Jeremiah 3:20

20 Truly, as a wife is false to her husband, so have you been false to me, O Israel, says the Lord.

Jeremiah 3:20 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 3:20

Surely as a wife treacherously departeth from her husband,
&c.] Or, "her friend" ^F9; who loves her, takes care of her, and provides for her, and goes after another man, and cohabits with him; which is a violation of the marriage covenant, and acting a base and treacherous part unto him to whom she is married so have you dealt treacherously with me, O house of Israel, saith the
Lord;
who was their Father, friend, and husband; who loved them and distinguished them from all other people, by a variety of blessings and privileges; and yet they departed from his commandments and ordinances, and held the traditions of the elders, and taught for doctrines the commandments of men, and rejected the Messiah, and still continue in their disbelief of him, and hatred to him; and therefore it need not be wondered at that he should make any difficulty about their adoption and inheritance; and a marvellous thing it must be to take such persons, and put them openly among his children, and give them a right and meetness for the goodly inheritance.

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FOOTNOTES:

F9 (herm) "ab amico suo", Vatablus, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator; "a socio suo", Cocceius.

Jeremiah 3:20 In-Context

18 In those days the family of Judah will go with the family of Israel, and they will come together out of the land of the north into the land which I gave for a heritage to your fathers.

19 But I said, How am I to put you among the children, and give you a desired land, a heritage of glory among the armies of the nations? and I said, You are to say to me, My father; and not be turned away from me.

20 Truly, as a wife is false to her husband, so have you been false to me, O Israel, says the Lord.

21 A voice is sounding on the open hilltops, the weeping and the prayers of the children of Israel; because their way is twisted, they have not kept the Lord their God in mind.

22 Come back, you children who have been turned away, and I will take away your desire for wandering. See, we have come to you, for you are the Lord our God.