Jeremiah 3:7 kjv
And I said after she had done all these things, Turn thou unto me. But she returned not. And her treacherous sister Judah saw it.
Jeremiah 3:7 nkjv
And I said, after she had done all these things, 'Return to Me.' But she did not return. And her treacherous sister Judah saw it.
Jeremiah 3:7 niv
I thought that after she had done all this she would return to me but she did not, and her unfaithful sister Judah saw it.
Jeremiah 3:7 esv
And I thought, 'After she has done all this she will return to me,' but she did not return, and her treacherous sister Judah saw it.
Jeremiah 3:7 nlt
I thought, 'After she has done all this, she will return to me.' But she did not return, and her faithless sister Judah saw this.
Jeremiah 3 7 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Jer 3:7 | "And I said after she had done all these things, ‘Return to Me.’" | God's persistent call to repentance |
| Jer 3:7 | "But she did not return." | Judah's stubborn rebellion |
| Jer 3:7 | "And her treacherous sister, Judah, saw it." | Judah's culpability |
| Hos 4:15 | "Though you, Israel, play the harlot, let not Judah become guilty." | Warning against complicity |
| Isa 1:16 | "Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your deeds from before My eyes; cease to do evil," | Call to obedience |
| Isa 1:18 | "“Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD; though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow;" | Promise of forgiveness |
| Eze 16:47 | "You also walked in the ways of your sister, so I gave her cup into your hand." | Judgment for emulation |
| Eze 16:51 | "nor did Samaria commit half of your sins, but you multiplied your abominations more than all of them..." | Severity of Judah's sin |
| Lam 1:18 | "The LORD is in the right, for I have rebelled against his commandment; hear, I pray you, all peoples, and see my pain;" | Confession of sin |
| Eze 18:21 | "But if a wicked person turns from all the sins that he has committed and keeps all my statutes and does what is just and right, he shall surely live; he shall not die." | Condition for life |
| Prov 1:24 | "Because I called and you refused to answer; I stretched out my hand and no one cared," | God's persistent offer |
| Prov 28:13 | "Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy." | The path to mercy |
| Luke 15:7 | "Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance." | Joy over repentance |
| Acts 17:30 | "The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent," | Universal call to repent |
| Rom 2:4 | "Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?" | God's kindness leads to repentance |
| 2 Pet 3:9 | "The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance." | God's patience for repentance |
| Rev 2:5 | "Remember therefore from where you have fallen, and repent, and do the works you did at the first. If not, I will come to you and remove the lampstand from its place, unless you repent." | Exhortation to repent |
| Jer 8:5-6 | "Why then has this people turned back in continually,* Why has Jerusalem turned back with a perpetually backsliding heart? They cling to deceit; they refuse to return." | Judah's refusal to return |
| Jer 3:11 | "And the LORD said to me, ‘Far more treacherous has been Israel, your sister, than you.’" | Israel's greater treachery? |
| Jer 3:19 | "I said, ‘How can I put you among my sons, and give you this desirable land, this most beautiful inheritance of the nations?’ And I thought to call you Father, You will not keep faith with me." | God's longing for reconciliation |
Jeremiah 3 verses
Jeremiah 3 7 Meaning
Jeremiah 3:7 speaks of Judah's spiritual unfaithfulness, likening it to a wife who abandons her husband. Despite witnessing the consequences faced by the northern kingdom of Israel due to their idolatry, Judah still persisted in their own corrupt ways. God expresses His disappointment and recounts how He patiently waited for them to return to Him.
Jeremiah 3 7 Context
This verse is part of a larger prophetic discourse by Jeremiah, addressing the kingdom of Judah. The immediate context (Jeremiah 3:1-5) establishes a divorce metaphor, illustrating God's relationship with Israel (and by extension, Judah). Despite Israel's unfaithfulness and subsequent judgment, Judah failed to learn from their sister nation's fate. This passage serves as a strong indictment against Judah's continued idolatry and spiritual harlotry. Historically, the Northern Kingdom of Israel had already been conquered and exiled by the Assyrians, serving as a stark warning that Judah seemingly ignored. The period was characterized by widespread syncretism and pagan worship, directly contravening the covenant relationship with Yahweh.
Jeremiah 3 7 Word Analysis
וָאֹמַר (wa'ōmar): "And I said." The conjunction 'wa-' (וָ) indicates sequence or connection. The verb 'amar' (אָמַר) means "to say," conveying God's verbal communication and an invitation.
