Jeremiah 3:2Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Lift your gaze toward righteousness and observe. Notice how He Himself names her as a witness to His own transgressions and positions her as an accuser. She continues to call out, reproving every step of the way. Consider where you have not mingled. Behold how she presents irrefutable evidence, only to then bring judgment. You remained in your iniquities. Here, He emphasizes His fervor against sins, recognizing that she committed them with full awareness. You have sullied the land with your wickedness. The land itself is not tainted by sins, but He speaks to highlight the severity of the wrongdoing. You will see where you have not mingled, on the paths you have occupied. Instead of ‘sullied.’ Even so, she acted wickedly despite her reverence in approaching the temple.

In the desolate wilderness, you appear like an unashamed woman. The prophet could be referring to shameless women who linger along the roads to engage in illicit relationships, or he may be condemning the entire nation of Judah for the way every individual, isolated in the wilderness, offers their devotion to idols. Essentially, the prophet conveys that it is not sufficient for you to idolize in the cities and on the hills, observed by many; you also venture into desolate places, the abodes of unclean birds and predatory beasts, erecting altars beside the paths and enticing all who pass by to partake in ungodly rituals.

Lift your gaze and observe the areas where you have not extended yourself; like a thief in the wilderness, you have waited along the roads. In Hebrew, the term "arabe" suggests not only "robber" but also refers to the Arabs, a nation known for its raiding culture, which continues to threaten the borders of Palestine and patrol the paths from Jerusalem to Jericho, as noted by the Lord in the Gospel of Luke. Therefore, look around, O Jerusalem, and see where you have not reached out in illicit behaviors. Just as thieves lie in wait for travelers in desolate places, so too have you, resembling the seductress in the Proverbs, positioned yourself along the paths in the evening, leading the souls of lovers astray through your seduction (Proverbs 7).

Following this, he reasoned as follows: A woman who has divorced her husband to unite with another cannot return to her first spouse, as the law prohibits it. Yet you, having turned away from me—one who was bound to you by the law—sought connection instead with malevolent spirits. Once you felt the repercussions, you came back to me, and I did not turn you away. If you think I speak plainly, consider the words of Jeremiah 3:2: Lift your eyes to the righteous and observe where you have not conformed, meaning where you have not contaminated yourself. God also articulates this through Ezekiel, stating, “thou art mingled in thy blood” (Ezekiel 16:6). The Syrian translator renders this similarly.