TRV
Translation
King James Version
O my mountain in the field, I will give thy substance and all thy treasures to the spoil, and thy high places for sin, throughout all thy borders.
Complete Jewish Bible
My mountain in the field, your wealth and all your treasures will be plundered; because of the sin of your high places throughout your territory.
Berean Standard Bible
O My mountain in the countryside, I will give over your wealth and all your treasures as plunder, because of the sin of your high places, within all your borders.
American Standard Version
O my mountain in the field, I will give thy substance and all thy treasures for a spoil, and thy high places, because of sin, throughout all thy borders.
World English Bible Messianic
My mountain in the field, I will give your substance and all your treasures for a plunder, and your high places, because of sin, throughout all your borders.
Geneva Bible (1599)
O my mountaine in the fielde, I will giue thy substance, and all thy treasures to be spoyled, for the sinne of thy high places throughout all thy borders.
Young's Literal Translation
O My mountain in the field--thy strength, All thy treasures--for a prey I give, Thy high places for sin in all thy borders.
In the KJVVerse 19,361 of 31,102
Study This Verse
Commentary on Jeremiah 17 verses 1–4
1 ¶ The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron, and with the point of a diamond: it is graven upon the table of their heart, and upon the horns of your altars;
2 Whilst their children remember their altars and their groves by the green trees upon the high hills.
3 O my mountain in the field, I will give thy substance and all thy treasures to the spoil, and thy high places for sin, throughout all thy borders.
4 And thou, even thyself, shalt discontinue from thine heritage that I gave thee; and I will cause thee to serve thine enemies in the land which thou knowest not: for ye have kindled a fire in mine anger, which shall burn for ever.
The people had asked (Jer 16:10), What is our iniquity, and what is our sin? as if they could not be charged with any thing worth speaking of, for which God should enter into judgment with them; their challenge was answered there, but here we have a further reply to it, in which,
I. The indictment is fully proved upon the prisoners, both the fact and the fault; their sin is too plain to be denied and too bad to be excused, and they have nothing to plead either in extenuation of the crime or in arrest and mitigation of the judgment. 1. They cannot plead, Not guilty, for their sins are upon record in the book of God's omniscience and their own conscience; nay, and they are obvious to the eye and observation of the world, Jer 17:1, Jer 17:2. They are written before God in the most legible and indelible characters, and sealed among his treasures, never to be forgotten, Deu 32:34. They are written there with a pen of iron and with the point of a diamond; what is so written will not be worn out by time, but is, as Job speaks, graven in the rock for ever. Note, The sin of sinners is never forgotten till it is forgiven. It is ever before God, till by repentance it comes to be ever before us. It is graven upon the table of their heart; their own consciences witness against them, and are instead of a thousand witnesses. What is graven on the heart, though it may be covered and closed up for a time, yet, being graven, it cannot be erased, but will be produced in evidence when the books shall be opened. Nay, we need not appeal to the tables of the heart, perhaps they will not own the convictions of their consciences. We need go no further, for proof of the charge, than the horns of their altars, on which the blood of their idolatrous sacrifices was sprinkled, and perhaps the names of the idols to whose honour they were erected were inscribed. Their neighbours will witness against them, and all the creatures they have abused by using them in the service of their lusts. To complete the evidence, their own children shall be witnesses against them; they will tell truth when their fathers dissemble and prevaricate; they remember the altars and the groves to which their parents took them when they were little, v. 2. It appears that they were full of them, and acquainted with them betimes, they talked of them so frequently, so familiarly, and with so much delight. 2. They cannot plead that they repent, or are brought to a better mind. No, as the guilt of their sin is undeniable, so their inclination to sin is invincible and incurable. In this sense many understand Jer 17:1, Jer 17:2. Their sin is deeply engraven as with a pen of iron in the tables of their hearts. They have a rooted affection to it; it is woven into their very nature; their sin is dear to them, as that is dear to us of which we say, It is engraven on our hearts. The bias of their minds is still as strong as ever towards their idols, and they are not wrought upon either by the word or rod of God to forget them and abate their affection to them. It is written upon the horns of their altars, for they have given up their names to their idols and resolve to abide by what they have done; they have bound themselves, as with cords, to the horns of their altars. And Jer 17:2 may be read fully to this sense: As they remember their children, so remember they their altars and their groves; they are as fond of them and take as much pleasure in them as men do in their own children, and are as loth to part with them; they will live and die with their idols, and can no more forget them than a woman can forget her sucking child.
