The Meaning of Jeremiah 3:11 Explained

Jeremiah 3:11

KJV: And the LORD said unto me, The backsliding Israel hath justified herself more than treacherous Judah.

YLT: And Jehovah saith unto me: 'Justified herself hath backsliding Israel, More than treacherous Judah.

Darby: And Jehovah said unto me, Backsliding Israel hath shewn herself more just than treacherous Judah.

ASV: And Jehovah said unto me, Backsliding Israel hath showed herself more righteous than treacherous Judah.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And the LORD  said  unto me, The backsliding  Israel  hath justified  herself  more than treacherous  Judah. 

What does Jeremiah 3:11 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Yahweh instructed His prophet that though both the Northern and Southern Kingdoms had committed spiritual harlotry, Judah"s sin was worse than Israel"s. Here the Lord personified Judah as "Treachery" as he again personified Israel as "Apostasy" (cf. Jeremiah 3:6; Jeremiah 3:12). Israel had been unfaithful, but Judah had been unfaithful and had presumed on the Lord"s mercy. Israel had not had the benefit of an example of unfaithfulness to warn her, but Judah did (cf. Ezekiel 23).

Context Summary

Jeremiah 3:11-25 - Pleading With Faithless Children
The people of the northern kingdom, to whom this appeal is especially addressed, were more excusable than Judah, because their privileges had been less. God judges us according to our opportunities. How precious the invitation and promise of Jeremiah 3:12! Confession is an essential condition that must be fulfilled by us. See 1 John 1:7. Zion shall yet be the center of a restored Israel, Jeremiah 3:14; Jeremiah 3:18. In Jeremiah 3:21-25 the voices of the people in confession and prayer mingle with Jehovah's encouraging their return. When we lie down in broken-hearted shame and penitence, we are very near to being lifted to the bosom of God. Compare Jeremiah 3:25 with Jeremiah 4:1. The return of the Chosen People to the God of their fathers will be the cause of revival and quickening throughout the earth. Compare Jeremiah 4:2 with Romans 11:12. [source]

Chapter Summary: 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

What do the individual words in Jeremiah 3:11 mean?

And said Yahweh to me has shown righteous herself Backsliding Israel more than treacherous Judah
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהוָה֙ אֵלַ֔י צִדְּקָ֥ה נַפְשָׁ֖הּ מְשֻׁבָ֣ה יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל מִבֹּגֵדָ֖ה יְהוּדָֽה

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר  And  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
יְהוָה֙  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
אֵלַ֔י  to  me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
צִדְּקָ֥ה  has  shown  righteous 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, third person feminine singular
Root: צָדַק  
Sense: to be just, be righteous.
נַפְשָׁ֖הּ  herself 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person feminine singular
Root: נֶפֶשׁ  
Sense: soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion.
מְשֻׁבָ֣ה  Backsliding 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: מְשׁוּבָה  
Sense: turning away, turning back, apostasy, backsliding.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
מִבֹּגֵדָ֖ה  more  than  treacherous 
Parse: Preposition-m, Verb, Qal, Participle, feminine singular
Root: בָּגַד  
Sense: to act treacherously, deceitfully, deal treacherously.
יְהוּדָֽה  Judah 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יְהוּדָה  
Sense: the son of Jacob by Leah.