14 Turn, H7725 O backsliding H7726 children, H1121 saith H5002 the LORD; H3068 for I am married H1166 unto you: and I will take H3947 you one H259 of a city, H5892 and two H8147 of a family, H4940 and I will bring H935 you to Zion: H6726
And I will betroth H781 thee unto me for ever; H5769 yea, I will betroth H781 thee unto me in righteousness, H6664 and in judgment, H4941 and in lovingkindness, H2617 and in mercies. H7356 I will even betroth H781 thee unto me in faithfulness: H530 and thou shalt know H3045 the LORD. H3068
Not according to the covenant H1285 that I made H3772 with their fathers H1 in the day H3117 that I took H2388 them by the hand H3027 to bring them out H3318 of the land H776 of Egypt; H4714 which my covenant H1285 they brake, H6565 although I was an husband H1166 unto them, saith H5002 the LORD: H3068
And I saw, H7200 when for all the causes H182 whereby backsliding H4878 Israel H3478 committed adultery H5003 I had put her away, H7971 and given H5414 her a bill H5612 of divorce; H3748 yet her treacherous H898 sister H269 Judah H3063 feared H3372 not, but went H3212 and played the harlot H2181 also.
But G235 what G5101 saith G3004 the answer of God G5538 unto him? G846 I have reserved G2641 to myself G1683 seven thousand G2035 men, G435 who G3748 have G2578 not G3756 bowed G2578 the knee G1119 to the image of Baal. G896 Even so G3779 then G3767 at G1722 this present G3568 time G2540 also G2532 there is G1096 a remnant G3005 according G2596 to the election G1589 of grace. G5485 And G1161 if G1487 by grace, G5485 then is it no more G2089 G3765 of G1537 works: G2041 otherwise G1893 grace G5485 is G1096 no more G2089 G3765 grace. G5485 But G1161 if G1487 it be of G1537 works, G2041 then is it G2076 no more G2089 G3765 grace: G5485 otherwise G1893 work G2041 is G2076 no more G2089 G3765 work. G2041
Awake, H5782 O sword, H2719 against my shepherd, H7462 and against the man H1397 that is my fellow, H5997 saith H5002 the LORD H3068 of hosts: H6635 smite H5221 the shepherd, H7462 and the sheep H6629 shall be scattered: H6327 and I will turn H7725 mine hand H3027 upon the little ones. H6819 And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, H776 saith H5002 the LORD, H3068 two H8147 parts H6310 therein shall be cut off H3772 and die; H1478 but the third H7992 shall be left H3498 therein. And I will bring H935 the third part H7992 through the fire, H784 and will refine H6884 them as silver H3701 is refined, H6884 and will try H974 them as gold H2091 is tried: H974 they shall call H7121 on my name, H8034 and I will hear H6030 them: I will say, H559 It is my people: H5971 and they shall say, H559 The LORD H3068 is my God. H430
For thus saith H559 the Lord H136 GOD; H3069 Behold, I, even I, will both search H1875 my sheep, H6629 and seek them out. H1239 As a shepherd H7462 seeketh out H1243 his flock H5739 in the day H3117 that he is among H8432 his sheep H6629 that are scattered; H6567 so will I seek out H1239 my sheep, H6629 and will deliver H5337 them out of all places H4725 where they have been scattered H6327 in the cloudy H6051 and dark H6205 day. H3117 And I will bring them out H3318 from the people, H5971 and gather H6908 them from the countries, H776 and will bring H935 them to their own land, H127 and feed H7462 them upon the mountains H2022 of Israel H3478 by the rivers, H650 and in all the inhabited places H4186 of the country. H776 I will feed H7462 them in a good H2896 pasture, H4829 and upon the high H4791 mountains H2022 of Israel H3478 shall their fold H5116 be: there shall they lie H7257 in a good H2896 fold, H5116 and in a fat H8082 pasture H4829 shall they feed H7462 upon the mountains H2022 of Israel. H3478
Behold, I will bring H935 them from the north H6828 country, H776 and gather H6908 them from the coasts H3411 of the earth, H776 and with them the blind H5787 and the lame, H6455 the woman with child H2030 and her that travaileth with child H3205 together: H3162 a great H1419 company H6951 shall return H7725 thither. They shall come H935 with weeping, H1065 and with supplications H8469 will I lead H2986 them: I will cause them to walk H3212 by the rivers H5158 of waters H4325 in a straight H3477 way, H1870 wherein they shall not stumble: H3782 for I am a father H1 to Israel, H3478 and Ephraim H669 is my firstborn. H1060 Hear H8085 the word H1697 of the LORD, H3068 O ye nations, H1471 and declare H5046 it in the isles H339 afar off, H4801 and say, H559 He that scattered H2219 Israel H3478 will gather H6908 him, and keep H8104 him, as a shepherd H7462 doth his flock. H5739
