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Jeremiah 3
English Standard Version
Jeremiah 3
English Standard Version
3 (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.
2 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.
3 (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.
4 Have you not just now (I)called to me,
‘My father, you are the friend of my youth—
5 (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.”
Faithless Israel Called to Repentance
6 The Lord said to me in the days of (K)King Josiah: “Have you seen what she did, that faithless one, Israel, (L)how she went up on every high hill and under every green tree, and there (M)played the whore? 7 And I thought, ‘After she has done all this she will return to me,’ but she did not return, and her treacherous (N)sister Judah saw it. 8 She saw that for all the adulteries of that faithless one, Israel, (O)I had sent her away with (P)a decree of divorce. (Q)Yet her treacherous sister Judah did not fear, but she too went (R)and played the whore. 9 Because she took her whoredom lightly, she polluted the land, committing adultery with (S)stone and tree. 10 Yet for all this her treacherous sister Judah did not return to me (T)with her whole heart, but in pretense, declares the Lord.”
11 And the Lord said to me, (U)“Faithless Israel has shown herself more righteous than treacherous Judah. 12 Go, and proclaim these words toward (V)the north, and say,
(W)“‘Return, faithless Israel,
declares the Lord.
I will not look on you in anger,
for (X)I am merciful,
declares the Lord;
(Y)I will not be angry forever.
13 (Z)Only acknowledge your guilt,
that you rebelled against the Lord your God
and scattered your favors among foreigners under (AA)every green tree,
and that you have not obeyed my voice,
declares the Lord.
14 (AB)Return, O faithless children,
declares the Lord;
(AC)for I am your master;
I will take you, one from a city and two from a family,
and I will bring you to Zion.
15 “‘And (AD)I will give you shepherds after my own heart, (AE)who will feed you with knowledge and understanding. 16 And when you have multiplied and been fruitful in the land, in those days, declares the Lord, they shall no more say, “The ark of the covenant of the Lord.” It shall not come to mind or be remembered or missed; it shall not be made again. 17 At that time Jerusalem shall be called the throne of the Lord, (AF)and all nations shall gather to it, (AG)to the presence of the Lord in Jerusalem, and they shall no more stubbornly follow their own evil heart. 18 (AH)In those days the house of Judah shall join the house of Israel, and together they shall come from the land (AI)of the north to (AJ)the land that I gave your fathers for a heritage.
19 “‘I said,
How I would set you among my sons,
and give you a pleasant land,
a heritage most beautiful of all nations.
And I thought you would (AK)call me, My Father,
and would not turn from following me.
20 (AL)Surely, as a treacherous wife leaves her husband,
so have you been treacherous to me, O house of Israel,
declares the Lord.’”
21 A voice on the (AM)bare heights is heard,
(AN)the weeping and pleading of Israel's sons
because they have perverted their way;
they have forgotten the Lord their God.
22 (AO)“Return, O faithless sons;
(AP)I will heal your faithlessness.”
“Behold, we come to you,
for you are the Lord our God.
23 Truly (AQ)the hills are a delusion,
the orgies[b] on the mountains.
(AR)Truly in the Lord our God
is the salvation of Israel.
24 “But from our youth the shameful thing has devoured all for which our fathers labored, their flocks and their herds, their sons and their daughters. 25 (AS)Let us lie down in our shame, and let our dishonor cover us. For (AT)we have sinned against the Lord our God, we and our fathers, from our youth even to this day, and we have not obeyed the voice of the Lord our God.”
Footnotes
- Jeremiah 3:1 Septuagint, Syriac; Hebrew Saying, “If
- Jeremiah 3:23 Hebrew commotion
Jeremiah 3
New International Version
Jeremiah 3
New International Version
3 “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.
2 “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.
3 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)
4 Have you not just called to me:
‘My Father,(M) my friend from my youth,(N)
5 will you always be angry?(O)
Will your wrath continue forever?’
This is how you talk,
but you do all the evil you can.”
