Jeremiah 3:8

Sin

⁶ Now in the days of King Josiah, the LORD said to me, “Have you seen what faithless Israel has done? She has gone up on every high hill and under every green tree to prostitute herself there.

⁷ I thought that after she had done all these things, she would return to Me. But she did not return, and her unfaithful sister Judah saw it.

She saw that because faithless Israel had committed adultery, I gave her a certificate of divorce and sent her away. Yet that unfaithful sister Judah had no fear and prostituted herself as well.

⁹ Indifferent to her own infidelity, Israel had defiled the land and committed adultery with stones and trees.

¹⁰ Yet in spite of all this, her unfaithful sister Judah did not return to Me with all her heart, but only in pretense,” declares the LORD.

This was said to Israel at a particular time, so it is wise to read it together with the surrounding text. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: She saw that because faithless Israel had committed adultery, I gave her a certificate of divorce and sent her away. Yet that unfaithful sister Judah had no fear and prostituted herself as well.
KJV: And I saw, when for all the causes whereby backsliding Israel committed adultery I had put her away, and given her a bill of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah feared not, but went and played the harlot also.
WEB: I saw when, for this very cause, that backsliding Israel had committed adultery, I had put her away and given her a certificate of divorce, yet treacherous Judah, her sister, had no fear, but she also went and played the prostitute.
ASV: And I saw, when, for this very cause that backsliding Israel had committed adultery, I had put her away and given her a bill of divorcement, yet treacherous Judah her sister feared not; but she also went and played the harlot.
DARBY: And I saw that when for all the causes wherein backsliding Israel committed adultery I had put her away, and given her a bill of divorce, yet the treacherous Judah, her sister, feared not, but went and committed fornication also.
BLB: And she saw that, in spite of all the causes for which backsliding Israel had committed adultery, I had sent her away, and had given a writ of divorce to her, and her treacherous sister Judah did not fear, and she went and also she prostituted herself.

ÅB: Og jeg så at enda jeg hadde latt den frafalne, Israel, fare og gitt henne hennes skilsmissebrev, fordi hun hadde drevet hor, fryktet allikevel ikke hennes søster Juda, den troløse, men gikk avsted og drev hor hun også;
OTB: Jeg ga troløse Israel hennes skilsmissebrev og sendte henne bort på grunn av hennes ekteskapsbrudd. Likevel var hennes troløse søster Juda ikke redd; hun gikk også og begikk ekteskapsbrudd.
B1930: Og jeg så at enda jeg hadde latt den frafalne, Israel, fare og gitt henne hennes skilsmissebrev, fordi hun hadde drevet hor, fryktet allikevel ikke hennes søster Juda, den troløse, men gikk avsted og drev hor hun også;

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Deuteronomy 24:1
If a man marries a woman, but she becomes displeasing to him because he finds some indecency in her, he may write her a certificate of divorce, hand it to her, and send her away from his house.
Read in context
2 Kings 18:9–11
In the fourth year of Hezekiah’s reign, which was the seventh year of the reign of Hoshea son of Elah over Israel, Shalmaneser king of Assyria marched against Samaria and besieged it.
Read in context
Hosea 2:2–3
Rebuke your mother, rebuke her, for she is not My wife, and I am not her husband. Let her remove the adultery from her face and the unfaithfulness from between her breasts.
Read in context
Isaiah 50:1
This is what the LORD says: “Where is your mother’s certificate of divorce with which I sent her away? Or to which of My creditors did I sell you? Look, you were sold for your iniquities, and for your transgressions your mother was sent away.
Read in context
Hosea 3:4
For the Israelites must live many days without king or prince, without sacrifice or sacred pillar, and without ephod or idol.
Read in context
Hosea 4:15–17
Though you prostitute yourself, O Israel, may Judah avoid such guilt! Do not journey to Gilgal, do not go up to Beth-aven, and do not swear on oath, ‘As surely as the LORD lives!’
Read in context
Hosea 9:15–17
All their evil appears at Gilgal, for there I hated them. I will drive them from My house for the wickedness of their deeds. I will no longer love them; all their leaders are rebellious.
Read in context
2 Kings 17:6–19
In the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyria captured Samaria and carried away the Israelites to Assyria, where he settled them in Halah, in Gozan by the Habor River, and in the cities of the Medes.
Read in context