And I will gather H6908 the remnant H7611 of my flock H6629 out of all countries H776 whither I have driven H5080 them, and will bring them again H7725 to their folds; H5116 and they shall be fruitful H6509 and increase. H7235
Except H3884 the LORD H3068 of hosts H6635 had left H3498 unto us a very small H4592 remnant, H8300 we should have been H1961 as Sodom, H5467 and we should have been like H1819 unto Gomorrah. H6017
They say, H559 If a man H376 put away H7971 his wife, H802 and she go H1980 from him, and become another H312 man's, H376 shall he return unto her again? H7725 shall not that land H776 be greatly H2610 polluted? H2610 but thou hast played the harlot H2181 with many H7227 lovers; H7453 yet return again H7725 to me, saith H5002 the LORD. H3068
Thine own wickedness H7451 shall correct H3256 thee, and thy backslidings H4878 shall reprove H3198 thee: know H3045 therefore and see H7200 that it is an evil H7451 thing and bitter, H4751 that thou hast forsaken H5800 the LORD H3068 thy God, H430 and that my fear H6345 is not in thee, saith H5002 the Lord H136 GOD H3069 of hosts. H6635
Go H1980 and cry H7121 in the ears H241 of Jerusalem, H3389 saying, H559 Thus saith H559 the LORD; H3068 I remember H2142 thee, the kindness H2617 of thy youth, H5271 the love H160 of thine espousals, H3623 when thou wentest H3212 after H310 me in the wilderness, H4057 in a land H776 that was not sown. H2232
When thus it shall be in the midst H7130 of the land H776 among H8432 the people, H5971 there shall be as the shaking H5363 of an olive tree, H2132 and as the gleaning grapes H5955 when the vintage H1210 is done. H3615 They shall lift up H5375 their voice, H6963 they shall sing H7442 for the majesty H1347 of the LORD, H3068 they shall cry aloud H6670 from the sea. H3220 Wherefore glorify H3513 ye the LORD H3068 in the fires, H217 even the name H8034 of the LORD H3068 God H430 of Israel H3478 in the isles H339 of the sea. H3220
Yet gleaning grapes H5955 shall be left H7604 in it, as the shaking H5363 of an olive tree, H2132 two H8147 or three H7969 berries H1620 in the top H7218 of the uppermost bough, H534 four H702 or five H2568 in the outmost fruitful H6509 branches H5585 thereof, saith H5002 the LORD H3068 God H430 of Israel. H3478
And it shall come to pass in that day, H3117 that the Lord H136 shall set H3254 his hand H3027 again H3254 the second time H8145 to recover H7069 the remnant H7605 of his people, H5971 which shall be left, H7604 from Assyria, H804 and from Egypt, H4714 and from Pathros, H6624 and from Cush, H3568 and from Elam, H5867 and from Shinar, H8152 and from Hamath, H2574 and from the islands H339 of the sea. H3220 And he shall set up H5375 an ensign H5251 for the nations, H1471 and shall assemble H622 the outcasts H1760 of Israel, H3478 and gather together H6908 the dispersed H5310 of Judah H3063 from the four H702 corners H3671 of the earth. H776
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Jeremiah 3
Commentary on Jeremiah 3 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 3
Jer 3:1-25. God's Mercy notwithstanding Judah's Vileness.
Contrary to all precedent in the case of adultery, Jehovah offers a return to Judah, the spiritual adulteress (Jer 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 (Jer 3:6-25).
1. They say—rather, as Hebrew, "saying," in agreement with "the Lord"; Jer 2:37 of last chapter [Maurer]. Or, it is equivalent to, "Suppose this case." Some copyist may have omitted, "The word of the Lord came to me," saying.
shall he return unto her—will he take her back? It was unlawful to do so (De 24:1-4).
shall not—Should not the land be polluted if this were done?
yet return—(Jer 3:22; Jer 4:1; Zec 1:3; compare Eze 16:51, 58, 60). "Nevertheless," &c. (see on Isa 50:1).
