The Lord said also, or again; showing that here begins a new sermon, in which the prophet from God,
1. Declares Israel's apostacy, and how it fared with them for it.
2. Aggravates Judah's sin for not taking warning.
3. Issues forth an invitation of them both to repentance, with a promise of acceptation, and reuniting them under the Messiah.
4. Relates the compliance of the faithful among them with this invitation. Unto me, viz. by revelation; for he speaks of things that Israel had done when they were carried away by the king of Assyria, 2 Kings 17:5-13, long before Jeremiah was born; therefore he saith, Hast thou not seen, i.e. considered, wherefore God gave her a bill of divorce? In the days of Josiah the king; when he would have purged the land, and restored the pure worship of God. Hast thou seen that which backsliding Israel hath done, viz. the ten tribes, who fell off from Judah, and set up a distinct kingdom of their own under Jeroboam? what they did, viz. in their idolatries? expressed in the next words, and Jeremiah 2:20; see there; when they openly apostatized from God, and that with one common consent, insomuch that all their kings proved wicked and idolatrous; and possibly it may look as far back as Solomon's defection, 1 Kings 11:4, &c., which may now come in remembrance.