Jeremiah 4:1
New International Version
“If you, Israel, will return, then return to me,” declares the LORD. “If you put your detestable idols out of my sight and no longer go astray,

New Living Translation
“O Israel,” says the LORD, “if you wanted to return to me, you could. You could throw away your detestable idols and stray away no more.

English Standard Version
“If you return, O Israel, declares the LORD, to me you should return. If you remove your detestable things from my presence, and do not waver,

Berean Standard Bible
“If you will return, O Israel, return to Me,” declares the LORD. “If you will remove your detestable idols from My sight and no longer waver,

King James Bible
If thou wilt return, O Israel, saith the LORD, return unto me: and if thou wilt put away thine abominations out of my sight, then shalt thou not remove.

New King James Version
“If you will return, O Israel,” says the LORD, “Return to Me; And if you will put away your abominations out of My sight, Then you shall not be moved.

New American Standard Bible
“If you will return, Israel,” declares the LORD, “Then you should return to Me. And if you will put away your detestable things from My presence, And will not waver,

NASB 1995
“If you will return, O Israel,” declares the LORD, “Then you should return to Me. And if you will put away your detested things from My presence, And will not waver,

NASB 1977
“ If you will return, O Israel,” declares the LORD, “Then you should return to Me. And if you will put away your detested things from My presence, And will not waver,

Legacy Standard Bible
“If you will return, O Israel,” declares Yahweh, “Then you should return to Me. And if you will put away your detested things from My presence And will not waver

Amplified Bible
“If you will return, O Israel,” says the LORD, “If you will return to Me, And if you will put away your detestable things and remove your man-made gods from My sight, And not stray or waver,

Christian Standard Bible
If you return, Israel — this is the LORD’s declaration — you will return to me, if you remove your abhorrent idols from my presence and do not waver,

Holman Christian Standard Bible
If you return, Israel— this is the LORD’s declaration— you will return to Me, if you remove your detestable idols from My presence and do not waver,

American Standard Version
If thou wilt return, O Israel, saith Jehovah, if thou wilt return unto me, and if thou wilt put away thine abominations out of my sight; then shalt thou not be removed;

Contemporary English Version
The LORD said: Israel, if you really want to come back to me, get rid of those disgusting idols.

English Revised Version
If thou wilt return, O Israel, saith the LORD, unto me shalt thou return: and if thou wilt put away thine abominations out of my sight, then shalt thou not be removed;

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The LORD declares, "If you come back, Israel, if you come back to me, if you take your disgusting idols out of my sight and you don't wander away from me,

Good News Translation
The LORD says, "People of Israel, if you want to turn, then turn back to me. If you are faithful to me and remove the idols I hate,

International Standard Version
"Israel, if you return to me," declares the LORD, "Return to me, remove your detestable idols from my presence, and don't waver.

Majority Standard Bible
?If you will return, O Israel, return to Me,? declares the LORD. ?If you will remove your detestable idols from My sight and no longer waver,

NET Bible
"If you, Israel, want to come back," says the LORD, "if you want to come back to me you must get those disgusting idols out of my sight and must no longer go astray.

New Heart English Bible
"If you will return, Israel," says the LORD, "if you will return to me, and if you will put away your abominations out of my sight; then you shall not be removed;

Webster's Bible Translation
If thou wilt return, O Israel, saith the LORD, return to me: and if thou wilt put away thy abominations out of my sight, then shalt thou not remove.

World English Bible
“If you will return, Israel,” says Yahweh, “if you will return to me, and if you will put away your abominations out of my sight; then you will not be removed;
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
“If you return, O Israel,” "" A declaration of YHWH, "" “Return to Me, "" And if you turn aside Your abominations from My face, "" Then you do not bemoan.

Young's Literal Translation
If thou dost turn back, O Israel, An affirmation of Jehovah, unto Me turn back, And if thou dost turn aside Thine abominations from My face, Then thou dost not bemoan.

Smith's Literal Translation
If thou wilt turn back, O Israel, says Jehovah; thou shalt turn back to me: and if thou wilt remove thine abominations from my face thou shalt not be moved.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
If thou wilt return, O Israel, saith the Lord, return to me: if thou wilt take away thy stumblingblocks out of my sight, thou shalt not be moved.