II. The indictment being thus fully proved, the judgment is affirmed and the sentence ratified, Jer 17:3, Jer 17:4. Forasmuch as they are thus wedded to their sins, and will not part with them, 1. They shall be made to part with their treasures, and those shall be given into the hands of strangers. Jerusalem is God's mountain in the field; it was built on a hill in the midst of a plain. All the treasures of that wealthy city will God give to the spoil. Or, My mountains with the fields, thy wealth and all thy treasures will I expose to spoil; both the products of the country and the stores of the city shall be seized by the Chaldeans. Justly are men stripped of that which they have served their idols with and have made the food and the fuel of their lusts. My mountain (so the whole land was, Psa 78:54, Deu 11:11) you have turned into your high places for sin, have worshipped your idols upon the high hills (Jer 17:2), and now they shall be give for a spoil in all your borders. What we make for a sin God will make for a spoil; for what comfort can we expect in that wherewith God is dishonoured? 2. They shall be made to part with their inheritance, and shall be carried captives into a strange land (Jer 17:4): Thou, even thyself (or thou thyself and those that are in thee, all the inhabitants), shall discontinue from thy heritage that I gave thee. God owns that it was their heritage, and that he gave it to them; they had an unquestionable title to it, which was an aggravation of their folly in throwing themselves out of the possession of it. It is through thyself (so some read it), through thy own default, that thou art disseised. Thou shalt discontinue, or intermit, the occupation of thy land. The law appointed them to let their land rest (it is the word here used) one year in seven, Exo 23:11. They did not observe that law, and now God would compel them to let it rest (the land shall enjoy her sabbaths, Lev 26:34); and yet it shall be not rest to them; they shall serve their enemies in a land they know not. Observe, (1.) Sin works a discontinuance of our comforts and deprives us of the enjoyment of that which God has given us. Yet, (2.) A discontinuance of the possession is not a defeasance of the right, but it is intimated that upon their repentance they shall recover possession again. For the present, you have kindled a fire in my anger, which burns so fiercely that it seems as if it would burn for ever; and so it will unless you repent, for it is the anger of an everlasting God fastening upon the immortal souls, and who knows the power of that anger?
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 1–4. Public domain.
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JeromeAD 420
Commentary on Jeremiah
(Verse 2, 3.) When their sons remember their altars, and the groves of trees and leafy branches on the high mountains, sacrificing in the field, I will give your strength and all your treasures to plunder. Your lofty places will be destroyed because of your sins in all your borders. And you will be left alone in the inheritance that I gave you, and I will make your enemies serve you in a land that you do not know, because you kindled the fire in my anger, and it will burn forever. And these are not found in the Septuagint, for the same reason (as I believe) that we have mentioned above, namely, lest the eternal sentence should remain against them. 'You shall be left,' He says, 'alone from your inheritance, which I gave you, and I will make you serve your enemies in a land which you do not know, either under the Babylonians or, as is more accurate, under the Romans. For they themselves have kindled the fire and provoked the most merciful Lord to anger, whose fire of fury will burn forever.' I am ashamed of our argument, which disputes the truth of the Hebrews. The Jews read against themselves, and the Church does not know what is in their favor. Thus, we, who are the sons of the Apostles, remember the injustices of the previous people and testify that they suffered justly. However, the high places, which are called Bamoth in Hebrew, can also be understood as a reference to the heretics who have exalted themselves, and their language has spread throughout the land. Those who have burst forth into such great madness, that they have remained alone without the grace of the Holy Spirit, and have lost the inheritance of the Lord, namely the prior truth of faith. Hence, eternal fire is prepared for them, and the servitude of demons, who are enemies and avengers.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
Jeremiah 17:3 delivers a profound and somber prophecy of divine judgment against Judah, declaring that their national wealth and sacred sites, once symbols of their covenant relationship with God, will be utterly plundered and desecrated. This pronouncement underscores the severe and inevitable consequences of Judah's persistent idolatry and spiritual unfaithfulness, particularly the widespread practice of illicit worship at "high places" that had permeated the very fabric of their society. The verse portrays God's active and sovereign role in orchestrating this national calamity as a direct, righteous response to His people's profound rebellion and betrayal of their covenant.
