Jeremiah 3:8

8 I^[a] observed that it was because unfaithful Israel had committed adultery that I had sent her away and had given her a certificate of divorce.^[b] Nevertheless, her treacherous sister Judah was not afraid but also went and prostituted herself.

Jeremiah 3:8 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 3:8

And I saw, when for all the causes, whereby backsliding Israel
committed adultery
Not only Judah saw, but God, who sees all things, saw the idolatry of the ten tribes which apostatized from him, and all the springs, causes, reasons, and occasions of it, and its consequences; and also the treachery, hardness, and idolatry of Judah: I had put her away, and given her a bill of divorce;
as men did, when they put away their wives, as they might lawfully do in case of adultery; and here being that which answered to it, spiritual adultery or idolatry, the Lord, who was married to this people, put them away from him, and caused them to be carried captive out of their own land into another, ( 2 Kings 17:6 ) which is meant by the bill of divorce; so the Targum,

``I caused them to go into captivity, as those that give a bill of divorce (to their wives) and dismiss them:''

yet her treacherous sister Judah feared not;
to commit idolatry and offend the Lord, nor stood in awe of his righteous judgments; had no reverence of God, nor fear of punishment; so hardened and daring was she: but went and played the harlot; committed idolatry, as the ten tribes did, taking no warning by what befell them.

Jeremiah 3:8 In-Context

6 In the days of King Josiah the Lord asked me, "Have you seen what unfaithful Israel has done? She has ascended every high hill and gone under every green tree to prostitute herself there.

7 I thought: After she has done all these things, she will return to Me. But she didn't return, and her treacherous sister Judah saw it.

8 I observed that it was because unfaithful Israel had committed adultery that I had sent her away and had given her a certificate of divorce. Nevertheless, her treacherous sister Judah was not afraid but also went and prostituted herself.

9 Indifferent to her prostitution, she defiled the land and committed adultery with stone and tree.

10 Yet in spite of all this, her treacherous sister Judah didn't return to Me with all her heart-only in pretense." [This is]*The bracketed text has been added for clarity. the Lord's declaration.

Footnotes

• [a]. One Hb ms, Syr read She
• [b]. Hs 2:2