Unfaithful Israel
6 During the reign of King Josiah,(P) the Lord said to me, “Have you seen what faithless(Q) Israel has done? She has gone up on every high hill and under every spreading tree(R) and has committed adultery(S) there. 7 I thought that after she had done all this she would return to me but she did not, and her unfaithful sister(T) Judah saw it.(U) 8 I gave faithless Israel(V) her certificate of divorce(W) and sent her away because of all her adulteries. Yet I saw that her unfaithful sister Judah had no fear;(X) she also went out and committed adultery. 9 Because Israel’s immorality mattered so little to her, she defiled the land(Y) and committed adultery(Z) with stone(AA) and wood.(AB) 10 In spite of all this, her unfaithful sister Judah did not return(AC) to me with all her heart, but only in pretense,(AD)” declares the Lord.(AE)
11 The Lord said to me, “Faithless Israel is more righteous(AF) than unfaithful(AG) Judah.(AH) 12 Go, proclaim this message toward the north:(AI)
“‘Return,(AJ) faithless(AK) Israel,’ declares the Lord,
‘I will frown on you no longer,
for I am faithful,’(AL) declares the Lord,
‘I will not be angry(AM) forever.
13 Only acknowledge(AN) your guilt—
you have rebelled against the Lord your God,
you have scattered your favors to foreign gods(AO)
under every spreading tree,(AP)
and have not obeyed(AQ) me,’”
declares the Lord.
14 “Return,(AR) faithless people,” declares the Lord, “for I am your husband.(AS) I will choose you—one from a town and two from a clan—and bring you to Zion. 15 Then I will give you shepherds(AT) after my own heart,(AU) who will lead you with knowledge and understanding. 16 In those days, when your numbers have increased greatly in the land,” declares the Lord, “people will no longer say, ‘The ark(AV) of the covenant of the Lord.’ It will never enter their minds or be remembered;(AW) it will not be missed, nor will another one be made. 17 At that time they will call Jerusalem The Throne(AX) of the Lord, and all nations(AY) will gather in Jerusalem to honor(AZ) the name of the Lord. No longer will they follow the stubbornness of their evil hearts.(BA) 18 In those days the people of Judah will join the people of Israel,(BB) and together(BC) they will come from a northern(BD) land to the land(BE) I gave your ancestors as an inheritance.
19 “I myself said,
“‘How gladly would I treat you like my children
and give you a pleasant land,(BF)
the most beautiful inheritance(BG) of any nation.’
I thought you would call me ‘Father’(BH)
and not turn away from following me.
20 But like a woman unfaithful to her husband,
so you, Israel, have been unfaithful(BI) to me,”
declares the Lord.
21 A cry is heard on the barren heights,(BJ)
the weeping(BK) and pleading of the people of Israel,
because they have perverted their ways
and have forgotten(BL) the Lord their God.
“Yes, we will come to you,
for you are the Lord our God.
23 Surely the idolatrous commotion on the hills(BP)
and mountains is a deception;
surely in the Lord our God
is the salvation(BQ) of Israel.
24 From our youth shameful(BR) gods have consumed
the fruits of our ancestors’ labor—
their flocks and herds,
their sons and daughters.
25 Let us lie down in our shame,(BS)
and let our disgrace cover us.
We have sinned(BT) against the Lord our God,
both we and our ancestors;(BU)
from our youth(BV) till this day
we have not obeyed(BW) the Lord our God.”
Jeremías 3
Reina-Valera Antigua
Jeremías 3
Reina-Valera Antigua
3 DICEN: Si alguno dejare su mujer, y yéndose ésta de él se juntare á otro hombre, ¿volverá á ella más? ¿no será tal tierra del todo amancillada? Tú pues has fornicado con muchos amigos; mas vuélvete á mí, dijo Jehová.
2 Alza tus ojos á los altos, y ve en qué lugar no te hayas publicado: para ellos te sentabas en los caminos, como Arabe en el desierto; y con tus fornicaciones y con tu malicia has contaminado la tierra.
3 Por esta causa las aguas han sido detenidas, y faltó la lluvia de la tarde; y has tenido frente de mala mujer, ni quisiste tener vergüenza.
4 A lo menos desde ahora, ¿no clamarás á mí, Padre mío, guiador de mi juventud?
5 ¿Guardará su enojo para siempre? ¿eternalmente lo guardará? He aquí que has hablado y hecho cuantas maldades pudiste.
6 Y díjome Jehová en días del rey Josías: ¿Has visto lo que ha hecho la rebelde Israel? Vase ella sobre todo monte alto y debajo de todo árbol umbroso, y allí fornica.
7 Y dije después que hizo todo esto: Vuélvete á mí; mas no se volvió. Y vió la rebelde su hermana Judá.
8 Que yo lo había visto; que por todas estas causas en las cuales fornicó la rebelde Israel, yo la había despedido, y dádole la carta de su repudio; y no tuvo temor la rebelde Judá su hermana, sino que también fué ella y fornicó.
9 Y sucedió que por la liviandad de su fornicación la tierra fué contaminada, y adulteró con la piedra y con el leño.
10 Y con todo esto, la rebelde su hermana Judá no se tornó á mí de todo su corazón, sino mentirosamente, dice Jehová.
11 Y díjome Jehová: Justificado ha su alma la rebelde Israel en comparación de la desleal Judá.
12 Ve, y clama estas palabras hacia el aquilón, y di: Vuélvete, oh rebelde Israel, dice Jehová; no haré caer mi ira sobre vosotros: porque misericordioso soy yo, dice Jehová, no guardaré para siempre el enojo.
13 Conoce empero tu maldad, porque contra Jehová tu Dios has prevaricado, y tus caminos has derramado á los extraños debajo de todo árbol umbroso, y no oiste mi voz, dice Jehová.
14 Convertíos, hijos rebeldes, dice Jehová, porque yo soy vuestro esposo: y os tomaré uno de una ciudad, y dos de una familia, y os introduciré en Sión;
15 Y os daré pastores según mi corazón, que os apacienten de ciencia y de inteligencia.
16 Y acontecerá, que cuando os multiplicareis y creciereis en la tierra, en aquellos días, dice Jehová, no se dirá más: Arca del pacto de Jehová; ni vendrá al pensamiento, ni se acordarán de ella, ni la visitarán, ni se hará más.
17 En aquel tiempo llamarán á Jerusalem Trono de Jehová, y todas las gentes se congregarán á ella en el nombre de Jehová en Jerusalem: ni andarán más tras la dureza de su corazón malvado.
18 En aquellos tiempos irán de la casa de Judá á la casa de Israel, y vendrán juntamente de tierra del aquilón á la tierra que hice heredar á vuestros padres.
19 Yo empero dije: ¿Cómo te pondré por hijos, y te daré la tierra deseable, la rica heredad de los ejércitos de las gentes? Y dije: Padre mío me llamarás, y no te apartarás de en pos de mí.
20 Mas como la esposa quiebra la fe de su compañero, así prevaricasteis contra mí, oh casa de Israel, dice Jehová.
21 Voz sobre las alturas fué oída, llanto de los ruegos de los hijos de Israel; porque han torcido su camino, de Jehová su Dios se han olvidado.
22 Convertíos, hijos rebeldes, sanaré vuestras rebeliones. He aquí nosotros venimos á tí; porque tú eres Jehová nuestro Dios.
23 Ciertamente vanidad son los collados, la multitud de los montes: ciertamente en Jehová nuestro Dios está la salud de Israel.
24 Confusión consumió el trabajo de nuestros padres desde nuestra mocedad; sus ovejas, sus vacas, sus hijos y sus hijas.
25 Yacemos en nuestra confusión, y nuestra afrenta nos cubre: porque pecamos contra Jehová nuestro Dios, nosotros y nuestros padres, desde nuestra juventud y hasta este día; y no hemos escuchado la voz de Jehová nuestro Dios.
Jeremiah 3
King James Version
Jeremiah 3
King James Version
3 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.
2 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.
3 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.
4 Wilt thou not from this time cry unto me, My father, thou art the guide of my youth?
5 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.
6 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.
7 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.
8 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.
9 And it came to pass through the lightness of her whoredom, that she defiled the land, and committed adultery with stones and with stocks.
10 And yet for all this her treacherous sister Judah hath not turned unto me with her whole heart, but feignedly, saith the Lord.
11 And the Lord said unto me, The backsliding Israel hath justified herself more than treacherous Judah.
12 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.
13 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.
14 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:
15 And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.
16 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.
17 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.
18 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.
19 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.
20 Surely as a wife treacherously departeth from her husband, so have ye dealt treacherously with me, O house of Israel, saith the Lord.
21 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.
22 Return, ye backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings. Behold, we come unto thee; for thou art the Lord our God.
23 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.
24 For shame hath devoured the labour of our fathers from our youth; their flocks and their herds, their sons and their daughters.
25 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.
English Standard Version (ESV) 
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
Reina-Valera Antigua (RVA)