Jeremiah 3:12

10 And yet for all this her treacherous sister Judah has not turned to Me ^awith her whole heart, but in pretense,” says the Lord.

11 Then the Lord said to me, ^a“Backsliding Israel has shown herself more righteous than treacherous Judah.

12 Go and proclaim these words toward ^athe north, and say:
‘Return, backsliding Israel,’ says the Lord;
‘I will not cause My anger to fall on you.
For I am ^bmerciful,’ says the Lord;
‘I will not remain angry forever.

13 ^aOnly acknowledge your iniquity,
That you have transgressed against the Lord your God,
And have ^bscattered your charms
To ^calien deities ^dunder every green tree,
And you have not obeyed My voice,’ says the Lord.

14 “Return, O backsliding children,” says the Lord; ^a“for I am married to you. I will take you, ^bone from a city and two from a family, and I will bring you to ^cZion.

15 And I will give you ^ashepherds according to My heart, who will ^bfeed you with knowledge and understanding.

Commentaries:

Forerunner Commentary
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What Does Jeremiah 3:12 Mean?

Pleading for Israel to repent and acknowledge its iniquity, Jeremiah directs his words toward the north. Living during Judah's fall to the Babylonians—some 130 years after the Kingdom of Israel had been forcibly removed from its homeland—Jeremiah was not addressing Israelites settled within a hundred miles north of Jerusalem in and around Samaria. Instead, he speaks to a people dwelling somewhere farther north.

Jeremiah 3:12-13

Jeremiah, pleading for Israel to repent, to "acknowledge your iniquity" (verse 13), asks that his words be proclaimed "toward the north." Jeremiah, remember, lived at the time of Judah's fall to the Babylonians, some 130 years after the Kingdom of Israel had been forcibly moved out of its homeland. So, he was not writing to Israelites domiciled within a hundred miles north of Jerusalem—residing in and around Samaria. No, he is addressing a people living somewhere else further north.

Charles Whitaker
Searching for Israel (Part Eight): The Scattering of Ten-Tribed Israel

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What Does Jeremiah 3:12 Mean?

Jeremiah 3:12-13

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