TRV
Translation
King James Version
A voice was heard upon the high places, weeping and supplications of the children of Israel: for they have perverted their way, and they have forgotten the LORD their God.
Complete Jewish Bible
A sound is heard on the heights, the house of Isra'el crying, pleading for mercy, because they have perverted their way and forgotten ADONAI their God.
Berean Standard Bible
A voice is heard on the barren heights, the children of Israel weeping and begging for mercy, because they have perverted their ways and forgotten the LORD their God.
American Standard Version
A voice is heard upon the bare heights, the weeping and the supplications of the children of Israel; because they have perverted their way, they have forgotten Jehovah their God.
World English Bible Messianic
A voice is heard on the bare heights, the weeping and the petitions of the children of Israel; because they have perverted their way, they have forgotten the LORD their God.
Geneva Bible (1599)
A voice was heard vpon the hie places, weeping and supplications of the children of Israel: for they haue peruerted their way, and forgotten the Lord their God.
Young's Literal Translation
A voice on high places is heard--weeping, Supplications of the sons of Israel, For they have made perverse their way, They have forgotten Jehovah their God.
In the KJVVerse 19,024 of 31,102
Study This Verse
Commentary on Jeremiah 3 verses 20–25
20 ¶ Surely as a wife treacherously departeth from her husband, so have ye dealt treacherously with me, O house of Israel, saith the LORD.
21 A voice was heard upon the high places, weeping and supplications of the children of Israel: for they have perverted their way, and they have forgotten the LORD their God.
22 Return, ye backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings. Behold, we come unto thee; for thou art the LORD our God.
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.
24 For shame hath devoured the labour of our fathers from our youth; their flocks and their herds, their sons and their daughters.
25 We lie down in our shame, and our confusion covereth us: for we have sinned against the LORD our God, we and our fathers, from our youth even unto this day, and have not obeyed the voice of the LORD our God.
Here is, I. The charge God exhibits against Israel for their treacherous departures from him, Jer 3:20. As an adulterous wife elopes from her husband, so have they gone a whoring from God. They were joined to God by a marriage-covenant, but they broke that covenant, they dealt treacherously with God, who had always dealt kindly and faithfully with them. Treacherous dealing with men like ourselves is bad enough, but to deal treacherously with God is to deal treasonably.
II. Their conviction and confession of the truth of this charge, Jer 3:21. When God reproved them for their apostasy, there were some among them, even such as God would take and bring to Zion, whose voice was heard upon the high places weeping and praying, humbling themselves before the God of their fathers, lamenting their calamities, and their sins, the procuring cause of them; for this is that which they lament, for this they bemoan themselves, that they have perverted their way and forgotten the Lord their God. Note, 1. Sin is the perverting of our way, it is turning aside to crooked ways and perverting that which is right. 2. Forgetting the Lord our God is at the bottom of all sin. If men would remember God, his eye upon them and their obligation to him, they would not transgress as they do. 3. By sin we embarrass ourselves, and bring ourselves into trouble, for that also is the perverting of our way, Lam 3:9. 4. Prayers and tears well become those whose consciences tell them that they have perverted their way and forgotten their God. When the foolishness of man perverts his way his heart is apt to fret against the Lord (Pro 19:3), whereas it should be melted and poured out before him.
III. The invitation God gives them to return to him (Jer 3:22): Return, you backsliding children. He calls them children in tenderness and compassion to them, foolish and froward as children, yet his sons, whom though he corrects he will not disinherit; for, though they are refractory children (so some render it), yet they are children. God bears with such children, and so much parents. When they are convinced of sin (Jer 3:21), and humbled for that, then they are prepared and then they are invited to return, as Christ invites those to him that are weary and heavy-laden. The promise to those that return is, "I will heal your backslidings; I will comfort you under the grief you are in for your backslidings, deliver you out of the troubles you have brought yourselves into by your backslidings, and cure you of your refractoriness and tendency to backslide." God will heal our backslidings by his pardoning mercy, his quieting peace, and his renewing grace.
