Jeremiah 3 3

Jeremiah 3:3 kjv

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.

Jeremiah 3:3 nkjv

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.

Jeremiah 3:3 niv

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.

Jeremiah 3:3 esv

Therefore the showers have been withheld, and the spring rain has not come; yet you have the forehead of a whore; you refuse to be ashamed.

Jeremiah 3:3 nlt

That's why even the spring rains have failed.
For you are a brazen prostitute and completely shameless.

Jeremiah 3 verses

Jeremiah 3 3 Meaning

The verse declares that Israel, like a repeatedly unfaithful wife, has become defiled by practicing prostitution with foreign gods and even with neighboring lands. It emphasizes the severity of their spiritual adultery through the repeated imagery of seeking out "lovers" (foreign gods/nations) and defiling the land itself.

Jeremiah 3 3 Context

Jeremiah chapter 3 speaks prophetically to Judah, using the metaphor of an unfaithful wife to describe their spiritual harlotry with foreign gods and nations. Following the reigns of Kings Manasseh and Amon, who deeply fostered idolatry, the people of Judah had widely strayed from their covenant with Yahweh. The chapter begins with God expressing His divorce from Israel due to their persistent unfaithfulness, contrasting their behavior with that of faithless Syria. Despite the consequences of judgment, God still extends an offer of return and forgiveness, highlighting His enduring love. Verse 3 specifically points to the extensive and unashamed nature of Judah's straying.

Jeremiah 3 3 Word Analysis

• "But": (Hebrew: וְ wə) This conjunction introduces a contrasting or subsequent thought, connecting this statement to what has preceded, and emphasizing the active continuation of Judah's sin.
• "you": (Hebrew: אַתְּ ʾatt) Refers to the nation of Judah, addressed in the feminine singular, reinforcing the wife metaphor.
• "have": (Hebrew: היה hyh in Hiphil) Implies a state of being that has been established and continues.
• "played the whore": (Hebrew: זנה znh) This verb signifies sexual immorality, but in a prophetic context, it powerfully represents spiritual unfaithfulness to God. It implies straying, forsaking, and worshipping other gods.
• "with": (Hebrew: אֶל ʾel) A preposition indicating direction or to whom the action is directed.
• "your": (Hebrew: תְּמנוֹתַיִךְ təmunotayik) Possessive pronoun, referring back to Judah.
• "lovers": (Hebrew: מְאַהֲבִים məʾăhăḇîm) From the root אָהַב ʾāhaḇ (to love), but here used ironically. It refers to the false gods and pagan nations with whom Judah engaged in illicit spiritual relationships.
• "and": (Hebrew: וְ wə) Connective particle.
• "hast": (Hebrew: היה hyh in Hiphil) Indicates the action is completed.
• "played the whore": (Hebrew: זנתְּ zənat) Same as above, reinforcing the persistent nature of the sin.
• "in": (Hebrew: בְּ bə) Preposition indicating the location or medium of the action.
• "them": (Hebrew: הֵמָּה hēmmâ) Refers back to the "lovers."
• "and": (Hebrew: וְ wə) Connective particle.
• "your": (Hebrew: יְרֵאילֵב yerəʾayilēḇ) Possessive pronoun.
• "ways": (Hebrew: דֶּרֶךְ dereḵ) Denotes paths or conduct.
• "you": (Hebrew: עָלִית ʿālîṯ) A scribal emendation suggesting the verb "to ascend" or "to go up" (עלה ʿălâ) from a female subject, though the Qere is often rendered "you have defiled." The Kethib (written form) is "You have gone up," potentially suggesting ascension to high places for idol worship.
• "defiled": (Hebrew: טִנֵּאת ṭinnet) From the root טִנֵּא ṭinnet (to defile, to taint). It means to make impure or unclean, spiritually and physically. This word directly links their apostasy to the corruption of the land.

Word Group Analysis:

• "played the whore with your lovers": This powerful idiom depicts the act of forsaking Yahweh, the true husband of Israel, for foreign deities and their associated idolatrous practices. The "lovers" are the pagan gods and the nations that promoted them, signifying betrayal and infidelity.
• "in your ways": This phrase encompasses their entire manner of living and religious conduct, which had become thoroughly corrupted by foreign influences and idolatry.
• "you have gone up" (or "defiled"): The ambiguity points to ascending to high places (common in pagan worship) or, as strongly implied by context and the likely Qere reading, the active defilement of the land through their unholy practices.

Jeremiah 3 3 Bonus Section

The term "lovers" used for the false gods reflects a profound theological point: when people turn from God, they often replace Him with other things they "love" or depend on, whether they be idols, nations, or worldly pursuits. This mirrors the New Testament concept of serving two masters or being enslaved by sin. The metaphor of the wife and husband is consistently used in Scripture to illustrate the covenant relationship between God and His people, underscoring the sanctity of this bond and the gravity of its betrayal. The Lord's giving of a "writ of divorce" (mentioned later in the chapter) underscores the legal and binding nature of the covenant, making Israel's infidelity a profound breach of contract.

Jeremiah 3 3 Commentary

The verse paints a stark picture of Judah's spiritual profligacy. They haven't just flirted with infidelity; they have actively and repeatedly pursued other gods, turning the land itself into a testament to their disloyalty. This persistent sin isn't subtle; it's a bold and public embracing of idolatry. The repetition of "played the whore" emphasizes the habitual and unashamed nature of their apostasy. The idea of "going up" on high places to engage in these practices is a direct reference to the illicit altars built on hills, a common feature of Canaanite and other pagan worship. This verse is a severe indictment, highlighting how their actions desecrate the very land God had given them as a sign of His covenant.