Why then is this people in Jerusalem turned away with a stubborn revolting? they have laid hold on lying, and have refused to return.

Wherefore hath this people of Jerusalem Turned back, a perpetual backsliding? They have kept hold on deceit, They have refused to turn back.

Why then is this people of Jerusalem slid back by a perpetual backsliding? they hold fast deceit, they refuse to return.

Why do these people of Jerusalem go back, for ever turning away? they will not give up their deceit, they will not come back.

Why then do these people of Jerusalem turn away in perpetual backsliding? They hold fast deceit; they refuse to return.

Then why have this people in Jerusalem turned away with a contentious loathing? They have taken hold of what is false, and they are not willing to return.

Quare rebellis est populus hic Jerosolymae rebellione perpetua? (forti, ad verbum;) adhaeserunt fraudi (vel, apprehenderunt fraudem,) noluerunt reverti.

When men act as in Jeremiah 8:4, why is God's own people alone an exception?
Slidden back backsliding - The same words as "turn" and "return" in Jeremiah 8:4. They should be rendered, "Why doth this people of Jerusalem turn away with a perpetual turning?"
Deceit - i. e., idolatry; because men worship in it that which is false, and it is false to the worshippers.
Refuse - From a feeling of dislike.

Why then is this people of Jerusalem slidden back by a perpetual backsliding?.... These people fill into sin, and rise not again by repentance; they turn out of the good ways of God and religion, and return not again; they backslide and revolt from the Lord, and they continue in their revolt and rebellion; their backsliding is an everlasting one; there is no hope of their repentance and recovery: it is a vehement and passionate expostulation about the people of the Jews, founded upon the former general observation, showing them to be the worst of all people: it is a common saying, "it is a long lane that has no turning"; but these people, having departed from the Lord, return no more. A very learned man renders the words, "why does Jerusalem turn away this people with an obstinate aversion?" (b) that is, the rulers and governors of Jerusalem, as in Matthew 23:37 or rather thus, "why does a stubborn aversion turn away this people, O Jerusalem?" and so they are an address to the magistrates and inhabitants of Jerusalem.
They hold fast deceit; practise it, and continue in the practice of it, both with God and man:
they refuse to return: to the Lord, to his worship, and to the right ways of holiness and truth, from whence they had erred; see Jeremiah 5:3.
(b) "quare avertit hunc populum Hierosolyma aversione pertinaci? vel quare avertit populum hunc", O Jerusalem, "aversio pertinax?" De Dieu.

slidden . . . backsliding--rather, as the Hebrew is the same as in Jeremiah 8:4, to which this verse refers, "turned away with a perpetual turning away."
perpetual--in contrast to the "arise" ("rise again," Jeremiah 8:4).
refuse to return--in contrast to, "shall he . . . not return" (Jeremiah 8:4; Jeremiah 5:3).

Deceit - Their false prophets, encouraging themselves in their wickedness, and pleasing themselves, that their miseries should not come upon them.