Catholic Public Domain Version
“O Israel, if you would return, says the Lord, then be converted to me. If you remove your offense from before my face, then you will not be shaken.

New American Bible
If you return, Israel—oracle of the LORD— return to me. If you put your detestable things out of my sight, and do not stray,

New Revised Standard Version
If you return, O Israel, says the LORD, if you return to me, if you remove your abominations from my presence, and do not waver,
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
IF you will repent, O Israel, says the LORD, return to me; and if you will put away your abominations from my presence, then you shall not be carried away.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
If you will turn, oh Israel, says LORD JEHOVAH, you shall turn to me, and if you will remove your detestable things from before me, you will not be moved
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
If thou wilt return, O Israel, Saith the LORD, Yea, return unto Me; And if thou wilt put away thy detestable things out of My sight, And wilt not waver;

Brenton Septuagint Translation
If Israel will return to me, saith the Lord, he shall return: and if he will remove his abominations out of his mouth, and fear before me, and swear,

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
God Calls Israel by His Promise
1“If you will return, O Israel, return to Me,” declares the LORD. “If you will remove your detestable idols from My sight and no longer waver, 2and if you can swear, ‘As surely as the LORD lives,’ in truth, in justice, and in righteousness, then the nations will be blessed by Him, and in Him they will glory.”…

Cross References
Hosea 14:1-2
Return, O Israel, to the LORD your God, for you have stumbled by your iniquity. / Bring your confessions and return to the LORD. Say to Him: “Take away all our iniquity and receive us graciously, that we may present the fruit of our lips.

Joel 2:12-13
“Yet even now,” declares the LORD, “return to Me with all your heart, with fasting, weeping, and mourning.” / So rend your hearts and not your garments, and return to the LORD your God. For He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion. And He relents from sending disaster.

Isaiah 55:6-7
Seek the LORD while He may be found; call on Him while He is near. / Let the wicked man forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that He may have compassion, and to our God, for He will freely pardon.

Zechariah 1:3
So tell the people that this is what the LORD of Hosts says: ‘Return to Me, declares the LORD of Hosts, and I will return to you, says the LORD of Hosts.’

Deuteronomy 30:1-3
“When all these things come upon you—the blessings and curses I have set before you—and you call them to mind in all the nations to which the LORD your God has banished you, / and when you and your children return to the LORD your God and obey His voice with all your heart and all your soul according to everything I am giving you today, / then He will restore you from captivity and have compassion on you and gather you from all the nations to which the LORD your God has scattered you.

2 Chronicles 7:14
and if My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land.

Ezekiel 18:30-32
Therefore, O house of Israel, I will judge you, each according to his ways, declares the Lord GOD. Repent and turn from all your transgressions, so that your iniquity will not become your downfall. / Cast away from yourselves all the transgressions you have committed, and fashion for yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. Why should you die, O house of Israel? / For I take no pleasure in anyone’s death, declares the Lord GOD. So repent and live!

Isaiah 1:16-18
Wash and cleanse yourselves. Remove your evil deeds from My sight. Stop doing evil! / Learn to do right; seek justice and correct the oppressor. Defend the fatherless and plead the case of the widow.” / “Come now, let us reason together,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they will be as white as snow; though they are as red as crimson, they will become like wool.

Malachi 3:7
Yet from the days of your fathers, you have turned away from My statutes and have not kept them. Return to Me, and I will return to you,” says the LORD of Hosts. “But you ask, ‘How can we return?’

James 4:8
Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

Acts 3:19
Repent, then, and turn back, so that your sins may be wiped away,

Matthew 3:2
and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.”

Luke 15:18-20
I will get up and go back to my father and say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. / I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.”’ / So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still in the distance, his father saw him and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him.

1 John 1:9
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Romans 10:9-10
that if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. / For with your heart you believe and are justified, and with your mouth you confess and are saved.


Treasury of Scripture

If you will return, O Israel, said the LORD, return to me: and if you will put away your abominations out of my sight, then shall you not remove.

wilt return

Jeremiah 4:4
Circumcise yourselves to the LORD, and take away the foreskins of your heart, ye men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem: lest my fury come forth like fire, and burn that none can quench it, because of the evil of your doings.

