Jer. 3 God’s forbearance with the idolatry of Judah, who is worse than Israel, Jer. 3:1–11. Both called to repent, with gospel promises, Jer. 3:12–19. Misery by sin; salvation only of God, Jer. 3:20–25.

They say; or, Men use to say. If this, with the four following verses, belong to the former chapter, then it seems to express God’s condescension to them: q. d.

Lift up thine eyes; do but look, and consider whether I do charge thee wrongfully or no. Unto the high places: he directs her to the places of her whoredoms and idolatries, called high places, being principally upon hills, 2 Kings 21:3, and divers other places, though sometimes in valleys, Jer.

Therefore the showers have been withholden, viz. by me, according to my threatening, Lev. 26:19, Deut. 28:23–24, i.e. a drought sent upon thee, either as a punishment of thy wickedness; thus public sins bring public judgments; or as an aggravation of it; and then it must be read though, as it often…

Wilt thou not from this time, viz. that I have withholden showers? Some refer this, 1. To the time to come; Wilt thou not yet be wise, and for the future seek to me, having found all thy other ways successless? Isa. 9:13, Jer. 8:14. 2.

Will he reserve his anger for ever? here being a defect of the noun, the Jews supply it with thy sin, Isa. 43:25, but the most and best, as we do, his anger. Compare it with Jer. 3:12, Ps. 103:9, Nah. 1:2, in which texts there is a defect of the same word.

The Lord said also, or again; showing that here begins a new sermon, in which the prophet from God, 1. Declares Israel’s apostacy, and how it fared with them for it. 2. Aggravates Judah’s sin for not taking warning. 3.

Turn thou unto me, viz. by repentance, Acts 3:19. Although she had been so vile and abominable, yet the Lord waited in expectation of her return. Her treacherous sister Judah: Benjamin is also here comprised, but Judah being the chief is only named, these two abiding together after the other ten…

I saw: q.d. That which others discern not I saw well enough, viz. both her hypocrisy and dissimulation, and her incorrigibleness notwithstanding what had befallen Israel, whose correction should have been her instruction; thus God speaks of the notice he took of both, Jer. 23:13–14.

The lightness of her whoredom; whether of Judah’s or of Israel’s is not agreed upon, but the right applying of it doth depend much upon the right acceptation of the word lightness, which comes from a Hebrew word that signifies voice; and so it may refer either to the noise or fame of it, that would…

Though God saw what she did, and though she saw the shameful idolatry of Israel, and what she had suffered, yet she was not warned; see Jer. 3:8; but fell to idolatry under Manasseh, who undid what Hezekiah had done, 2 Chron.

Was less vile, hath more to say for herself; Judah’s sin being greatly aggravated compared with Israel, Ezek. 16:51, Ezek. 23:11, Luke 18:14. For though Israel’s sins were more, and their idolatry continued, yet in Judah it was more heinous, 1.

Go: it may possibly be used here as an adverb of exciting, namely, to go, as is usual; or it notes speed, Go quickly, out of hand; not locally, but set thy face, Jer. 2:2, or feet, that way, or by thy office address thyself to them, viz.

Only acknowledge thine iniquity; which will be the evidence of thy repentance, without which thou canst not lay claim to any pardon, Prov. 28:13, Isa. 55:7. This is spoken by way of limitation, lest the Israelites should fancy a too easy pardon from God’s merciful nature.

Turn, O backsliding children; for I am married unto you; I am in covenant with you, Deut. 29:1, Deut. 29:10–12;c., and this covenant, notwithstanding all your unfaithfulness, I am ready to renew with you, Hos. 2:19–20.

Pastors; either civil magistrates, which are sometimes so called, Mic. 5:5; or rather ecclesiastical, as appears both from the reason of God’s judgments upon Israel, viz.

When ye be multiplied; after the growth of the church under the Messiah. In those days; pointing at the great work of conversion that should be among them, especially in the days of the Messias, and how greatly the church should be increased by the accession of the Gentiles, a beginning whereof we…

They shall call Jerusalem the throne of the Lord; instead of the ark, whereon was the mercy-seat, now the church, typified by Jerusalem, Gal. 4:26, Rev. 21:2, shall be the place of God’s residence, where by his Spirit he will rule and act in his word and ordinances, and in special the Messias.

The house of Judah shall walk with the house of Israel; these two kingdoms shall become one, that had been so long divided; the enmity that was between them shall be taken away, and they shall walk hand in hand in a friendly manner one with another, which is implied in this phrase of walking…

How shall I words that speak either, first, God’s putting them to their own thoughts, how they could think he should bring such a perfidious people as they were into the land which he had promised; else, secondly, his considering within himself how or what course he should take to bring such a…

God hereby telling her what she had formerly been, endeavours to engage her to what she ought to be, namely, considering her former unfaithfulness in time past, how she ought to carry it for the future. See 1 Pet. 4:3.

A voice was heard: here the prophet seems to express Israel’s repentance and turning to God; and that which they were at present engaging themselves in; (the word being participial, and in the present tense;) delivered in a prophetical style, as that in Jer.

Return, viz. repent for sin and from sin. Here God calls upon them, and invites them to consider whither they are going, and to hearken unto the voice of his ministers, Hos. 14:1, Acts 3:19, Jer. 3:12. God doth as it were bid them hearken to his messengers, and then he will heal their backsliding.

From the hills, i.e. either from their idols, which were worshipped upon hills, a metonymy of the subject, Jer. 2:20, idols of the hills; or from any other external power whatsoever, either of persons or things, as the strength of hills, or forts, high places, and strong places, and assistance from…

Shame; either in general put for sin, which causeth shame, a metonymy of the effect; for that brought shame first into the world, Gen. 2:25. Or in particular the idol Baal, called the shameful thing, Jer. 11:13, Hos. 9:10. Hath devoured the labour of our fathers: q.d.

We lie down in our shame; we are perplexed and confounded within ourselves; we are such a reproach, both to God and man, that we cannot but lift up our hands for shame, even we, that had once a whore’s forehead, Jer.