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Jeremiah 3:1

That is to say, "If a man divorces his wife And she goes [away] from him And becomes another man's [wife], Will he return to her again? [Of course not!] Will not that land [where such a thing happened] be completely desecrated? But you [rebelled against Me and you] are a prostitute with many lovers; Yet you turn to Me." says the LORD.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Adultery;   Backsliders;   Church;   Condescension of God;   Divorce;   Idolatry;   Thompson Chain Reference - Divorce;   Foes of the Home;   Home;   The Topic Concordance - Turning;   Whoredom;   Wickedness;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Divorce;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Solomon's Song;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Ethics;   Song of Solomon, Theology of;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Harlot;   Marriage;   Solomon, Song of;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Canticles;   ;   Marriage;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Bride;   Immorality;   Jeremiah;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Marriage;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Ammi;   Harlot;   Jeremiah;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Adultery;   Solomon the song of;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Divorce;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Kingdom of Judah;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Crime;   Defile;   Lover;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Marriage;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
If a man divorces his wife
Hebrew Names Version
They say, If a man put away his wife, and she go from him, and become another man's, will he return to her again? Won't that land be greatly polluted? But you have played the prostitute with many lovers; yet return again to me, says the LORD.
King James Version
They say, If a man put away his wife, and she go from him, and become another man's, shall he return unto her again? shall not that land be greatly polluted? but thou hast played the harlot with many lovers; yet return again to me, saith the Lord .
English Standard Version
"If a man divorces his wife and she goes from him and becomes another man's wife, will he return to her? Would not that land be greatly polluted? You have played the whore with many lovers; and would you return to me? declares the Lord .
New American Standard Bible
God says, "If a husband divorces his wife And she leaves him And becomes another man's wife, Will he return to her again? Would that land not be completely defiled? But you are a prostitute with many lovers; Yet you turn to Me," declares the LORD.
New Century Version
"If a man divorces his wife and she leaves him and marries another man, should her first husband come back to her again? If he went back to her, wouldn't the land become completely unclean? But you have acted like a prostitute with many lovers, and now you want to come back to me?" says the Lord .
World English Bible
They say, If a man put away his wife, and she go from him, and become another man's, will he return to her again? Won't that land be greatly polluted? But you have played the prostitute with many lovers; yet return again to me, says Yahweh.
Geneva Bible (1587)
They say, If a man put away his wife, and she goe from him, and become another mans, shall hee returne againe vnto her? shall not this land be polluted? but thou hast played the harlot with many louers: yet turne againe to mee, sayeth the Lord.
Legacy Standard Bible
God says, "If a husband divorces his wifeAnd she goes from himAnd belongs to another man,Will he still return to her?Will not that land be completely polluted?But you are a harlot with many lovers;Yet you turn to Me," declares Yahweh.
Berean Standard Bible
"If a man divorces his wife and she leaves him to marry another, can he ever return to her? Would not such a land be completely defiled? But you have played the harlot with many lovers-and you would return to Me?" declares the LORD.
Contemporary English Version
The Lord said to the people of Israel: If a divorced woman marries, can her first husband ever marry her again? No, because this would pollute the land. But you have more gods than a prostitute has lovers. Why should I take you back?
Complete Jewish Bible
[ Adonai ] says: "If a man divorces his wife, and she leaves him and marries another man, then if the first one marries her again, that land will be completely defiled. But you prostituted yourself to many lovers, yet you want to return to me?" says Adonai .
Darby Translation
They say, If a man put away his wife, and she go from him, and become another man's, shall he return unto her again? Would not that land be utterly polluted? But thou hast committed fornication with many lovers; yet return to me, saith Jehovah.
Easy-to-Read Version
"If a man divorces his wife and she goes and marries someone else, the first husband cannot take her back. If he did, it would make the land unclean. Judah, you and all your false gods are like a prostitute with many lovers! So why do you think you can come back to me?" This message is from the Lord .
George Lamsa Translation
IF a man put away his wife, and she go from him and become another mans wife, and he return to her again, behold, the land shall be defiled. But you have committed adultery with many rulers; return again to me, says the LORD.
Good News Translation
The Lord says, "If a man divorces his wife, and she leaves him and becomes another man's wife, he cannot take her back again. This would completely defile the land. But, Israel, you have had many lovers, and now you want to return to me!
Lexham English Bible
A saying: ‘Look, if a man divorces his wife, and she goes from him and she becomes another man's wife, will he return to her again?' Will not that land be greatly defiled? And you have prostituted yourself with many lovers, would you now return to me?" declares Yahweh.
Literal Translation
They say, If a man sends away his wife, and she goes from him and will be for another man, will he return to her again? Would not that land be greatly defiled? But you play the harlot withmany lovers; yet would you come backto Me, says Jehovah.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Comonly, when a man putteth awaye his wife, and she goeth from him, and marieth with another, then the question is: shulde he resorte vnto her eny more after that? Is not this felde then defyled and vnclene? But as for the, thou hast played the harlot with many louers, yet turne agayne to me, saieth the LORDE.
