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After this, he reasons as follows: every wife who leaves her husband and marries another cannot return to her first husband, because the law prohibits this. But you, leaving Me, who was married to you by law, mated with wicked demons (Jer. 3:1), and then, as soon as you felt harm, you returned to Me, and I did not reject you. If you think that I am saying this simply, then Jer.3:2. Raise your eyes to righteousness, and see where you were not confused? those. where was she not defiled? God says this through the mouth of Ezekiel: and he found “you mixed in your blood” (Ezek. 16:6). This is how the Syrian interpreter translated it. Further, the Prophet says that she not only received those who came, but she herself went out to look for them, and, “like a verna sat on the paths,” waiting for their appearance, and filled the earth with filth, having many instead of one shepherd; He called idols “many” “shepherds.” For these fathers of lies, just as, having seized upon themselves the divine name, they called themselves gods, they also called themselves shepherds, predatorily appropriating for themselves the name of the true shepherd. Jer.3:3. The face of a harlot's wife appeared to you; you did not want to be ashamed of everyone. Just as those who sell beauty no longer have shame on their foreheads, and give themselves equally to everyone, so you have not retained goodwill towards anyone, but, having received an abundance of benefits from Me, you served idols; and having been exposed to disasters and feeling the powerlessness of idols, he began to ask for My help. Jer.3:4. Didn’t you call Me home, and father and leader of your childhood? Didn’t you give Me these related names in ancient times, calling Me now father, now husband of virginity, now house of refuge? For this is what blessed David says: “Be God my protector, and a house of refuge to save me” (Ps. 30:3). Jer.3:5. Will food endure forever? those. your lies and playfulness of speech. “Or will it remain in victory?” Do you really think that you will overcome and win on your own? Then he speaks reproachfully. “This is the verb, and you have done evil, and you have made it possible,” i.e. I thought to laugh and run away, having dared to commit such lawlessness. After this, the Prophet announces what God spoke to him in the days of King Josiah: Jer.3:6. Have you seen what you have created for the house of Israel? Because the Jews withdrew, and therefore were in slavery in Babylon; then God reveals to the Prophet the justice of the punishment. “I went to every high mountain and every leafy tree, and there I went astray.” Then He shows His goodness and His long-suffering. Jer.3:7. And he said: Because he had always committed adultery among all these, he would turn to Me, and not turn back. Therefore, the Jews arbitrarily brought destruction upon themselves, at first not loving life according to the law, and after their wickedness, not wanting to convert. By this the Prophet strengthens the accusation against the tribe of Judah. “And the criminal Judea saw his crime and his sister.” ( Jer. 3:8 ) “And I saw that in them all the house of Israel committed fornication; and let him go, and gave him a book of licentiousness in his hand: yet the criminal Judah was not afraid,” “his sister, but she went and committed fornication.” Having seen, says the Prophet, the wickedness of his sister and the punishment imposed on her for this, she did not shy away from imitating wickedness, but followed in her footsteps. Jer.3:9. And her fornication came to nothing. Because she believed that she was not doing anything illegal. The Prophet calls idolatry “fornication”; because, having left God, Who was called the bridegroom, she began to serve idols. “And defile” the “earth” with murders, sacrificing children to demons, and “fornicated with stone and wood.” The Prophet made it clear why he accused him of fornication. Then he speaks at greater length about the fact that she was not disgusted by her sister’s wickedness, seeing her final death, and that the ten tribes have more excuses than the tribe of Judah, because, seeing their disaster, they continued to do what was the cause of the disaster. Why is the Prophet commanded to foretell them; for it is said: Jer.3:12. Go and read those words to the north: and say: Turn to Me, the house of Israel, He says, “Lord, I will not set My face on you, for I am merciful.” He says, “Lord, and you will not be angry with you forever.” The Lord’s love for humanity is immeasurable; for after many iniquities it requires one repentance; also shows the method. Jer.3:13. Moreover, your iniquity is known as to the Lord your God. “You” were dishonored. For the beginning of health is the feeling of illness. “And thou hast squandered thy ways unto strangers.” Leaving God, the Lord, Creator