Jeremiah 3:1-13 ▼

1 They say, If a man put away his wife, and she go from him, and become another man's, shall he return to her again? shall not that land be greatly polluted? but you have played the harlot with many lovers; yet return again to me, said the LORD.

2 Lift up your eyes to the high places, and see where you have not been lien with. In the ways have you sat for them, as the Arabian in the wilderness; and you have polluted the land with your prostitutions and with your wickedness.

3 Therefore the showers have been withheld, and there has been no latter rain; and you had a whore's forehead, you refused to be ashamed.

4 Will you not from this time cry to me, My father, you are the guide of my youth?

5 Will he reserve his anger for ever? will he keep it to the end? Behold, you have spoken and done evil things as you could.

6 The LORD said also to me in the days of Josiah the king, Have you seen that which backsliding Israel has done? she is gone up on every high mountain and under every green tree, and there has played the harlot.

7 And I said after she had done all these things, Turn you to me. But she returned not. And her treacherous sister Judah saw it.

8 And I saw, when for all the causes whereby backsliding Israel committed adultery I had put her away, and given her a bill of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah feared not, but went and played the harlot also.

9 And it came to pass through the lightness of her prostitution, that she defiled the land, and committed adultery with stones and with stocks.

10 And yet for all this her treacherous sister Judah has not turned to me with her whole heart, but feignedly, said the LORD.

11 And the LORD said to me, The backsliding Israel has justified herself more than treacherous Judah.

12 Go and proclaim these words toward the north, and say, Return, you backsliding Israel, said the LORD; and I will not cause my anger to fall on you: for I am merciful, said the LORD, and I will not keep anger for ever.

13 Only acknowledge your iniquity, that you have transgressed against the LORD your God, and have scattered your ways to the strangers under every green tree, and you have not obeyed my voice, said the LORD.