IV. The ready consent they give to this invitation, and their cheerful compliance with it: Behold, we come unto thee. This is an echo to God's call; as a voice returned from broken walls, so this from broken hearts. God says, Return; they answer, Behold, we come. It is an immediate speedy answer, without delay, not, "We will come hereafter," but, "We do come now; we need not take time to consider of it;" not, "We come towards thee," but, "We come to thee, we will make a thorough turn of it." Observe how unanimous they are: We come, one and all. 1. They come devoting themselves to God as theirs: "Thou art the Lord our God; we take thee to be ours, we give up ourselves to thee to be thine; whither shall we go but to thee? It is our sin and folly that we have gone from thee." It is very comfortable, in our returns to God after our backslidings, to look up to him as ours in covenant. 2. They come disclaiming all expectations of relief and succour but from God only: "In vain is salvation hoped for from the hills and from the multitude of the mountains; we now see our folly in relying upon creature-confidences, and will never so deceive ourselves any more." They worshipped their idols upon hills and mountains (Jer 3:6), and they had a multitude of idols upon their mountains, which they had sought unto and put a confidence in; but now they will have no more to do with them. In vain do we look for any thing that is good from them, while from God we may look for every thing that is good, even salvation itself. Therefore, 3. They come depending upon God only as their God: In the Lord our God is the salvation of Israel. He is the Lord, and he only can save; he can save when all other succours and saviours fail; and he is our God, and will in his own way and time work salvation for us. It is very applicable to the great salvation from sin, which Jesus Christ wrought out for us; that is the salvation of the Lord, his great salvation. 4. They come justifying God in their troubles and judging themselves for their sins, Jer 3:24, Jer 3:25. (1.) They impute all the calamities they had been under to their idols, which had not only done them no good, but had done them abundance of mischief, all the mischief that had been done them: Shame (the idol, that shameful thing) has devoured the labour of our fathers. Note, [1.] True penitents have learned to call sin shame; even the beloved sin which has been as an idol to them, which they have been most pleased with and proud of, even that they shall call a scandalous thing, shall put contempt upon it and be ashamed of it. [2.] True penitents have learned to call sin death and ruin, and to charge upon it all the mischiefs they suffer: "It has devoured all those good things which our fathers laboured for and left to us; we have found from our youth that our idolatry has been the destruction of our prosperity." Children often throw away upon their lusts that which their fathers took a great deal of pains for; and it is well if at length they are brought (as these here) to see the folly of it, and to call those vices their shame which have wasted their estates and devoured the labour of their fathers. Of the labour of their fathers, which their idols had devoured, they mention particularly their flocks and their herds, their sons and their daughters. First, their idolatries had provoked God to bring these desolating judgments upon them, which had ruined their country and families, and made their estates a prey and their children captives to the conquering enemy. They had procured these things to themselves. Or, rather, Secondly, These had been sacrificed to their idols, had been separated unto that shame (Hos 9:10), and they had devoured them without mercy; they did eat the fat of their sacrifices (Deu 32:38), even their human sacrifices. (2.) They take to themselves the shame of their sin and folly (Jer 3:25): "We lie down in our shame, being unable to bear up under it; our confusion covers us, that is, both our penal and our penitential shame. Sin has laid us under such rebukes of God's providence, and such reproaches of our own consciences, as surround us and fill us with shame. For we have sinned, and shame came in with sin and still attends upon it. We are sinners by descent; guilt and corruption are entailed upon us: We and our fathers have sinned. We were sinners betimes; we began early in a course of sin: We have sinned from our youth; we have continued in sin, have sinned even unto this day, though often called to repent and forsake our sins. That which is the malignity of sin, the worst thing in it, is the affront we have put upon God by it: We have not obeyed the voice of the Lord our God, forbidding us to sin and commanding us, when we have sinned, to repent." Now all this seems to be the language of the penitents of the house of Israel (Jer 3:20), of the ten tribes, either of those that were in captivity or those of them that remained in their own land. And the prophet takes notice of their repentance to provoke the men of Judah to a holy emulation. David used it as an argument with the elders of Judah that it would be a shame for those that were his bone and his flesh to be the last in bringing the king back, when the men of Israel appeared forward in it, Sa2 19:11, Sa2 19:12. So the prophet excites Judah to repent because Israel did: and well it were if the zeal of others less likely would provoke us to strive to get before them and go beyond them in that which is good.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 20–25. Public domain.
