Albert Barnes Commentary Jeremiah 3

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 do you think to return to 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.

These words are not the language of consolation to the conscience-stricken, but of vehement expostulation with hardened sinners. They prove, therefore, the truth of the interpretation given to the preceding verse.

As the Arabian... — The freebooting tendencies of the Bedouin had become a proverb in ancient times. As eager as the desert tribes were for plunder, so was Israel for idolatry.

Or, have you not from this time called me, My Father, thou art the husband of my youth? That is, from the time of Josiah’s reforms in his eighteenth year, in opposition to of old time (Jeremiah 2:20).

Rather, “Will he, the young husband,” retain, “keep up His anger forever!” These words should be joined to (Jeremiah 3:4).

Behold ... - Rather, “Behold, you have spoken” thus, but you have “done evil things” persistently. The King James Version translates as if Judah’s words and deeds were both evil. Really her words were fair, but her deeds proved them to be false.

And here ends the prophecy, most interesting as showing what was the general nature of Jeremiah’s exhortations to his countrymen during the 14 years of Josiah’s reign. He sets before them God and Israel united by a covenant of marriage, to the conditions of which Yahweh is ever true, while Israel practices with zest every form of idolatry. Therefore, the divine blessing is withheld.

It is an honest and forthright warning, and the great lesson it teaches us is that with God nothing is effective except a real and heartfelt repentance, followed by a life of holiness and sincere devotion to His service.

(Jeremiah 3:6 - 4:4) – “The Call to Repentance”

The former prophecy ended with the denunciation of God’s perpetual anger because of Israel’s obstinate persistence in sin. Now there is an invitation to repentance and the assurance of forgiveness.

The argument is as follows: Israel had been guilty of apostasy, and therefore God had put her away. Unwarned by this example, her more guilty sister Judah persists in the same sins (Jeremiah 3:6–11).

Israel therefore is invited to return to the marriage-covenant by repentance (Jeremiah 3:12–14), in which case she and Judah, accepted on the same condition, will become joint members of a spiritual theocracy (Jeremiah 3:15–18).

The repentance which God requires must be real (Jeremiah 3:19 - 4:4).

Backsliding Israel - The original is very strong: Have you seen Apostasy? i.e., Israel: as though Israel were the very personification of the denial of God.

She is gone up - Rather, she goes; it is her habitual practice.