3:6 3:6

Jeremiah 3:7

3:8 3:8

Bible Versions

And I said after she had done all these [things], Turn thou unto me. But she returned not. And her treacherous sister Judah saw [it].
And I said {H559} after {H310} she had done {H6213} all these things, Turn {H7725} thou unto me. But she returned {H7725} not. And her treacherous {H901} sister {H269} Judah {H3063} saw {H7200} it.
I said that after she had done all these things, she would return to me; but she hasn't returned. Meanwhile, her unfaithful sister Y'hudah has been watching.
I thought that after she had done all these things, she would return to Me. But she did not return, and her unfaithful sister Judah saw it.
And I said after she had done all these things, She will return unto me; but she returned not: and her treacherous sister Judah saw it.

Jeremiah 3:7 delves into the painful reality of Israel's persistent unfaithfulness and God's compassionate, yet unheeded, call for their return. The prophet describes the Lord's plea to the Northern Kingdom of Israel (referred to as "she" or "backsliding Israel" throughout this chapter) to repent from their extensive idolatry and spiritual harlotry, which had become deeply ingrained in their national life.

Context

This verse is part of a larger prophetic message from Jeremiah, delivered during the late 7th century BC, primarily to the Southern Kingdom of Judah. It looks back at the historical trajectory of Israel, who had already been conquered and exiled by Assyria (around 722 BC) due to their severe and continuous sin against the Lord. Despite God's repeated warnings and His patience, Israel had consistently broken the covenant established at Mount Sinai, engaging in widespread worship of pagan deities like Baal and Asherah. Jeremiah highlights that even after Israel had committed "all these [things]" – a reference to their extreme spiritual infidelity – God still extended an invitation to "Turn thou unto me," demonstrating His profound mercy and desire for reconciliation.

Key Themes

  • God's Persistent Grace: The phrase "Turn thou unto me" showcases God's enduring patience and unfailing love, offering an opportunity for repentance even after severe and prolonged rebellion. This reflects His character as a God who desires reconciliation, not destruction (Ezekiel 33:11).
  • Stubborn Rebellion: "But she returned not" tragically reveals Israel's hardened heart and their refusal to heed God's gracious invitations. Their spiritual adultery was not merely a lapse but a deliberate and sustained rejection of their covenant relationship with the Lord.
  • Judah's Failure to Learn: The introduction of "her treacherous sister Judah" is a critical point. Judah, the Southern Kingdom, had witnessed Israel's apostasy, the divine warnings, and ultimately, the devastating consequences of their disobedience (exile). Yet, Judah did not learn from this clear example. Their sin was compounded by the fact that they had the benefit of hindsight, making their own unfaithfulness even more egregious (Jeremiah 3:10).
  • Spiritual Adultery and Covenant Breach: The imagery throughout Jeremiah 3 consistently portrays Israel's idolatry as a wife's infidelity against her husband, emphasizing the profound betrayal of their covenant with God.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew word translated "treacherous" (often rendered "faithless" or "unfaithful" in other translations) is bagad (בָּגַד). This term signifies a deep betrayal, a breach of trust, or acting faithlessly against a covenant partner. When applied to Judah, it emphasizes that their actions were not merely negligent but a deliberate and profound violation of their sacred relationship with God, made worse by their awareness of Israel's fate.

Practical Application

Jeremiah 3:7 offers powerful lessons for believers today. It reminds us of God's incredible patience and His continuous call to turn from our own forms of spiritual compromise or "backsliding."

  • Do we genuinely respond to God's invitations for deeper commitment and repentance, or do we exhibit a similar stubbornness as ancient Israel?
  • Are we attentive to the warnings and consequences that befall others (or even ourselves in the past), learning from them and avoiding similar pitfalls, or do we, like Judah, remain oblivious and repeat mistakes?

This verse underscores the call for genuine repentance and the importance of a heart that is truly responsive to the Lord's voice, seeking to honor Him in all areas of life, rather than engaging in spiritual treachery.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Ezekiel 16:46

    And thine elder sister [is] Samaria, she and her daughters that dwell at thy left hand: and thy younger sister, that dwelleth at thy right hand, [is] Sodom and her daughters.

  • Ezekiel 23:2

    Son of man, there were two women, the daughters of one mother:

  • 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.

  • Hosea 6:1

    ¶ Come, and let us return unto the LORD: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up.

  • Hosea 6:4

    ¶ O Ephraim, what shall I do unto thee? O Judah, what shall I do unto thee? for your goodness [is] as a morning cloud, and as the early dew it goeth away.

  • 2 Kings 17:13

    Yet the LORD testified against Israel, and against Judah, by all the prophets, [and by] all the seers, saying, Turn ye from your evil ways, and keep my commandments [and] my statutes, according to all the law which I commanded your fathers, and which I sent to you by my servants the prophets.

  • 2 Kings 17:14

    Notwithstanding they would not hear, but hardened their necks, like to the neck of their fathers, that did not believe in the LORD their God.
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