CONTEXT
Literary Context: This verse is an integral part of Jeremiah's prophetic indictment against Judah, specifically within a section (chapters 17-20) that vividly details the nation's deep-seated sin and the inevitable divine retribution. Immediately preceding Jeremiah 17:3, Jeremiah 17:1-2 establish the pervasive nature of Judah's idolatry, describing how their sin is indelibly etched on their hearts and altars, a testament to its deep-rootedness. The "mountain in the field" in verse 3 serves as a poignant poetic continuation of this imagery, representing Jerusalem or the entire land of Judah, which, despite its elevated status and covenant blessings, is now exposed and vulnerable to the consequences of its spiritual defilement. The subsequent verses in Jeremiah 17 continue to explore contrasting themes of trust, highlighting the cursed nature of relying on human strength and the blessedness of trusting in the Lord, setting the stage for a broader call to repentance and a deeper understanding of God's righteous character.
Historical & Cultural Context: Jeremiah delivered these prophecies during a tumultuous period in Judah's history, leading up to the devastating Babylonian exile (late 7th and early 6th centuries BCE). The nation had repeatedly turned away from the Lord, engaging in syncretistic worship and adopting the idolatrous practices of surrounding nations. "High places" (Hebrew: bâmâh) were elevated sites, often hilltops or man-made platforms, where pagan deities were worshipped and illicit sacrifices were offered. This practice was explicitly condemned by God's law (e.g., Deuteronomy 12:2-4), yet it persisted and became deeply ingrained throughout the land, symbolizing Judah's systemic spiritual corruption and covenant unfaithfulness. Despite reforms by kings like Hezekiah and Josiah, the allure of idolatry proved too strong. The "spoil" refers to the plunder and destruction that would be inflicted by invading armies, primarily the Neo-Babylonian Empire under Nebuchadnezzar, which served as God's instrument of righteous judgment against His rebellious people.
Key Themes: Jeremiah 17:3 powerfully contributes to several major themes in the book of Jeremiah and broader biblical theology. Firstly, it highlights the theme of Divine Judgment and Consequences, unequivocally declaring God's decision to bring calamity upon Judah as a direct result of their covenant unfaithfulness. Their "substance" and "treasures" being given "to the spoil" signifies the devastating economic and material loss, a clear fulfillment of the curses outlined in the Mosaic Covenant for disobedience (e.g., Deuteronomy 28:47-48). Secondly, the phrase "thy high places for sin, throughout all thy borders" underscores the Pervasiveness of Idolatry within Judah, indicating that the nation's spiritual defilement was not isolated but deeply ingrained and widespread, provoking God's righteous anger (Exodus 20:3). Lastly, the declaration "I will give" emphasizes God's Sovereignty in Judgment, asserting His active role and ultimate control over the destiny of nations. This is not merely a political or military defeat but a divinely orchestrated consequence of Judah's rebellion, demonstrating that God remains just and faithful to His covenant, even in His disciplinary actions.
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Jeremiah 17:3 employs several powerful literary devices to convey its message of impending judgment. The opening phrase, Apostrophe, is a direct and poignant address to "O my mountain in the field," personifying Judah or Jerusalem as a once-exalted but now vulnerable entity. This "mountain in the field" also functions as a potent Metaphor or Symbolism, representing the nation of Judah—once a strong, divinely chosen stronghold (like Mount Zion), but now exposed and susceptible to attack, as if leveled to common ground. The mention of "high places" is also deeply Symbolic, representing the pervasive idolatry and spiritual corruption that permeated the nation, making them focal points of God's wrath. The declaration that God "will give" Judah's "substance and all thy treasures to the spoil" uses Hyperbole or Intensification to emphasize the totality and severity of the coming plunder, suggesting a complete and devastating loss of national wealth and security. The phrase "throughout all thy borders" further employs Merism to indicate the entire extent of the land, reinforcing the comprehensive and inescapable nature of the judgment.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Jeremiah 17:3 profoundly underscores the biblical principle that persistent sin, particularly idolatry and spiritual unfaithfulness, inevitably leads to divine judgment. It reveals God's unwavering justice, demonstrating that His covenant relationship with His people includes both blessings for obedience and severe consequences for rebellion. The "spoil" and the destruction of "high places" are not arbitrary acts but a righteous response to a nation that had repeatedly turned away from its Creator, placing its trust in false gods and human strength. This verse serves as a stark reminder that God is sovereign over the destinies of nations and that true security lies not in material wealth or military might, but in wholehearted devotion to Him. It highlights the destructive nature of idolatry, which pollutes both the land and the people, necessitating a purifying judgment that, though painful, aims to restore God's glory and righteousness.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Jeremiah 17:3 serves as a timeless and sobering warning for all generations, including believers today. While we may not worship physical idols on literal "high places," the principle of idolatry remains profoundly relevant. Anything that takes precedence over God in our affections, trust, and devotion—be it wealth, career, relationships, comfort, reputation, or even our own abilities—can become a modern "high place" that provokes spiritual consequences. This verse calls us to a radical self-examination, prompting us to identify and dismantle any such "high places" in our lives. It reminds us that true spiritual security and flourishing come only from an unreserved reliance on God, not on worldly possessions or human schemes. The Lord's justice, though severe in this context, is always rooted in His holiness and His desire for His people's ultimate good. Therefore, the impending judgment should not lead to despair, but to urgent repentance and a renewed commitment to single-minded devotion to the one true God, trusting in His provision and protection above all else, knowing that His discipline ultimately aims for our purification and restoration.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What is the significance of "O my mountain in the field" in this verse?
