Jeremiah 3:23

23 Surely the idolatrous commotion on the hills and mountains is a deception; surely in the LORD our God is the salvation of Israel.

Jeremiah 3:23 in Other Translations

KJV
23 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.
ESV
23 Truly the hills are a delusion, the orgies on the mountains. Truly in the LORD our God is the salvation of Israel.
NLT
23 Our worship of idols on the hills and our religious orgies on the mountains are a delusion. Only in the LORD our God will Israel ever find salvation.
MSG
23 All that popular religion was a cheap lie, duped crowds buying up the latest in gods. We're back! Back to our true God, the salvation of Israel.
CSB
23 Surely, falsehood comes from the hills, commotion from the mountains, but the salvation of Israel is only in the Lord our God.

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 cry is heard on the barren heights, the weeping and pleading of the people of Israel, because they have perverted their ways and have forgotten the LORD their God.
22 “Return, faithless people; I will cure you of backsliding.” “Yes, we will come to you, for you are the LORD our God.
23 Surely the idolatrous commotion on the hills and mountains is a deception; surely in the LORD our God is the salvation of Israel.
24 From our youth shameful gods have consumed the fruits of our ancestors’ labor— their flocks and herds, their sons and daughters.
25 Let us lie down in our shame, and let our disgrace cover us. We have sinned against the LORD our God, both we and our ancestors; from our youth till this day we have not obeyed the LORD our God.”

Cross References 2

  • 1. S Jeremiah 2:20
  • 2. Psalms 3:8; Jeremiah 17:14
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