Geremia 3:6-16

6 IL Signore mi disse ancora al tempo del re Giosia: Hai tu veduto quel che la sviata Israele ha fatto? come ella è andata sopra ogni alto monte, e sotto ogni albero verdeggiante, e quivi ha fornicato?

7 E pure, dopo ch’ebbe fatte tutte queste cose, io le dissi: Convertiti a me; ma ella non si convertì; e ciò vide la disleale Giuda, sua sorella.

8 Ed io ho veduto che con tutto che, avendo la sviata Israele commesso adulterio, io l’avessi mandata via, e le avessi dato il libello del suo ripudio, la disleale Giuda, sua sorella, non ha però temuto; anzi è andata, ed ha fornicato anch’ella.

9 E per la lubricità delle sue fornicazioni, è avvenuto che il paese è stato contaminato; ed ella ha commesso adulterio con la pietra e col legno.

10 E pure anche, con tutto ciò, la disleale Giuda, sorella di quell’altra, non si è convertita a me con tutto il cuor suo; anzi con menzogna, dice il Signore.

11 E il Signore mi disse: La sviata Israele si è mostrata più giusta che la disleale Giuda.

12 Va’, e grida queste parole verso Aquilone, e di’: Convertiti, o sviata Israele, dice il Signore; ed io non farò cadere l’ira mia addosso a voi; perciocchè io son benigno, dice il Signore; io non guardo l’ira mia in perpetuo.

13 Sol riconosci la tua iniquità; conciossiachè tu abbia commesso misfatto contro al Signore Iddio tuo, e ti sii prostituita agli stranieri sotto ogni albero verdeggiante, e non abbiate atteso alla mia voce, dice il Signore.

14 Convertitevi, figliuoli ribelli, dice il Signore; perciocchè io vi ho sposati; ed ancora vi prenderò, uno d’una città, e due l’una famiglia, e vi condurrò in Sion.

15 E vi darò de’ pastori secondo il mio cuore, che vi pasceranno di scienza e d’intendimento.

16 Ed avverrà che quando sarete moltiplicati, ed accresciuti nella terra; in quel tempo, dice il Signore, non si dirà più: L’Arca del patto del Signore; ed essa non verrà più a mente, e non ne sarà più memoria, e non sarà più ricercata, e non sarà più rifatta.

Geremia 3:6-16 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JEREMIAH 3

In this chapter the sins of the people of Israel and Judah are exposed; particularly their idolatry, signified by playing the harlot; which is aggravated by the number of lovers or idols they had worshipped; by the many places where they had committed it; by their impudence in doing it; and by the bad consequence of it, showers of rain being withheld from them on that account, Jer 3:1-3 and the grace of God towards them is abundantly declared by frequent calls unto them to repent and turn to him, and this after putting them away, which is not usual, Jer 3:1,8, the Lord expostulates with them, and puts words into their mouths, what they should say to him, even after they had spoken and done as evil things as they could, Jer 3:4,5 the sin of Judah is particularly aggravated, by having seen what Israel, or the ten tribes, had done; their impenitence, notwithstanding the divine call; their going into captivity for their sin; and yet all this had no effect on Judah, to restrain them from the like sins, and to engage them to repentance; so that, of the two, the men of Judah were most to blame, Jer 3:6-11, wherefore the prophet is bid to go towards the north, where Babylon lay, and Israel were carried captive, and call upon them to return to the Lord, and proclaim his grace and mercy to them, only insisting upon an acknowledgment of their sins, their idolatry and disobedience, Jer 3:12,13 and next the call to them to return is repeated; to which they are encouraged by observing the relations, they stood in to him, which continued, by promising to bring a remnant of them to Zion, and give them pastors approved of by him, and profitable to them, Jer 3:14,15 which respect Gospel times, and the latter day, when the ceremonial law would be abrogated, Jer 3:16, the Gentiles called, Jer 3:17 and an entire agreement between Judah and Israel, Jer 3:18 and yet the Lord expresses a concern how he should reckon them as his children, and treat them as such, who had behaved so ill towards him; but his grace gets over the difficulties; finds out a way, by putting it into their mouths to call him their Father, and not turn away from him, Jer 3:19 and this, notwithstanding their great treachery to him, perversion of their ways, and forgetfulness of the Lord, Jer 3:20,21, and they are again exhorted to repent and turn, with a promise of healing their backslidings, which has such an effect upon them, as to engage them to come to him, Jer 3:22 acknowledging their salvation is only in him, and not in their idols; and that sin was the cause of all their calamities; and that shame and confusion of face belonged unto them on that account, Jer 3:23-25.