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 = [It is a common] saying. Reference to Pentateuch (Deuteronomy 24:1-4 ).
yet return again to Me = yet [thinkest thou to] return, &c. It was contrary to the law of Deuteronomy 24:1-4 . It will be the new Israel of Matthew 21:43 of a yet future day. God never mends what man has marred. This is the lesson of the potter's house. See Jeremiah 18:1-4 .
to Me. See Jeremiah 3:7 ; Jeremiah 4:1 .
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.
Therefore the showers have been withholden, and there hath been no latter rain; and thou hadst a whore's forehead, thou refusedst to be ashamed.
showers . . . withholden. Reference to Pentateuch (Leviticus 26:19 . Deuteronomy 11:17 ; Deuteronomy 28:23 ). App-92 .
forehead. Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Adjunct), for impudence.
Wilt thou not from this time cry unto me, My father, thou art the guide of my youth?
Guide = Friend.
Will he reserve his anger for ever? will he keep it to the end? Behold, thou hast spoken and done evil things as thou couldest.
reserve. Hebrew. natar. Occurs in Jer. only here and in Jeremiah 3:12 ("keep").
His anger. Figure of speech Ellipsis (Absolute). App-6 .
evil things = the evil things. Hebrew. ra'a', as in Jeremiah 3:2 .
as thou couldest: or, hast had thy way.
The LORD said also unto me in the days of Josiah the king, Hast thou seen that which backsliding Israel hath done? she is gone up upon every high mountain and under every green tree, and there hath played the harlot.
Jeremiah 3:6-25 ; Jeremiah 4:1-4 is Jeremiah's Fifth prophecy. (see Book comments for Jeremiah).
in the days of Josiah. This must be noted to understand the context.
Israel. Here refers to the Northern Kingdom. In Jeremiah it usually refers to the whole nation.
mountain . . . tree. Compare Jeremiah 2:20 , and Hosea 4:13 .
played the harlot. The whole of this refers to idolatry, chiefly because of the uncleanness connected with the phallic worship of the Canaanitish nations.
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.
Turn thou unto Me: or, "Unto Me she will return".
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.
And I saw. In transcribing from the ancient characters, Aleph (= a) was perhaps taken for Tau (= t), the two letters differing only in one minute stroke (=) and (=). This shows that the primitive reading was = "Though she saw". The Vulg, has preserved the ancient reading, which the Revised Version has put in the margin.
given her a bill, &c. Reference to Pentateuch (Deuteronomy 24:1 ). Compare Isaiah 50:1 .Mark 10:4 .
And it came to pass through the lightness of her whoredom, that she defiled the land, and committed adultery with stones and with stocks.
stones . . . stocks. Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Cause), App-6 , for the idols made from them.
And yet for all this her treacherous sister Judah hath not turned unto me with her whole heart, but feignedly, saith the LORD.
feignedly = in falsehood. The reformation was Josiah's. The People's heart was not changed.
And the LORD said unto me, The backsliding Israel hath justified herself more than treacherous Judah.
justified herself. Compare Ezekiel 16:51 , Ezekiel 16:52 .
Go and proclaim these words toward the north, and say, Return, thou backsliding Israel, saith the LORD; and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you: for I am merciful, saith the LORD, and I will not keep anger for ever.
toward the north = toward the Northern Kingdom of Israel.
cause Mine anger to fall upon you. Hebrew cause My face, or countenance, to fall. Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Effect), for the anger manifested by it. Reference to Pentateuch (Genesis 4:5 , Genesis 4:6 ).
merciful = gracious, favourable.
keep. See note on "reserve", Jeremiah 3:5 .
Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the LORD thy God, and hast scattered thy ways to the strangers under every green tree, and ye have not obeyed my voice, saith the LORD.
Only acknowledge, &c. This from the first was, and still is, the one condition of national blessing for Israel. Reference to Pentateuch (Leviticus 26:40 , Leviticus 26:42 ).
transgressed = rebelled.
scattered thy ways = gone hither and thither.
strangers = foreigners.
every green tree. Referring to the worship of the Asherah ( App-42 ).
Turn, O backsliding children, saith the LORD; for I am married unto you: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion:
Turn = Return, as in verses: Jeremiah 3:12 , Jeremiah 3:22 .
married = am become your husband. This will be the result of the Restoration here promised.
family. Probably a family, or group of cities.
And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.
pastors. Literally shepherds; but used in Jeremiah of kings, priests, and prophets, who were the guides of the people. See Jeremiah 2:8 ; Jeremiah 3:15 ; Jeremiah 10:21 ; Jeremiah 23:1 , Jeremiah 23:2 , Jeremiah 23:4 ; Jeremiah 25:34 ; Jer 35:36 .