American Standard Version
They say, If a man put away his wife, and she go from him, and become another man's, will he return unto her again? will not that land be greatly polluted? But thou hast played the harlot with many lovers; yet return again to me, saith Jehovah.
Bible in Basic English
They say, If a man puts away his wife and she goes from him and becomes another man's, will he go back to her again? will not that land have been made unclean? but though you have been acting like a loose woman with a number of lovers, will you now come back to me? says the Lord.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
... saying: If a man put away his wife, and she go from him, and become another man's, may he return unto her again? Will not that land be greatly polluted? But thou hast played the harlot with many lovers; and wouldest thou yet return to Me? saith the LORD.
King James Version (1611)
They say; If a man put away his wife, and she goe from him, and become another mans, shall hee returne vnto her againe? shall not that land be greatly polluted? but thou hast played the harlot with many louers; yet returne againe to me, saith the Lord.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Commonly when a man putteth away his wyfe, and she goeth from hym & maryeth with another, then the question is: shoulde he resort vnto her any more after that? (Is not that lande then defiled and vncleane?) But as for thee thou hast played the harlot with many louers, yet turne agayne to me, saith the Lorde.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
If a man put away his wife, and she depart from him, and become another man’s, shall she return to him any more at all? shall not that woman be utterly defiled? ye thou hast gone a-whoring with many shepherds, and hast returned to me, saith the Lord.
English Revised Version
They say, If a man put away his wife, and she go from him, and become another man's, shall he return unto her again? shall not that land be greatly polluted? But thou hast played the harlot with many lovers; yet return again to me, saith the LORD.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
It is seid comunli, If a man forsakith his wijf, and sche go awei fro hym, and be weddid to an othere hosebonde, whether he schal turne ayen more to hir? whether thilke womman schal not be defoulid, and maad vncleene? Forsothe thou hast do fornycacioun with many loueris; netheles turne thou ayen to me, `seith the Lord, and Y schal resseyue thee.
Update Bible Version
They say, If a man puts away his wife, and she goes from him, and becomes another man's, will he return to her again? will not that land be greatly polluted? But you have prostituted with many lovers; yet return again to me, says Yahweh.
Webster's Bible Translation
They say, If a man shall put away his wife, and she shall go from him, and become another man's, shall he return to her again? shall not that land be greatly polluted? but thou hast played the harlot with many lovers; yet return again to me, saith the LORD.
New English Translation
"If a man divorces his wife and she leaves him and becomes another man's wife, he may not take her back again. Doing that would utterly defile the land. But you, Israel, have given yourself as a prostitute to many gods. So what makes you think you can return to me?" says the Lord .
New King James Version
"They say, "If a man divorces his wife, And she goes from him And becomes another man's, May he return to her again?' Would not that land be greatly polluted? But you have played the harlot with many lovers; Yet return to Me," says the LORD.
New Living Translation
"If a man divorces a woman and she goes and marries someone else, he will not take her back again, for that would surely corrupt the land. But you have prostituted yourself with many lovers, so why are you trying to come back to me?" says the Lord .
New Life Bible
God says, "If a husband divorces his wife and she leaves him and marries another man, should he return to her again? Would not the land be made unclean? But you are like a sinful woman with many lovers, yet would you return to Me?" says the Lord.
New Revised Standard
If a man divorces his wife and she goes from him and becomes another man's wife, will he return to her? Would not such a land be greatly polluted? You have played the whore with many lovers; and would you return to me? says the Lord .
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
He hath said, If a man send away his wife, and she go from him and become another man's, will he return unto her, again? would not that land be, utterly defiled? And, thou, hast been unchaste with many neighbours, and yet thinkest to return unto me! Declareth Yahweh.
Douay-Rheims Bible
It is commonly said: If a man put away his wife, and she go from him, and marry another man, shall he return to her any more? shall not that woman be polluted, and defiled? but thou hast prostituted thyself to many lovers: nevertheless return to me, saith the Lord, and I will receive thee.
Revised Standard Version
"If a man divorces his wife and she goes from him and becomes another man's wife, will he return to her? Would not that land be greatly polluted? You have played the harlot with many lovers; and would you return to me? says the LORD.
Young's Literal Translation
Saying, `Lo, one sendeth away his wife, And she hath gone from him, And she hath been to another man, Doth he turn back unto her again? Greatly defiled is not that land? And thou hast committed whoredom with many lovers, And turn again to Me, an affirmation of Jehovah.
THE MESSAGE
God 's Message came to me as follows: "If a man's wife walks out on him And marries another man, can he take her back as if nothing had happened? Wouldn't that raise a huge stink in the land? And isn't that what you've done— ‘whored' your way with god after god? And now you want to come back as if nothing had happened." God 's Decree.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
God says, "If a husband divorces his wife And she goes from him And belongs to another man, Will he still return to her? Will not that land be completely polluted? But you are a harlot with many lovers; Yet you turn to Me," declares the LORD.

