Jer 3:6-14 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for Jer 3:6-10: 3:6-10 The Lord had been addressing the kingdom of Judah as “Israel” (2:1–3:5 ), emphasizing their identity as his people. Now the Lord distinguishes between Israel , the northern kingdom that had been destroyed (2 Kgs 17 ), 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 ).

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).
Summary for Jer 3:11-4:2: 3:11–4:2 ^o The Lord appealed to Israel to repent, return, and be reconciled to him (contrast 2:1–3:10 ^p). Israel had sinned and had received its punishment. Now the people of Judah were sinning even more brazenly than their northern kin, and they ignored the lesson the Lord had taught Israel (Ezek 16:51-52 ^q). But it was still not too late to repent and become the blessing to the nations (Jer 4:1-2 ^r) that God intended them to be (Gen 12:3 ^s).
3:12 ^t In this decree, the Lord calls the survivors of the faithless Israel of a century before to come home. God’s solid, underlying character is merciful, and he desires to extend salvation and restoration (12:15 ^u; 31:20 ^v; 33:26 ^w; 2 Kgs 17:6 ^x; Ps 86:15 ^y).
3:13 ^z acknowledge your guilt ... Admit that you rebelled ... Confess that you refused to listen: Through these three elements of repentance, the people could demonstrate their willingness to receive the Lord’s salvation and restoration (Lev 26:40 ^aa; Deut 30:1-5 ^ab).
3:14 ^ac Return home: The Lord had spoken to all Israel as a husband to an adulterous wife, but now he refers to Israel as wayward children. The Lord would bring selected exiles back to the Promised Land (31:6 ^ad, 32 ^ae; Hos 2:19-20 ^af; Rom 11:5 ^ag).

• to the land of Israel: Hebrew to Zion.