(A)“If[a] a man divorces his wife
    and she goes from him
and becomes another man's wife,
    will he return to her?
(B)Would not that land be greatly polluted?
(C)You have played the whore with many lovers;
    and would you return to me?
declares the Lord.
Lift up your eyes to (D)the bare heights, and see!
    Where have you not been ravished?
(E)By the waysides you have sat awaiting lovers
    like an Arab in the wilderness.
(F)You have polluted the land
    with your vile whoredom.
(G)Therefore the showers have been withheld,
    and the spring rain has not come;
yet you have (H)the forehead of a whore;
    you refuse to be ashamed.
Have you not just now (I)called to me,
    ‘My father, you are the friend of my youth—
(J)will he be angry forever,
    will he be indignant to the end?’
Behold, you have spoken,
    but you have done all the evil that you could.”

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 3:1 Septuagint, Syriac; Hebrew Saying, “If

The Defiled Land

God [a]says, “(A)If a husband divorces his wife
And she leaves him
And becomes another man’s wife,
Will he return to her again?
Would that land not be completely defiled?
But you (B)are a prostitute with many [b]lovers;
Yet you (C)turn to Me,” declares the Lord.
“Raise your eyes to the (D)bare heights and see;
Where have you not been violated?
You have (E)sat for them by the roads
Like an Arab in the desert,
And you have (F)defiled a land
With your prostitution and your wickedness.
Therefore the (G)showers have been withheld,
And there has been no spring rain.
Yet you had a (H)prostitute’s [c]forehead;
You refused to be ashamed.
Have you not just now called to Me,
(I)My Father, You are the (J)friend of my (K)youth?
(L)Will He be angry forever,
Or keep His anger to the end?’
Behold, you have spoken
And have done evil things,
And you have [d]had your own way.”

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 3:1 Lit saying
  2. Jeremiah 3:1 Lit companions
  3. Jeremiah 3:3 I.e., calloused appearance
  4. Jeremiah 3:5 Lit been able

“If a man divorces(A) his wife
    and she leaves him and marries another man,
should he return to her again?
    Would not the land be completely defiled?(B)
But you have lived as a prostitute with many lovers(C)
    would you now return to me?”(D)
declares the Lord.
“Look up to the barren heights(E) and see.
    Is there any place where you have not been ravished?
By the roadside(F) you sat waiting for lovers,
    sat like a nomad in the desert.
You have defiled the land(G)
    with your prostitution(H) and wickedness.
Therefore the showers have been withheld,(I)
    and no spring rains(J) have fallen.
Yet you have the brazen(K) look of a prostitute;
    you refuse to blush with shame.(L)
Have you not just called to me:
    ‘My Father,(M) my friend from my youth,(N)
will you always be angry?(O)
    Will your wrath continue forever?’
This is how you talk,
    but you do all the evil you can.”

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