Jeremiah 3:3 - Forerunner Commentary

Jeremiah 3:3

Israel Is Shameless

1 “They say, ‘If a man divorces his wife,
And she goes from him
And becomes another man’s,
^aMay he return to her again?’
Would not that ^bland be greatly polluted?
But you have ^cplayed the harlot with many lovers;
^dYet return to Me,” says the Lord.

2 “Lift up your eyes to ^athe desolate heights and see:
Where have you not¹ lain with men?
^bBy the road you have sat for them
Like an Arabian in the wilderness;
^cAnd you have polluted the land
With your harlotries and your wickedness.

3 Therefore the ^ashowers have been withheld,
And there has been no latter rain.
You have had a ^bharlot’s forehead;
You refuse to be ashamed.

4 Will you not from this time cry to Me,
‘My Father, You are ^athe guide of ^bmy youth?

5 ^aWill He remain angry forever?
Will He keep it to the end?’
Behold, you have spoken and done evil things,
As you were able.”

A Call to Repentance

6 The Lord said also to me in the days of Josiah the king: “Have you seen what ^abacksliding Israel has done? She has ^bgone up on every high mountain and under every green tree, and there played the harlot.

7 ^aAnd I said, after she had done all these things, ‘Return to Me.’ But she did not return. And her treacherous ^bsister Judah saw it.

8 Then I saw that ^afor all the causes for which backsliding Israel had committed adultery, I had ^bput her away and given her a certificate of divorce; ^cyet her treacherous sister Judah did not fear, but went and played the harlot also.

9 So it came to pass, through her casual harlotry, that she ^adefiled the land and committed adultery with ^bstones and trees.

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.

Verse Comparison: Jeremiah 3:3

<< Jeremiah 3:2

Jeremiah 3:4 >>

American Standard Version
Therefore the showers have been withholden, and there hath been no latter rain; yet thou hast a harlot's forehead, thou refusedst to be ashamed.

Amplified® Bible
Therefore the showers have been withheld, and there has been no spring rain. Yet you have the brow of a prostitute; you refuse to be ashamed.

Contemporary English Version
So I, the LORD, refused to let the spring rains fall. But just like a prostitute, you still have no shame for what you have done.

Darby English Version
And the showers have been withholden, and there hath been no latter rain; but thou hast a harlot's forehead, thou refusest to be ashamed.

Good News Bible
That is why the rains were held back, and the spring showers did not come. You even look like a prostitute; you have no shame.

King James Version
Therefore the showers have been withholden, and there hath been no latter rain; and thou hadst a whore's forehead, thou refusedst to be ashamed.

New American Standard Bible
"Therefore the showers have been withheld, And there has been no spring rain. Yet you had a harlot's forehead; You refused to be ashamed.

New International Version
Therefore the showers have been withheld,
and no spring rains have fallen.
Yet you have the brazen look of a prostitute;
you refuse to blush with shame.

New King James Version
Therefore the showers have been withheld,
And there has been no latter rain.
You have had a harlot's forehead;
You refuse to be ashamed.

N.A.S.B. in E-Prime
"Therefore I have withheld the showers, And there has come no spring rain Yet you had a harlot's forehead; You refused to have shame.

Revised Standard Version
Therefore the showers have been withheld, and the spring rain has not come; yet you have a harlot's brow, you refuse to be ashamed.

Young's Literal Translation
And withheld are showers, and gathered rain hath not been. The forehead of a whorish woman thou hast, Thou hast refused to be ashamed.

New English Translation
That is why the rains have been withheld, and the spring rains have not come. Yet in spite of this you are obstinate as a prostitute.¹ You refuse to be ashamed of what you have done.

<< Jeremiah 3:2

Jeremiah 3:4 >>