Jeremiah 3:20 — Meaning and Application

King James Version

“Surely {as} a wife treacherously departeth from her husband, so have ye dealt treacherously with me, O house of Israel, saith the LORD. {husband: Heb. friend}”

Jeremiah 3:20

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Understanding the surrounding verses prevents misinterpretation:

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. {with: or, to} {given...: or, caused your fathers to possess}

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. {from me: Heb. from after me} {a goodly...: Heb. an heritage of glory, or, beauty} {pleasant...: Heb. land of desire}

Surely {as} a wife treacherously departeth from her husband, so have ye dealt treacherously with me, O house of Israel, saith the LORD. {husband: Heb. friend}

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.

Return, ye backsliding children, {and} I will heal your backslidings. Behold, we come unto thee; for thou {art} the LORD our God.

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Jeremiah 3:1

"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. {They say: Heb. Saying}"

Jeremiah 3:2

"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."

Jeremiah 3:3

"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."

Jeremiah 3:4

"Wilt thou not from this time cry unto me, My father, thou {art} the guide of my youth?"

Jeremiah 3:5

"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."

Jeremiah 3:6

"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."

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