Jeremiah 3:12,22
Go and proclaim these words toward the north, and say, Return, thou backsliding Israel, saith the LORD; and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you: for I am merciful, saith the LORD, and I will not keep anger for ever…

return

Jeremiah 3:1,14
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…

Isaiah 31:6
Turn ye unto him from whom the children of Israel have deeply revolted.

Hosea 7:16
They return, but not to the most High: they are like a deceitful bow: their princes shall fall by the sword for the rage of their tongue: this shall be their derision in the land of Egypt.

put away

Genesis 35:2
Then Jacob said unto his household, and to all that were with him, Put away the strange gods that are among you, and be clean, and change your garments:

Deuteronomy 27:15
Cursed be the man that maketh any graven or molten image, an abomination unto the LORD, the work of the hands of the craftsman, and putteth it in a secret place. And all the people shall answer and say, Amen.

Joshua 24:14
Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the LORD.

then shalt

Jeremiah 15:4
And I will cause them to be removed into all kingdoms of the earth, because of Manasseh the son of Hezekiah king of Judah, for that which he did in Jerusalem.

Jeremiah 22:3-5
Thus saith the LORD; Execute ye judgment and righteousness, and deliver the spoiled out of the hand of the oppressor: and do no wrong, do no violence to the stranger, the fatherless, nor the widow, neither shed innocent blood in this place…

Jeremiah 24:9
And I will deliver them to be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth for their hurt, to be a reproach and a proverb, a taunt and a curse, in all places whither I shall drive them.

Jump to Previous
Abominations Affirmation Declares Detestable Detested Disgusting Face Idols Israel Longer Presence Remove Removed Sight Turn Wanderer Waver Ways Wilt
Jump to Next
Abominations Affirmation Declares Detestable Detested Disgusting Face Idols Israel Longer Presence Remove Removed Sight Turn Wanderer Waver Ways Wilt
Jeremiah 4
1. God calls Israel by his promise
3. He exhorts Judah to repentance by fearful judgments
19. A grievous lamentation for Judah














If you will return
The Hebrew word for "return" is "שׁוּב" (shuv), which carries the connotation of turning back or repenting. This word is central to the prophetic message, emphasizing a call to repentance and a change of heart. In the context of Jeremiah, it is a plea for Israel to abandon their sinful ways and come back to a covenant relationship with God. The concept of returning is not just physical but deeply spiritual, indicating a complete transformation and renewal of faith.

O Israel
"Israel" refers to the Northern Kingdom, but in a broader sense, it represents the people of God. Historically, Israel had been divided into two kingdoms, Israel and Judah, after the reign of Solomon. The use of "Israel" here is significant as it calls the entire nation to repentance, highlighting God's enduring covenant with His chosen people despite their unfaithfulness. It is a reminder of their identity and the special relationship they have with God.

return to Me
The phrase "return to Me" underscores the personal nature of the relationship God desires with His people. It is not merely a return to religious practices or rituals but a heartfelt return to God Himself. This invitation is filled with grace and mercy, showing that despite Israel's waywardness, God is willing to restore the relationship if they genuinely repent. It reflects God's unchanging love and His readiness to forgive.

declares the LORD
The phrase "declares the LORD" is a prophetic formula that asserts the authority and authenticity of the message. In Hebrew, "נְאֻם־יְהוָה" (ne'um-YHWH) is used, signifying that these are not merely the words of Jeremiah but the very words of God. This declaration adds weight to the call for repentance, as it comes directly from the Creator and Sustainer of the universe, emphasizing His sovereignty and the seriousness of the call.

If you will remove your detestable idols
The term "detestable idols" refers to the foreign gods and idols that Israel had adopted, which were an abomination to the LORD. The Hebrew word for "detestable" is "שִׁקּוּץ" (shiqquts), often used to describe things that are abhorrent and offensive to God. The removal of these idols is a prerequisite for returning to God, symbolizing the rejection of false worship and the cleansing of the nation from idolatry. It is a call to purity and holiness, aligning with the first commandment to have no other gods before the LORD.

from My sight
This phrase indicates the omnipresence of God, who sees all things. Removing idols "from My sight" suggests a complete eradication of idolatry, not just a superficial or temporary change. It implies a deep, sincere commitment to live in a way that is pleasing to God, acknowledging His constant presence and His desire for His people to be wholly devoted to Him.

and no longer waver
The word "waver" in Hebrew is "נוּד" (nud), which can mean to wander or to be unstable. This highlights the inconsistency and unfaithfulness of Israel's past behavior. God's call is for steadfastness and unwavering faith. It is an exhortation to be firm in their commitment to God, to stand strong in their faith, and to avoid the spiritual vacillation that had characterized their history. This stability in faith is essential for a genuine relationship with God and for the blessings that come from obedience.