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HorsiesiosAD 387
THE TESTAMENT OF HORSIESI 33
Let us return to the Lord our God, and whenever we pray, he, who daily urges us to pause and get to know him, will hear us. And in another place he says, “Return to me, and I will return to you.” And again, “Return to me, my backsliding children, and I will rule over you.” Ezekiel likewise calls on us, saying, “Why will you die, O house of Israel? I want not the death of the sinner, only that he turn from his evil ways and live.” The most merciful Lord and source of all goodness cries out to us in the Gospel and declares, “Come to me, all you who labor and are overburdened, and I will give you rest. Carry my yoke on you and learn of me, for I am gentle and humble of heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Let us consider that the goodness of God calls us to repentance, and holy people encourage us to salvation. Let us not harden our hearts and collect against ourselves a store of divine anger for the day of wrath. Then, on that day, shall be revealed the just judgment of God, who will repay each one according to his deeds. But let us return to the Lord with our whole heart. According to the words of Moses, who reminds us, “If you return to the Lord with your whole heart, he will purify your heart and the heart of your descendants.”
JeromeAD 420
Commentary on Jeremiah
(Verses 21, 22.) A voice was heard in the streets (or on the lips), the weeping and wailing of the children of Israel, for they have done wickedness, they have forgotten the Lord their God. Return, O returning children, and I will heal your turnings (or contritions): for which Symmachus translated as conversions. God willingly receives the penitent, and runs to meet the son who is wasted with want and filth, and immediately clothes him with the former garments, and restores glory to the one who returns: but only if he returns with weeping and wailing. For he has done wrong because of his own fault; and he has forgotten the Lord his God and his Father, to whom he speaks with prophetic words: Return, O returning sons. I call you sons for this reason, because understanding your sins, you return with weeping and wailing to your parent. And when you have returned to the Lord, he will heal all your contritions, whether aversions by which you had gone away from the Lord, or certainly conversions. Although we may return to the Lord of our own volition, yet unless He draws us and strengthens our desire with His protection, we cannot be saved. Let us understand this both in relation to the Jewish people returning to the Lord and to the heretics who have forsaken the Lord.
John CassianAD 435
CONFERENCE 2:13.8
Our obstinacy and scorn, reflecting our spirit of rebellious disdain for him when he urges us to return and be saved, is described in the following comparison. He says, “And I said you shall call me Father and shall not cease to walk after me. But as a woman that despises her lover, so has the house of Israel despised me, says the Lord.” It is only appropriate that as he has compared Jerusalem with an adulteress forsaking her husband, he compares his own love and persevering goodness with a man’s undying love for a woman. For the goodness and love of God that he has always shown to the human race could not be more appropriately described by any comparison than the case of a man inflamed with most ardent love for a woman. God’s love is overcome by no injuries that might make him stop caring for our salvation or that might drive him from his first intention as if he were defeated by our sins. Instead, he is consumed by a more burning passion for her, the more he sees that he is slighted and despised by her.
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 3:21 vividly portrays the profound distress of the children of Israel, whose cries of "weeping and supplications" echo from the "high places"—notorious sites of their spiritual rebellion. This desperate lament is a direct consequence of their profound apostasy: they have "perverted their way" by deviating from God's righteous path and have "forgotten the LORD their God," abandoning their sacred covenant relationship and embracing idolatry. The verse captures a poignant moment of dawning realization and anguish, where the painful repercussions of their unfaithfulness compel them to cry out for divine mercy, even from the very epicenters of their sin.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Jeremiah 3:21 is rich with powerful literary devices that amplify its message. The most striking is Irony, as the "voice...heard upon the high places"—sites that epitomized Israel's flagrant idolatry and rebellion—is paradoxically one of "weeping and supplications." This unexpected lament from the very centers of their sin profoundly highlights the severe distress resulting from their apostasy, compelling a cry for help from the most unlikely of locations. A clear Cause and Effect relationship is established: the "weeping and supplications" are explicitly attributed to the fact that "they have perverted their way, and they have forgotten the LORD their God." This structural emphasis underscores the direct and inevitable link between their sin and their suffering. The phrase "children of Israel" serves as a poignant reminder of their covenant identity, creating a stark Contrast between who they were called to be as God's chosen people and their current state of spiritual degradation and lament. Finally, the "voice" itself can be seen as a form of Personification, giving an audible, collective manifestation to the deep anguish and nascent, desperate repentance of the entire nation.