And they have turned unto me the back, and not the face: though I taught them, rising up early and teaching them, yet they have not hearkened to receive instruction.
They have turned their backs on me instead of facing me. Even though I got up early and taught them again and again, they still wouldn't listen or learn from my instruction.
God is expressing his heartbreak that despite his persistent, loving efforts to teach his people, they have rejected him and refused to listen.
📚 Historical Context
This verse comes during Jeremiah's prophecy about Jerusalem's impending destruction by Babylon around 586 BC. God is explaining through Jeremiah why judgment is coming - the people of Judah have consistently turned away from God despite centuries of prophetic warnings and divine instruction. The phrase 'rising up early' was a Hebrew expression meaning to do something diligently and repeatedly.
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