And it shall come to pass, when ye be multiplied and increased in the land, in those days, saith the LORD, they shall say no more, The ark of the covenant of the LORD: neither shall it come to mind: neither shall they remember it; neither shall they visit it; neither shall that be done any more.
in those days: i.e. the days of the Restoration spoken of in verses: Jeremiah 3:14 , Jeremiah 3:15 . Compare Jeremiah 31:38-40 ; Jeremiah 33:13 .
they: i.e. those who return.
shall say no more, 'The ark', &c. The ark was still in the land in the days of this prophecy (2 Chronicles 35:3 ); but it was to disappear with the broken covenant, of which it was the symbol.
The ark of the covenant of the LORD. Reference to Pentateuch, (see notes on Exodus 25:22 ). Compare note on 1 Chronicles 13:3 ).
visit it. This is conclusive of the fact that it was burnt together with the Temple (as it is not included in the excepted things, in 2 Kings 25:9 , 2 Kings 25:13-15 ), notwithstanding the Jewish tradition recorded in 2 Macc. 2:4-8, and the impossible stories of its being taken over to North Africa, Constantinople, or Ireland.
neither shall that be done, &c. = neither shall it be made any more. It disappeared together with the covenant, of which it was the symbol (Jeremiah 8:19 ; Jeremiah 12:7 . Psalms 132:13 , Psalms 132:14 ). The reason follows in Jeremiah 3:17 . Jehovah's throne will be substituted for it: the reality will take the place of the symbol. Jehovah Himself will take the place of the Shekinah.
At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the LORD; and all the nations shall be gathered unto it, to the name of the LORD, to Jerusalem: neither shall they walk any more after the imagination of their evil heart.
At that time. Referring to the future Restoration.
call Jerusalem, &c. Compare Psalms 87:2-7 . Isaiah 60:1 ; Isaiah 65:18 ; Isaiah 66:7-13 , Isaiah 66:20 .
throne. Compare Jeremiah 14:21 . 1 Samuel 2:8 . Psalms 47:8 with Matthew 25:31 and Zephaniah 3:8 .
all the nations. This shows that the prophecy refers to the yet future Restoration. Compare Jeremiah 1:5 , Jeremiah 1:10 .
the name, &c. See note on Psalms 20:1 .
imagination = stubbornness. The word is used eight times by Jeremiah, but is found nowhere else outside the Pentateuch, except in Psalms 81:12 . Compare Jeremiah 7:24 . The reference to Pent, is in Deuteronomy 29:19 .
In those days the house of Judah shall walk with the house of Israel, and they shall come together out of the land of the north to the land that I have given for an inheritance unto your fathers.
In those days. Still referring to the future Restoration.
the house of Judah. This expression occurs eleven times in this book: here; Jeremiah 5:11 ; Jeremiah 11:10 , Jeremiah 11:17 ; Jeremiah 12:14 ; Jeremiah 13:11 ; Jeremiah 22:6 ; Jeremiah 31:27 , Jeremiah 31:31 ; Jeremiah 33:14 ; Jeremiah 36:3 .
walk with = go unto.
the house of Israel. See note on Jeremiah 2:4 .
and they shall = that they may.
come = enter.
together: or, at the same time.
But I said, How shall I put thee among the children, and give thee a pleasant land, a goodly heritage of the hosts of nations? and I said, Thou shalt call me, My father; and shalt not turn away from me.
children = sons.
a pleasant land. Hebrew a land of desire: i.e. to be desired.
Surely as a wife treacherously departeth from her husband, so have ye dealt treacherously with me, O house of Israel, saith the LORD.
husband = guide, or friend, as in Jeremiah 3:4 .
A voice was heard upon the high places, weeping and supplications of the children of Israel: for they have perverted their way, and they have forgotten the LORD their God.
the high places = the places where they had sinned. Compare Jeremiah 3:2 .
for = because.
Return, ye backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings. Behold, we come unto thee; for thou art the LORD our God.
Behold. Figure of speech Asterismos , to mark the confession that will be made "in those days".
Truly in vain is salvation hoped for from the hills, and from the multitude of mountains: truly in the LORD our God is the salvation of Israel.
Truly = Thus continuing her confession.
in vain, &c. = as certainly as the hills [have proved] false, and the noisy throng on the mountains fan empty sound], so truly is the salvation of Israel with our God. The "hills" and "mountains" are put by the Figure of speech Metonymy (of Subject), for the idolatry practiced on them. Compare Ezekiel 18:6 , Ezekiel 18:11 , Ezekiel 18:15 .
For shame hath devoured the labour of our fathers from our youth; their flocks and their herds, their sons and their daughters.
shame = the shameful thing, "shame" being put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Effect), for the Asherah which put them to shame (Jeremiah 3:25 ). See App-42 .
labour. Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Cause), for all that had been produced by labour.
their sons. Some codices, with two early printed editions, Aramaean, Septuagint, and Syriac, read "and their", thus completing the Figure of speech Polysyndeton, to emphasize the completeness of the Restoration.
We lie down in our shame, and our confusion covereth us: for we have sinned against the LORD our God, we and our fathers, from our youth even unto this day, and have not obeyed the voice of the LORD our God.