IV.

(1) If thou wilt return.--The "if" implies a return from the hopes with which Jeremiah 3 ended to the language of misgiving, and so, inferentially, of earnest exhortation.

Abominations.--Literally, things of shame, as in Jeremiah 3:24; the idols which Israel had worshipped.

Then shalt thou not remove.--Better, as continuing the conditions of forgiveness, if thou wilt not wander.

Verses 1, 2. - The form and structure of the translation require a change. Render, If thou wilt return, O Israel, saith Jehovah, wilt return unto me; and if thou wilt put away, etc., and not wander; and wilt swear, As Jehovah liveth, with good faith, with justice, and with righteousness; then shall the nations bless themselves by him, and in him shall they glory. The clause, "and not wander," seems too short; the Septuagint had a choicer reading, "and put away, etc., from his [thy] mouth, and not wander from before me." It is the close of the prophecy which we have here. The prophet subjoins a promise which he has heard from Jehovah. True, it does not appeal to Israel's self-love (as Isaiah 48:18, 19; Psalm 81:13-16), but to a nobler feeling of responsibility for the world's welfare. Israel has been entrusted with a mission, and on the due performance of this mission hangs the weal or woe of humanity. Hence Jehovah's longing for Israel's repentance. If Israel will but "return," and obey God's commandments, all nations will be attracted to the true religion. The form of expression used for the latter statement is borrowed probably from Genesis 22:18; Genesis 26:4 (it is less closely parallel with Genesis 12:3; Genesis 18:18). To "bless by" any one is to use his name in the benediction formula. Seeing Israel so blessed through his allegiance to Jehovah, all nations shall wish themselves a similar blessing (the reverse of the process in Jeremiah 29:22; comp. Isaiah 65:16). To "swear, As Jehovah liveth," means to call Jehovah to witness to the truth of a statement. This is to be done "with good faith," etc., i.e. the object of the oath must be consistent with honesty and probity. Abominations; i.e. idols, as often (see 2 Kings 23:24).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
“If
אִם־ (’im-)
Conjunction
Strong's 518: Lo!, whether?, if, although, Oh that!, when, not

you will return,
תָּשׁ֨וּב (tā·šūḇ)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 7725: To turn back, in, to retreat, again

O Israel,
יִשְׂרָאֵ֧ל ׀ (yiś·rā·’êl)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3478: Israel -- 'God strives', another name of Jacob and his desc

return
תָּשׁ֑וּב (tā·šūḇ)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 7725: To turn back, in, to retreat, again

to Me,”
אֵלַ֖י (’ê·lay)
Preposition | first person common singular
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

declares
נְאֻם־ (nə·’um-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 5002: An oracle

the LORD.
יְהוָ֛ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

“If
וְאִם־ (wə·’im-)
Conjunctive waw | Conjunction
Strong's 518: Lo!, whether?, if, although, Oh that!, when, not

you will remove
תָּסִ֧יר (tā·sîr)
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 5493: To turn aside

your detestable idols
שִׁקּוּצֶ֛יךָ (šiq·qū·ṣe·ḵā)
Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 8251: Disgusting, filthy, idolatrous, an idol

from My sight
מִפָּנַ֖י (mip·pā·nay)
Preposition-m | Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singular
Strong's 6440: The face

and no longer
וְלֹ֥א (wə·lō)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

waver,
תָנֽוּד׃ (ṯā·nūḏ)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 5110: To nod, waver, to wander, flee, disappear, to console, deplore, taunt


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OT Prophets: Jeremiah 4:1 If you will return Israel says Yahweh (Jer.)
Jeremiah 3:25
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