God reminded Jeremiah that the northern kingdom of Israel was deeply idolatrous, yet God still called to them saying, “Return to Me.” God told Jeremiah to invite Israel – though they were scattered in exile throughout the Assyrian empire – to return to Him. This shame was constant and could not be done away with until the children of Israel genuinely repented and returned to the LORD. This is the appropriate expression of broken repentance that should mark God’s backsliding children. There is no excuse or explanation given.