Jeremiah 3:1

¶ 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.

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}.

[ADONAI] says: "If a man divorces his wife, and she leaves him and marries another man, then if the first one marries her again, that land will be completely defiled. But you prostituted yourself to many lovers, yet you want to return to me?" says ADONAI.

“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.

They say, If a man put away his wife, and she go from him, and become another man’s, will he return unto her again? will not that land be greatly polluted? But thou hast played the harlot with many lovers; yet return again to me, saith Jehovah.

Context

Jeremiah 3:1 opens a powerful section where the prophet Jeremiah confronts the kingdom of Judah (often referred to as Israel in the prophetic books, representing the collective people of God) with their profound unfaithfulness to their covenant with the LORD. The verse immediately sets a dramatic tone by drawing a parallel to a specific law concerning divorce and remarriage from the Mosaic Law, found in Deuteronomy 24:4. This law stipulated that if a man divorced his wife, and she remarried another man, her first husband could not take her back, as it would "pollute" the land. Judah, however, had committed spiritual adultery by worshipping other gods and forming alliances with foreign nations, effectively divorcing God and marrying "many lovers." Despite this grave offense, the verse concludes with God's astonishing and gracious invitation: "yet return again to me, saith the LORD."

Key Themes

  • Spiritual Adultery and Covenant Breaking: The primary theme is Israel's flagrant violation of their covenant relationship with God. Their pursuit of idolatry and foreign alliances is depicted as spiritual adultery, likening their actions to a wife who leaves her husband for multiple lovers. This betrayal not only breaks the sacred bond but also "greatly polluted" the land, indicating the widespread moral and spiritual corruption that resulted from their unfaithfulness.
  • God's Righteous Indignation: The rhetorical question "shall not that land be greatly polluted?" underscores the severity of their sin from God's perspective. Their unfaithfulness was not a private matter but had national, polluting consequences, disrupting the divine order and bringing God's righteous judgment upon the land and its inhabitants.
  • God's Unfathomable Mercy and Call to Repentance: The most striking aspect of the verse is God's concluding invitation: "yet return again to me, saith the LORD." According to human law and justice, a reconciliation after such a betrayal would be unthinkable and forbidden. Yet, God, in His boundless compassion, extends an offer of grace and repentance, demonstrating a love that transcends the demands of the very law He established. This highlights the radical nature of God's forgiveness and His desire for His people to come back to Him.

Linguistic Insights

The phrase "played the harlot" comes from the Hebrew verb zanah (זָנָה), which literally means to commit prostitution. In prophetic literature, it is frequently used metaphorically to describe spiritual unfaithfulness, idolatry, and breaking covenant with God. It emphasizes the active, deliberate choice to pursue other gods and practices, signifying a deep betrayal. The command "return again to me" uses the Hebrew verb shuv (שׁוּב), which is a key theological term meaning "to turn back" or "to repent." It implies a complete change of direction, a turning away from sin and back towards God. This call to shuv is a recurring theme in Jeremiah and throughout the Old Testament, signifying God's constant yearning for His people's restoration and reconciliation.

Practical Application

Jeremiah 3:1 offers profound insights for believers today. Firstly, it serves as a stark reminder of the seriousness of spiritual idolatry in our own lives. While we may not bow to physical idols, anything that takes God's rightful place in our hearts—be it wealth, career, relationships, or self-worship—can be a form of "playing the harlot" and polluting our spiritual walk. Secondly, and perhaps most importantly, the verse powerfully illustrates God's incredible grace and persistent love. Despite our unfaithfulness, our wanderings, and our spiritual betrayals, God remains the One who says, "yet return again to me." His arms are always open, inviting us to confess our sins and return to Him. This passage encourages us never to believe that we have strayed too far for God's forgiveness or that our sins are too great for His mercy to cover. It is a testament to His enduring faithfulness, even when we are faithless, echoing the sentiment of Lamentations 3:22-23.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Deuteronomy 24:1

    ¶ When a man hath taken a wife, and married her, and it come to pass that she find no favour in his eyes, because he hath found some uncleanness in her: then let him write her a bill of divorcement, and give [it] in her hand, and send her out of his house.

  • Deuteronomy 24:4

    Her former husband, which sent her away, may not take her again to be his wife, after that she is defiled; for that [is] abomination before the LORD: and thou shalt not cause the land to sin, which the LORD thy God giveth thee [for] an inheritance.

  • Ezekiel 16:26

    Thou hast also committed fornication with the Egyptians thy neighbours, great of flesh; and hast increased thy whoredoms, to provoke me to anger.

  • Ezekiel 23:4

    And the names of them [were] Aholah the elder, and Aholibah her sister: and they were mine, and they bare sons and daughters. Thus [were] their names; Samaria [is] Aholah, and Jerusalem Aholibah.

  • Ezekiel 23:49

    And they shall recompense your lewdness upon you, and ye shall bear the sins of your idols: and ye shall know that I [am] the Lord GOD.

  • Hosea 14:1

    ¶ O Israel, return unto the LORD thy God; for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity.

  • Hosea 14:4

    ¶ I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him.

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