Jeremiah 3:6

¶ The LORD said also unto me in the days of Josiah the king, Hast thou seen [that] which backsliding Israel hath done? she is gone up upon every high mountain and under every green tree, and there hath played the harlot.

The LORD {H3068} said {H559} also unto me in the days {H3117} of Josiah {H2977} the king {H4428}, Hast thou seen {H7200} that which backsliding {H4878} Israel {H3478} hath done {H6213}? she is gone up {H1980} upon every high {H1364} mountain {H2022} and under {H8478} every green {H7488} tree {H6086}, and there hath played the harlot {H2181}.

In the days of Yoshiyahu the king, ADONAI asked me, "Have you seen the things that backsliding Isra'el has been doing? She goes up on every bare hill and under every green tree and prostitutes herself there.

Now in the days of King Josiah, the LORD said to me, “Have you seen what faithless Israel has done? She has gone up on every high hill and under every green tree to prostitute herself there.

Moreover Jehovah said unto me in the days of Josiah the king, Hast thou seen that which backsliding Israel hath done? she is gone up upon every high mountain and under every green tree, and there hath played the harlot.

Jeremiah 3:6 presents a poignant and powerful indictment from the Lord concerning the spiritual unfaithfulness of the northern kingdom of Israel, often referred to as Ephraim. This verse sets the stage for God's lament over His people's persistent idolatry and their breaking of the sacred covenant.

Context

The prophet Jeremiah delivers this divine message "in the days of Josiah the king." King Josiah was known for his extensive religious reforms and efforts to purge idolatry from Judah (see 2 Kings 23). However, this verse highlights that even during such a righteous reign in Judah, the spiritual state of the northern kingdom of Israel (which had fallen to Assyria centuries earlier but whose spiritual heritage continued) remained deeply corrupted. God calls Jeremiah's attention to "backsliding Israel," referring to their long history of turning away from Him. Their idolatry was not hidden but openly practiced "upon every high mountain and under every green tree," traditional sites for pagan worship and fertility cults, explicitly forbidden by God's law (Deuteronomy 12:2).

Key Themes

  • Spiritual Adultery: The most striking metaphor is "played the harlot." This vivid imagery describes Israel's idolatry as a profound act of spiritual infidelity, breaking their marital covenant with God, who is depicted as their faithful husband. This theme is central to prophetic literature, emphasizing the intimacy and exclusivity God desired in His relationship with His people (compare Hosea 2:5).
  • Pervasive Idolatry: The phrases "every high mountain and under every green tree" underscore the widespread and open nature of Israel's pagan worship. It signifies that no corner of their land was untouched by their devotion to false gods like Baal and Asherah, moving away from the worship of the one true God.
  • Backsliding: The term "backsliding Israel" (Hebrew: meshuvah, מְשׁוּבָה) denotes a turning away or apostasy from God. It implies a deliberate and persistent departure from divine truth and covenant obligations, despite God's repeated warnings and calls to repentance.
  • God's Grief and Disappointment: The Lord's question to Jeremiah, "Hast thou seen...?" conveys a sense of divine sorrow, exasperation, and disappointment over the deep-seated rebellion of His chosen people.

Linguistic Insights

The KJV uses the term "backsliding Israel." The Hebrew word behind "backsliding" is meshuvah (מְשׁוּבָה), which carries the strong connotation of turning away, apostasy, or defection. It signifies a profound spiritual rebellion and a refusal to return to God. The phrase "played the harlot" translates the Hebrew verb zanah (זָנָה), which literally means to commit fornication or adultery. In the prophetic books, zanah is consistently used metaphorically to describe idolatry as spiritual infidelity, highlighting the covenant relationship between God and Israel as a marriage, where worshiping other gods is a betrayal of that sacred bond.

Practical Application

Jeremiah 3:6 serves as a powerful warning against spiritual drift and the subtle allure of anything that replaces God as the supreme object of our devotion. For believers today, "high mountains" and "green trees" might represent modern idols such as materialism, self-reliance, career ambition, or even comfort and pleasure, when these things take precedence over our relationship with God. This verse calls us to:

  • Examine Our Allegiance: Are there "other gods" in our lives that subtly demand our primary allegiance, drawing us away from exclusive devotion to the Lord?
  • Guard Against Spiritual Complacency: The danger of backsliding is often a gradual process, a slow turning away from fervent faith and obedience.
  • Remember God's Faithfulness: Despite Israel's unfaithfulness, God remains steadfast in His character and continues to call His people to repentance and return (Jeremiah 3:12).
Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Ezekiel 16:31

    In that thou buildest thine eminent place in the head of every way, and makest thine high place in every street; and hast not been as an harlot, in that thou scornest hire;

  • Ezekiel 16:24

    [That] thou hast also built unto thee an eminent place, and hast made thee an high place in every street.

  • Ezekiel 16:25

    Thou hast built thy high place at every head of the way, and hast made thy beauty to be abhorred, and hast opened thy feet to every one that passed by, and multiplied thy whoredoms.

  • 2 Kings 17:7

    ¶ For [so] it was, that the children of Israel had sinned against the LORD their God, which had brought them up out of the land of Egypt, from under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and had feared other gods,

  • 2 Kings 17:17

    And they caused their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire, and used divination and enchantments, and sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger.

  • Isaiah 57:7

    Upon a lofty and high mountain hast thou set thy bed: even thither wentest thou up to offer sacrifice.

  • Jeremiah 3:11

    And the LORD said unto me, The backsliding Israel hath justified herself more than treacherous Judah.

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