Jeremiah 3:20

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

Surely {H403} as a wife {H802} treacherously {H898} departeth from her husband {H7453}, so have ye dealt treacherously {H898} with me, O house {H1004} of Israel {H3478}, saith {H5002} the LORD {H3068}.

But like a faithless woman who betrays her husband, you, house of Isra'el, have betrayed me," says ADONAI.'"

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

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

Commentary

Context of Jeremiah 3:20

The Prophet Jeremiah delivered his messages during a tumultuous period in Judah's history, spanning the reigns of several kings leading up to the Babylonian exile. Chapter 3, in particular, focuses on God's lament over Israel's deep-seated spiritual unfaithfulness, often personified as harlotry or spiritual adultery. God calls His people to repentance, reminding them of their covenant relationship with Him. This verse, Jeremiah 3:20, serves as a poignant summary of God's indictment against the "house of Israel" (referring to both the Northern Kingdom, already exiled, and the Southern Kingdom, Judah, which was following a similar path). It highlights the profound betrayal inherent in their idolatry and disobedience.

Key Themes and Messages

  • Covenant Betrayal: The central theme is Israel's betrayal of their covenant with the LORD. God had entered into a special relationship with Israel, often depicted as a marriage (as seen in Isaiah 54:5). Their turning to other gods and practices was a direct violation of their vows to Him.
  • Spiritual Adultery: The analogy of a wife "treacherously departeth from her husband" vividly portrays Israel's spiritual unfaithfulness as a form of adultery. Just as a wife's departure and infidelity wound her husband deeply, Israel's pursuit of idols grieved the heart of God. This imagery is a recurring motif in prophetic books, notably in the book of Hosea.
  • God's Personal Lament: The phrase "saith the LORD" underscores the divine speaker's personal pain and disappointment. God is not merely an abstract lawgiver but a loving, betrayed husband who feels the sting of His people's treachery. It speaks to God's deep emotional investment in His relationship with humanity.

Linguistic Insights

The King James Version's use of "treacherously departeth" and "dealt treacherously" translates the Hebrew word bagad (Χ‘ΦΈΦΌΧ’Φ·Χ“). This term carries a strong connotation of breaking faith, acting deceitfully, or betraying a trust. It implies a deliberate and profound breach of a relationship, particularly a covenantal one. Unlike a simple mistake or accidental transgression, bagad signifies a willful act of disloyalty that shatters the foundation of trust. Its repetition emphasizes the severity and deliberateness of Israel's actions against God.

Practical Application

Jeremiah 3:20 serves as a powerful reminder for believers today about the nature of our relationship with God.

  • Examine Faithfulness: We are called to examine our own hearts. Do we, like ancient Israel, allow other loyalties, desires, or idols (materialism, worldly success, self-worship) to take precedence over our devotion to God?
  • God's Enduring Love: Despite Israel's treachery, God's lament is also an invitation to repentance and restoration, as seen in the broader context of Jeremiah 3. This highlights God's steadfast love and willingness to forgive those who return to Him, echoing principles found in 2 Timothy 2:13.
  • Call to Repentance: The verse implicitly calls us to acknowledge any areas of unfaithfulness and to turn back to God with sincere hearts, seeking His forgiveness and recommitting to our covenant with Him through Christ.
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Cross-References

  • Isaiah 48:8

    Yea, thou heardest not; yea, thou knewest not; yea, from that time [that] thine ear was not opened: for I knew that thou wouldest deal very treacherously, and wast called a transgressor from the womb.

  • Jeremiah 5:11

    For the house of Israel and the house of Judah have dealt very treacherously against me, saith the LORD.

  • Hosea 5:7

    They have dealt treacherously against the LORD: for they have begotten strange children: now shall a month devour them with their portions.

  • Jeremiah 3:1

    ΒΆ 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.

  • Jeremiah 3:2

    Lift up thine eyes unto the high places, and see where thou hast not been lien with. In the ways hast thou sat for them, as the Arabian in the wilderness; and thou hast polluted the land with thy whoredoms and with thy wickedness.

  • Jeremiah 3:8

    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.

  • Jeremiah 3:10

    And yet for all this her treacherous sister Judah hath not turned unto me with her whole heart, but feignedly, saith the LORD.