New English Translation
Jeremiah 3:8
8She also saw that I gave wayward Israel her divorce papers and sent her away because of her adulterous worship of other gods. Even after her unfaithful sister Judah had seen this, she still was not afraid, and she too went and gave herself like a prostitute to other gods.
Jeremiah 3:8 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And I saw, when for all the causes whereby backsliding Israel committed adultery I had put her away, and given her a bill of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah feared not, but went and played the harlot also.
- New International Version (NIV)I gave faithless Israel her certificate of divorce and sent her away because of all her adulteries. Yet I saw that her unfaithful sister Judah had no fear; she also went out and committed adultery.
- English Standard Version (ESV)She saw that for all the adulteries of that faithless one, Israel, I had sent her away with a decree of divorce. Yet her treacherous sister Judah did not fear, but she too went and played the whore.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then I saw that for all the causes for which backsliding Israel had committed adultery, I had put her away and given her a certificate of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah did not fear, but went and played the harlot also.
Context of Jeremiah 3:8
6When Josiah was king of Judah, the Lord said to me, “Jeremiah, you have no doubt seen what wayward Israel has done. You have seen how she went up to every high hill and under every green tree to give herself like a prostitute to other gods. 7Yet even after she had done all that, I thought that she might come back to me. But she did not. Her sister, unfaithful Judah, saw what she did. She also saw that I gave wayward Israel her divorce papers and sent her away because of her adulterous worship of other gods. Even after her unfaithful sister Judah had seen this, she still was not afraid, and she too went and gave herself like a prostitute to other gods. 9Because she took her prostitution so lightly, she defiled the land through her adulterous worship of gods made of wood and stone. 10In spite of all this, Israel’s sister, unfaithful Judah, has not turned back to me with any sincerity; she has only pretended to do so,” says the Lord.
Read all of Jeremiah 3Jeremiah 3:8 word by word
וָאֵ֗רֶא כִּ֤י עַל־כָּל־אֹדוֹת֙ אֲשֶׁ֤ר נִֽאֲפָה֙ מְשֻׁבָ֣ה יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל שִׁלַּחְתִּ֕יהָ וָאֶתֵּ֛ן אֶת־סֵ֥פֶר כְּרִיתֻתֶ֖יהָ אֵלֶ֑יהָ וְלֹ֨א יָֽרְאָ֜ה בֹּֽגֵדָ֤ה יְהוּדָה֙ אֲחוֹתָ֔הּ וַתֵּ֖לֶךְ וַתִּ֥זֶן גַּם־הִֽיא׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And I sawרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
- when for all the causesאוֹדָה'ôdôth 'ôdôth · causeH182
- whereby backslidingמְשׁוּבָהmeshûbâh meshûbâh · faithlessnessH4878
- Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- committed adulteryנָאַףnâ'aph · to commit adulteryH5003
- I had put her awayשָׁלַחshâlach · to send: divorceH7971
- and givenנָתַןnâthan · to give: giveH5414
- her a billסֵ֫פֶרsêpher siphrâh · scroll: documentH5612
- of divorceכְּרִיתוּתkerîythûth · divorceH3748
- yet her treacherousבָּגַדbâgad · to act treacherouslyH898
- sisterאָחוֹת'âchôth · sisterH269
- Judahיְהוּדָהyehûdâh · JudahH3063
- fearedיָרֵאyârê' · to fearH3372
- not, but wentיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
- and played the harlotזָנָהzânâh · to fornicateH2181
Cross-references for Jeremiah 3:8
- Jeremiah 3:1“If a man divorces his wife and she leaves him and becomes another man’s wife, he may not take her back again. Doing that would utterly defile the land. But you, Israel, have given yourself as a prostitute to many gods. So what makes you think you can return to me?” says the Lord.
- 2 Kings 17:6In the ninth year of Hoshea’s reign, the king of Assyria captured Samaria and deported the people of Israel to Assyria. He settled them in Halah, along the Habor (the river of Gozan), and in the cities of the Medes.
- 2 Kings 18:9In the fourth year of King Hezekiah’s reign (it was the seventh year of the reign of Israel’s King Hoshea, son of Elah), King Shalmaneser of Assyria marched up against Samaria and besieged it.
- Ezekiel 23:9Therefore I handed her over to her lovers, the Assyrians for whom she lusted.
- Hosea 2:2Plead earnestly with your mother (for she is not my wife, and I am not her husband), so that she might put an end to her adulterous lifestyle, and turn away from her sexually immoral behavior.
- Hosea 3:4For the Israelites must live many days without a king or prince, without sacrifice or sacred fertility pillar, without ephod or idols.
- Hosea 4:15Although you, O Israel, commit adultery, do not let Judah become guilty! Do not journey to Gilgal! Do not go up to Beth Aven! Do not swear, “As surely as the Lord lives!”
- Hosea 9:15Because of all their evil in Gilgal, I hate them there. On account of their evil deeds, I will drive them out of my land. I will no longer love them; all their rulers are rebels.
- Deuteronomy 24:1If a man marries a woman and she does not please him because he has found something offensive in her, then he may draw up a divorce document, give it to her, and evict her from his house.
- Isaiah 50:1This is what the Lord says: “Where is your mother’s divorce certificate by which I divorced her? Or to which of my creditors did I sell you? Look, you were sold because of your sins; because of your rebellious acts I divorced your mother.
- 2 Kings 17:19Judah also failed to keep the commandments of the Lord their God; they followed Israel’s example.
- Ezekiel 23:11“Her sister Oholibah watched this, but she became more corrupt in her lust than her sister had been, and her acts of prostitution were more numerous than those of her sister.
Commentaries on Jeremiah 3:8
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8I had put her away - Given them up into the hands of the Assyrians.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8Rather, “And I saw” that because apostate “Israel” had “committed adultery, I had put her away, and given her” the writing of her divorcement, “yet” false “Judah her sister feared not.” The expression, “For all the causes whereby,” is probably the actual formula with which writings of divorcement commenced.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. 8divorce: See 2 Kings 17:23.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 88. I saw that, though (whereas) it was for this very reason (namely), because backsliding (apostate) Israel had committed adultery I had put her away (2Ki 17:6, 18), and given her a bill of divorce, yet Judah, &c. (Eze 23:11, &c.). bill of divorce--literally, "a writing of cuttings off." The plural implies the completeness of the severance. The use of this metaphor here, as in the former discourse (Jr 3:1), implies a close connection between the…Read the comment
Topics related to Jeremiah 3:8
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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