Jeremiah 3:20

20 Instead, as a faithless wife leaves her husband, so you have been faithless to me, O house of 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.


FOOTNOTES:

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

Jeremiah 3:20 In-Context

18 In those days the house of Judah shall join the house of Israel, and together they shall come from the land of the north to the land that I gave your ancestors for a heritage.
19 I thought how I would set you among my children, and give you a pleasant land, the most beautiful heritage of all the nations. And I thought you would call me, My Father, and would not turn from following me.
20 Instead, as a faithless wife leaves her husband, so you have been faithless to me, O house of Israel, says the Lord.
21 A voice on the bare heights is heard, the plaintive weeping of Israel's children, because they have perverted their way, they have forgotten the Lord their God:
22 Return, O faithless children, I will heal your faithlessness. "Here we come to you; for you are the Lord our God.
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.