Contextual Overview

1That is to say, "If a man divorces his wife And she goes [away] from him And becomes another man's [wife], Will he return to her again? [Of course not!] Will not that land [where such a thing happened] be completely desecrated? But you [rebelled against Me and you] are a prostitute with many lovers; Yet you turn to Me." says the LORD.2"Lift up your eyes to the barren heights and see; Where have you not been violated? You sat by the road waiting [eagerly] for them [those man-made gods] Like an Arab [tribesman who waits to attack] in the desert, And you have desecrated the land With your [vile] prostitution and your wickedness (disobedience to God). 3"Therefore the showers have been withheld, And there has been no spring rain. Yet you have the forehead (appearance) of a prostitute; You refuse to be ashamed. 4"Will you not just now call out to Me, 'My Father, you were the guide and companion of my youth? 5'Will He be angry forever? Will He be indignant to the end?' Behold, you have spoken, And you have done all the evil things [you could], And you have had your way and have carried out your wickedness."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

They say: Heb. Saying

If a man: Deuteronomy 24:1-4

shall not that: Jeremiah 3:9, Jeremiah 2:7, Leviticus 18:24-28, Isaiah 24:5, Micah 2:10

but thou hast: Jeremiah 2:20, Jeremiah 2:23, Deuteronomy 22:21, Judges 19:2, Ezekiel 16:26, Ezekiel 16:28, Ezekiel 16:29, Ezekiel 23:4-49, Hosea 1:2, Hosea 2:5-7

yet return: Jeremiah 3:12-14, Jeremiah 3:22, Jeremiah 4:1, Jeremiah 4:14, Jeremiah 8:4-6, Deuteronomy 4:29-31, Isaiah 55:6-9, Ezekiel 33:11, Hosea 14:1-4, Zechariah 1:3, Luke 15:16-24

Reciprocal: Genesis 38:24 - played the harlot Leviticus 17:7 - gone a whoring Numbers 14:33 - bear Deuteronomy 24:4 - Her former Deuteronomy 31:16 - and go a Judges 19:3 - to bring 1 Samuel 12:20 - turn not Psalms 106:39 - went Isaiah 1:21 - become Isaiah 44:22 - return Isaiah 50:1 - the bill Isaiah 55:8 - General Jeremiah 2:33 - Why Jeremiah 3:6 - played Jeremiah 3:8 - when for Jeremiah 3:14 - for I am married Jeremiah 3:20 - so have Jeremiah 11:13 - For according Jeremiah 11:15 - seeing Jeremiah 13:27 - thine adulteries Jeremiah 14:10 - have they Jeremiah 16:18 - they have defiled Jeremiah 18:11 - return Ezekiel 16:15 - and playedst Ezekiel 16:32 - General Ezekiel 16:35 - O harlot Ezekiel 36:17 - they defiled Hosea 2:2 - let Hosea 2:7 - first Hosea 3:1 - friend Hosea 4:12 - gone Zechariah 5:7 - is Matthew 5:31 - whosoever Matthew 19:9 - doth Mark 10:4 - General 1 Corinthians 7:11 - or

Cross-References

Genesis 3:13
Then the LORD God said to the woman, "What is this that you have done?" And the woman said, "The serpent beguiled and deceived me, and I ate [from the forbidden tree]."
Genesis 3:15
"And I will put enmity (open hostility) Between you and the woman, And between your seed (offspring) and her Seed; He shall [fatally] bruise your head, And you shall [only] bruise His heel."
Ecclesiastes 4:10
for if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and does not have another to lift him up.
Isaiah 27:1
In that day the Lord will punish Leviathan the fleeing serpent With His fierce and great and mighty sword [rescuing Israel from her enemy], Even Leviathan the twisted serpent; And He will kill the dragon who lives in the sea.
Matthew 4:3
And the tempter came and said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread."
Matthew 4:6
And he said [mockingly] to Him, "If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down; for it is written, 'HE WILL COMMAND HIS ANGELS CONCERNING YOU [to serve, care for, protect and watch over You]'; and 'THEY WILL LIFT YOU UP ON their HANDS, SO THAT YOU WILL NOT STRIKE YOUR FOOT AGAINST A STONE.'"
Matthew 4:9
and he said to Him, "All these things I will give You, if You fall down and worship me."
Matthew 10:16
"Listen carefully: I am sending you out like sheep among wolves; so be wise as serpents, and innocent as doves [have no self-serving agenda].
2 Corinthians 11:14
And no wonder, since Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.
1 Peter 3:7
In the same way, you husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way [with great gentleness and tact, and with an intelligent regard for the marriage relationship], as with someone physically weaker, since she is a woman. Show her honor and respect as a fellow heir of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered or ineffective.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

