Scofield Reference Bible Notes
Jeremiah 3

Jer 3:1 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.

thou hast played the harlot

Jer 2:20; Eze 16:26, 28, 29.

Jer 3:3 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.

the showers have been withholden

Jer 9:12; 14:4; Lev 26:19; Deu 28:23, 24.

Jer 3:4 Wilt thou not from this time cry unto me, My father, thou art the guide of my youth?

my youth

Jer 2:2; Hos 2:15.

Jer 3:6 The Lord said also unto me in the days of Josiah the king, Hast thou seen that which backsliding Israel hath done? she is gone up upon every high mountain and under every green tree, and there hath played the harlot.

The Lord said

The general character of the second message to Judah is:

1. of reproach that the example of Jehovah's chastening of the northern kingdom (2Ki 17:1-18) had produced no effect upon Judah, e.g. Jer 3:6-10;
2. of warning of a like chastisement impending over Judah, e.g. Jer 3:15-17;
3. of touching appeals to return to Jehovah, e.g. Jer 3:12-14; and
4. of promises of final national restoration and blessing, e.g. Jer 3:16-18.

Israel

"Israel" and "Ephraim": names by which the northern kingdom (the ten tribes) is usually called in the prophets. When by "Israel" the whole nation is meant, it will appear from the context.

Jer 3:7 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.

her treacherous sister

Eze 16:46; 23:2, 4.

Jer 3:10 And yet for all this her treacherous sister Judah hath not turned unto me with her whole heart, but feignedly, saith the LORD.

with her whole heart

2Ch 34:33; Hos 7:14.

Jer 3:13 Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the LORD thy God, and hast scattered thy ways to the strangers under every green tree, and ye have not obeyed my voice, saith the LORD.

acknowledge thine iniquity

Lev 26:40; Deu 30:1, 2; Pro 28:13.

Jer 3:14 Turn, O backsliding children, saith the LORD; for I am married unto you: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion:

I am married unto you

Jer 31:32; Hos 2:19, 20.

Jer 3:15 And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.

I will give you pastors

Jer 23:4; Eze 34:23; Eph 4:11.

feed you with knowledge

Act 20:28.

Jer 3:17 At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the LORD; and all the nations shall be gathered unto it, to the name of the LORD, to Jerusalem: neither shall they walk any more after the imagination of their evil heart.

to the name of the LORD

Isa 60:9.

Jer 3:18 In those days the house of Judah shall walk with the house of Israel, and they shall come together out of the land of the north to the land that I have given for an inheritance unto your fathers.

the house of Judah

Isa 11:13; Eze 37:16-22; Hos 1:11.

Jer 3:19 But I said, How shall I put thee among the children, and give thee a pleasant land, a goodly heritage of the hosts of nations? and I said, Thou shalt call me, My father; and shalt not turn away from me.

My father

Isa 63:16.

Jer 3:22 Return, ye backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings. Behold, we come unto thee; for thou art the LORD our God.

I will heal your backslidings

Hos 6:1; 14:4.

Jer 3:23 Truly in vain is salvation hoped for from the hills, and from the multitude of mountains: truly in the LORD our God is the salvation of Israel.

the LORD our God is the salvation of Israel

Psa 3:8.

Jer 3:25 We lie down in our shame, and our confusion covereth us: for we have sinned against the LORD our God, we and our fathers, from our youth even unto this day, and have not obeyed the voice of the LORD our God.

we have sinned against the LORD our God

Ezr 9:7.