Understand every verse you read with Bible Gateway Plus. Read Scripture ad-free and access trusted study tools beside every passage. Try it FREE for 7 days.
Log In/Sign Up

#
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.

22 “Return,(BM) faithless people;
I will cure(BN) you of backsliding.”(BO)

“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.”

#### Cross references

1. Jeremiah 3:1 : Dt 24:1-4
2. Jeremiah 3:1 : S Ge 3:17
3. Jeremiah 3:1 : S 2Ki 16:7; S Isa 1:21; Jer 2:20, 25; 4:30; La 1:2; Eze 16:26, 29; Hos 2:5, 12; 3:1
4. Jeremiah 3:1 : Hos 2:7
5. Jeremiah 3:2 : ver 21
6. Jeremiah 3:2 : Ge 38:14; Eze 16:25
7. Jeremiah 3:2 : ver 9
8. Jeremiah 3:2 : S Nu 15:39; S Isa 1:21
9. Jeremiah 3:3 : Lev 26:19; Jer 5:25; Am 4:7
10. Jeremiah 3:3 : S Dt 11:14; Jer 14:4; Joel 1:10
11. Jeremiah 3:3 : Eze 3:7; 16:30
12. Jeremiah 3:3 : Jer 6:15; 8:12; Zep 2:1; 3:5
13. Jeremiah 3:4 : ver 19; S Dt 32:6; S Ps 89:26; Isa 63:16; 64:8; Jer 31:9
14. Jeremiah 3:4 : S Jer 2:2
15. Jeremiah 3:5 : S Ps 103:9; S Isa 54:9
16. Jeremiah 3:6 : S 1Ch 3:14
17. Jeremiah 3:6 : ver 12, 22; S Isa 24:16; Jer 31:22; 49:4
18. Jeremiah 3:6 : S Dt 12:2; Jer 17:2; Eze 20:28; Hos 4:13
19. Jeremiah 3:6 : S Lev 17:7; Jer 2:20
20. Jeremiah 3:7 : Eze 16:46; 23:2, 11
21. Jeremiah 3:7 : Am 4:8
22. Jeremiah 3:8 : Jer 11:10
23. Jeremiah 3:8 : S Dt 4:27; S 24:1
24. Jeremiah 3:8 : Eze 16:47; 23:11
25. Jeremiah 3:9 : ver 2
26. Jeremiah 3:9 : S Lev 17:7; S Isa 1:21
27. Jeremiah 3:9 : S Isa 57:6
28. Jeremiah 3:9 : Jer 2:27
29. Jeremiah 3:10 : Isa 31:6; Am 4:9; Hag 2:17
30. Jeremiah 3:10 : Jer 12:2; Eze 33:31
31. Jeremiah 3:10 : S 2Ki 17:19
32. Jeremiah 3:11 : Eze 16:52; 23:11
33. Jeremiah 3:11 : ver 7
34. Jeremiah 3:11 : S Jer 2:19
35. Jeremiah 3:12 : 2Ki 17:3-6
36. Jeremiah 3:12 : ver 14; S Dt 4:30; Jer 31:21, 22; Eze 14:6; 33:11; Hos 14:1
37. Jeremiah 3:12 : S ver 6
38. Jeremiah 3:12 : S 1Ki 3:26; S Ps 6:2
39. Jeremiah 3:12 : S Ps 103:9; S Isa 54:9
40. Jeremiah 3:13 : Dt 30:1-3; Jer 14:20; 1Jn 1:9
41. Jeremiah 3:13 : S Jer 2:25
42. Jeremiah 3:13 : S Dt 12:2
43. Jeremiah 3:13 : ver 25; Jer 22:21
44. Jeremiah 3:14 : S ver 12; S Job 22:23; Jer 4:1
45. Jeremiah 3:14 : S Isa 54:5
46. Jeremiah 3:15 : S Isa 31:4
47. Jeremiah 3:15 : Ac 13:22
48. Jeremiah 3:16 : S Nu 3:31; S 1Ch 15:25
49. Jeremiah 3:16 : S Isa 65:17
50. Jeremiah 3:17 : S Ps 47:8; Jer 17:12; 33:16; Eze 1:26; 43:7; 48:35
51. Jeremiah 3:17 : S Isa 2:3; Mic 4:1
52. Jeremiah 3:17 : S Ps 22:23; Jer 13:11; 33:9
53. Jeremiah 3:17 : Ps 81:12; Jer 7:24; 9:14; 11:8; 13:10; 16:12; 18:12
54. Jeremiah 3:18 : Jer 30:3; Eze 37:19
55. Jeremiah 3:18 : S Isa 11:13; Jer 50:4
56. Jeremiah 3:18 : Jer 16:15; 31:8
57. Jeremiah 3:18 : Dt 31:7; S Isa 14:1; Eze 11:17; 37:22; Am 9:15
58. Jeremiah 3:19 : S Dt 8:7
59. Jeremiah 3:19 : Ps 106:24; Eze 20:6
60. Jeremiah 3:19 : S ver 4; S Ex 4:22; S 2Sa 7:14
61. Jeremiah 3:20 : S Isa 24:16
62. Jeremiah 3:21 : ver 2
63. Jeremiah 3:21 : Jer 31:18
64. Jeremiah 3:21 : S Isa 57:11
65. Jeremiah 3:22 : S ver 12; S Job 22:23
66. Jeremiah 3:22 : S Isa 30:26; 57:18; Jer 33:6; Hos 6:1
67. Jeremiah 3:22 : S Jer 2:19
68. Jeremiah 3:23 : S Jer 2:20
69. Jeremiah 3:23 : Ps 3:8; Jer 17:14
70. Jeremiah 3:24 : Jer 11:13; Hos 9:10
71. Jeremiah 3:25 : S Ezr 9:6; Jer 31:19; Da 9:7
72. Jeremiah 3:25 : S Jdg 10:10; S 1Ki 8:47
73. Jeremiah 3:25 : Jer 14:20
74. Jeremiah 3:25 : S Ps 25:7; S Jer 22:21
75. Jeremiah 3:25 : S ver 13; Eze 2:3

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.

### More on the NIV

- Unleash God's Word!

#### Bible Gateway Recommends

NIV, Radiant Virtues Bible: A Beautiful Word Collection, Red Letter Edition, Comfort Print: Explore the virtues of faith, hope, and love
Retail: $69.98
Our Price: $48.99
Save: $20.99 (30%)
Buy Now
NIV, Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible, Red Letter Edition: Bringing to Life the Ancient World of Scripture
Retail: $59.99
Our Price: $41.99
Save: $18.00 (30%)
Buy Now
NIV, Biblical Theology Study Bible, Comfort Print: Follow God’s Redemptive Plan as It Unfolds throughout Scripture
Retail: $59.99
Our Price: $41.99
Save: $18.00 (30%)
Buy Now
NIV Application Bible, Red Letter, Comfort Print: Bringing the Ancient Message of the Bible into Your World
Retail: $54.99
Our Price: $35.00
Save: $19.99 (36%)
Buy Now
NIV, Lucado Encouraging Word Bible, Comfort Print: Holy Bible, New International Version
Retail: $59.99
Our Price: $41.99
Save: $18.00 (30%)
Buy Now
NIV, Chronological Study Bible, Comfort Print: Holy Bible, New International Version
Retail: $49.99
Our Price: $34.99
Save: $15.00 (30%)
Buy Now
View more titles