Jeremiah 3:11-22
English Standard Version
11 And the Lord said to me, (A)“Faithless Israel has shown herself more righteous than treacherous Judah. 12 Go, and proclaim these words toward (B)the north, and say,
(C)“‘Return, faithless Israel,
declares the Lord.
I will not look on you in anger,
for (D)I am merciful,
declares the Lord;
(E)I will not be angry forever.
13 (F)Only acknowledge your guilt,
that you rebelled against the Lord your God
and scattered your favors among foreigners under (G)every green tree,
and that you have not obeyed my voice,
declares the Lord.
14 (H)Return, O faithless children,
declares the Lord;
(I)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 (J)I will give you shepherds after my own heart, (K)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, (L)and all nations shall gather to it, (M)to the presence of the Lord in Jerusalem, and they shall no more stubbornly follow their own evil heart. 18 (N)In those days the house of Judah shall join the house of Israel, and together they shall come from the land (O)of the north to (P)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 (Q)call me, My Father,
and would not turn from following me.
20 (R)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 (S)bare heights is heard,
(T)the weeping and pleading of Israel's sons
because they have perverted their way;
they have forgotten the Lord their God.
22 (U)“Return, O faithless sons;
(V)I will heal your faithlessness.”
“Behold, we come to you,
for you are the Lord our God.
Jeremiah 3:11-22
Holman Christian Standard Bible
11 The Lord announced to me, “Unfaithful Israel has shown herself more righteous than treacherous Judah.(A) 12 Go, proclaim these words to the north, and say:
Return, unfaithful Israel.(B)
This is the Lord’s declaration.
I will not look on you with anger,[a]
for I am unfailing in My love.(C)
This is the Lord’s declaration.
I will not be angry forever.(D)
13 Only acknowledge your guilt(E)—
you have rebelled against the Lord your God.(F)
You have scattered your favors to strangers
under every green tree(G)
and have not obeyed My voice.
This is the Lord’s declaration.
14 “Return, you faithless children”(H)—this is the Lord’s declaration—“for I am your master,(I) and I will take you,(J) one from a city and two from a family, and I will bring you to Zion. 15 I will give you shepherds who are loyal to Me,[b](K) and they will shepherd you with knowledge and skill. 16 When you multiply and increase in the land,(L) in those days”—the Lord’s declaration—“no one will say any longer, ‘The ark of the Lord’s covenant.’(M) It will never come to mind, and no one will remember or miss it. It will never again be made. 17 At that time Jerusalem will be called, Yahweh’s Throne,(N) and all the nations will be gathered to it,(O) to the name of Yahweh in Jerusalem.(P) They will cease to follow the stubbornness of their evil hearts. 18 In those days the house of Judah will join with the house of Israel,(Q) and they will come together from the land of the north to the land I have given your ancestors to inherit.”(R)
True Repentance
19 I thought: How I long to make you My sons
and give you a desirable land,
the most beautiful inheritance(S) of all the nations.
I thought: You will call Me, my Father,
and never turn away from Me.
20 However, as a woman may betray her lover,[c]
so you have betrayed(T) Me, house of Israel.
This is the Lord’s declaration.
21 A sound is heard on the barren heights,
the children of Israel weeping and begging for mercy,
for they have perverted their way;
they have forgotten the Lord their God.(U)
22 Return, you faithless children.
I will heal your unfaithfulness.(V)
“Here we are, coming to You,
for You are the Lord our God.
Footnotes
- Jeremiah 3:12 Lit not cause My face to fall on you
- Jeremiah 3:15 Lit shepherds according to My heart
- Jeremiah 3:20 Lit friend
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
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