Jeremiah 3:2

Jeremiah 3:2 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Lift up thine eyes unto the high places, and see where thou hast not been lien with. In the ways hast thou sat for them, as the Arabian in the wilderness; and thou hast polluted the land with thy whoredoms and with thy wickedness.
• New International Version (NIV)“Look up to the barren heights and see. Is there any place where you have not been ravished? By the roadside you sat waiting for lovers, sat like a nomad in the desert. You have defiled the land with your prostitution and wickedness.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Lift 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.
• New King James Version (NKJV)“Lift up your eyes to the desolate heights and see: Where have you not lain with men? By the road you have sat for them Like an Arabian in the wilderness; And you have polluted the land With your harlotries and your wickedness.

Context of Jeremiah 3:2

1“If a man divorces his wife and she leaves him and becomes another man’s wife, he may not take her back again. Doing that would utterly defile the land. But you, Israel, have given yourself as a prostitute to many gods. So what makes you think you can return to me?” says the Lord. “Look up at the hilltops and consider this. You have had sex with other gods on every one of them. You waited for those gods like a thief lying in wait in the desert. You defiled the land by your wicked prostitution to other gods. 3That is why the rains have been withheld, and the spring rains have not come. Yet in spite of this you are obstinate as a prostitute. You refuse to be ashamed of what you have done. 4Even now you say to me, ‘You are my father! You have been my faithful companion ever since I was young.

Jeremiah 3:2 word by word

שְׂאִֽי־עֵינַ֨יִךְ עַל־שְׁפָיִ֜ם וּרְאִ֗י אֵיפֹה֙ לֹ֣א שֻׁכַּ֔בְתְּ עַל־דְּרָכִים֙ יָשַׁ֣בְתְּ לָהֶ֔ם כַּעֲרָבִ֖י בַּמִּדְבָּ֑ר וַתַּחֲנִ֣יפִי אֶ֔רֶץ בִּזְנוּתַ֖יִךְ וּבְרָעָתֵֽךְ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Lift upנָשָׂאnâώâ' nâsâh · to lift: lookH5375
• thine eyesעַ֫יִן‛ayin · eyeH5869
• unto the high placesשְׁפִיshephîy · barenessH8205
• and seeרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
• whereאֵיפֹה'êyphôh · where?H375
• thou hast not been lienשָׁכַבshâkab · to lie down: have sexH7901
• thou hast not been lienשָׁגֵלshâgal · to ravishH7693
• with. In the waysדֶּ֫רֶךְderek · way: roadH1870
• hast thou satיָשַׁבyâshab · to dwellH3427
• for them, as the Arabianעֲרָבִי‛ărâbîy ‛arbîy · ArabH6163
• in the wildernessמִדְבָּרmidbâr · wildernessH4057
• and thou hast pollutedחָנֵףchânêph · to polluteH2610
• the landאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
• with thy whoredomsזְנוּתzenûth · fornicationH2184
• and with thy wickednessרָעָהra‛ râ‛âh · distress: harmH7451

Cross-references for Jeremiah 3:2

• Jeremiah 2:23“How can you say, ‘I have not made myself unclean. I have not paid allegiance to the gods called Baal.’ Just look at the way you have behaved in the Valley of Hinnom! Think about the things you have done there! You are like a flighty, young female camel that rushes here and there, crisscrossing its path.
• Ezekiel 8:4Then I perceived that the glory of the God of Israel was there, as in the vision I had seen earlier in the valley.
• Luke 16:23And in hell, as he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far off with Lazarus at his side.
• Jeremiah 2:20“Indeed, long ago you threw off my authority and refused to be subject to me. You said, ‘I will not serve you.’ Instead, you gave yourself to other gods on every high hill and under every green tree, like a prostitute sprawls out before her lovers.
• Deuteronomy 12:2You must by all means destroy all the places where the nations you are about to dispossess worship their gods – on the high mountains and hills and under every leafy tree.
• 1 Kings 11:3He had 700 royal wives and 300 concubines; his wives had a powerful influence over him.
• 2 Kings 23:13The king ruined the high places east of Jerusalem, south of the Mount of Destruction, that King Solomon of Israel had built for the detestable Sidonian goddess Astarte, the detestable Moabite god Chemosh, and the horrible Ammonite god Milcom.
• Ezekiel 16:16You took some of your clothing and made for yourself decorated high places; you engaged in prostitution on them. You went to him to become his.
• Ezekiel 20:28I brought them to the land which I swore to give them, but whenever they saw any high hill or leafy tree, they offered their sacrifices there and presented the offerings that provoke me to anger. They offered their soothing aroma there and poured out their drink offerings.
• Genesis 38:14So she removed her widow’s clothes and covered herself with a veil. She wrapped herself and sat at the entrance to Enaim which is on the way to Timnah. (She did this because she saw that she had not been given to Shelah as a wife, even though he had now grown up.)
• Proverbs 7:11(She is loud and rebellious, she does not remain at home –
• Proverbs 23:28Indeed, she lies in wait like a robber, and increases the unfaithful among men.
• Ezekiel 16:24you built yourself a chamber and put up a pavilion in every public square.
• Jeremiah 3:1“If a man divorces his wife and she leaves him and becomes another man’s wife, he may not take her back again. Doing that would utterly defile the land. But you, Israel, have given yourself as a prostitute to many gods. So what makes you think you can return to me?” says the Lord.
• Jeremiah 2:7I brought you into a fertile land so you could enjoy its fruits and its rich bounty. But when you entered my land, you defiled it; you made the land I call my own loathsome to me.

Commentaries on Jeremiah 3:2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2As the Arabian in the wilderness - They were as fully intent on the practice of their idolatry as the Arab in the desert is in lying in wait to plunder the caravans. Where they have not cover to lie in ambush, they scatter themselves about, and run hither and thither, raising themselves up on their saddles to see if they can discover, by smoke, dust, or other token, the approach of any travelers.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2These words are not the language of consolation to the conscience-stricken, but of vehement expostulation with hardened sinners. They prove, therefore, the truth of the interpretation put upon the preceding verse. As the Arabian … - The freebooting propensities of the Bedouin had passed in ancient times into a proverb. As eager as the desert-tribes were for plunder, so was Israel for idolatry.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2As the Lord's bride (see Jeremiah 2:2), Israel was not supposed to worship other gods.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22. high places--the scene of idolatries which were spiritual adulteries. In ... ways ... sat for them--watching for lovers like a prostitute (Ge 38:14, 21; Pr 7:12; 23:28; Eze 16:24, 25), and like an Arab who lies in wait for travellers. The Arabs of the desert, east and south of Palestine, are still notorious as robbers.Read the comment

Topics related to Jeremiah 3:2

• Adultery
• Backsliders
• Church
• Condescension of God
• Idolatry

In the dictionaries

• Arabian
• Arabia, Arabian
• Adultery
• Confusion
• Harlot
• Marriage
• Marry
• Reserve
• Habaziniah
• Height; Heights

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