Jeremiah 3:1–10

WAGES OF APOSTASY

3If^B a man divorces his wife

and she leaves him to marry another,

can he ever return to her?^aa

Wouldn’t such a land^C become totally defiled?

But you!

You have prostituted yourself with many partners^ab—

can you return to me?^ac

This is the Lord’s declaration.

²Look to the barren heights^a and see.

Where have you not been immoral?

You sat waiting for them beside the highways^b

like a nomad in the desert.

You have defiled the land

with your prostitution and wickedness.^c

³This is why the showers haven’t come^d—

why there has been no spring rain.

You have the brazen look^e of a prostitute^D

and refuse to be ashamed.^f

⁴Haven’t you recently called to me, “My Father!^g

You were my friend in my youth.^h

⁵Will he bear a grudge forever?ⁱ

Will he be endlessly infuriated?”

This is what you have said,

but you have done the evil things

you are capable of.

UNFAITHFUL ISRAEL, TREACHEROUS JUDAH

⁶In the days of King Josiah the Lord asked me, “Have you seen what unfaithful Israel has done? She has ascended every high hill and gone under every green tree to prostitute herself there.^{j 7}I thought, ‘After she has done all these things, she will return to me.’^k But she didn’t return, and her treacherous sister Judah^l saw it. ⁸I^E observed that it was because unfaithful Israel had committed adultery that I had sent her away and had given her a certificate of divorce.^m Nevertheless, her treacherous sister Judah was not afraid but also went and prostituted herself.^{n 9}Indifferent to^A her prostitution, she defiled the land and committed adultery with stones^o and trees.^{p 10}Yet in spite of all this, her treacherous sister Judah didn’t return to me with all her heart^q—only in pretense.”

This is the Lord’s declaration.