Jeremiah 3:9

Jeremiah 3:9 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And it came to pass through the lightness of her whoredom, that she defiled the land, and committed adultery with stones and with stocks.
• New International Version (NIV)Because Israel’s immorality mattered so little to her, she defiled the land and committed adultery with stone and wood.
• New King James Version (NKJV)So it came to pass, through her casual harlotry, that she defiled the land and committed adultery with stones and trees.
• New Living Translation (NLT)Israel treated it all so lightly—she thought nothing of committing adultery by worshiping idols made of wood and stone. So now the land has been polluted.

Context of Jeremiah 3:9

7And I thought, 'After she has done all this she will return to me,' but she did not return, and her treacherous sister Judah saw it. 8She saw that for all the adulteries of that faithless one, Israel, I had sent her away with a decree of divorce. Yet her treacherous sister Judah did not fear, but she too went and played the whore. Because she took her whoredom lightly, she polluted the land, committing adultery with stone and tree. 10Yet for all this her treacherous sister Judah did not return to me with her whole heart, but in pretense, declares the Lord." 11And the Lord said to me, "Faithless Israel has shown herself more righteous than treacherous Judah.

Jeremiah 3:9 word by word

וְהָיָה֙ מִקֹּ֣ל זְנוּתָ֔הּ וַתֶּחֱנַ֖ף אֶת־הָאָ֑רֶץ וַתִּנְאַ֥ף אֶת־הָאֶ֖בֶן וְאֶת־הָעֵֽץ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And it came to pass through the lightnessקֹלqôl qôl · frivolityH6963
• of her whoredomזְנוּתzenûth · fornicationH2184
• that she defiledחָנֵףchânêph · to polluteH2610
• the landאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
• and committed adulteryנָאַףnâ'aph · to commit adulteryH5003
• with stonesאֶ֫בֶן'eben · stoneH68
• and with stocksעֵץ‛êts · treeH6086

Cross-references for Jeremiah 3:9

• Ezekiel 23:10These uncovered her nakedness; they seized her sons and her daughters; and as for her, they killed her with the sword; and she became a byword among women, when judgment had been executed on her.
• Jeremiah 3:2Lift up your eyes to the bare heights, and see! Where have you not been ravished? By the waysides you have sat awaiting lovers like an Arab in the wilderness. You have polluted the land with your vile whoredom.
• Jeremiah 2:7And I brought you into a plentiful land to enjoy its fruits and its good things. But when you came in, you defiled my land and made my heritage an abomination.
• Jeremiah 2:27who say to a tree, 'You are my father,' and to a stone, 'You gave me birth.' For they have turned their back to me, and not their face. But in the time of their trouble they say, 'Arise and save us!'
• Jeremiah 10:8They are both stupid and foolish; the instruction of idols is but wood!
• Isaiah 57:6Among the smooth stones of the valley is your portion; they, they, are your lot; to them you have poured out a drink offering, you have brought a grain offering. Shall I relent for these things?
• Ezekiel 16:17You also took your beautiful jewels of my gold and of my silver, which I had given you, and made for yourself images of men, and with them played the whore.
• Hosea 4:12My people inquire of a piece of wood, and their walking staff gives them oracles. For a spirit of whoredom has led them astray, and they have left their God to play the whore.
• Habakkuk 2:19Woe to him who says to a wooden thing, Awake; to a silent stone, Arise! Can this teach? Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver, and there is no breath at all in it.

Commentaries on Jeremiah 3:9

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 9The lightness of her whoredom - The grossness of her idolatry: worshipping objects the most degrading, with rites the most impure.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 9Lightness - Others render as in the margin. Defiled - Rather, profaned. The land especially consecrated to Yahweh‘s service was treated by Judah as a common land.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 6-11Verses 6-11 If we mark the crimes of those who break off from a religious profession, and the consequences, we see abundant reason to shun evil ways. It is dreadful to be proved more criminal than those who have actually perished in their sins; yet it will be small comfort in everlasting punishment, for them to know that others were viler than they.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 9defiled the land: Because Israel turned away from their faith, fertile fields stopped producing crops, and sheep did not graze on green grass (Isaiah 57:6).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 99. it--Some take this verse of Judah, to whom the end of Jr 3:8 refers. But Jr 3:10 puts Judah in contrast to Israel in this verse. "Yet for all this," referring to the sad example of Israel; if Jr 3:9 referred to Judah, "she" would have been written in Jr 3:10, not "Judah." Translate, "It (the putting away of Israel) had come to pass through ... whoredom; and (that is, for) she (Israel) had defiled the land" &c. [Maurer]. English Version, however, may be…Read the comment

Topics related to Jeremiah 3:9

• Backsliders
• Church
• Condescension of God
• Idolatry
• Impenitence

In the dictionaries

• Adultery
• Confusion
• Fornication
• Marriage
• Marry
• Reserve
• Defile; Defilement
• Forehead
• Godless
• Habaziniah

Commentaries on Jeremiah 3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings