Jeremiah 3:8
New International Version
I gave faithless Israel her certificate of divorce and sent her away because of all her adulteries. Yet I saw that her unfaithful sister Judah had no fear; she also went out and committed adultery.

New Living Translation
She saw that I divorced faithless Israel because of her adultery. But that treacherous sister Judah had no fear, and now she, too, has left me and given herself to prostitution.

English Standard Version
She saw that for all the adulteries of that faithless one, Israel, I had sent her away with a decree of divorce. Yet her treacherous sister Judah did not fear, but she too went and played the whore.

Berean Standard Bible
She saw that because faithless Israel had committed adultery, I gave her a certificate of divorce and sent her away. Yet that unfaithful sister Judah had no fear and prostituted herself as well.

King James Bible
And I saw, when for all the causes whereby backsliding Israel committed adultery I had put her away, and given her a bill of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah feared not, but went and played the harlot also.

New King James Version
Then I saw that for all the causes for which backsliding Israel had committed adultery, I had put her away and given her a certificate of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah did not fear, but went and played the harlot also.

New American Standard Bible
And I saw that for all the adulteries of faithless Israel, I had sent her away and given her a certificate of divorce, yet her treacherous sister Judah did not fear; but she went and prostituted herself also.

NASB 1995
“And I saw that for all the adulteries of faithless Israel, I had sent her away and given her a writ of divorce, yet her treacherous sister Judah did not fear; but she went and was a harlot also.

NASB 1977
“And I saw that for all the adulteries of faithless Israel, I had sent her away and given her a writ of divorce, yet her treacherous sister Judah did not fear; but she went and was a harlot also.

Legacy Standard Bible
And I saw that for all the adulteries of faithless Israel, I had sent her away and given her a certificate of divorce, yet her treacherous sister Judah did not fear; but she went and was a harlot also.

Amplified Bible
And I saw [that even though Judah knew] that for all the acts of adultery (idolatry) of faithless Israel, I [the LORD] had sent her away and given her a certificate of divorce, yet her treacherous sister Judah was not afraid; but she went and was a prostitute also [following after idols].

Christian Standard Bible
I observed that it was because unfaithful Israel had committed adultery that I had sent her away and had given her a certificate of divorce. Nevertheless, her treacherous sister Judah was not afraid but also went and prostituted herself.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
I observed that it was because unfaithful Israel had committed adultery that I had sent her away and had given her a certificate of divorce. Nevertheless, her treacherous sister Judah was not afraid but also went and prostituted herself.

American Standard Version
And I saw, when, for this very cause that backsliding Israel had committed adultery, I had put her away and given her a bill of divorcement, yet treacherous Judah her sister feared not; but she also went and played the harlot.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And she saw all her possessions, and because the inhabitant of Israel committed adultery, I left her and I gave her a writing of divorce, and her lying sister Yehuda was not afraid, and she went and committed prostitution also

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And I saw that (for all the sins of which she was convicted, wherein the house of Israel committed adultery, and I put her away, and gave into her hands a bill of divorcement,) yet faithless Juda feared not, but went and herself also committed fornication.

Douay-Rheims Bible
That because the rebellious Israel had played the harlot, I had put her away, and had given her a bill of divorce: yet her treacherous sister Juda was not afraid, but went and played the harlot also herself.

English Revised Version
And I saw, when, for this very cause that backsliding Israel had committed adultery, I had put her away and given her a bill of divorcement, yet treacherous Judah her sister feared not; but she also went and played the harlot.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Judah saw that I sent unfaithful Israel away because of her adultery and that I gave Israel her divorce papers. But treacherous Judah, her sister, wasn't afraid. She also acted like a prostitute.

Good News Translation
Judah also saw that I divorced Israel and sent her away because she had turned from me and had become a prostitute. But Judah, Israel's unfaithful sister, was not afraid. She too became a prostitute

International Standard Version
I saw that even though I had sent unfaithful Israel away for all her adulteries and had given her a divorce decree, her treacherous sister Judah didn't fear, and she, too, committed adultery.

JPS Tanakh 1917
And I saw, when, forasmuch as backsliding Israel had committed adultery, I had put her away and given her a bill of divorcement, that yet treacherous Judah her sister feared not; but she also went and played the harlot;

Literal Standard Version
And I see that for all the causes whereby backsliding Israel committed adultery, I have sent her away, and I give the bill of her divorce to her; and her treacherous sister Judah has not feared, and goes and commits fornication—she also.

Majority Standard Bible
She saw that because faithless Israel had committed adultery, I gave her a certificate of divorce and sent her away. Yet that unfaithful sister Judah had no fear and prostituted herself as well.

New American Bible
that, in response to all the adulteries rebel Israel had committed, I sent her away and gave her a bill of divorce, nevertheless Judah, the traitor, her sister, was not frightened; she too went off and played the prostitute.

NET Bible
She also saw that I gave wayward Israel her divorce papers and sent her away because of her adulterous worship of other gods. Even after her unfaithful sister Judah had seen this, she still was not afraid, and she too went and gave herself like a prostitute to other gods.

New Revised Standard Version
She saw that for all the adulteries of that faithless one, Israel, I had sent her away with a decree of divorce; yet her false sister Judah did not fear, but she too went and played the whore.

New Heart English Bible
She saw that for all the causes for which faithless Israel had committed adultery, I had put her away and given her a bill of divorce, yet treacherous Judah, her sister, did not fear; but she also went and played the prostitute.

Webster's Bible Translation
And I saw, when for all the causes by which backsliding Israel committed adultery I had put her away, and given her a bill of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah feared not, but went and played the harlot also.

World English Bible
I saw when, for this very cause, that backsliding Israel had committed adultery, I had put her away and given her a certificate of divorce, yet treacherous Judah, her sister, had no fear, but she also went and played the prostitute.

Young's Literal Translation
And I see when (for all the causes whereby backsliding Israel committed adultery) I have sent her away, and I give the bill of her divorce unto her, that treacherous Judah her sister hath not feared, and goeth and committeth fornication -- she also.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Judah Follows Israel's Example
7I thought that after she had done all these things, she would return to Me. But she did not return, and her unfaithful sister Judah saw it. 8She saw that because faithless Israel had committed adultery, I gave her a certificate of divorce and sent her away. Yet that unfaithful sister Judah had no fear and prostituted herself as well. 9Indifferent to her own infidelity, Israel had defiled the land and committed adultery with stones and trees.…

Cross References
Deuteronomy 24:1
If a man marries a woman, but she becomes displeasing to him because he finds some indecency in her, he may write her a certificate of divorce, hand it to her, and send her away from his house.

Deuteronomy 24:3
and the second man hates her, writes her a certificate of divorce, hands it to her, and sends her away from his house, or if he dies,

Isaiah 50:1
This is what the LORD says: "Where is your mother's certificate of divorce with which I sent her away? Or to which of My creditors did I sell you? Look, you were sold for your iniquities, and for your transgressions your mother was sent away.

Jeremiah 2:19
Your own evil will discipline you; your own apostasies will reprimand you. Consider and realize how evil and bitter it is for you to forsake the LORD your God and to have no fear of Me," declares the Lord GOD of Hosts.

Jeremiah 33:24
"Have you not noticed what these people are saying: 'The LORD has rejected the two families He had chosen'? So they despise My people and no longer regard them as a nation.

Ezekiel 16:46
Your older sister was Samaria, who lived with her daughters to your north; and your younger sister was Sodom, who lived with her daughters to your south.

Ezekiel 16:47
And you not only walked in their ways and practiced their abominations, but soon you were more depraved than they were.


Treasury of Scripture

And I saw, when for all the causes whereby backsliding Israel committed adultery I had put her away, and given her a bill of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah feared not, but went and played the harlot also.

when for

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? but thou hast played the harlot with many lovers; yet return again to me, saith the LORD.

2 Kings 17:6-18
In the ninth year of Hoshea the king of Assyria took Samaria, and carried Israel away into Assyria, and placed them in Halah and in Habor by the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes…

2 Kings 18:9-11
And it came to pass in the fourth year of king Hezekiah, which was the seventh year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, that Shalmaneser king of Assyria came up against Samaria, and besieged it…

and given her

Deuteronomy 24:1
When a man hath taken a wife, and married her, and it come to pass that she find no favour in his eyes, because he hath found some uncleanness in her: then let him write her a bill of divorcement, and give it in her hand, and send her out of his house.

Isaiah 50:1
Thus saith the LORD, Where is the bill of your mother's divorcement, whom I have put away? or which of my creditors is it to whom I have sold you? Behold, for your iniquities have ye sold yourselves, and for your transgressions is your mother put away.

feared not

2 Kings 17:19
Also Judah kept not the commandments of the LORD their God, but walked in the statutes of Israel which they made.

Ezekiel 23:11-21
And when her sister Aholibah saw this, she was more corrupt in her inordinate love than she, and in her whoredoms more than her sister in her whoredoms…

Hosea 4:15
Though thou, Israel, play the harlot, yet let not Judah offend; and come not ye unto Gilgal, neither go ye up to Bethaven, nor swear, The LORD liveth.

Jump to Previous
Adultery Backsliding Bill Cause Causes Committed Divorce Divorcement Fear Feared Forasmuch Harlot Israel Judah Played Prostitute Sister Treacherous Whereby
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Adultery Backsliding Bill Cause Causes Committed Divorce Divorcement Fear Feared Forasmuch Harlot Israel Judah Played Prostitute Sister Treacherous Whereby
Jeremiah 3
1. God's great mercy to Judah the polluted land
6. Judah is worse than Israel
12. The promises of the gospel to the penitent
20. Israel reproved, and called by God, makes a solemn confession of their sins














(8) And I saw, when for all the causes.--Better, perhaps (following a conjectural emendation, which gives a much better sense), And she saw that for all the causes. The technical fulness of the words suggests the thought that they were actually the customary formula with which every writing of divorcement began, recapitulating the offences which were alleged by the husband against the wife. The actual repudiation consisted, of course, in the bitter exile and loss of national life, which Hosea (Hosea 2:1-13) had predicted under a like figure. Judah had witnessed the sin and the punishment, and yet was following in the same path.

Verse 8. - And I saw, when for all the causes, etc.; rather, and I saw that even because apostate Israel had, etc. But this is exceedingly strange in this connection. The preceding words seem to compel us either (with the Vulgate) to omit "and I saw" altogether, or (with Ewald) to read the first letter of the verb differently, and render "and she saw," taking up the statement of ver. 7 ("saw; yea, she saw," etc.). The latter view is favored by a phrase in ver. 10 (see note below). The same corruption of the text (which is palaeographically an easy one) occurs probably in Ezekiel 23:13. The error must, however, be a very ancient one, for the Septuagint already has καὶ εῖδον.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Because
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

faithless
מְשֻׁבָ֣ה (mə·šu·ḇāh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 4878: Turning back, apostasy

Israel
יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל (yiś·rā·’êl)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3478: Israel -- 'God strives', another name of Jacob and his desc

had committed adultery,
נִֽאֲפָה֙ (ni·’ă·p̄āh)
Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 5003: To commit adultery, to apostatize

I gave
וָאֶתֵּ֛ן (wā·’et·tên)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singular
Strong's 5414: To give, put, set

her
אֶת־ (’eṯ-)
Direct object marker
Strong's 853: Untranslatable mark of the accusative case

a certificate
סֵ֥פֶר (sê·p̄er)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 5612: A missive, document, writing, book

of divorce
כְּרִיתֻתֶ֖יהָ (kə·rî·ṯu·ṯe·hā)
Noun - feminine plural construct | third person feminine singular
Strong's 3748: A cutting, divorce

[and] sent her away.
שִׁלַּחְתִּ֕יהָ (šil·laḥ·tî·hā)
Verb - Piel - Perfect - first person common singular | third person feminine singular
Strong's 7971: To send away, for, out

Yet I saw
וָאֵ֗רֶא (wā·’ê·re)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singular
Strong's 7200: To see

that
כִּ֤י (kî)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

her unfaithful
בֹּֽגֵדָ֤ה (bō·ḡê·ḏāh)
Verb - Qal - Participle - feminine singular
Strong's 898: To cover, to act covertly, to pillage

sister
אֲחוֹתָ֔הּ (’ă·ḥō·w·ṯāh)
Noun - feminine singular construct | third person feminine singular
Strong's 269: Sister -- a sister

Judah
יְהוּדָה֙ (yə·hū·ḏāh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3063: Judah -- 'praised', a son of Jacob, also the southern kingdom, also four Israelites

had no
וְלֹ֨א (wə·lō)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

fear
יָֽרְאָ֜ה (yā·rə·’āh)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 3372: To fear, to revere, caus, to frighten

and
גַּם־ (gam-)
Conjunction
Strong's 1571: Assemblage, also, even, yea, though, both, and

prostituted herself [as well].
וַתִּ֥זֶן (wat·ti·zen)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 2181: To commit adultery, to commit idolatry


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OT Prophets: Jeremiah 3:8 I saw when for this very cause (Jer.)
Jeremiah 3:7
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