New English Translation
Jeremiah 3:23
23We know our noisy worship of false gods on the hills and mountains did not help us. We know that the Lord our God is the only one who can deliver Israel.
Jeremiah 3:23 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Truly in vain is salvation hoped for from the hills, and from the multitude of mountains: truly in the Lord our God is the salvation of Israel.
- New International Version (NIV)Surely the idolatrous commotion on the hills and mountains is a deception; surely in the Lord our God is the salvation of Israel.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Truly the hills are a delusion, the orgies on the mountains. Truly in the Lord our God is the salvation of Israel.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Truly, in vain is salvation hoped for from the hills, And from the multitude of mountains; Truly, in the Lord our God Is the salvation of Israel.
Context of Jeremiah 3:23
21“A noise is heard on the hilltops. It is the sound of the people of Israel crying and pleading to their gods. Indeed they have followed sinful ways; they have forgotten to be true to the Lord their God. 22Come back to me, you wayward people. I want to cure your waywardness. Say, ‘Here we are. We come to you because you are the Lord our God. We know our noisy worship of false gods on the hills and mountains did not help us. We know that the Lord our God is the only one who can deliver Israel. 24From earliest times our worship of that shameful god, Baal, has taken away all that our ancestors worked for. It has taken away our flocks and our herds, and even our sons and daughters. 25Let us acknowledge our shame. Let us bear the disgrace that we deserve. For we have sinned against the Lord our God, both we and our ancestors. From earliest times to this very day we have not obeyed the Lord our God.’
Read all of Jeremiah 3Jeremiah 3:23 word by word
אָכֵ֥ן לַשֶּׁ֛קֶר מִגְּבָע֖וֹת הָמ֣וֹן הָרִ֑ים אָכֵן֙ בַּיהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵ֔ינוּ תְּשׁוּעַ֖ת יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Trulyאָכֵן'âkên · surelyH403
- in vainשֶׁ֫קֶרsheqer · deceptionH8267
- from the hillsגִּבְעָהgib‛âh · hillH1389
- the multitudeהָמוֹןhâmôn hâmôn · crowdH1995
- of mountainsהַרhar · mountain: mountH2022
- in the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- our Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- the salvationתְּשׁוּעָהteshû‛âh teshû‛âh · deliverance: salvationH8668
- of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
Cross-references for Jeremiah 3:23
- Jeremiah 3:6When Josiah was king of Judah, the Lord said to me, “Jeremiah, you have no doubt seen what wayward Israel has done. You have seen how she went up to every high hill and under every green tree to give herself like a prostitute to other gods.
- Jeremiah 10:14All these idolaters will prove to be stupid and ignorant. Every goldsmith will be disgraced by the idol he made. For the image he forges is merely a sham. There is no breath in any of those idols.
- Psalms 121:1I look up toward the hills. From where does my help come?
- Isaiah 44:9All who form idols are nothing; the things in which they delight are worthless. Their witnesses cannot see; they recognize nothing, so they are put to shame.
- Isaiah 45:20Gather together and come! Approach together, you refugees from the nations! Those who carry wooden idols know nothing, those who pray to a god that cannot deliver.
- Isaiah 46:7They put it on their shoulder and carry it; they put it in its place and it just stands there; it does not move from its place. Even when someone cries out to it, it does not reply; it does not deliver him from his distress.
- 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.
- Jonah 2:8Those who worship worthless idols forfeit the mercy that could be theirs.
- Jeremiah 14:8You have been the object of Israel’s hopes. You have saved them when they were in trouble. Why have you become like a resident foreigner in the land? Why have you become like a traveler who only stops in to spend the night?
- Psalms 3:8The Lord delivers; you show favor to your people. (Selah)
- Psalms 37:39But the Lord delivers the godly; he protects them in times of trouble.
- Isaiah 12:2Look, God is my deliverer! I will trust in him and not fear. For the Lord gives me strength and protects me; he has become my deliverer.”
- Isaiah 43:11I, I am the Lord, and there is no deliverer besides me.
- Isaiah 45:15Yes, you are a God who keeps hidden, O God of Israel, deliverer!
- Isaiah 63:1Who is this who comes from Edom, dressed in bright red, coming from Bozrah? Who is this one wearing royal attire, who marches confidently because of his great strength? “It is I, the one who announces vindication, and who is able to deliver!”
- Hosea 1:7But I will have pity on the nation of Judah. I will deliver them by the Lord their God; I will not deliver them by the warrior’s bow, by sword, by military victory, by chariot horses, or by chariots.”
Commentaries on Jeremiah 3:23
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 23Rather, Surely “in vain from the hills” is the revelry of the mountains. The penitents contrast in it the uselessness of idol-worship with the salvation which Yahweh gives to His people.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 21-25Verses 21-25 Sin is turning aside to crooked ways. And forgetting the Lord our God is at the bottom of all sin. By sin we bring ourselves into trouble. The promise to those that return is, God will heal their backslidings, by his pardoning mercy, his quieting peace, and his renewing grace. They come devoting themselves to God. They come disclaiming all expectations of relief and succour from any but the Lord. Therefore they come depending upon him only…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 22-24The Lord heard the heartfelt prayer of devotion, and the people confirmed their acceptance of the Lord as their God (Jeremiah 31:7; Psalms 38:18; 121:1–2). The people confessed to worshiping idols and participating in religious ceremonies. They admitted these actions were misguided (Jeremiah 11:13; 14:20; Hosea 9:10) and recognized that salvation comes only from the Lord. Their ancestors wasted their wealth by sacrificing animals and children to honor…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2323. multitude of mountains--that is, the multitude of gods worshipped on them (compare Psa 121:1, 2, Margin).Read the comment
Topics related to Jeremiah 3:23
In the dictionaries
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
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