Backsliders

“Backslider” was fairly recent slang when the King James translation was done. It meant one who goes back on their word - i.e. renigs on their contracts and promises.

Divorce and Remarriage

Deuteronomy 24:1-4

  • 3:1 “return to Me” - ESV and others read this as incredulity: “after all this, you would return to Me?” KJV reads this as pleading: “even after all this, I can bring you back.” Both are true.
  • 3:2 “been violated” - i.e. “raped”, the translators try to be polite. Israel went to a party looking for “love”, and got banged - left a living spring for a broken cistern. “sat beside the highways” - street walker Genesis 38:14
  • 3:5 “all the evil you can” - no repentance until the jig is up.

Judah fails learn from Israel’s judgement

  • 3:10 “only in pretense” - Judah saw the judgement on Israel, but only pretended to repent. They continued the idolatry in hiding.
  • 3:12 “toward the north” - Israel, and the Assyrian provinces they had been deported to, were to the north of Judah.
  • 3:13 “only acknowledge your guilt” - the prerequisite for mercy.
  • 3:14 “one from a city, two from a family” - a remnant will return.
  • 3:18 “Judah will walk with Israel” - the two halves of the nation would be rejoined. Ezekiel 37:15

Futurn return and confession

  • 3:22 “return backsliding children” - God calls them while they are still unfaithful. “Here we are” - the future response of Judah and Israel on their return.
  • 3:24 “shameful god” - Baal 11:13 “devoured … flocks and herds, sons and daughters” - not only with animal and child sacrifice, but with ritual prostitution and castration.
  • 3:25 “we have sinned against the Lord” - and now they can be healed.