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Jeremiah 3:21 offers a profound theological statement on the devastating consequences of covenant unfaithfulness and the paradoxical nature of a cry for repentance. It reveals that spiritual apostasy, characterized by a "perverted way" and a "forgotten" relationship with God, inevitably culminates in deep distress, lamentation, and judgment. Yet, even in this lament, echoing from the very heart of their sin, there is a glimmer of hope. God's persistent call for repentance, articulated throughout Jeremiah, is met here with a cry—however desperate—from His people. This suggests that God's mercy is always accessible to those who acknowledge their sin and turn back to Him, even when their initial turning is prompted by suffering rather than pure devotion. The verse underscores God's justice in allowing the natural and spiritual consequences of sin to manifest, while simultaneously demonstrating His enduring readiness to hear the genuine cry of His wayward children and offer a path to restoration.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Jeremiah 3:21 serves as a timeless and convicting mirror for humanity, reflecting the painful consequences of straying from God's intended path and underscoring the profound importance of genuine repentance. It powerfully reminds us that spiritual forgetfulness—a willful disregard for God's character, His commands, and His unwavering faithfulness—is often the insidious root cause of many of our "perverted ways." When we neglect our active relationship with the LORD, we inevitably twist our lives away from His good and perfect design, leading to distress, brokenness, and a desperate cry for help. This verse compels us to engage in deep self-examination: In what areas of our lives might we have "perverted our way" through active disobedience, misplaced priorities, or the subtle pursuit of idols? How does "forgetting the LORD our God" manifest in our daily thoughts, actions, and the priorities we set? The lament from the "high places" offers a paradoxical and profound hope: even from the depths of our sin and its painful consequences, God hears the cry of a contrite heart. It encourages us that no matter how far we have strayed, or how deeply entrenched our personal "high places" of sin and rebellion may be, God remains ever-present and open to our "weeping and supplications," ready to receive those who genuinely turn back to Him with humility, confession, and a sincere desire for restoration.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why is it significant that the voice was heard "upon the high places"?
Answer: The "high places" (Hebrew: bamot) were elevated sites, often natural hills or constructed platforms, that became notorious centers for pagan worship and idolatrous rituals throughout ancient Israel's history. They represented the epitome of Israel's spiritual unfaithfulness, rebellion, and syncretism against God's covenant. The fact that "a voice was heard upon the high places, weeping and supplications" is deeply significant because it means that even from the very epicenters of their sin and apostasy, the people were experiencing such profound distress and consequences that they were compelled to cry out. It is an ironic and powerful image, suggesting that the very places where they turned away from God became the sites where their pain led them to acknowledge their desperate need for Him. This highlights the inescapable consequences of sin and God's sovereign ability to draw a cry of repentance and acknowledgment even from the most unlikely and defiled circumstances.
What does it mean for Israel to have "forgotten the LORD their God"?
Answer: To "forget the LORD their God" (Hebrew: shâkach) in this biblical context is far more profound than a simple lapse of memory or an intellectual oversight. It signifies a deep spiritual amnesia, a willful disregard, and an active abandonment of their covenant relationship with Yahweh. It means they neglected His commands, His character, His past acts of salvation (such as the Exodus and the giving of the Law), and His very presence among them. This spiritual forgetfulness led them to seek security, provision, and guidance from other gods and their own human devices, effectively severing their intimate and life-giving relationship with the One who had chosen them, redeemed them, and faithfully sustained them. It implies a deliberate turning away from the source of all life and truth, leading directly to their "perverted way" and subsequent distress, as repeatedly warned in the Torah, for instance, in Deuteronomy 6:12.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Jeremiah 3:21, with its poignant depiction of Israel's lament from the "high places" due to their "perverted way" and having "forgotten the LORD their God," finds its ultimate fulfillment and resolution in the person and work of Jesus Christ. The "weeping and supplications" of Israel foreshadow the universal human condition of brokenness, alienation, and spiritual death due to sin, which only Christ can truly address. Humanity, like ancient Israel, has universally "perverted its way" by choosing paths contrary to God's righteous will, and has "forgotten" its Creator, leading to profound spiritual separation. Jesus, however, is the perfect embodiment of the Way, the Truth, and the Life, correcting humanity's crooked path and restoring the forgotten, intimate relationship with God. His atoning sacrifice on the cross addresses the deepest root cause of our "perverted way" by providing complete forgiveness for sin and cleansing from all unrighteousness, making true repentance and reconciliation with God profoundly possible (as seen in 1 John 1:9). Furthermore, through the New Covenant established in His blood, Christ ensures that God's laws are written not on tablets of stone, but on our hearts and minds, guaranteeing that we will "not forget" the LORD, but rather know Him intimately, from the least to the greatest (Hebrews 8:10-12). He is the ultimate answer to Israel's lament, transforming cries of distress into songs of salvation, and replacing the defiled "high places" of idolatry with the true worship found in spirit and truth through Him (John 4:23-24).