2. high places—the scene of idolatries which were spiritual adulteries.
In … ways … sat for them—watching for lovers like a prostitute (Ge 38:14, 21; Pr 7:12; 23:28; Eze 16:24, 25), and like an Arab who lies in wait for travellers. The Arabs of the desert, east and south of Palestine, are still notorious as robbers.
3. no latter rain—essential to the crops in Palestine; withheld in judgment (Le 26:19; compare Joe 2:23).
whore's forehead—(Jer 8:12; Eze 3:8).
4. from this time—not referring, as Michaelis thinks, to the reformation begun the year before, that is, the twelfth of Josiah; it means—now at once, now at last.
me—contrasted with the "stock" whom they had heretofore called on as "father" (Jer 2:27; Lu 15:18).
thou art—rather, "thou wast."
guide of … youth—that is, husband (Jer 2:2; Pr 2:17; Ho 2:7, 15). Husband and father are the two most endearing of ties.
5. he—"thou," the second person, had preceded. The change to the third person implies a putting away of God to a greater distance from them; instead of repenting and forsaking their idols, they merely deprecate the continuance of their punishment. Jer 3:12 and Ps 103:9, answer their question in the event of their penitence.
spoken and—rather (God's reply to them), "Thou hast spoken (thus), and yet (all the while) thou hast done evil," &c.
as thou couldest—with all thy might; with incorrigible persistency [Calvin].
6. Jer 3:6-6:30, is a new discourse, delivered in Josiah's reign. It consists of two parts, the former extending to Jer 4:3, in which he warns Judah from the example of Israel's doom, and yet promises Israel final restoration; the latter a threat of Babylonian invasion; as Nabopolassar founded the Babylonian empire, 625 B.C., the seventeenth of Josiah, this prophecy is perhaps not earlier than that date (Jer 4:5, &c.; Jer 5:14, &c.; Jer 6:1, &c.; Jer 22:1-30); and probably not later than the second thorough reformation in the eighteenth year of the same reign.
backsliding—literally, "apostasy"; not merely apostate, but apostasy itself, the essence of it (Jer 3:14, 22).
7. I said—(2Ki 17:13).
sister—(Eze 16:46; 23:2, 4).
8. 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 (Jer 3:1), implies a close connection between the discourses. The epithets are characteristic; Israel "apostate" (as the Hebrew for "backsliding" is better rendered); Judah, not as yet utterly apostate, but treacherous or faithless.
also—herself also, like Israel.
9. it—Some take this verse of Judah, to whom the end of Jer 3:8 refers. But Jer 3:10 puts Judah in contrast to Israel in this verse. "Yet for all this," referring to the sad example of Israel; if Jer 3:9 referred to Judah, "she" would have been written in Jer 3:10, not "Judah." Translate, "It (the putting away of Israel) had come to pass through … whoredom; and (that is, for) she (Israel) had defiled the land" &c. [Maurer]. English Version, however, may be explained to refer to Israel.
lightness—"infamy." [Ewald]. Maurer not so well takes it from the Hebrew root, "voice," "fame."
10. yet—notwithstanding the lesson given in Israel's case of the fatal results of apostasy.
not … whole heart—The reformation in the eighteenth year of Josiah was not thorough on the part of the people, for at his death they relapsed into idolatry (2Ch 34:33; Ho 7:14).
11. 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.
12. Go—not actually; but turn and proclaim towards the north (Media and Assyria, where the ten tribes were located by Tiglath-pileser and Shalmaneser, 2Ki 15:29; 17:6; 18:9, 11).
Return … backsliding—Hebrew, Shubah, Meshubah, a play on sounds. In order to excite Judah to godly jealousy (Ro 11:14), Jehovah addresses the exiled ten tribes of Israel with a loving invitation.
cause … anger to fall—literally, "I will not let fall My countenance" (compare Ge 4:5, 6; Job 29:3), that is, I will not continue to frown on you.
keep—"anger" is to be supplied (see on Jer 3:5).
13. Only acknowledge—(De 30:1, 3; Pr 28:13).
scattered thy ways, &c.—(Jer 2:25). Not merely the calves at Beth-el, but the idols in every direction, were the objects of their worship (Eze 16:15, 24, 25).