They say, if a man put away his wife,.... Or, "saying" w; wherefore some connect those words with the last verse of the preceding chapter, as if they were a continuation of what the Lord had been there saying, that he would reject their confidences; so Kimchi; but they seem rather to begin a new section, or a paragraph, with what were commonly said among men, or in the law, and as the sense of that; that if a man divorced his wife upon any occasion,

and she go from him; departs from his house, and is separated from bed and board with him:

and become another man's, be married to another, as she might according to the law:

shall he return unto her again? take her to be his wife again; her latter husband not liking her, or being dead? no, he will not; he might not according to the law in Deuteronomy 24:4 and if there was no law respecting this, it can hardly be thought that he would, it being so contrary to nature, and to the order of civil society:

shall not that land be greatly polluted? either Judea, or any other, where such usages should obtain; for this, according to the law, was causing the land to sin, filling it with it, and making it liable to punishment for it; this being an abomination before the Lord. The Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, and Arabic versions, render it, "shall not that woman be defiled?" she is so by the latter husband; and that is a reason why she is not to be received by the former again, Deuteronomy 24:4:

but thou hast played the harlot with many lovers; or served many idols; the number of their gods having been according to the number of their cities, Jeremiah 2:28:

yet return again to me, saith the Lord; by repentance, and doing their first works, worshipping and serving him as formerly; so the Targum,

"return now from this time to my worship, saith the Lord.''

The Vulgate Latin version adds, "and I will receive thee"; this is an instance of great grace in the Lord, and which is not to be found among men.

w לאמור "dicendo", Montanus, Vatablus, Janius & Tremellius

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

They say - Or, That is to say. The prophet has completed his survey of Israel’s conduct, and draws the conclusion that as an adulterous wife could not be taken back by her husband, so Israel has forfeited her part in the covenant with God. Apparently the opening word, which literally means “to say,” only introduces the quotation in the margin.

Yet return again to me - Or, “and thinkest thou to return unto me!” The whole argument is not of mercy, but is the proof that after her repeated adulteries, Israel could not again take her place as wife. To think of returning to God, with the marriage-law unrepealed, was folly.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

CHAPTER III

The first five verses of this chapter allude to the subject of

the last; and contain earnest exhortations to repentance, with

gracious promises of pardon, notwithstanding every aggravation

of guilt, 1-5.

At the sixth verse a new section of prophecy commences, opening

with a complaint against Judah for having exceeded in guilt her

sister Israel, already cast off for her idolatry, 6-11.

She is cast off, but not forever; for to this same Israel,

whose place of captivity (Assyria) lay to the north of Judea,

pardon is promised on her repentance, together with a

restoration to the Church of God, along with her sister Judah,

in the latter days, 12-20.

The prophet foretells the sorrow and repentance of the children

of Israel under the Gospel dispensation, 21.

God renews his gracious promises, 22;

and they again confess their sins. In this confession their not

deigning to name the idol Baal, the source of their calamities,

but calling him in the abstract shame, or a thing of shame, is

a nice touch of the perusal extremely beautiful and natural,

22-25.

NOTES ON CHAP. III

Verse Jeremiah 3:1. If a man put away his wife — It was ever understood, by the law and practice of the country, that if a woman were divorced by her husband, and became the wife of another man, the first husband could never take her again. Now Israel had been married unto the Lord; joined in solemn covenant to him to worship and serve him only. Israel turned from following him, and became idolatrous. On this ground, considering idolatry as a spiritual whoredom, and the precept and practice of the law to illustrate this case, Israel could never more be restored to the Divine favour: but God, this first husband, in the plenitude of his mercy, is willing to receive this adulterous spouse, if she will abandon her idolatries and return unto him. And this and the following chapters are spent in affectionate remonstrances and loving exhortations addressed to these sinful people, to make them sensible of their own sin, and God's tender mercy in offering to receive them again into favour.


 
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