Jeremiah 3:20

Translations

Modern

But as a woman may betray her husband, so you have betrayed Me, O house of Israel,” declares the LORD.

Traditional

Surely as a wife treacherously departeth from her husband, so have ye dealt treacherously with me, O house of Israel, saith the Lord.

Literal

As surely as a wife treacherously departs from her husband, so have you dealt treacherously with Me, O house of Israel!” A declaration of YHWH.

Latin

Sed quomodo si contemnat mulier amatorem suum, sic contempsit me domus Israël, dicit Dominus.

Original

Hebrew

English

But as a woman may betray her husband, so you have betrayed Me, O house of Israel,” declares the LORD.

Notes

Jeremiah 3:19–20

But: 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).

Jeremiah 3:11–4:2

The 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).

Theme notes and profiles

Hope Beyond Judgment The Broken Covenant The Choice of Life or Death

Events

Prophecies of Jeremiahc. 628 BC

Related verses

Isaiah 48:8
You have never heard; you have never understood; for a long time your ears have not been open. For I knew how deceitful you are; you have been called a rebel from birth.
Jeremiah 5:11
For the house of Israel and the house of Judah have been utterly unfaithful to Me,” declares the LORD.
Jeremiah 3:8–10
She saw that because faithless Israel had committed adultery, I gave her a certificate of divorce and sent her away. Yet that unfaithful sister Judah had no fear and prostituted herself as well.
Malachi 2:11
Judah has broken faith; an abomination has been committed in Israel and in Jerusalem. For Judah has profaned the LORD’s beloved sanctuary by marrying the daughter of a foreign god.
Ezekiel 16:15–52
But because of your fame, you trusted in your beauty and played the harlot. You lavished your favors on everyone who passed by, and your beauty was theirs for the asking.
Jeremiah 3:1–2
“If a man divorces his wife and she leaves him to marry another, can he ever return to her? Would not such a land be completely defiled? But you have played the harlot with many lovers—and you would return to Me?” declares the LORD.
Hosea 3:1
Then the LORD said to me, “Go show love to your wife again, though she is loved by another and is an adulteress. Love her as the LORD loves the Israelites, though they turn to other gods and love to offer raisin cakes to idols.”
Hosea 6:7
But they, like Adam, have transgressed the covenant; there they were unfaithful to Me.
Hosea 5:7
They have been unfaithful to the LORD; for they have borne illegitimate children. Now the New Moon will devour them along with their land.

Parallels

Hosea 14:1–3 Zechariah 1:1–6

People

Israel: Patriarch, son of Isaac, father of twelve tribes

Glossary

Book of Jeremiah Bride of Christ Hosea, Book of Jeremiah (Person) Prostitute, Prostitution

Topics

Backsliders: Backsliding of Israel Backsliders: Promises To Church: Backslidden

Jeremiah 3:20

Translations?

Original?

Notes?

Events?

Related verses?

Parallels?