14. I am married—literally, "I am Lord," that is, husband to you (so Jer 31:32; compare Ho 2:19, 20; Isa 54:5). Gesenius, following the Septuagint version of Jer 31:32, and Paul's quotation of it (Heb 8:9), translates, "I have rejected you"; so the corresponding Arabic, and the idea of lordship, may pass into that of looking down upon, and so rejecting. But the Septuagint in this passage translates, "I will be Lord over you." And the "for" has much more force in English Version than in that of Gesenius. The Hebrew hardly admits the rendering though [Hengstenberg].
take you one of a city—Though but one or two Israelites were in a (foreign) city, they shall not be forgotten; all shall be restored (Am 9:9). So, in the spiritual Israel, God gathers one convert here, another there, into His Church; not the least one is lost (Mt 18:14; Ro 11:5; compare Jer 24:5-7).
family—a clan or tribe.
15. pastors—not religious, but civil rulers, as Zerubbabel, Nehemiah (Jer 23:4; 2:8).
16. they shall say no more—The Jews shall no longer glory in the possession of the ark; it shall not be missed, so great shall be the blessings of the new dispensation. The throne of the Lord, present Himself, shall eclipse and put out of mind the ark of the covenant and the mercy seat between the cherubim, God's former throne. The ark, containing the two tables of the law, disappeared at the Babylonian captivity, and was not restored to the second temple, implying that the symbolical "glory" was to be superseded by a "greater glory" (Hag 2:9).
neither … visit it—rather, "neither shall it be missed" (so in Jer 23:4).
done—rather, "neither shall it (the ark) be made (that is, be restored) any more" [Maurer].
17. Jerusalem—the whole city, not merely the temple. As it has been the center of the Hebrew theocracy, so it shall be the point of attraction to the whole earth (Isa 2:2-4; Zec 2:10, 11; 14:16-21).
throne of … Lord—The Shekinah, the symbol of God's peculiar nearness to Israel (De 4:7) shall be surpassed by the antitype, God's own throne in Jerusalem (Ps 2:6, 8; Eze 34:23, 24; Zec 2:5).
imagination—rather, as Margin, "the obstinacy" or stubbornness.
18. Judah … Israel … together—Two distinct apostasies, that of Israel and that of Judah, were foretold (Jer 3:8, 10). The two have never been united since the Babylonish captivity; therefore their joint restoration must be still future (Isa 11:12, 13; Eze 37:16-22; Ho 1:11).
north—(Jer 3:12).
land … given … inheritance—(Am 9:15).
19. The good land covenanted to Abraham is to be restored to his seed. But the question arises, How shall this be done?
put … among … children—the Greek for adoption means, literally, "putting among the sons."
the children—that is, My children. "How shall I receive thee back into My family, after thou hast so long forsaken Me for idols?" The answer is, they would acknowledge Him as "Father," and no longer turn away from Him. God assumes the language of one wondering how so desperate apostates could be restored to His family and its privileges (compare Eze 37:3; Calvin makes it, How the race of Abraham can be propagated again, being as it were dead); yet as His purpose has decreed it so, He shows how it shall be effected, namely, they shall receive from Him the spirit of adoption to cry, "My Father" (Joh 1:12; Ga 4:6). The elect are "children" already in God's purpose; this is the ground of the subsequent realization of this relationship (Eph 1:5; Heb 2:13).
pleasant land—(Jer 11:5; Eze 20:6; Da 11:16, Margin).
heritage of … hosts—a heritage the most goodly of all nations [Maurer]; or a "heritage possessed by powerful hosts" (De 4:38; Am 2:9). The rendering "splendors," instead of "hosts," is opposed by the fact that the Hebrew for "splendor" is not found in the plural.
20. Surely—rather, "But."
husband—literally, "friend."
21. In harmony with the preceding promises of God, the penitential confessions of Israel are heard.
high places—The scene of their idolatries is the scene of their confessions. Compare Jer 3:23, in which they cast aside their trust in these idolatrous high places. The publicity of their penitence is also implied (compare Jer 7:29; 48:38).
22. Jehovah's renewed invitation (Jer 3:12, 14) and their immediate response.
heal—forgive (2Ch 30:18, 20; Ho 14:4).
unto thee—rather, "in obedience to thee"; literally, "for thee" [Rosenmuller].
23. multitude of mountains—that is, the multitude of gods worshipped on them (compare Ps 121:1, 2, Margin).
24. shame—that is, the idols, whose worship only covers us with shame (Jer 11:13; Ho 9:10). So far from bringing us "salvation," they have cost us our cattle and even our children, whom we have sacrificed to them.
25. (Ezr 9:7).