֶּ֥ם בִּ֛י בֵּ֥ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל נְאֻם־יְהוָֽה׃Read the interlinear

• Howeverאָכֵן'âkên · surelyH403
• a womanאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · woman: wifeH802
• treacherouslyבָּגַדbâgad · to act treacherouslyH898
• leavesמִן־min minnîy minnêy · fromH4480
• her loverרֵעַrêa‛ rêya‛ · neighborH7453
• Soכֵּןkên · soH3651
• Houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: householdH1004
• of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
• declaresנְאֻםne'ûm · utteranceH5002
• the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068

Cross-references for Jeremiah 3:20

• Hosea 3:1Then the Lord said to me, “Go again, love a woman who is loved by her husband, yet is committing adultery, as the Lord loves the sons of Israel, though they turn to other gods and love raisin cakes.”
• Jeremiah 3:1God 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.
• Jeremiah 5:11For the house of Israel and the house of Judah Have dealt very treacherously with Me,” declares the Lord.
• Isaiah 48:8You have not heard, you have not known. Even from long ago your ear has not been open, Because I knew that you would deal very treacherously; And you have been called a rebel from birth.
• Ezekiel 16:15“But you trusted in your beauty and became unfaithful because of your fame, and you poured out your obscene practices on every passer-by to whom it might be tempting.
• Hosea 5:7They have dealt treacherously with the Lord, For they have given birth to illegitimate children. Now the new moon will devour them with their land.
• Hosea 6:7But like Adam they have violated the covenant; There they have dealt treacherously with Me.
• Malachi 2:11Judah has dealt treacherously, and an abomination has been committed in Israel and in Jerusalem; for Judah has profaned the sanctuary of the Lord which He loves, and has married the daughter of a foreign god.

Commentaries on Jeremiah 3:20

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20Surely as - Rather: “Just as.”Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 12-20Verses 12-20 See God's readiness to pardon sin, and the blessings reserved for gospel times. These words were proclaimed toward the north; to Israel, the ten tribes, captive in Assyria. They are directed how to return. If we confess our sins, the Lord is faithful and just to forgive them. These promises are fully to come to pass in the bringing back the Jews in after-ages. God will graciously receive those that return to him; and by his grace, he takes…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 19-20But: this transitional word highlights the difference between what the Lord desired and the real situation. The Lord wanted to treat his people as his precious children, but he could not. The covenant marriage between God and his people was broken by the unfaithful wife. The Lord could not ignore this sin (Isaiah 48:8).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2020. Surely--rather, "But." husband--literally, "friend."Read the comment

Topics related to Jeremiah 3:20

• Backsliders
• Church

In the dictionaries

• Israel
• Israel, Israelites
• Jacob, Israel
• Adultery
• Confusion
• Marry
• Reserve
• Solomon, Song of
• Exodus, the Book of
• 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