Discovery BoxJeremiah 3:11
Context3:11 Then the Lord said to me, “Under the circumstances, wayward Israel could even be considered less guilty than unfaithful Judah. 1
Jeremiah 8:5
Context8:5 Why, then, do these people of Jerusalem 2
continually turn away from me in apostasy?
They hold fast to their deception. 3
They refuse to turn back to me. 4
Jeremiah 3:6
Context3:6 When Josiah was king of Judah, the Lord said to me, “Jeremiah, you have no doubt seen what wayward Israel has done. 5 You have seen how she went up to every high hill and under every green tree to give herself like a prostitute to other gods. 6
Jeremiah 3:8
Context3:8 She also saw 7 that I gave wayward Israel her divorce papers and sent her away because of her adulterous worship of other gods. 8 Even after her unfaithful sister Judah had seen this, 9 she still was not afraid, and she too went and gave herself like a prostitute to other gods. 10
Jeremiah 3:12
Context3:12 “Go and shout this message to my people in the countries in the north. 11 Tell them,
‘Come back to me, wayward Israel,’ says the Lord.
‘I will not continue to look on you with displeasure. 12
For I am merciful,’ says the Lord.
‘I will not be angry with you forever.
[3:11] 1 tn Heb “Wayward Israel has proven herself to be more righteous than unfaithful Judah.”
[8:5] 2 tc The text is quite commonly emended, changing שׁוֹבְבָה הָעָם (shovÿvah ha’am) to שׁוֹבָב הָעָם (shovav ha’am) and omitting יְרוּשָׁלַםִ (yÿrushalaim); this is due to the anomaly of a feminine singular verb with a masculine singular subject and the fact that the word “Jerusalem” is absent from one Hebrew
[8:5] 3 tn Or “to their allegiance to false gods,” or “to their false professions of loyalty”; Heb “to deceit.” Either “to their mistaken beliefs” or “to their allegiance to false gods” would fit the preceding context. The former is more comprehensive than the latter and was chosen for that reason.
[8:5] 4 sn There is a continuing play on the same root word used in the preceding verse. Here the words “turn away from me,” “apostasy,” and “turn back to me” are all forms from the root that was translated “go the wrong way” and “turn around” in v. 4. The intended effect is to contrast Judah’s recalcitrant apostasy with the usual tendency to try and correct one’s mistakes.
[3:6] 3 tn “Have you seen…” The question is rhetorical and expects a positive answer.
[3:6] 4 tn Heb “she played the prostitute there.” This is a metaphor for Israel’s worship; she gave herself to the worship of other gods like a prostitute gives herself to her lovers. There seems no clear way to completely spell out the metaphor in the translation.
[3:8] 4 tc Heb “she [‘her sister, unfaithful Judah’ from the preceding verse] saw” with one Hebrew
[3:8] 5 tn Heb “because she committed adultery.” The translation is intended to spell out the significance of the metaphor.
[3:8] 6 tn The words “Even after her unfaithful sister, Judah, had seen this” are not in the Hebrew text but are implicit in the connection and are supplied for clarification.
[3:8] 7 tn Heb “she played the prostitute there.” This is a metaphor for Israel’s worship; she gave herself to the worship of other gods like a prostitute gives herself to her lovers. There seems no clear way to completely spell out the metaphor in the translation.
[3:12] 5 tn Heb “Go and proclaim these words to the north.” The translation assumes that the message is directed toward the exiles of northern Israel who have been scattered in the provinces of Assyria to the north.
