Jeremiah 3:1-13 ▼

1 IF a man put away his wife, and she go from him and become another man's wife, and he return to her again, behold, the land shall be defiled. But you have committed adultery with many rulers; return again to me, says the LORD.

2 Lift up your eyes to the highways, and see if there is a place where you have not defiled yourself. In the roads you have sat waiting for them, like an ostrich in the wilderness; and you have polluted the land with your whoredom.

3 And because of your wickedness the showers have been withheld, and there has been no latter rain; and you have become shameless like a whore, you have refused to be reproved.

4 Behold, now you say to me, My father, and thou art foster mother of my childhood.

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

6 The LORD said to me in the days of King Josiah, Have you seen the thing which she who dwells in Israel has done? She has gone up upon 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, Return to me, but she did not return. And her perverseness was seen by her sister Judah.

8 And she saw all Israel's evil-doings. And because the inhabitants of Israel committed adultery, I had put her away and given a bill of divorce; yet her perverse sister Judah did not fear, but went and played the harlot also.

9 And her whoredom was so excessive that she defiled the land and committed adultery with idols of stone and wood,

10 And yet, for all this her treacherous sister Judah has not returned to me with her whole heart, but only with falsehood, says the LORD.

11 And the LORD said to me, The inhabitant of Israel has justified herself more than her perverse sister Judah.

12 Go proclaim these words toward the north, and say, Repent, O you inhabitant of Israel, says the LORD; and I will not be severe against you; for I am good, says the LORD, and I will not keep anger for ever.

13 Only acknowledge your iniquity, for you have sinned against the LORD your God, and have scattered your evil practices to the strangers under every green tree, and you have not obeyed my voice, says the LORD.