The Meaning of Jeremiah 3:23 Explained

Jeremiah 3:23

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.

YLT: Surely in vain from the heights, The multitude of mountains -- Surely in Jehovah our God is the salvation of Israel.

Darby: Truly in vain is salvation looked for from the hills, and the multitude of mountains; truly in Jehovah our God is the salvation of Israel.

ASV: Truly in vain is the help that is looked for from the hills, the tumult on the mountains: truly in Jehovah our God is the salvation of Israel.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Jeremiah 3:23 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The Israelites confessed that the hills and mountains on which they had worshipped idols had been sites of deception for them and places of unrest. The idols had not provided what they promised, and instead of finding rest by worshipping them, the Israelites had experienced turmoil. They finally acknowledged that only in Yahweh their God could they find true salvation (cf. Exodus 20:2-6; Deuteronomy 5:6-10; Deuteronomy 6:4).

Context Summary

Jeremiah 3:11-25 - Pleading With Faithless Children
The people of the northern kingdom, to whom this appeal is especially addressed, were more excusable than Judah, because their privileges had been less. God judges us according to our opportunities. How precious the invitation and promise of Jeremiah 3:12! Confession is an essential condition that must be fulfilled by us. See 1 John 1:7. Zion shall yet be the center of a restored Israel, Jeremiah 3:14; Jeremiah 3:18. In Jeremiah 3:21-25 the voices of the people in confession and prayer mingle with Jehovah's encouraging their return. When we lie down in broken-hearted shame and penitence, we are very near to being lifted to the bosom of God. Compare Jeremiah 3:25 with Jeremiah 4:1. The return of the Chosen People to the God of their fathers will be the cause of revival and quickening throughout the earth. Compare Jeremiah 4:2 with Romans 11:12. [source]

Chapter Summary: Jeremiah 3

1  God's great mercy to Judah the polluted land
6  Judah is worse than Israel
12  The promises of the gospel to the penitent
20  Israel reproved, and called by God, makes a solemn confession of their sins

What do the individual words in Jeremiah 3:23 mean?

Truly in vain [is salvation hoped for] from the hills [And from] the multitude of mountains Truly in Yahweh our God [Is] the salvation of Israel
אָכֵ֥ן לַשֶּׁ֛קֶר מִגְּבָע֖וֹת הָמ֣וֹן הָרִ֑ים אָכֵן֙ בַּיהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵ֔ינוּ תְּשׁוּעַ֖ת יִשְׂרָאֵֽל

אָכֵ֥ן  Truly 
Parse: Adverb
Root: אָכֵן 
Sense: surely, truly, indeed.
לַשֶּׁ֛קֶר  in  vain  [is  salvation  hoped  for] 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: שֶׁקֶר  
Sense: lie, deception, disappointment, falsehood.
מִגְּבָע֖וֹת  from  the  hills 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, feminine plural
Root: גִּבְעָה  
Sense: hill.
הָמ֣וֹן  [And  from]  the  multitude 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: הָמֹון 
Sense: (Qal) murmur, roar, crowd, abundance, tumult, sound.
הָרִ֑ים  of  mountains 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: הַר  
Sense: hill, mountain, hill country, mount.
אָכֵן֙  Truly 
Parse: Adverb
Root: אָכֵן 
Sense: surely, truly, indeed.
בַּיהֹוָ֣ה  in  Yahweh 
Parse: Preposition-b, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
אֱלֹהֵ֔ינוּ  our  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, first person common plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
תְּשׁוּעַ֖ת  [Is]  the  salvation 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: תְּשׁוּעָה  
Sense: salvation, deliverance.
יִשְׂרָאֵֽל  of  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.