Answer: The phrase "O my mountain in the field" is a poignant prophetic address, likely referring to Jerusalem or the entire land of Judah. "Mountain" (Hebrew: hârâr) signifies strength, prominence, and often refers to Mount Zion, the site of God's temple and the center of Judah's spiritual and political life. The possessive "my" indicates God's former intimate relationship with this place, emphasizing His ownership and covenant with His people. However, the addition of "in the field" (Hebrew: sâdeh) introduces a stark contrast. A field is open, exposed, and vulnerable, unlike a fortified mountain. This juxtaposition powerfully symbolizes Judah's fall from its divinely protected and exalted status to a state of vulnerability and exposure to its enemies, stripped of God's favor due to its pervasive sin. It conveys a sense of lament and the profound shift in Judah's spiritual condition, from a secure dwelling to a desolate, exposed landscape.
What were "high places" and why were they considered "for sin"?
Answer: "High places" (Hebrew: bâmâh) were elevated sites, often natural hills or man-made mounds, used for religious worship. While some were initially used for legitimate worship of Yahweh before the centralization of worship in Jerusalem, they increasingly became centers for syncretistic and pagan worship practices, incorporating elements of Canaanite fertility cults and idolatry. They were considered "for sin" (Hebrew: chaṭṭâʼâh) because they directly violated God's commands against idolatry and His directive to worship Him exclusively at the designated temple in Jerusalem (e.g., Deuteronomy 12:5-7). The worship at high places often involved illicit sacrifices, prostitution, and the veneration of false gods like Baal and Asherah, representing a profound betrayal of Judah's covenant with the Lord. Their widespread presence "throughout all thy borders" indicated the depth of the nation's spiritual corruption, making them a primary target of divine judgment.
How does God's judgment in Jeremiah 17:3 relate to His love and mercy?
Answer: While Jeremiah 17:3 speaks of severe judgment—the plunder of Judah's substance and the destruction of its high places—it is crucial to understand this within the broader context of God's character and covenant. God's judgment is not an act of arbitrary malice but a righteous and just response to unrepentant sin and persistent rebellion against His holiness and covenant faithfulness. It is an expression of His justice (e.g., Psalm 7:11), which is an integral part of His perfect character, alongside His love and mercy. In the biblical narrative, judgment often serves a redemptive purpose, intended to bring about repentance and restoration, to purify His people, and to demonstrate His sovereignty to the nations. Even in judgment, God's ultimate desire is for His people to return to Him, as seen in subsequent calls for repentance throughout Jeremiah and the promise of a new covenant (e.g., Jeremiah 31:31-34). Thus, judgment, while painful, is often a severe form of divine discipline aimed at preserving the covenant relationship and leading to ultimate reconciliation.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Jeremiah 17:3, with its stark prophecy of divine judgment against Judah for its pervasive idolatry and reliance on false security, finds its ultimate and profound fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. The "spoil" and the destruction of "high places for sin" foreshadow the ultimate consequence of humanity's sin, which Christ bore on the cross. He became the ultimate "substance" given over for humanity's sin, taking upon Himself the divine judgment that we deserved (e.g., 2 Corinthians 5:21). Through His sacrifice, Jesus dismantled the "high places" of sin and false worship, not by physical destruction, but by conquering the spiritual powers that held humanity captive (e.g., Colossians 2:13-15). He is the true "mountain" of God's presence, the heavenly Mount Zion where true worship in spirit and truth is now offered (e.g., John 4:23-24), replacing the corruptible earthly high places. In Christ, believers are freed from the bondage of idolatry and the judgment it brings, receiving forgiveness and new life, and are called to worship God exclusively, not with material sacrifices but with their very lives as a spiritual offering (e.g., Romans 12:1-2). Thus, the judgment pronounced in Jeremiah 17:3 highlights the depth of sin and the necessity of God's righteous response, which is perfectly and redemptively fulfilled in the saving work of the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.