Jeremiah 3:23

23 "Surely, ¹the hills are a deception, A tumult on the mountains. Surely in the ²LORD our God Is the salvation of Israel.

Jeremiah 3:23 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 3:23

Truly in vain is salvation hoped for from the hills, and from
the multitude of mountains
From any natural defence, by hills and mountains encompassing; or from idols worshipped on hills and mountains. So the Targum,

``truly in vain we worship upon the hills, and for no profit are we gathered upon the mountains;''

and to this purpose Jarchi and Kimchi interpret it; or from the multitude of the people, the kingdoms of the world, and the nations of the earth, from whom the Jews have in vain expected salvation and deliverance: truly in the Lord our God is the salvation of Israel;
or, "in the Word of the Lord our God", as the Targum; in Christ, the essential Word of God, is the salvation of all the chosen people, both Jews and Gentiles; it was put into his hands by his Father, and it is wrought out by him; and it resides in him, and it is to be had in him, and in him only, ( Acts 4:12 ) , who is God the Lord, and therefore was able to effect it, and to give it; and hence these repenting ones, discarding all other saviours, apply to him for it.

Jeremiah 3:23 In-Context

21 A voice is heard on the bare heights, The weeping and the supplications of the sons of Israel; Because they have perverted their way, They have forgotten the LORD their God.

22 "Return, O faithless sons, I will heal your faithlessness." "Behold, we come to You; For You are the LORD our God.

23 "Surely, the hills are a deception, A tumult on the mountains. Surely in the LORD our God Is the salvation of Israel.

24 "But the shameful thing has consumed the labor of our fathers since our youth, their flocks and their herds, their sons and their daughters.

25 "Let us lie down in our shame, and let our humiliation cover us; for we have sinned against the LORD our God, we and our fathers, from our youth even to this day. And we have not obeyed the voice of the LORD our God."

Cross References

• 1. Jeremiah 17:2
• 2. Psalms 3:8; Jeremiah 17:14; Jeremiah 31:7