Wages of Apostasy

If[a] a man divorces his wife
and she leaves him to marry another,
can he ever return to her?(A)
Wouldn’t such a land[b] become totally defiled?
But you!
You have prostituted yourself with many partners(B)
can you return to me?(C)
This is the Lord’s declaration.
Look to the barren heights(D) and see.
Where have you not been immoral?
You sat waiting for them beside the highways(E)
like a nomad in the desert.
You have defiled the land
with your prostitution and wickedness.(F)
This is why the showers haven’t come(G)
why there has been no spring rain.
You have the brazen look(H) of a prostitute[c]
and refuse to be ashamed.(I)
Haven’t you recently called to me, “My Father!(J)
You were my friend in my youth.(K)
Will he bear a grudge forever?(L)
Will he be endlessly infuriated?”
This is what you have said,
but you have done the evil things
you are capable of.

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Footnotes

  1. 3:1 One Hb ms, LXX, Syr; other Hb mss read Saying: If
  2. 3:1 LXX reads woman
  3. 3:3 Lit have a prostitute’s forehead

(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