Jeremiah 3:6

The LORD said also unto me in the days of Josiah the king, Hast thou seen that which backsliding Israel hath done? she is gone up upon every high mountain and under every green tree, and there hath played the harlot. From here to a new discourse, delivered in Josiah's reign: it consists of two parts, the former extending to , in which he warns Judah from the example of Israel's doom, and yet promises Israel final restoration; the latter a threat of Babylonian invasion: as Nabopolassar founded the Babylonian empire 625 BC, the seventeenth of Josiah, this prophecy is perhaps not earlier than that date (, etc.; , etc.;...

Here the Prophet enters on a new discourse: he relates what God had committed to him, and mentions the time, even in the reign of Josiah. It is indeed well known, that the land was then cleansed from superstitions; for that pious king labored to restore the true worship of God, and to remove all the filth and defilements, by which the temple and the whole of religion had been corrupted. He strenuously exerted himself, and no doubt there was an improved appearance of religion throughout the land; but we shall see that a great portion of the people were under the influence of hypocrisy and deceit., as it is usually the case when rulers seek to support the pure worship of God, and to free it from all corruptions; for there are many hypocrites, who for a time dissemble, while the same antipathy to God still remains. Such was then the condition of the people. And this ought to be carefully ob...

6-11 If we mark the crimes of those who break off from a religious profession, and the consequences, we see abundant reason to shun evil ways. It is dreadful to be proved more criminal than those who have actually perished in their sins; yet it will be small comfort in everlasting punishment, for them to know that others were viler than they....

Verse Jeremiah 3:6. _THE LORD SAID ALSO UNTO ME IN THE DAYS OF JOSIAH THE_ _KING_] This is a new discourse, and is supposed to have been delivered after the _eighteenth_ year of the reign of Josiah. Here the prophet shows the people of Judah the transgressions, idolatry, obstinacy, and punishment of their brethren, the ten tribes, whom he calls to return to the Lord, with the most gracious promises of restoration to their own country, their reunion with their brethren of Judah, and every degree of prosperity in consequence. He takes occasion also to show the Jews how much more culpable they were than the Israelites, because they practiced the same iniquities while they had the punishment and ruin of the others before their eyes. He therefore exhorts them to return to God with all their hearts, that they might not fall into the same condemnation. See the following...

BACKSLIDING ISRAEL - The original is very strong: Hast thou seen Apostasy? i. e., Israel: as though Israel were the very personificatiom of the denial of God. SHE IS GONE UP - Rather, she goes; it is her habitual practice....

EXPOSITION That this chapter (to which the first four verses of Jeremiah 4:1. ought to have been attached) belongs to the time of Josiah seems to be proved by Jeremiah 3:6, and the years immediately following the reformation are not obscurely referred to in Jeremiah 3:4, Jeremiah 3:10. Naegelsbach gives a striking distribution of its contents. The general subject is a call to "return." First, the prophet shows that, in spite of Deuteronomy 24:1, etc; a return is possible ...

THE LORD SAID ALSO UNTO ME, IN THE DAYS OF JOSIAH THE KING,.... For in his time Jeremiah began to prophesy, even in the thirteenth year of his reign, Jeremiah 1:2: HAST THOU SEEN THAT WHICH BACKSLIDING ISRAEL HATH DONE? the ten tribes; that is, hast thou not heard? or dost thou not know the idolatry of the ten tribes, which was the cause of their captivity? as Kimchi explains it; for the facts, or the idolatrous actions of the ten tribes, were not done in Josiah's and Jeremiah's time; for they were carried captive in the sixth year of Hezekiah, ninety years or more before Jeremiah began to prophesy, and their idolatry was before their captivity, and therefore could not be properly seen by him; only it had been heard of by him, it was known by him, it was notorious enough, being well attested: she is gone upon every high mountain, and under every green tree

In this chapter, the sin of God's people is put in the strongest possible light. The figure used may be even said to be a coarse one, but man's sin is itself a coarse thing. The thoughts suggested in this chapter are not what the delicate might desire; but then there is no delicacy in sin. Jeremiah 3:1. _They say, If a man put away his wife, and she go from him, and become another man's, shall he return unto her again? shall not that land be greatly polluted?_ God himself seems here to be at a non plus. His people had gone away from him, they had acted unfaithfully to him, they had joined themselves unto other gods. The case was a very difficult one. If the Lord takes these people back again, will it not look like putting a premium upon sin? That is just the question that is constantly being raised. If God freely forgives great sinners, will it not look as if he treated

THE LORD SAID The general character of the second message to Judah is: (1) of reproach that the example of Jehovah's chastening of the northern kingdom (2 Kings 17:1) had produced no effect upon Judah, for example (Jeremiah 3:6). (2) of warning of a like chastisement impending over Judah, for example (Jeremiah 3:15). (3) of touching appeals to return to Jehovah, for example (Jeremiah 3:12). (4) of promises of final national restoration and blessing, for example (Jeremiah 3:16)....

THE CALL TO REPENTANCE AND JUDGMENT ANNOUNCED (3:6-6:30) CHAPTER 3 _ 1. The contrast between backslidden Israel and treacherous Judah (Jeremiah 3:6) _ 2. The call to return and the promised glory (Jeremiah 3:12) 3. The future true repentance predicted and anticipated (Jeremiah 3:19) Jeremiah 3:6. The message which begins with the sixth verse was given to Jeremiah during the reign of Josiah. There is then, first of all, a contrast between Israel (the ten tribes) and her sister Judah. (Compare with Ezekiel 23: