Jeremiah 3:6-10
Summary for Jer 3:6-10: 3:6-10 a The Lord had been addressing the kingdom of Judah as “Israel” (2:1–3:5 b), emphasizing their identity as his people. Now the Lord distinguishes between Israel, the northern kingdom that had been destroyed (2 Kgs 17 c), and the kingdom of Judah. Since the people of the southern kingdom had learned nothing from the fate of the northern kingdom, they were doomed to experience the same fate.• Josiah (640–609 BC) promoted a return to historic faith and practice in 621 BC (2 Chr 34:29-33 d).
Summary for Jer 3:7-8: 3:7-8 e King Josiah’s reforms failed to reach many of the common people. The love of idol worship common in northern Israel also continued among the farmers and shepherds of Judah. They failed to learn from the fate of the northern tribes, and even surpassed their practice of adultery (see Ezek 16:47-48 f).
3:8 g divorced: See 2 Kgs 17:23 h.
3:9 i land has been polluted: As a result of Israel’s apostasy, fertile fields no longer produced crops and sheep did not graze on green grass (Isa 57:6 j).
3:10 k Like the northern tribes of Israel, the people of Judah did not see anything immoral about idol worship; they treated the Lord’s objections lightly. The people did not really repent, but pretended to do so under the pressure of Josiah’s authority (2 Chr 34:32 l). Their religion was tainted with deception (Jer 12:2 m; Hos 7:14 n).
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