אַחֲרֵי (ʾaḥărê): "after." This preposition marks the temporal sequence.
כָּל־(kôl-): "all." This emphasizes the completeness of the actions performed by the faithless one.
אֵלֶּה (ʾēlleh): "these." Refers to the preceding acts of unfaithfulness and corruption.
עָשְׂתָה (ʿāśəṯâ): "she had done." The feminine singular perfect form of the verb 'asah' (עָשָׂה), meaning "to do," "to make," or "to act."
שׁוּבִי (šûbî): "Return!" The imperative feminine singular form of the verb 'shuv' (שׁוּב), meaning "to turn," "to return," or "to repent." This is a direct, earnest plea from God.
אֵלַי (ʾēlay): "to Me." Emphasizes the personal direction of the plea, to God Himself.
וְלֹא (wəloʾ): "And not." Connects the plea with the subsequent refusal.
שָֽׁבָתָה (šāḇâṯâ): "she returned." The feminine singular perfect form of 'shuv' (שׁוּב). The negative indicates failure to heed the command.
וְכִי־(wəḵî-): "And that" or "And indeed." This introduces the parallel clause regarding Judah.
נֶאֶמְנָה (ne'ěmônâ): "treacherous" or "faithless." The feminine singular perfect Qal form of the verb 'aman' (אָמַן), meaning "to be firm," "to be faithful." Here it denotes the opposite: lacking faithfulness, perfidy.
אֲחֹתָהּ (ʾăḥōṯâ): "her sister." Refers to Judah, comparing it to the northern kingdom of Israel, implying a shared culpability despite distinct identities.
יְהוּדָה (Yəhûḏâ): "Judah." The name of the southern kingdom.
רָֽאֲתָה (rāʾăṯâ): "saw." The feminine singular perfect form of the verb 'ra'ah' (רָאָה), meaning "to see." It implies observation and awareness of Israel's consequences.
Words Group Analysis:
- "Return to Me" (שׁוּבִי אֵלַי - šûbî ʾēlay): This is the pivotal call, expressing God's desire for reconciliation and covenant fidelity. It encapsulates the essence of repentance, a turning back to God.
- "But she did not return" (וְלֹא שָֽׁבָתָה - wəloʾ šāḇâṯâ): This highlights Judah's stubborn defiance and rejection of God's merciful offer. It points to a deeply ingrained refusal to change their ways.
- "Her treacherous sister, Judah, saw it" (וְכִי־נֶאֶמְנָה אֲחֹתָהּ יְהוּדָה רָֽאֲתָה - wəḵî-ne'ěmônâ ʾăḥōṯâh Yəhûḏâ rāʾăṯâ): This phrase is profound. "Faithless/treacherous" describes Judah. "Sister" likens Judah to Israel, suggesting shared guilt or kinship in sin. The act of "seeing" implies awareness of Israel's judgment but a failure to internalize the lesson. It points to willful ignorance or perverted understanding.
Jeremiah 3 7 Bonus Section
The word "treacherous" (נֶאֶמְנָה - ne'ěmônâ) is particularly strong, stemming from the root 'aman' which signifies "firmness" or "faithfulness." Thus, Judah is not just unfaithful; their faithlessness is a direct perversion of foundational faithfulness, a departure from steadfastness. This suggests a betrayal not only of the covenant but of their very identity as God's chosen people. The familial "sister" relationship is a deliberate literary device by God to highlight the shared responsibility and spiritual heritage, making Judah's lack of empathy and learned behavior all the more culpable. It emphasizes that Israel's sin was not an isolated event but part of a pattern that Judah should have been the first to reject.
Jeremiah 3 7 Commentary
Jeremiah 3:7 exposes a critical spiritual malady in Judah: the failure to learn from the devastating example of their northern sibling, Israel. God, in His immense patience, extends a heartfelt invitation to repentance after witnessing the apostasy and judgment of Israel. Yet, Judah, referred to as the "treacherous sister," remained stubbornly resistant. This verse is a stark reminder that simply observing the consequences of sin in others is insufficient; genuine repentance requires a personal turning from wrongdoing. The persistent call, "Return to Me," underscores God's enduring love and desire for relationship, even when faced with repeated betrayal. Judah’s “seeing” Israel’s fall but not turning indicates a spiritual blindness, an inability to connect God's justice with their own trajectory. This reflects a dangerous complacency and an underestimation of God’s resolve to uphold His covenant. The failure to return signifies a choice to persist in disobedience, leading towards further divine discipline.