Charles Spurgeon Commentary Jeremiah 3:18-19

"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 gave for an inheritance unto your fathers. But I said, How I will put thee among the children, and give thee a pleasant land, a goodly heritage of the hosts of the nations! and I said, Ye shall call me My Father, and shall not turn away from following me." — Jeremiah 3:18-19 (ASV)

And they shall come together out of the land of the north to the land that I have given for an inheritance to your fathers. But I said, how shall I put you among the children, –

When God had said all this, He appears to have come to a pause. Even in His own heart the question seems to arise: How can He deal with these greatly sinful ones as His children? I said, How shall I put you among the children, –

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 father. But I said, How shall I put thee among the children,

As if God himself were at a loss and perplexed.

These people had sinned so much, and they had been driven consequently to the ends of the earth. I said, How shall I put thee among the children?

And they shall come together out of the land that I have given for an inheritance to your fathers. But I said,

After all this mercy, he seems to come to a pause, "But I said" –