and Benefactor, she clung to strangers. Who are these strangers? "Under every leafy tree." He showed the futility of seduction, because deified plants are barren. “But you did not listen to My voice,” says the “Lord.” For the law says: “You shall not have any gods other than Me” (Ex. 20:3). Jer.3:14. Turn back, you backsliding sons, says the Lord. And He calls those who have retreated, out of His ineffable goodness, sons. “For I will prevail over you.” I will again make every effort for you, and will vouchsafe you with all care. “And I will take you, one from the city, and two from the nations, and I will bring you into Zion.” (Jer.3:15). “And I will give you shepherds according to My heart, and those who feed you will feed you with their understanding.” This was fulfilled educationally under Zerubbabel; because the Jews returned under Cyrus the king of Persia, having for their shepherds Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jesus the son of Jozedek, the great priest. Both were adorned with piety and righteousness. In reality, this prophecy came to an end after the incarnation of our God and Savior; because the Lord of the Jews chose the holy Apostles, “one from the city, and two from the tribe,” and made them shepherds after His own heart. That is why he said to the divine Peter: “Simon the Jonas, do you love Me? Feed my sheep” (John 21:16). And that the prophecy has such a meaning is evidenced by what follows. Jer.3:17. In those days, and in that time, they will call Jerusalem the throne of the Lord, and all the nations will be gathered to Jerusalem in the name of the Lord, and no one will follow the lusts of their evil heart. This was not fulfilled after returning from Babylon; because the nations did not then abandon wickedness. After the incarnation of our God and Savior, the divine Apostles carried a saving sermon to the whole universe. And those who served the former delusion have left it, worship the God of all, and everyone flocks to Jerusalem as to the throne of God. The Prophet announces after this that, upon returning from Babylon, the tribes of Israel will not again be divided into two kingdoms, but will unite into one and will possess their own land. Then, delighted by the good promises, he says: Jer.3:19. I said: Lord be it. The prophet, having said this while God’s promise was being spoken, ends it. “I will make you a child.” Again, says God, you will be called My children. “And I will give you a chosen land, a heritage” named “God Almighty of the tongues.” This is how the Prophet called the promised land, and called God Himself “Almighty of the tongues,” teaching that He is God of all and the Creator of all, that the pagans will also be worthy of the knowledge of God, and the grace of the Spirit will descend upon them. Therefore, he advises us to acquire the love that children have for their father, and to take advantage of God’s care for them. Then he complains that not only the ten tribes, but also the tribe of Judah, competed with the adulterous wife, who became a transgressor before her husband, and violated the covenant with the groom (Jer. 3:20). He also predicts the repentance of the ten tribes, because the disasters during the captivity brought them to a sense of their iniquity. For he says: Jer.3:21. A voice was heard from the lips of the children of Israel crying and praying, for they were lawless in their ways, having forgotten their holy God. Having seen repentance, God exhorts to remain in it and says: Jer.3:22. Return, you returning sons, and I will heal your afflictions. Not only does he promise healing, but he also teaches what words should be spoken, and, as it were, says: say this: “Behold, we will be Your servants, for You are the Lord our God.” We renounce delusion and abhor serving demons; We know You alone, Lord and God. Jer.3:23. Truly the hills and many mountains were a lie, except through the Lord our God is salvation house of Israel. We have learned from experience that You are the only giver of blessings; and groves and hills are harmful and destructive. Jer.3:24. Cold has consumed the labors of our fathers from their youth, burning their sheep, and their sons, and their daughters. Shem showed what excessive honor was given to idols; because, in addition to oxen and sheep, they burned sons and daughters, and also that they not only did not receive any benefit from this, but, in addition to the destruction of souls, suffered shame. For this he says in what is added. Jer.3:25. We have fallen asleep in our shame, and our dishonor has covered us, for we and our fathers have sinned against the Lord our God, from our youth even to this day, and by not listening to the voice of the Lord our God.” And the divine Apostle says that the fruit of sin is shame. He says this: “For what fruit did you have then, of which you are now ashamed” (Rom. 6:21)?