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A saying:[a] ‘Look, if a man divorces his wife,
    and she goes from him and she becomes another man’s wife,[b]
    will he return to her again?’
Will not that land be greatly defiled?
And you have prostituted yourself with many lovers,
    would you now return to me?” declares[c] Yahweh.
“Lift up your eyes at the barren heights,
    and see where you have not been ravished.
Beside the roads you sat for them like an Arab in the desert,[d]
    and you have defiled the land
with your fornication
    and with your wickedness.
Therefore rain showers have been withheld,
    and the spring rain has not come.
Yet you have[e] the forehead of a woman prostitute,
    you refuse to be ashamed.
Have you not just now called to me,
    ‘My father, you are the close friend of my youth?
Will he be angry forever?[f]
    Will he maintain it always’?[g]
Look, you have spoken,
    but you have done all the evil that you could.”[h]

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 3:1 Literally “to say”
  2. Jeremiah 3:1 Literally “and she becomes to a man another”
  3. Jeremiah 3:1 Literally “a declaration of”
  4. Jeremiah 3:2 Or “wilderness”
  5. Jeremiah 3:3 Literally “it is for you”
  6. Jeremiah 3:5 Literally “to eternity”
  7. Jeremiah 3:5 Literally “to duration”
  8. Jeremiah 3:5 Literally “you have done the evil and you were able”

[a]They say, If a man put away his wife, and she go from him, and become another man’s, will he return unto her again? will not that land be greatly polluted? But thou hast played the harlot with many lovers; [b]yet return again to me, saith Jehovah. Lift up thine eyes unto the bare heights, and see; where hast thou not been lain with? By the ways hast thou sat for them, as an 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; yet thou hadst a harlot’s forehead, thou refusedst to be ashamed. Wilt thou not from this time cry unto me, My Father, thou art the [c]guide of my youth? Will he retain his anger for ever? will he keep it to the end? Behold, thou [d]hast spoken and hast done evil things, and hast [e]had thy way.

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 3:1 Hebrew Saying.
  2. Jeremiah 3:1 Or, and thinkest thou to return etc.?
  3. Jeremiah 3:4 Or, companion
  4. Jeremiah 3:5 Or, hast spoken thus, but hast done etc.
  5. Jeremiah 3:5 Hebrew 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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