Read Jeremiah 3 at Bible Gateway.
The Hebrew paragraphs:
2:29-3:5 {p} The transgression and harlotries of YHVH’s people, even though they deny they have sinned
3:6-10 {s} Treacherous Judah did not learn from the fate of backsliding Israel, and has not returned to YHVH with a whole heart
3:11-17 {s} YHVH’s call to the north, to backsliding Israel: return to Me, and I will bring you to Zion
3:18-25 {s} Israel’s response: We do come to You, O YHVH our God, for in You alone is the salvation of Israel
The Strong theme:
2:4-3:5 {s+p} YHVH has not wronged Israel, but they have forsaken Him; yet denying that they have wronged Him
The Chiastic structure:
“And yet for all this, her treacherous sister Judah has not returned to Me with all her heart, but only in pretense,” declares YHVH. {s} And YHVH said to me, “Backsliding Israel has shown herself more righteous than treacherous Judah.” Jer 3:10-11
Why would backsliding Israel be more righteous than treacherous Judah? Backsliding Israel served other gods and made no pretense about it. She was upfront with her adultery. Treacherous Judah, however, served other gods in secret while pretending to be committed to YHVH. Treacherous Judah maintained all the proscribed forms of worship while her heart was far from YHVH.
Backsliding is Strong’s H7726 shobab, an abstract concept; from Strong’s H7725, שוב shuv, ‘to return, to turn back.’ The ancient pictographs are shin + vav + bet.
shin ש = two front teeth (sharp, press, eat, two, again)
vav ו = tent peg (add, secure, hook)
bet ב = house (house, household, family, in, within)
The Hebrew Root Word parable is to again (shin) secure oneself (vav) to the house (bet). The house we have left, to which we are to return to, is His house, because history began with Father God, a beautiful garden, and the two children He had made to dwell with Him forever, to be part of His household. Shuv is the root of the abstract concept of teshuvah, “repentance.” The term most often used to describe this restoration in the New Testament, is salvation or justification. Shuv is also the root of repentance’s opposite: the abstract concept of backsliding, “to turn away from.”
Backsliding is ultimately a heart problem: “Judah has not returned to me with all her heart (or with a whole heart).” Becoming wholehearted (Jer 24:7), or single-hearted (Jam 1:8), or of a circumcised heart (Deu 30:1-6), is the goal. Through Jeremiah’s prophecies, God is going to reveal His plan for healing the backslidings of His children.
If there are questions, these are helpful resources:
To be wholehearted: Tamiym, “Perfect,” Strong’s H8549 – Christine Miller
Jeremiah 3 and 4, Healing our backsliding – Christine Miller
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